Enzo Maresca backed to thrive at Chelsea by key summer signing

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has backed new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to ‘surprise a lot of people’ by quickly turning the Blues into a competitive force again.

Maresca guided Leicester City to the Championship title and an immediate return to the top flight last season before being highlighted by Chelsea as the successor to Mauricio Pochettino.

The Italian has a big job on his hands, with Chelsea trophyless and enduring 12th and sixth-place finishes over the past two seasons.

But Dewsbury-Hall — who followed the manager from Leicester to Stamford Bridge this summer — has backed Maresca to quickly adjust to life at the helm of Chelsea and restore them among England’s elite forces.

“The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come,” Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.

“I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that, if everyone manages to buy into the system.

“I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four – but more than that.

“He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people.”

Chelsea adjusting quickly to life under Maresca

Dewsbury-Hall will, of course, already be well-versed in Maresca’s style of play. However, it may take some of Chelsea’s existing stars a little more time to become accustomed to the Italian’s needs, especially as he’s the sixth manager to take to the dugout in the Todd Boehly era.

However, the 25-year-old — who was Leicester’s Player and Players’ Player of the Year last season with 12 goals and 15 assists — says the early signs are good.

“We’ve only been doing it for two or three weeks but the combination plays are really quick and tidy,” Dewsbury-Hall said. “That’s after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start but it will improve.

“Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid, I thought I knew a lot about football but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn’t really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft – he has both sides.

“I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They’ve bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something.”

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