Enzo Maresca may have a relatively settled side when it comes to Premier League matches at the moment but the Italian has warned those not starting at the weekend they still have to perform to a high level every day in training if they want to feature during our midweek matches. Involvement in the Conference League is not simply given. It must be earned.
The strength of the Blues' squad means Maresca is able to name an extremely talented starting XI in the Premier League at the weekend and likewise in the cup competitions midweek even if there have been wholesale changes.
The Italian has stressed on numerous occasions since his arrival that the line-ups in the Premier League and Conference League are not set in stone, with players able to work their way into the weekend XI.
But our head coach has also reiterated that just because you have not played in the Premier League on a Saturday or Sunday, it does not guarantee you a place in the side for Conference League matches.
Maresca said: ‘If you don’t play Sunday in the Premier League and we have Thursday in the Conference League, and from Sunday to Thursday you don’t train well, then you won’t play on Thursday. Then you don’t play on Sunday or Thursday.
'The players deserve respect and to show respect to them, I try to help them work every day in the right way. But if you don’t play on Sunday and don’t work properly, you are not going to play on Thursday.’
Our midweek games in the Carabao Cup and Conference League have provided the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku with a platform to impress this season, with minutes in the Premier League hard to come by due to the form of players like Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.
Maresca was asked what he wants to see from his wingers if they are to earn a place in the Premier League XI during his press conference ahead of tonight's Conference League match with Noah, and one of the journalists questioned if some of the selection decisions were based on the players' defensive work.
Maresca said: ‘We want our wingers to arrive in the box, this is something in the beginning they struggled with but now they are doing much better. I like wingers one-v-one but don’t force it, if you have two defenders there don’t force it and start again. This is something we need to learn, how to manage.
'Defensively, sometimes if you have a full-back like (Tino) Livramento, who attacks a lot, you have to follow. In both phases, you need attacking and defending.’