🚨 Enzo Maresca has firmly reverted to his old Chelsea tactical...
EBL@EBL2017
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Sep 10, 2026
~5 min read
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🚨 Enzo Maresca has firmly reverted to his old Chelsea tactical approach.
No more zonal pressing… the man-to-man press has returned!
We can see that below as Foden inverts from the wing, Nunes backs it up on the side, and they defend 1v1 on the last line.
A tactical thread 👇
No more zonal pressing… the man-to-man press has returned!
We can see that below as Foden inverts from the wing, Nunes backs it up on the side, and they defend 1v1 on the last line.
A tactical thread 👇
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Maresca almost always relies on side rotations to get into a man-to-man press.
That way when the ball is played out to the side where the fullback doesn't jump they maintain a +1 low, but teams typically play to the side where the fullback does jump so they can entice him out and create 1v1's on the top line.
Maresca is happy to make that rotation from either the right or the left (see below with Garnacho and Cucurella).
That way when the ball is played out to the side where the fullback doesn't jump they maintain a +1 low, but teams typically play to the side where the fullback does jump so they can entice him out and create 1v1's on the top line.
Maresca is happy to make that rotation from either the right or the left (see below with Garnacho and Cucurella).
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However, Maresca has been known to exclusively defend man-to-man across the thirds.
This means that when the fullback cannot jump and is pinned with the centre back not coming across to manage the winger, the opposition have a 2v1 in the build-up vs the winger.
This means that when the fullback cannot jump and is pinned with the centre back not coming across to manage the winger, the opposition have a 2v1 in the build-up vs the winger.
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Although City have a +1 at the back, they stay man-to-man elsewhere which means that the opposition can play vertical passes directly into the forwards.
In a zonal system this passing lane would be blocked off.
In a zonal system this passing lane would be blocked off.
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We see a full example of it here.
City are pinned so cannot apply man-to-man pressure.
With Bouaddi, Cherki, Semenyo, and Haaland all looking after their respective man, nobody is blocking the passing lane into the forwards.
Dias may provide a +1 at the back, but he is merely an extra body as opposed to someone being used to screen the defensive line within a compact zonal block, for example.
City are pinned so cannot apply man-to-man pressure.
With Bouaddi, Cherki, Semenyo, and Haaland all looking after their respective man, nobody is blocking the passing lane into the forwards.
Dias may provide a +1 at the back, but he is merely an extra body as opposed to someone being used to screen the defensive line within a compact zonal block, for example.
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Porto pass into the front, Cherki's man runs off the back of him, and he gets a free shot off at the edge of the box.
This is the entire problem with the man-to-man block when defending low.
It is reactive, not proactive.
It doesn't optimally prepare for vertical passes or runs from deep.
This is the entire problem with the man-to-man block when defending low.
It is reactive, not proactive.
It doesn't optimally prepare for vertical passes or runs from deep.
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Compare this to the benchmark for defensive compactness and you see Arsenal protecting key spaces which means the opposition's #6 is not accessible, let alone their #9.
The front 2 manage the #6's, the #6's manage the #8's and the back 4 defend zonally with all key spaces protected 👏
The front 2 manage the #6's, the #6's manage the #8's and the back 4 defend zonally with all key spaces protected 👏
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When Maresca was at Chelsea, we saw countless problems with his defensive approach.
When they didn't have pressure on the ball they were vulnerable to passes through the block over and over again.
When Maresca's team lack pressure on the ball, they are VERY exploitable.
When they didn't have pressure on the ball they were vulnerable to passes through the block over and over again.
When Maresca's team lack pressure on the ball, they are VERY exploitable.
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However, just because Maresca's game-model doesn't optimally prepare his team for defending in a mid or a low block, that doesn't mean that he won't win major titles at City or that his game-model is sub-elite.
Luis Enrique's PSG defend this way too.
That's the reality.
Luis Enrique's PSG defend this way too.
That's the reality.
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But how often do PSG actually defend low?
They did it against Bayern at times in the away leg of the Champions League semi-final, but that was a reaction to the context they were in and the state of the game, much like Maresca's Chelsea against PSG in the Club World Cup.
They did it against Bayern at times in the away leg of the Champions League semi-final, but that was a reaction to the context they were in and the state of the game, much like Maresca's Chelsea against PSG in the Club World Cup.
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There are two extremely important factors to acknowledge that will determine the success of the Maresca project at City (assuming he continues to play this way).
First, how good his team are with the ball.
I much prefer his 3-1-3-3 / 3-1-6 game-model because it is harder to prepare to defend against than a rigid 3-2-5.
First, how good his team are with the ball.
I much prefer his 3-1-3-3 / 3-1-6 game-model because it is harder to prepare to defend against than a rigid 3-2-5.
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However, Maresca doesn't use this system the same way that Guardiola used it last season.
He tucks one of the centre backs into the back 3 and prefers to keep the #8 high with only the #6 managing the build-up alongside the back 3.
It works, but it is more predictable positionally, and thus easier to press.
He tucks one of the centre backs into the back 3 and prefers to keep the #8 high with only the #6 managing the build-up alongside the back 3.
It works, but it is more predictable positionally, and thus easier to press.
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However, with Enzo and Cherki being so talented and often dropping outside the lines or low to get touches at times, it makes it very difficult for the opposition to press City regardless.
So I wouldn't regard this as a catastrophic issue in the system.
More-so a minor one.
They are still very difficult to press which means they won't defend low very often.
So I wouldn't regard this as a catastrophic issue in the system.
More-so a minor one.
They are still very difficult to press which means they won't defend low very often.
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The second important factor to discuss is the cultural difference at Manchester City and Chelsea under Maresca.
Maresca never solved the cultural problems at Chelsea which saw the players not treat defending with the same respect that a Klopp, Pep or an Arteta team does.
Maresca never solved the cultural problems at Chelsea which saw the players not treat defending with the same respect that a Klopp, Pep or an Arteta team does.
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But, like Arne Slot post-Klopp, City have maintained the cultural foundations that Pep has laid down at the club, and Maresca is benefitting from that.
Enzo Fernández was a vice-captain at Chelsea whereas he's not even in the leadership group at City.
The difference is clear, and this matters a LOT because the intensity of the press and general success of each action is held to a MUCH higher standard thanks to standard-setters at the club.
Enzo Fernández was a vice-captain at Chelsea whereas he's not even in the leadership group at City.
The difference is clear, and this matters a LOT because the intensity of the press and general success of each action is held to a MUCH higher standard thanks to standard-setters at the club.
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So, if City have a top culture with top quality + depth across the squad AND top tactics (even if they are slightly flawed), then they are in a position to win major titles with Enzo Maresca.
We must continue to assess it week by week because his zonal press, for example, is worse in its current state than the already flawed man-to-man one and he may revert to it, and dynamics must also consistently be assessed, but with everybody talking about the league being a write-off for Arsenal, I present you with Manchester City as their biggest challengers 💯
We must continue to assess it week by week because his zonal press, for example, is worse in its current state than the already flawed man-to-man one and he may revert to it, and dynamics must also consistently be assessed, but with everybody talking about the league being a write-off for Arsenal, I present you with Manchester City as their biggest challengers 💯
