Enzo Maresca highlighted the mentality his Chelsea gamers displayed of their 2-1 Premier League victory over West Ham on Monday evening, having gone a aim down simply earlier than half-time.
The Blues had been dealt a shock blow when Jarrod Bowen struck first for the guests, earlier than a scrappy Pedro Neto equaliser and an personal aim for Aaron Wan-Bissaka secured Chelsea the three factors.
The win was unconvincing for a facet with Champions League aspirations, however was sufficient to take Chelsea above Manchester Metropolis and again into the highest 4.
Levi Colwill got here underneath hearth when his free move underneath strain in his personal defensive third was latched on to by Bowen within the forty second minute. He curled house in his first begin since a fractured foot harm on the finish of December.
Chelsea hit again within the 54th minute via Neto, who fired a ball into the web amidst a goalmouth scramble to equalise.
The hosts discovered a winner 10 minutes later. Cole Palmer’s cross clipped Wan-Bissaka’s foot and looped over Alphonse Areola, though there was controversy as as to whether the aim ought to have been dominated out for a foul within the build-up.
Maresca shook off feedback concerning the victory being unconvincing, and even fortunate.
“The vital factor is the efficiency, ” mentioned Maresca. “We fully deserved to win the sport.
“I used to be very completely happy, particularly as a result of tonight’s recreation was the hardest recreation when it comes to mentality. Groups come right here and so they simply sit again and watch for our mistake. There isn’t any area to assault, so it’s essential to be affected person.
“Even with that, within the first half we had 4 or 5 clear possibilities the place sadly we missed the goal, after which we conceded the aim from our mistake.
“That is the explanation why I mentioned it’s important to be mentally sturdy, as a result of my message at half-time was don’t change something, proceed in the identical method, as a result of they can’t be so intense for 95 minutes.”
Maresca was additionally fast to downplay the severity of the defensive error from Colwill which handed West Ham their lead.
“Generally defensive errors occur,” Maresca informed BBC Match of the Day. “A keeper mistake, a quantity 9 misses the aim, that’s soccer. It occurs. The vital factor is to proceed.”
Neto’s second-half introduction on the wing was a catalyst for Chelsea’s resurgence within the recreation, which he attributed to a constructive group mentality instilled by Maresca.
“We stored to our plan, remained affected person and acquired the objectives to win the sport,” mentioned Neto. “Ultimately we might have scored much more objectives to make it a bit extra snug, nevertheless it was a good win and we’re actually completely happy.
“The supervisor additionally says how it’s a crew recreation and all of us got here on within the second half to assist the blokes, and we’re all so completely happy to assist us get the three factors.”
