Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca believes fatigue has played a major role in his side’s recent struggles following Monday night’s 2-0 Premier League defeat to Ipswich Town, Softfootball reports.
The loss at Portman Road saw the Blues end 2024 with consecutive league defeats after previously falling to Fulham on Boxing Day. It also marked Chelsea’s third successive match without a win, their longest winless run of the season.
Despite the disappointing results, Maresca insisted he always expected his team to experience a difficult spell during the campaign. The Italian manager maintained that such periods are inevitable over the course of a demanding Premier League season.
He admitted Chelsea are still some distance away from consistently competing with England’s top clubs but believes the team’s current league position shows they are making steady progress.
Reflecting on the recent performances, Maresca said Chelsea created enough chances against Ipswich to get a positive result but failed to convert them. He also pointed to the demanding December schedule, during which the Blues played nine matches, suggesting the heavy workload had left his players physically drained.
The former Leicester City boss stressed that while Chelsea should be pleased with their progress so far this season, there remains significant room for improvement in both consistency and overall performances as they prepare for the second half of the campaign.
