Maresca defends style after Chelsea draw with Wrexham

Chelsea's Noni Madueke and Ben Chilwell after a 2-2 draw with League One Wrexham in Chelsea's first US pre-season tour match

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said his side "are going to concede goals this season playing out from the back" after two defensive errors in a 2-2 draw with Wrexham in his first game in charge.

Midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu scored an 82nd-minute equaliser in Santa Clara, California, cancelling out two second-half strikes by the League One side.

A sharp finish in the penalty box from Christopher Nkunku opened the scoring in the 35th minute of Chelsea's opening friendly on their pre-season tour of the United States.

But Wrexham took a surprise lead after both teams made wholesale changes at half-time with Luke Bolton and Jack Marriott scoring following mistakes.

The defensive errors were part of a weak second-half performance as Chelsea adapt to Maresca's possession-based approach.

Wrexham impressed - adding to their 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Saturday in a half-empty Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.

It is the Welsh club's second consecutive US pre-season tour, capitalising on their popularity under co-owners, Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, with Phil Parkinson's side preparing for third tier football for the first time since 2005.

Maresca was asked about conceding goals through his playing philosophy, which included more patient build-up from back to front.

"Hopefully, not too many. It is one of the risks that you have trying to build from behind."

And the 44-year-old former Leicester boss said he would "absolutely" continue his style, adding: "I have no doubt. I think you are going to concede in different ways, so you need to decide in which way you need to concede a goal.

"Sometimes teams that try to build from the back concede goals but I think you are going to score more than you concede.

"For sure, we did many things we can improve, but we started just two weeks ago. Tonight was important to start seeing the identity of the team and the identity is there."

Fans watch at the Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara

Winners and losers from patient, controlled approach - analysis

The match started in lively fashion with Levi Colwill and James McClean escaping red cards following a bust-up after just three minutes.

In the second-half, Chelsea's Ugochukwu lost the ball and then failed to close down a Sebastian Revan cross as Bolton turned in the equaliser.

And youngster Josh Acheampong was caught charging up the field as Marriott attacked the space in behind to score a well-struck second past Lucas Bergstrom.

Chelsea's equaliser came from a slick move involving substitutes Angelo Gabriel, Armando Broja and Ugochukwu, who made up for his earlier mistake by sliding in a good left foot finish to level the match.

Chelsea are very much beginning the Maresca era with an identikit approach to his Leicester City team, which won the Championship last season.

The approach was apparent in an open training session in front of selected media this week as the club transition to a heavy possession-based style – which was unpopular with sections of Leicester’s fan base.

The slow, patient and controlled approach saw Chelsea's team build up with three defenders at the back, a full-back - captain Reece James in the first half - stepping into midfield and two of the three central midfielders playing high up the pitch to create an attacking front five.

In the first half, the approach worked well as James and Colwill played in full-back positions and looked well-suited to Maresca’s demands.

However, Malo Gusto and Ben Chilwell struggled to replicate their success in the second half as the Blues made 10 changes at half-time.

There could well be winners and losers from Maresca’s ideas as some adapt to an approach that is a far-cry from Mauricio Pochettino’s high-energy, adaptive and less demanding tactical philosophy.

'Identity clear and we will add solutions'

Maresca's style of play has been described as 'high tempo, pressure high up the pitch, and possession-based'

Maresca gave a balanced assessment of the performance, saying: "In this moment, we started just two weeks ago, it's important that us as the staff and the people can start to see the identity of the team. Tonight it was quite clear.

"For sure we are going to add more solutions.

"It does not matter about the level of the opposition; when they sit back with 11 players behind the ball, it's always difficult to find space and solutions are not easy."

There were appearances for Wesley Fofana, who missed the entire 2023-24 campaign with a long-term injury, and Romeo Lavia, who managed just 32 minutes last season.

Maresca said: "They are both very important. At this moment for them, it is important to get minutes, to use every training session. For one year without getting minutes, it is difficult mentally. They need a boost, energy and 45 minutes is going to help both of them.

"Like I said, the result for us is always important but in this moment, also we need to judge different things."

The Blues next face Scottish champions Celtic in Notra Dame on Saturday night (Sunday morning BST) as Maresca continues to learn about his squad. "Tonight the target was to give all of them 45 minutes. It is too early to think about the first XI.

“Also, because we have four or five players not with us. It was important to see the team with one clear identity and I think it was there."