Chelsea’s manager, Enzo Maresca, didn’t mince words after his side’s disappointing 2-1 Premier League loss to Sunderland on Saturday, stating his team was “not good enough.”
The defeat was a bitter pill, as a victory would have propelled the Blues into second place in the table.The match started brightly for Chelsea, who took the lead just five minutes in thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s solo effort.
However, Sunderland, nicknamed the Black Cats, equalized in the 22nd minute with a goal from Wilson Isidor. The decisive moment came in stoppage time when Chemsdine Talbi netted a breakaway goal, sealing the victory for Sunderland.
Speaking after the final whistle, a frustrated Maresca focused on his team’s overall performance and missed opportunities.”In general, we were not good enough,” Maresca said. “When you are not good enough in the Premier League, we know that the consequence can be a bad one.
“He lamented the nature of the defeat, emphasizing a lack of defensive solidity, especially toward the end. “I said already many times, when you are not able to win, it’s important that you don’t lose,” he stated.
Commenting on the late winner, he noted, “It’s not a transition… it’s just one long ball in behind. We are two versus one with the two central defenders. We didn’t defend properly.”Maresca also touched on Sunderland’s first goal, which originated from a throw-in, acknowledging the challenge the opponent posed.
“The first goal came from a throw in… it’s difficult to deal [with] because they bring six, seven, eight players inside the six-yard box, so it’s difficult. But overall, I think we were not good enough.”