Maresca's muted Chelsea approach testing patience

Club's supporters have not taken to manager's style of football and he needs to find a way to quell the criticism

- Jacob Steinberg

Andoni Iraola does not want automatons. If space is there to be attacked, Bournemouth's manager asks his players to be bold and seize the initiative. It is about having faith in creative instincts, throwing off the shackles as the shift away from Pep Guardiola's positional football gathers pace. It would be unlike Iraola to threaten to substitute a goalkeeper for kicking long or a midfielder for trying a risky pass when a safer ball would allow his team to maintain their shape.

Enzo Maresca sees the game differently. Chelsea's head coach is from the Guardiola school and has built his tactical vision around carefully hoarding possession, which leaves little room for improvisation and is contributing heavily to the sullen atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. "The people have to understand this is our way," Maresca has said of the lukewarm reaction to his more sedate style. "This is the way we're going to play."

There are similarities with Maurizio Sarri's season at Chelsea six years ago. The Italian thumped Arsenal in the Europa League final and finished third in the Premier League but matchgoing fans never warmed to him. There were regular chants against Sarriball, which come to mind now Maresca is facing accusations that his approach comes at the cost of imagination and expression.