Premier League 2024/25: Chelsea's Attacking Cohesion Under Enzo Maresca Tactics - Tactical Analysis

Kurosh Moghtader - Total Football Analyst

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Chelsea have faced substantial criticism over the past two seasons for purchasing numerous young talents at high prices — especially in their attack, which now consists of nine players who could comfortably start at other clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues.

This tactical analysis explains how Enzo Maresca has been integrating all his attackers into a playing style that has enabled them to score goals easily in the Premier League this season.

We’ll examine the key tactics that have been implemented, allowing them to break down opposing defenders in the Premier League.

This season alone, they’ve spent €238m on transfers, with an average player age of 22.9; the market value of these players totals €456m.

Speculation has frequently swirled around how Chelsea would fit all these players into a cohesive system and keep them content, especially after previous managers like Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino struggled to do so.

Now, it’s up to Enzo Maresca's tactics to try and uplift Chelsea after a few rough seasons.

Responding to critics, Maresca himself stated, “I work with 21 players. The other 15-20 are training apart,” pushing back on questions about the size of his squad.

Chelsea has been doing well this season, sitting in seventh place with 14 points in eight games.

They have scored 17 goals—the third-most in the league—and won both games in the UECL.

Chelsea has been missing a robust and consistent attack for quite some time; the last time they had a formidable offence that competed on the European stage and dominated the Premier League was with Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.

Since then, attacks have come and gone with inconsistent results.

While they won the Champions League in 2021, much of the credit went to their monstrous defence and midfield.

This year, however, shows promise as the team starts to unite around their coach's philosophy.

Enzo Maresca's Style Of Play

Enzo Maresca's style of play was heavily influenced by his time learning from Pep Guardiola's tactics, which brings a progressive and flexible approach to Chelsea's tactical setup.

Enzo Maresca's coaching philosophy emphasises fluid, possession-based play with structured build-up from the back.

Maresca is known for utilising adaptable formations and pressing strategies that allow his players to transition smoothly between offensive and defensive phases.