Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca Defends Joao Pedro Amid Scoring Drought Ahead Wolves Clash

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is preparing his team for a Carabao Cup clash against Wolves, emphasizing the importance of competing in all competitions and aiming to win trophies, including the Carabao Cup which would be his third with the club. Despite a recent shock 2-1 loss to Sunderland, Maresca defends striker Joao Pedro, noting that he is not the kind of forward expected to score 20 goals a season like Haaland or Mbappe, and highlighted the importance of managing player fitness and squad rotation. Chelsea leads the Premier League in points dropped from winning positions, a trend partly attributed to the team's relative inexperience and injury challenges. Maresca plans to rotate the squad for the cup game to protect players for the Premier League schedule, with Liam Delap returning from injury for the first time since August. The Blues currently sit ninth in the league but are eager to regain momentum and have favorable historical results against Wolves. The club's recent struggles with late-game losses have drawn criticism, but Maresca remains focused on progressing game by game across all competitions.