Enzo Maresca criticizes underperforming Chelsea player and demands higher standards

Enzoe Maresca delivered a blunt response after being questioned about the decision to substitute Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time during Chelsea's impressive 6-2 victory over Wolves.

The Ukraine international has endured a miserable time of it since moving to Stamford Bridge 18 months ago and come nowhere close to justifying the money Chelsea shelled out to beat Arsenal to his signing.

Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino have all failed to get a tune out of the erratic winger and Maresca already appears to have lost patience.

The 23-year-old was handed a surprise opportunity from the start against Molineux after his new manager criticised him earlier this week.

‘I think this is Mudryk, in terms of not only tonight, but in terms of since he joined the club. I think he had some good moments and then some moments like flipping a coin,’ Maresca said following Thursday’s win over Servette.

After another wayward display against Wolves, Mudrky’s future is likely to be the subject of fresh speculation after Maresca left him in no doubt how he felt about a sub-par performance.

‘Because I was not happy,’ Maresca said bluntly when asked why Mudryk was hooked at the interval.

‘I think in some moments we can manage some situations better. He was working very hard off the ball and that was very good. But in terms of on the ball, I expect a bit more quality from Misha.

‘For me, he had some good moments the other day and some good moments today and the reason why was just because we needed to change and give Pedro [Neto] some minutes.’

Despite his disappointment with one of Chelsea’s most expensive signings of the Todd Boehly era, Maresca was encouraged by a second 45 minutes which yielded four unanswered goals.

‘I want to see my team playing the way we want to play,’ he said of his ambitions for the season ahead. ‘Compete every game; this is the most important thing.

‘On the ball, to have a clear idea of what we want. Off the ball, to be a very aggressive team. In some moments today, we started to see our team in terms of our pressing.

‘I feel very lucky. I feel very happy. I think the squad is very good. There are many players that are versatile and can play in different positions. And then we will see where we arrive but the most important thing is to be better game after game.’