Wrexham manager makes cutting Chelsea comment as Enzo Maresca faces big job

Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson didn’t hold back in his assessment after a thrilling 2-2 draw with Chelsea, pointing out the stark contrast in resources. “You have to put it into context, they spent so much money on that team and we were in the National League two years ago and we went toe-to-toe and could have won the game,” he said following the match.

Despite the spirited performance from Wrexham, who have climbed their way up to League One, Chelsea found themselves battling to salvage a draw, having lost their early lead in the game.

The fixture also marked Enzo Maresca’s first outing as Chelsea’s new head coach, and despite the disappointing result, he chose to focus on the positives: “The result for us is always important, but it’s more important to judge the performance,” Maresca noted. “I was very happy with the performance, especially the first half, but second half we conceded two goals.”

The pre-season friendly in the US got off to a heated start when Wrexham’s James McClean made a heavy challenge on Chelsea’s Levi Colwill just minutes into the game, sparking a confrontation that required intervention from both sides.

After the dust settled, it appeared to be a straightforward match for Chelsea when Christopher Nkunku put them ahead after 35 minutes, smashing his shot into the goal following a defensive error that originated from Tyrique George’s initial attempt. However, the second half witnessed a dramatic twist as the League One side stormed to an unexpected 2-1 lead.

Luke Bolton equalised with his first goal since signing for Wrexham, taking advantage of a catastrophic miscommunication between Chelsea’s Lucas Bergstrom and Wesley Fofana to tap into an unguarded net. With just 19 minutes remaining, Wrexham took the lead as Jack Marriott scored the standout goal of the game, outwitting Bergstrom and placing his shot into the bottom-left corner.

Marriott’s goal followed another careless period from the Chelsea defence, but Lesley Ugochukwu rescued the Premier League side with a late leveller, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Both teams can take positives from the match, but based on Wednesday’s performance, Wrexham will be entering the next season with more confidence than Chelsea.

Parkinson’s comments will strike a chord with Chelsea fans, as the club continues to grapple with finding its feet following the exit of former owner Roman Abramovich. During Abramovich’s reign from 2003-2022, Chelsea did spend big, but the new ownership has maintained this pattern without a clear plan.

Todd Boehly, who also co-owns the Los Angeles Dodgers, took over from Abramovich and has now spent over £1.1 billion on transfer fees without anything to show for it. Chelsea has already racked up an £80million bill this summer on six new signings, all under a new head coach.

Maresca is now the third permanent head coach to take charge since Boehly came in, succeeding Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino. Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard also took charge on an interim basis.

Maresca will be under instant pressure to achieve results, especially after being given a healthy budget when walking through the door.

For Wrexham, Wednesday night was a constructive performance, holding its own against Premier League opposition and perhaps feeling unlucky not to record a famous victory. Wrexham are facing a new challenge in League One next season following back-to-back promotions but proved that they have no fear when it comes to superior teams.

Less can be said for Chelsea, as Maresca will have some defensive issues to resolve before the start of the season. Chelsea face elite opposition against the likes of Celtic, Club America, Manchester City and Real Madrid on their US tour, but will have no time to rest upon returning to the UK as Premier League champions City await them in the opening game of the 2024/25 season.