Maresca On Home Form, Boro’s Threats & Winks’ Influence
The Sky Bet Championship train continues to move towards a climax as matchday 33 comes into view this weekend. Middlesbrough are the visitors to King Power Stadium as the opportunity to claim a fifth straight league victories presents itself for Maresca's side.
Prior to welcoming the Teessiders to Leicester, he sat down with reporters inside LCFC Training Ground to express his thoughts on the state of play at the top of the table…
The Filbert Way fortress
With Tuesday’s 2-0 success over Sheffield Wednesday now in the rear-view mirror, the Foxes have recorded 13 victories from 16 second tier matches on home soil so far this term. It’s an impressive record which is, to date, only bettered by the Championship title-winning season of 2013/14.
“In terms of home and away, we are quite balanced and this is good for any team,” the 44-year-old stated. “For sure when you win at home in your stadium with your people, it’s always a good feeling but, in this moment, it doesn’t matter if we win at home or away, it’s more important to win games.
“It’s very important (to win at home). It was one of the main things to do for us because even for the players who were here last year, when you play at home with your fans, the mind is still on last year, so it’s not good, but winning many games is important.
“Hopefully we can give them three points. Logically, from now on, every time that we get three points is one step closer to our final target so hopefully we can have a good day tomorrow, but we still have 14 games. I’m just focused on tomorrow’s game and I try to convince the players that the most important thing is tomorrow.”
A dangerous opponent
Maresca regards Saturday’s opposition as a threat which cannot be taken lightly, as recent defeats, including to Preston North End in midweek, make them hungry for a reaction.
The reverse fixture, meanwhile, saw the North East side claim the points at Riverside Stadium; Michael Carrick’s men becoming one of just four Championship sides to defeat the Foxes.
The Italian continued: “For sure, my feeling is that we need to be on top otherwise we are going to struggle, because they are a very good team with a very good manager. Last year they did fantastic, this year they have struggled a little bit more because they changed some players but overall, it’s a very good team.
“After their defeat the other day, the manager said it was probably a lack of ambition and the game after is always a tricky one because the players want to show they are ambitious. We need to be on our top. This is the reason why we can drop nothing in terms of humility, being humble, working hard, it’s for this.
“At the end, most of the time we analyse the final results but sometimes you win a game and you think that everything was okay. In that game (against Middlesbrough), we analysed the final result, which was not good, but for me the performance was one of our best of the season.”
‘He is a Ferrari’
A key cog in the Maresca system, Harry Winks has earned plaudits for his displays across the campaign, starting all but one of the Club's league fixtures. City’s Manager explained how the England international, along with several others, brings out the style of play that has been deployed so successfully.
Maresca added: “He is a Ferrari and in the way we want to play, when we build, the three and two players, these five players allow you to play well, then the other five allow you to win games – the wingers, an attacking midfielder and a no.9.
“He allows us to play well. If they work well, the team is going to play well. If they are not on a good day or they struggle, it’s difficult. Since we started, Harry has always been there every game. This is the reason why, without him and some other players, it’s impossible.”
Contributions from wide
The importance of the wide players cannot be downplayed either, according to Maresca, who elaborated on what they have brought to the side this season.
He said: “The main skill for our wingers has to be the one-vs.-one because we try and give them time and more space. At the beginning of the season, when we struggled for some wingers, Wanya [Marçal] was playing, then when Stephy [Mavididi] and Abdul [Fatawu] came in, it changed the way we play for sure.
“We allow our wingers to go one-vs.-one and then it’s just a matter of quality. In terms of numbers, Stephy has nine or 10 goals, Kasey [McAteer] has five and Abdul three goals. They are very important, also in terms of assists, so they are main players for sure.
“Most of the time it has been Stephy or Abdul, but Kasey has been a big part of the season and Marc [Albrighton], when we need him, always helps the team. We have just 14 games now so to share minutes will be very difficult.
“At the end, they are human beings like all of us and you need to treat them in the way that you think is right. With all of them, I try. Sometimes good, sometimes not good.”