Enzo Maresca has admitted he needs to do one thing to make summer signing Joao Pedro play better than he currently is.
Pedro arrived from Brighton in a deal worth up to £60m and was one of five attacking signings made by the Blues.
The Brazil international hit the ground running as he scored three goals in three games at the Club World Cup, including one in the final against PSG.
Enzo Maresca on how he can make Joao Pedro play better
Pedro has carried that form into the Premier League with two goals and three assists in his first eight league games.
However, in the past few games Pedro has cut an isolated figure upfront and has often found himself as a passenger in games.
He was much improved in the second half against Nottingham Forest when Marc Guiu came on, and he dropped into the number ten role.
Micah Richards believes Maresca is using Pedro in the wrong position, and the Italian has revealed he can do one thing to get more out of the 24-year-old.
“Then in terms of Joao [Pedro], we know that he can play as a No.9 or he can play as a No.10, in both positions I think Joao is very good but probably when he has another No.9 next to him, he is playing better,” he told his pre-match press conference.
Liam Delap back in training
Chelsea have been handed a major boost, which will almost certainly help Pedro, with the news Liam Delap is back in training.
Delap has been sidelined since the end of August with a hamstring injury picked up against Fulham, but he could feature against Wolves in the Carabao Cup next week.
Whether he does or not remains to be seen, but it’s clear Delap will be back for a crucial run of games coming up.
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