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# Man City working on Enzo Maresca 'good idea' to improve defence

- **Source:** 
- **Published:** 24 Aug
- **Club:** Manchester City
- **Original URL:** https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-working-enzo-maresca-34506347

While Enzo Maresca has been without several key members of his team for most of the summer after they advanced to the latter stages of the World Cup with their national teams, he has had most of his defence for the last three weeks. Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov and Gianluigi Donnarumma have started both games with City looking shaky at the back.

Speaking after his goal had sealed a 2-1 victory against Bournemouth, Gvardiol said that the rustiness in defence is less about match sharpness and more about the battle to change their defensive habits under Pep Guardiola. They are working every day on a new concept that Maresca wants to use, but it is taking time for them to shake off what they have become so used to.

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To get it, it's a simple one-two punch.

"There is something that they used to do before at Chelsea and Leicester. It's not too complicated but the problem is our habit is slightly different than what he wants from us so it will take time," said Gvardiol. "Every day we are working on it, and I think at the end of the day, it's a good idea, and I think it's going to work out."

Maresca has been hands-on with players in training since he took over as he attempts to get them up to speed with the new patterns of play, and also knows that the adaptation will not be immediate. He spoke before the Bournemouth game about the difficulties that his players face with change.

"They are working very good. Since day one the attitude has been very good. For them it is not easy. When you work with the same person every day then change, it changes everything," he said.

"I am an actor and I work with the same director, and we make movies for ten years. Suddenly the director changes, me as the actor I'm still thinking in the same way as I was with the previous director but now the director is new so I need to adapt. It's complicated, it's not easy. I'm saying it's a contest. It's not an excuse but it requires a little bit of time, but we need to compete as soon as possible."