Chelsea: Enzo Maresca's calls for patience may fall on deaf ears with season at critical juncture

Here we go again: Enzo Maresca takes his Chelsea side back to Brighton after the FA Cup fourth round defeat - (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Not for the first time this season, Enzo Maresca chose a moment to distance his Chelsea team from those that have come before.

Ahead of this evening’s trip to Brighton, Maresca was responding to criticism over the Blues’ FA Cup defeat on the same ground six nights ago, and in particular his claim that their exit would at least narrow focus on the Premier League and Conference League for the remainder of the campaign.