Enzo Maresca tells Stephy Mavididi what he wants from Leicester City winger Enzo Maresca at ‘50%’
The summer signing from Montpellier has been uneven in his first few months at the club, according to his management, with his performance at Southampton being the standard to aim for.
Stephy Mavididi is only giving “50%” and will become a “unbelievable winger” when he achieves the consistency that Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca desires.
This season, the summer addition has been one of Maresca’s regular players, displaying his ability in fits and starts as City raced to the top of the Championship. They come on Swansea on Saturday seeking for their seventh consecutive league win, and Mavididi will be hoping to assist with his first goal since the start of the winning streak at Southampton.
That 4-1 win over Southampton, in which Mavididi also set up goals for Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi, is the benchmark for what the 25-year-old can do and the level at which he must aim. Maresca told Mavididi during the international break that he expects more.
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“Stephy is still 50% for me,” Maresca remarked during a press conference on Friday. “I can see him a lot better now.” Every game, such as the Southampton game, I can see him.
“This is called consistency.” When he becomes consistent – Southampton game, Southampton game, Southampton game, same level, same level, same level – he will become an important player, most likely at a higher level.
“For the time being, it is what it is. One better, one less, one better, one less. That is why he is still 50% in my opinion. When he achieves consistency, he transforms into an incredible winger. He concurs. That is why we have attempted to work on it.”
With Mavididi among those who spent the international break at Seagrave, Maresca had a unique opportunity to work on minor issues with him and other wingers such as Abdul Fatawu and Marc Albrighton. The manager is hopeful that small changes can lead to great outcomes.
“We had 10 or 11 players here, so we tried to focus with all of them,” she said. “We did something special this time with the wingers Stephy, Abdul, and Marc.” It’s the best there is. It’s the finest time when you want to go on the field and coach players. It’s what we enjoy doing, trying to teach and better them. It’s a good time.
“We have time to spend with them during the international break to improve the small details.” There is no time to work throughout the season. We tried to work on the initial touch, the first control, with Stephy and Abdul. It has to be with the right occasionally, and with the left other times, merely to teach them when to use one and when to use the other.”
