Despite only taking up his post at the end of August and missing out on crucial time in pre-season with his squad, Maresca’s positive impact and influence has already been more than evident.
Though City currently sit in eighth place in the PL2 table, they are only six points off the top having played a game less than most of our rivals and have impressed with the positive nature of the majority of our performances.
In the Papa John’s Trophy meanwhile, Marseca’s charges are already through to the knockout stages after winning our opening two group games.
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And as he took stock on the first two months of the campaign during the current international break, the Italian said he was he happy both with how his squad had adapted to his methods – and the trajectory of results and performances.
“To be fair, the first two months has been quite good in terms of the adaptation and the way we are trying to work with the team,” Maresca asserted.
“I think at the moment we are improving – we are still at the beginning of the season and we have many things to improve but the adaptation has been very good.
“We are now six games into the PL2 season and we have had two of our three group games in the Pap John’s Trophy and in terms of results I think, though the last one at Southampton (last Saturday’s 5-2 defeat) was not what we wanted, in the rest of the games the results were good.
“In terms of performance, it’s very similar to the dynamic of the results. I think we have had good performances in almost all our games.
“Maybe in last one at Southampton we missed the first 20 minutes – after that I think we played quite well.
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“We need to understand the game is 90 minutes - not 45 or 50 minutes - but it’s part of the process.
“But overall, the way the players have also been willing to adapt has been good, so I am very happy about this.”
The positive mindset and commitment to fluid, possession-based style of attacking football encouraged by Maresca has helped foster a close-knit, positive atmosphere within his squad too.
For his part, the 40-year-old says every day it’s a pleasure to work with the players – several of whom have already made a positive impact with the City first team this term.
But he insisted the EDS’s development remained a constant work in progress.
“I can feel that the feeling (amongst the squad) is good, and I am trying to help them as soon as I can to prepare them for the professional world,” the Italian added.
“We have scored the second highest number of goals and before the last game we had the second or third best defensive record.
“I think the most important thing for us is to find the balance between goals scored and conceded.
“I would much prefer to win a game 1-0 or 2-0 instead 5-4 or 5-3.
“I think it’s good also for the players to have a good feeling about the way we defend in the same way that they have enjoy being with the ball.
“We have to find the balance between the way we work with and without the ball all the time but I am very happy with the work we have done so far.”
