Zakaria: We have to be at 100 per cent in every moment
04 MAR 2023
Denis Zakaria knows the only solution to Chelsea’s current situation is more hard work, but insists recent results haven’t stopped him being excited about what this Blues team can become in the future.
Speaking ahead of today’s Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Leeds United, Denis Zakaria began by discussing his own return to the fold recently, having come off the bench in our last match at Tottenham Hotspur.
That was his first appearance since another London away trip, to Fulham in January, when he was forced off with an injury which halted his momentum, just when he had been finding a good run of form for the Blues.
‘It was really frustrating to be injured like that because I was feeling really good,’ said Zakaria. ‘But injury is part of the life and I will have to work hard now to get back and to help the team.’
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be a happy return for the Swiss international, as a 2-0 defeat to Spurs continued a tough run which has seen a solitary win for the Blues since Zakaria hobbled off to join a substantial injury list at Fulham.
There is no shying away from the situation by the 26-year-old, though, who admits there are no easy solutions when you are in a run like this.
‘It’s a tough one for us,’ he continued. ‘We’re working hard, trying to change the situation and for the moment it hasn’t worked on our side. We all want the best result, for sure, but for the minute it doesn’t work. But I’m sure and I’m confident that it will change fast because we are doing everything to change that and I’m sure that it will change soon.
‘When it is a tough moment, things are bad and you don’t have the luck on your side, it is difficult to say what is the problem, but I think that we have to work. That’s the point, we have to work to do better and we know that we have to do better for the next game because I know that we can do good things.’
Zakaria's feeling that this team can go on to achieve a lot has only been enhanced by the new additions made to the squad during the January transfer window, meaning he has no doubts Chelsea can return to success on the field, even if it may take time.
‘They are amazing players,' he added. 'There are a lot of new signings but they are all really good, really talented. It is also that we have to get to know each other because we have not had a long time together and we have to work all together and to be really one team. Sometimes that can be hard.
‘For the moment things are not good but I can sense that in time it’s going to be a really good team and it will be difficult to beat us. There are a lot of people learning to play together, so it will take some time, but I’m sure that we will come out as a really good team, we’re going to do a lot of good things with this team.’
The midfielder is no doubt hoping we can take a step in the right direction in our next match, when we host Leeds at the Bridge in the Premier League today. It is a fixture steeped in history, with a rivalry dating back over 50 years to the epic FA Cup final clashes between the two clubs.
However, Zakaria feels the chance to fix the Blues' current situation is all the motivation they need, especially after receiving a harsh lesson in the difficulty of competing at the highest level from our recent defeat to Southampton.
‘For us every game is a big game. We are really happy to play against them, we all want to win this big game and we are going to do everything to win this big game.
‘We know that in the Premier League you have to be concentrating in every minute in every game. Every game is difficult in the Premier League. There is no easy game, so you have to always be at your best level to win the game.
‘The game against Southampton was the best example for us, so we know that we are going to have a good team against us and we know that we cannot be at 85 per cent or 95 per cent, we have to be at 100 per cent in every moment. We are ready for that.’
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