“I think we have evolved a lot as a team since we started. We are probably my expectation for the way we play and also in terms of results.”
Enzo Maresca was Bullish about the progress he has made since his appointment last summer when he spoke from Chelsea to Manchester City last weekend before the trip.
But that progress was not visible in the Etihad, where Guardiola designed a second comfortable victory of the season over his former protector, even though he was in Manchester in the middle of his worst season.
Not that Maresca was put off. “In my opinion we are a better team than a month ago, two months ago,” he said after the defeat.
Where does Maresca's optimism come from? A series of one win in seven Premier League matches, Chelsea leaves sixth place for this weekend's matches, 13 points behind Liverpool, which have a match in hand.
Maresca can indicate the sudden inefficiency of his side in attack as the reason for this malaise. But six weeks ago they were two points at the top position after winning their seventh consecutive game in all competitions and having to play a first realistic title challenge since they last stopped the trophy eight years ago.
Nobody is talking about the title anymore. Chelsea even went out of the qualifying places for the Champions League – a competition that they have won twice, but have not reached the past two seasons.
Has Maresca really seen his team six points of their last seven league games and decided that they were improved at the time?
Of course, the head coach can indicate the results he supervised for this winter slump to justify his claim that Chelsea is the expectations ahead.
The blues only lost four of the 27 games in all games before Christmas and drove to the top of the Conference Competition Table.
But it is also worthwhile to look at who Chelsea has earned their points. They have only lost once against parties that are currently in the bottom half of the Premier League, but only won four of the 11 games against teams in the top 10.
They have taken a single point in four games against Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.
After 34 games, what is the leadership of the most impressive result of Maresca? Perhaps the 4-3 comeback victory at Tottenham has, but Spurs has lost more than half of their league matches this season. Maybe it's the home victories against Newcastle and Aston Villa?
Impressive, yes, but none of those results meant a turning point or gave an explanation to suggest that Chelsea is back between the elite.
How much have they been progressing since the farewell of manners of Mauricio Pochettino? After a rocky first half until his only managerial season, the predecessor of Maresca stabiled the ship in 2024 and led Chelsea to a sixth placed finish at the back of a five-game winning run. But just when the momentum was building, the relationship ended.
Eight months later, Chelsea remains sixth. They have won fewer points and scored fewer goals in the Premier League under Maresca than during the second half of the Pochettino reign, although the expected goals for and against the Italian are more favorable.
Sky Sports' main reporter Kaveh Solhekol noted that “Chelsea believes that they are a Champions League club” in the commentary on Pochettin's exit. Most supporters would say the same thing. So whose expectations are Chelsea surpassing?
Perhaps Maresca chooses to stay cheerful to reassure his players during their first malaise under his custody. But similarities can be drawn with the current form of Chelsea and the way in which Leicester's results fell among him last year.
After having won 25 of their first 32 champion matches, Leicester's results printed from February and lost six out of 10 before gathering just in time.
Despite their final success, there was a feeling that not all Foxes fans were disappointed with his exit. Maresca was also confronted with questions about his tactics and team selections during his time in Leicester. “The moment there is some doubt about the idea, I will leave the next day,” he said last January.
Things are far from so bad for Maresca, but his decisions are being examined again. The belief in Robert Sanchez is not shared by the Stamford Bridge -of whom some of whom have hunted the goalkeeper in recent weeks.
Installing Sanchez as his No. 1 After he had fallen in Brighton and Pochettino in Chelsea by Roberto de Zerbi, was a daring call from Maresca, especially with £ 20.5 million summer signing by Filip Jorgensen on the bank. It did not pay off.
Maresca's restraint to using certain members of his team in the Premier League has also raised eyebrows. Kiernan Dewsbury -hall, Joao Felix and Christopher Nunku – signed for a total of £ 115 million – have only combined seven league games.
Maresca gave up some ground in the Sanchez debate after his fault in the defeat against City, and admitted: “Robert is completely aware that he should do better.” Sanchez were not given public guarantees about keeping its place for the next Chelsea – at home at West Ham on Monday Night Football.
The visit of the Hammers to West -London also marks the first return of one of the many former managers of Chelsea. Just like Maresca, Graham Potter – a former teammate of the current Blues -Baas at West Brom – received his first chance of a large club of Chelsea.
Just like Maresca, Potter enjoyed a solid start to life in West London and was unbeaten in his first nine games.
But problems were just around the corner. A blip in shape became a malaise, which then became a crisis – and then resulted in a dismissal.
Chelsea no longer floods the chaos that Potter swallowed to the same extent. Lessons have been learned.
But on Monday evening Maresca will come face to face with a manager who can confirm how quickly fortunes can change at Stamford Bridge.
View Chelsea vs West Ham on Monday, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League from 6:30 pm; kick -off at 8 p.m. Stream with now.
Comments