New Delhi: The Blues from London are ‘Keeping the Blue Flag Flying High’ after an explosive start to the 2024/25 season. The appointment of Italian manager Enzo Maresca is looking like a game changing move for the Blues as they currently sit fourth in the league table, only two points behind leaders Liverpool. Since losing to defending champions Manchester City in their opening game of the season, thing have been only going well for the London side.
Chelsea’s start to the current Premier League season sees a stark difference from their start last season under Mauricio Pochettino. Under the Argentinian, Chelsea won only one of their opening six games of the season, drawing two and losing the rest with only five goals scored. Maresca has inherited largely the same starting lineup and he has the squad thriving in the first six games.
Under the Italian, Chelsea have just one defeat and one draw in six Premier League games, and have won the rest of them. The Blues have scored 15 goals till now, which is the most of any other side in the league. Is this the start of something exciting for the club under the new regime or is the club just going through a purple patch courtesy of the ‘new manager bounce’?
What’s going right for Chelsea?
The picture defines Cole Palmer in the best way possible. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Since the transfer window came to an end, there has been an air of optimism around the club. The signings of Pedro Neto, Joao Felix and Jadon Sancho filled the fans with excitement, despite the question marks each of these acquisitions raise. The arrival of these players showed that the club is also looking for players who can improve the club in the present rather than just being someone with potential.
They’ve all contributed to Chelsea’s amazing attack this season which has been incredibly potent and influential in their explosive start to the campaign. After not scoring in the loss to Manchester City, there hasn’t been a game where they haven’t scored. They scored six against Wolves, once each against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, thrice against West Ham, and four against Brighton last night. Even in the League cup tie against Barrow where Maresca fielded a completely rotated lineup, they ended up scoring five.
Maresca’s style of play is bringing the best out of his players and the results of that is evident on the pitch. The biggest question heading into the season for Chelsea was over the form of Cole Palmer. Will the Englishman prove to be a generational talent and carry on his success from last season or would he prove to be a one season wonder? And six games into the season, he looks to be the former. And it’s not just Palmer who’s flourishing under Maresca.
Chelsea under Poch vs Chelsea under Maresca pic.twitter.com/ydFFO3DrFR
— Rich (@ritchCFC) August 25, 2024
Nico Jackson looks like a completely different forward than he was last season and already has seven goal involvements in six games. Christopher Nkunku, while he hasn’t been give a lot of chances in the league, has been in terrific form. Noni Madueke has established himself as a regular starter after being a bit part player last season and Jadon Sancho seems like a man reborn at Chelsea with three assists in three games for the club. Even Joao Felix has shown glimpses of his brilliance and Pedro Neto has had a good start to life at Chelsea as well.
The midfield duo of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez seem much more settled in Maresca’s style while Marc Cucurella looks like one of the best left backs in the league, after largely being written off by most of the fanbase. If Maresca can continue like this, he will become another in a list of Italian managers beloved by the clubs fans, joining names like Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, Gianluca Vialli, and the man who gave Chelsea their first Champions League, Roberto Di Matteo.
Where Chelsea Can Do Better?
If Chelsea can tighten up the defence, they will be a real threat this season. (Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
While this has been a brilliant start for a club many were doubting would even get into the European spots, it hasn’t been a perfect start for Enzo Maresca. Where the attack has shone for the club, the defence has let them down at times. The defensive frailties have been overlooked at the club considering how good the attack has been but if those issues aren’t addressed, it could become a problem in the future.
Chelsea have conceded seven goals in six games, conceding once against Crystal Palace and twice each to Manchester City, Wolves and Brighton. This is already the most out of all clubs in the top-four with leaders Liverpool only conceding two goals in the same period. The Blues have conceded just two goals less than 17th placed Palace. Both Fulham and Nottingham Forest, teams that aren’t at Chelsea’s level, have conceded less goals than them in the same number of matches.
The center back pairing of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana isn’t the most inspiring one, yet it seems to be the one Maresca prefers. While Colwill has been the club’s best center-back this season and has shown massive improvement, Fofana still doesn’t look like the player he was at Leicester City. The Frenchman is returning after a long-term injury and has looked shaky at times. He seems more comfortable in a three man defence but doesn’t inspire confidence in a two man system.
Maresca: “I said to Robert [Sanchez] we will concede 10 more goals like the second one because it is the way we want to play.” https://t.co/4KTQ6ShpeI
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) September 28, 2024
Axel Disasi has been extremely poor in the chances he’s been given and while it could be because he missed pre-season due to an injury and is still returning to fitness, he needs to improve massively. The same can be said for Benoit Badiashile. Summer signing Tosin has looked assured whenever he’s played and a partnership of him and Colwill should be the way to go for the club as Tosin is much more composed on the ball, something that’s crucial for Maresca’s style.
The defence isn’t helped out by having a shaky goalkeeper in Robert Sanchez as well. The Spaniard has been at fault for a few goals this season where he could’ve done better. Even against Brighton last night, he was directly responsible for the second goal the Seagulls scored by giving the ball away in the penalty box, he was also at fault for the first goal. While he has improved, he isn’t at the level Maresca needs his ball-playing goalkeeper to be. Using Filip Jorgensen, who was brought in for his ball-playing abilities, had the most saves in La Liga last season and he could replace Sanchez if the Spaniard doesn’t improve.
Enzo Maresca’s men have had a blistering start to the season and look a completely different side to what we all witnessed from the boys in blue last season. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
