Frank Christian
At the start of the season, Chelsea appeared to be following the same script as before.
Mauricio Pochettino began to adapt to the ambitious new squad set up by Clearlake during the latter part of the 2023/24 season, but he was unexpectedly dismissed.
Enzo Maresca, who had a mixed reputation at Leicester City despite leading them to Championship victory last season, took the helm.
Pre-season matches in the US revealed some comical defensive errors, and experienced players like Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell were dropped from the starting lineup. Meanwhile, new signings raised eyebrows, prompting many to think it was “the same old Chelsea” again.
However, upon Maresca’s return to Leicester on Saturday, Chelsea displayed a confident performance, winning 2-1 and appearing cohesive and purposeful.
This victory positioned Chelsea third in the standings, just one point behind reigning champions Manchester City, who were set to play Tottenham later that day. City is recovering from recent Premier League losses to Brighton and Bournemouth while grappling with injuries. Next week, they will face league leaders Liverpool at Anfield, a venue where they haven’t won in front of fans since 2003. There’s a chance that Maresca could outpace his former mentor Guardiola in the standings after next weekend.
Initially, after City easily defeated Chelsea at the season’s outset, this scenario seemed unlikely, but time has shifted perspectives.
It’s essential to maintain perspective; Liverpool could pull ahead and change everything. Meanwhile, Arne Slot, managing the same squad that struggled last season, may face challenges this winter, which could lead to a downturn.
While City possesses the experience required for title triumphs that younger teams like Chelsea and Liverpool may lack, they have recently looked somewhat weary, especially in midfield.
This iteration of City doesn’t seem on track to achieve 90+ points this season. A more typical performance resulting in low to mid-80s points could open the competition, allowing Chelsea to become involved. Although they have only managed two points against last season’s top teams, Chelsea has fought competitively in each contest while typically surpassing others. City secured just one win against last season’s top four, a home victory over Aston Villa.
Maresca has effectively organized a complex squad and has finalized a vibrant lineup filled with promising talent. Given the depth of Chelsea’s roster and the manageable demands of the UEFA Conference League, they are not expected to struggle as much as City, Liverpool, and Arsenal, who are likely aiming for deep runs in the Champions League.
A fourth-place finish would mark a commendable debut season for Maresca at Stamford Bridge. However, with City and Arsenal stumbling and Slot’s Liverpool still an enigma, Chelsea fans may begin to hope for even greater achievements.
