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TACTICAL SHIFT: ENZO MARESCA'S METHOD MAKES CHELSEA TITLE CONTENDERS
Chelsea is on the rise under Enzo Maresca. After a 3-0 win over Barcelona, can they close the gap on Arsenal? Full analysis.
After a tough few years, Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, looks like they're finally gelling and have their sights set on catching Arsenal.
In Tuesday’s Champions League match, Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0. As the clock ticked down, Chelsea fans couldn't resist teasing the losing side, chanting "olé" with every pass.
The fans have missed this feeling. There's a new buzz around Stamford Bridge. After a shaky start under the new ownership, with changes in coaches and players, there's a sense that the team is heading back to the top of European football. The BlueCo project seems to be paying off.
Chelsea is now second in the Premier League and could be within three points of the lead if they beat Arsenal on Sunday.
They might not be ready to win the whole thing yet, but they’re not the same mess they used to be. Under Maresca, they've won four out of their last five games, with no goals scored against them in those wins.
Last season's trophies came with some debate. Some said winning the Conference League was expected, and others downplayed their Club World Cup win. But the way they dominated Paris Saint-Germain in the final was a statement, showing what they can do with the right players and coaching.
Star player Cole Palmer is close to returning after being out for two months. Things are looking up for Chelsea.
Maresca's Approach
At a club known for planning far into the future, Maresca keeps the focus on the present.
The 45-year-old coach isn't interested in long-term distractions. He’s focused on improving after each game and choosing the right players.
Will he be around for the long haul? Possibly. When he was hired last July, the owners decided to give him at least two seasons to bring stability to the team.
In a little over a year, Maresca has done a good job. Last year, Chelsea was near the top of the league for a while, won some trophies, and got back into the Champions League.
Maresca believes the team has improved a lot. Chelsea is more composed now than they were earlier in the season. Marc Cucurella says the team is settling, calmer, and more mature.
They have more control in games, and more players are scoring goals, instead of relying just on Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.
Maresca learned from Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but he’s also been criticised for playing it too safe, limiting the freedom of players like Palmer.
Still, his possession-based approach has become more successful. His clear tactics have helped the young team. Maresca stands out as the only Premier League manager who hasn't used a player over 30.
Chelsea has a great youth academy, and Maresca gives those players opportunities. Jesse Derry chose Chelsea because Maresca gives young talent a chance to train and play with the first team.
Maresca also manages players’ time on the field well, giving key players rest when he can.
Barcelona's coach, Hansi Flick, recently called Chelsea one of the best teams in the world. The fans are behind Maresca.
The Estevao Factor
Estêvão has a way of getting fans excited as soon as he touches the ball. Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin said that Estêvão is special. You’re talking about Messi and Ronaldo.”
Like the fans, Nevin can't hide his excitement about Estêvão's potential.
Next summer, more young players will join Chelsea.
Chelsea's focus on young players doesn't seem to be slowing down.
Even though Chelsea has relied on Palmer, the team has shown they can win. They’ve won 12 out of 15 games without him this season.
Enzo Fernández and Caicedo, who were signed for a lot of money, are finally playing like it.
João Pedro is among the top players in the league for goal contributions, and other new players are starting to perform well.
Chelsea's recruitment is focused on the future, but they also made quick decisions in the summer to balance the books. They sold or loaned out a lot of players and brought in Facundo Buonanotte on loan.
They still have players like Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi who aren't playing. Conor Gallagher, a Chelsea academy product, was sold to make money.
Chelsea was one of the top sellers in the league this summer.
The owners, along with Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, are often seen watching games. Dave Fallows, who was behind Liverpool's signing of Mohamed Salah, recently joined to work on football development.
The plan is starting to work
Chelsea may not be ready to win the Premier League yet, but they are building a strong base.
There are still things to work on. They might need better centre-backs and a better goalkeeper in the future.
They also need to improve their discipline. Maresca himself has received several yellow cards.
Injuries have been a problem, but they need to find ways to beat teams that play defensively.
Getting big wins is important for the fans. Beating PSG was a boost, and this season they've also beaten Liverpool, Tottenham, and Barcelona.
The team spirit is better than it has been in a long time. They keep winning.
WHY WAS COLE PALMER SUBBED? THE REAL REASON BEHIND THE STAMFORD BRIDGE BOOS
Fans booed as Cole Palmer was subbed in Chelsea's draw with Bournemouth. Learn why Maresca was absent and what’s next for the Blues.
After Chelsea's 2-2 tie with Bournemouth, assistant coach Willy Caballero defended the choice to sub off Cole Palmer, even though fans at Stamford Bridge were angry about Enzo Maresca's move.
Fans booed, yelling, You don't know what you're doing! when Palmer—who'd been one of the team's better players—was taken out in the 63rd minute. The home team was trying to score and break their bad Premier League streak at the time.
Chelsea has only won one of their last seven league games. Caballero said afterward that head coach Enzo Maresca, who wasn't there for the post-game interviews due to illness, is still a role model for everyone at the club.
Still, the pressure is on the coach after yet another result slipped away. Chelsea has now lost 13 points at home from winning positions.
The mood got especially sour when Palmer, who just came back from an injury, was taken off in the second half.
Every fan wants the best players on the field, Caballero said. We do, too. But Cole is coming back from a long injury. So we have to figure out the best substitutions to win the game while also keeping our players healthy. We need them for the entire season.
Caballero said about Maresca's absence, "He hasn't been feeling well for the past two days." He had a fever two days ago. He did the last two practices because he wanted to get the team ready. But after the game, he went to the locker room and asked me to fill in because he wasn't feeling well.
He's handling it well and is very professional. He puts in a lot of hours every day, even when he wasn't feeling well the last two days. He loves to train and coach. He's a role model for me and the rest of the staff.
Bournemouth took the lead after six minutes when David Brooks scored on his second try after Robert Sanchez made a save. Then, Palmer scored a penalty to tie the game for Chelsea.
Next, Enzo Fernandez put the home team ahead, but the Blues couldn't hold on to their lead again. Justin Kluivert tied the score before halftime after Chelsea failed to handle a long throw-in from Antoine Semenyo.
There's been a lot of talk that this would be Semenyo's last game for Bournemouth before he moves to Manchester City soon. Before leaving the field, he seemed to say goodbye to the fans who had traveled to see the game.
Still, head coach Andoni Iraola was sure he'd play against Arsenal on Saturday.
It's not his last game here with us, he said. I can't say for sure, but I think he'll play.
He needs to rest. We've played two tough games in three days. We have Arsenal at home, so we're getting ready for another one, a tough game against the leaders. He's going to be important for us.
BREAKING: ENZO MARESCA SKIPS MEDIA AS CHELSEA CRISIS DEEPENS! GET THE HEALTH UPDATE
Enzo Maresca missed the post-match media due to a fever after Chelsea's 2-2 draw. Willy Caballero provides an urgent update on his health.
Enzo Maresca skipped media interviews after Chelsea's 2-2 tie with Bournemouth because he was sick.
The Blues coach was supposed to chat after his team snagged a point against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
But right before he was about to talk about the game, news dropped that Maresca wasn't feeling good.
So, his assistant, Willy Caballero, stepped in to handle things in west London.
Caballero shared an update on Maresca: He's been under the weather for a couple of days, Caballero said. He had a fever two days ago.
After the game, he went to the locker room and asked me to fill in for him since he wasn't feeling well.
Caballero was asked if he'd be in charge against Manchester City on Sunday, like he was against Villa during Maresca's suspension.
"I'm not sure," he said. I just want Enzo to get better. I think he'll be fine in a day or two.
The draw with Bournemouth means Chelsea has only won one of their last seven Premier League games.
Fans were clearly annoyed during the second half when Cole Palmer was subbed out for Joao Pedro.
Palmer just got back to playing regularly after a groin injury, but some Chelsea fans wondered why he was taken out.
About the boos, Caballero said, "Of course, every fan wants their best players on the field, and so do we."
But Cole is coming off a long injury, so we have to figure out the right subs for the game and also look out for our players since we didn't have him for a while.
Chelsea and Bournemouth had a boring 0-0 draw in their previous match earlier in the month.
But the game at Stamford Bridge was totally different, with Bournemouth taking the lead early on through David Brooks.
Palmer leveled the score with a penalty, and then Enzo Fernandez blasted a shot into the top corner to put Chelsea ahead.
But Chelsea failed to defend a long throw for the second time, allowing Justin Kluivert to score for Bournemouth.
After playing City, Chelsea will face their west London rivals Fulham before an FA Cup game away against Charlton Athletic.
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