ENZO MARESCA INSISTS CHELSEA ARE NOT TITLE CONTENDERS YET; "ASK AGAIN IN MARCH."
Despite a heroic 1-1 draw with Arsenal, Maresca and club insiders agree title talk is premature. The top four are the current, primary targets.
We sometimes try to get Chelsea to talk about winning the title, sure.
The reporters who often go to Enzo Maresca’s press meetings probably don't bring it up every week. By now, we all know what he'll say and the look he'll give you. But once in a while, a new person will give it a shot.
Hi Enzo, hope you're doing well. I wanted to ask, is Chelsea in the title race, and can you win it?
The latest try came on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. It was as good a time as any, since they had just tied Arsenal 1-1, even though they played most of the game with only 10 players, after Moises Caicedo, their key player, was sent off.
Doesn't your game today prove you can challenge Arsenal and the others?
Maresca started his answer by apologising for being boring and repetitive. He told us Chelsea isn't going to win the title. He said it's too early to talk about that, mostly this season. It's only November, December, he said. "Ask again in February or March," he said.
Chelsea tied the league leaders, even after playing most of the game with 10 players. But Maresca says that it’s still too early to talk about their chances of winning the Premier League.
So, the Magic 8 Ball was shaken, and like before, it said, Ask again later.
But Maresca won't be scolded by his bosses for his view because they agree with him. Like actors who won't say Macbeth in theatres because they think it will bring bad luck, nobody at Chelsea will mention the title right now.
Last season, people were a bit shocked when Maresca said Chelsea’s owners didn't tell him to finish in the top four. This is different.
Anyone who says they’re in the title race this early in the season is wrong. Unless you actually win, there's not much to gain from saying you're going to go for it.
Instead, Chelsea wants to keep doing what they're doing and see where it leads them. Their main goal is to finish in the Premier League’s top four. They’ll see where that leaves them.
If they’re still close to Arsenal and Manchester City in February, Maresca might change his mind. But until then, it’s, You’re saying that, but we’re not thinking that. Next question.
Chelsea insiders think Arsenal and City are the teams to beat this season, and it’s hard to argue. Arsenal added more players to their team in the summer, as they need to compete, and they’ve finished second in the last three seasons.
City has Erling Haaland, who can make a big difference, and they’ve been there, done that, winning six titles since 2017 under Pep Guardiola.
The Daily Mail Sport put up a poll on social media yesterday, asking, Do you think Chelsea can actually win the title this season? After 1,000 votes, it was exactly 50-50. After a few hundred more votes, it was 49.5 per cent saying yes and 50.5 per cent saying no.
The fans are split, and me? After thinking about it, I'd have to say no for now. They're getting closer, I think, but this season feels too soon.
They're the youngest team in Premier League history. They're still learning to play together after Chelsea decided to rebuild their attack in the summer, which isn't normal after finishing fourth.
They have a 45-year-old head coach who, while clearly a good tactician, will tell you he's still learning.
They’ve been a bit naive at times, like with the four red cards they’ve gotten in the Premier League this season. If they keep this up, they’ll break Sunderland and QPR’s record of nine in a season.
They don’t have a Haaland-type goalscorer because they’re thinking long-term instead of spending big on one proven player.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but signing young players means you have to be patient. They’ve shown they can play well against Arsenal and Barcelona in those big games, but then they have those bad days, like the loss to Sunderland and the tie with Qarabag.
Chelsea’s next Premier League games are against Leeds, Bournemouth, and Everton, and while they look like wins on paper, it’s still not clear how they’ll do as the favourites.
Chelsea has a lot going for them. The way they handled not having Cole Palmer—winning 10 of their 13 games when he was hurt—was good to see.
He’s back now, and Maresca has been rotating players all season to get ready for the busy schedule ahead, using all the players he has.
They’re getting used to winning after the Club World Cup win in the summer.
Right now, it doesn’t feel like enough to be the best team in England after 38 games, but hey, ask me again in February or March.
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.