Chelsea have become synonymous with a lack of structural planning and rushed decisions since American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital acquired the club in May 2022.
Despite forking
out an eye-watering £1.5bn on signings and tying newcomers down to irrationally
long-term, lucrative contracts, on-field success has eluded the Blues.
Following an
embarrassing 12th-place Premier League finish in the club’s first post-Roman
Abramovich season, Chelsea returned to European football with a mediocre
sixth-place finish last term.
Mauricio
Pochettino, Chelsea’s third permanent manager during Boehly’s relatively brief
tenure, seemed on the verge of turning the team’s fortunes around down the
final stretch of last season.
However, with the
Pensioners forced to watch Champions League live football on TV for the second season on the trot, the Argentine had to
pack his bags.
Chelsea’s decision
to hire Enzo Maresca despite a lack of experience in top-flight management
raised eyebrows in the summer, questioning the club leadership’s competence.
Little did the
critics know the 44-year-old would become the catalyst for a much-needed
turnaround, leading the club to a series of impressive results and restoring
stability to the squad.
Bold
choice
Chelsea made a
brave decision to part ways with Pochettino, especially considering the
ex-Tottenham Hotspur boss launched Cole Palmer’s career in the Premier League.
Palmer has been
the Blues’ most electrifying performer since Eden Hazard, even though he
conceded it took a lot of persuasion to convince him to join the London outfit
via the Daily
Mirror.
Yet, Chelsea felt
they needed a different type of manager, someone advocating an attractive style
based on possession football and control but tactically flexible.
Maresca, who
learned his trait from none other than the famous Pep Guardiola during his
stint at Manchester City as assistant manager, ticked all the boxes.
Leading Leicester
City to a relatively straightforward Premier League promotion in his first
permanent job on these shores wrote the Italian tactician a perfect
recommendation.
What has
Maresca brought to Chelsea?
For starters,
Maresca has excelled in handling the challenges of an oversized squad and the
media pressure surrounding the Stamford Bridge club.
Problems were
piling up from the beginning.
Shortly upon his
arrival, Maresca had to deal with the Enzo Fernandez chaos after the Argentine
midfielder posted a video on social media showing him and his international
teammates in a racist and discriminatory chant.
However, the
44-year-old managed the situation like a boss, easing tensions between the
ex-Benfica star and his mixed-race clubmates to avoid unrest in the dressing
room.
Maresca’s calm and
diplomatic approach helped maintain squad harmony, building a friendly
environment in the locker room before tackling the tactical aspect.
On top of that,
the Italian’s loyalty to his closest associates has instilled a sense of unity
and trust within the squad.
By sticking with
key figures from his coaching staff and fostering strong relationships with the
players, Maresca has created a healthy atmosphere at the Bridge.
Room for
improvement
On a tactical
level, Chelsea are still a work in progress.
But unlike recent
seasons, there’s a renewed sense of direction, with the Blues making strides
during Maresca’s early regime.
With only
Tottenham, Brentford and Liverpool scoring more Premier League goals than
Chelsea’s 21, Maresca’s frontlines are running like clockwork.
However, there’s
ample room for improvement at the back.
Just two clean
sheets across 11 league outings highlight the emergency in defence, hence Fabrizio
Romano’s recent claim, stating the Blues are in
the market for a new centre-back.
The arrival of
Tosin Adarabioyo was never meant to replace Thiago Silva, and Chelsea would be
well-advised to address this issue in January.
