Chelsea’s 4-3 win over London rivals Tottenham has further propelled them into the title conversation despite Enzo Maresca’s insistence that his side are not ready to win it.
Following the victory, the Blues sit second in the table, four points behind Liverpool and have only lost one game in all competitions since the middle of October. They have only lost two games in the league all season, and those were against Manchester City and Liverpool.
The Blues are the highest scorers in the league with 35 goals in 15 matches, averaging 2.3 goals a game. All signs are pointing in the direction that this could be a memorable season for Maresca’s men and they have faced, and taken, some big scalps. Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle, and Brighton are amongst the best teams they have beaten.
Maresca and Chelsea players remain level headed
Maresca has been posed with questions about a potential title challenge for weeks. He has so far batted them away, but after beating Spurs from a situation that seemed untenable having been two goals down, and now only being four points behind the league leaders following the postponed Merseyside derby, those questions will not be going anywhere anytime soon.
The players have also not been keen to get drawn into any title talk. Speaking after the Tottenham game, Levi Colwill said: “When we’re ready to push for a title we wouldn’t be 2-0 down in the first 10, that’s the level.”
It’s smart from the players and manager. The hype and hysteria of a title challenge for this young and inexperienced group could cause a distraction, and Maresca needs to keep his players grounded.
What could be the pitfalls for Chelsea in a title challenge?
Whilst this team is full of young stars and attacking prowess, it is not yet the finished article. Problems are there in the side, namely in defence.
Chelsea have been leaking goals all season and it does not look like an issue that will go away soon. They have conceded 18 goals, the same as 13th placed Manchester United and they are some way off Liverpool in that aspect, who have only conceded 11. They give up too many chances, with their expected goals against figure only the 11th best in the league at 21.4.
Losing Wesley Fofana was a big blow for the Blues, a very promising young defender who was building a nice partnership with Levi Colwill.
Benoit Badiashile came into the line-up against Spurs to partner Colwill, and did not look fully comfortable at any point in the game. The central defenders were not helped by Marc Cucurella giving away two goals very early on and the whole defence struggled to recover, giving up some big chances to Spurs despite their excellence going forward.
The squad, at present, lacks depth and quality in defence. Even against a poor Southampton side, they gave up too many opportunities and it will likely hurt them at some point.
Another big issue is the goalkeeper. Robert Sanchez does not provide much confidence and has consistently made silly errors during the last 18 months, with his distribution against Spurs proving a particular issue.
Maresca has firmly stood behind his number one and has said time and time again that he is the first choice goalkeeper. Whether he is saying this because he knows Chelsea will probably have to wait until the summer to buy a top goalkeeper, or he actually believes that Sanchez is at the level required, only he knows. But it is an area that needs addressing if Chelsea are to kick on.
Is a title realistic this season?
Chelsea have made incredible progress in a very short period under Maresca and genuinely look like one of the best teams in the league. Maresca has rotated the squad impressively and seems to be keeping everyone happy, involved and healthy, something previous managers have found difficult. And it is clear that right now, the Blues are in the title race despite it still being early in the season.
He has had the luxury of rotating his squad more than others. He has made a habit of naming completely different teams in the Conference League compared with the Premier League, and was able to play it safe by taking off Romeo Lavia at half-time of the game against Spurs after he felt a bit of muscle tightness.
Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer are firing, and even Jadon Sancho seems to be returning to the player we all saw back in 2019. The depth in attacking areas is excellent.
But this is still a young and experienced squad. They have never been involved in a title race. They have never faced the pressure of a run-in where you have to win eight or nine games in a row. All of their fellow title rivals have more experience in this area.
On balance, serious thoughts of a title challenge are a step too far despite their current position. This squad should be allowed to test their limits and be afforded the time to grow and reach their potential. This season should be one where they aim to keep up with Liverpool for as long as they can, and finishing in the top four would be a success.
If this squad keeps up what they are doing, a title will come along under Maresca. The attack is as good as any in the league, and a couple of extra additions to the squad in defence and in goal will go a long way to helping them get there. They are not far away.
