Enzo Maresca’s press conference.
Image credit: The Chelsea’s Valiant
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has tempered rising expectations surrounding his team, despite a strong start to the Premier League season.
After winning seven of their first ten matches and climbing to fourth place, just two points behind league leaders Liverpool, Maresca insists that Chelsea is not yet equipped to challenge for the title, citing the need for time to establish consistency and cohesion within the squad.
Since taking over at Stamford Bridge, Maresca has quickly revitalized a team that struggled last season, overseeing a notable improvement in form.
The Blues have been prolific in attack, scoring 27 goals across competitions, including 15 in the Premier League. However, while fans and pundits are starting to view Chelsea as potential title contenders, the Italian manager is more cautious in his assessment.
Speaking after Chelsea’s 4-2 victory over Gent in the Europa Conference League, Maresca was clear about the team’s limitations. “I really don’t think we can compete with City or Arsenal,” he said. “The reason is that City has worked with the same manager for nine years and Arsenal for five years. If you want to compete for big things, you need that time.”
The Italian highlighted the importance of stability, drawing comparisons with Manchester City under Pep Guardiola and Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, two clubs that have enjoyed prolonged periods of managerial continuity.
In contrast, Chelsea has gone through significant changes in recent years, including a major overhaul of their squad and Maresca’s own recent appointment just three months ago.
The Blues have spent heavily across the last five transfer windows, with the club investing around £1.5 billion in new players.
While some of these additions have started to shine—most notably Cole Palmer, who scored four first-half goals in Chelsea’s recent victory over Brighton—Maresca believes his team still needs time to build the chemistry and consistency required to compete with the likes of City and Arsenal.
“City has been working with Guardiola for almost a decade, and Arsenal is on a similar path with Arteta,” he explained. “It takes time to develop that understanding and cohesion. We are building something special here, but we are not at their level yet.”
Maresca also stressed the importance of patience as Chelsea continues to develop under his leadership. “The target is to improve and slowly get closer to those clubs,” he said. “But at the moment, we are not ready for that. There is no timeframe because you can always improve, and there’s always something to learn.”
While Chelsea’s long-term ambitions are clear, Maresca’s short-term focus remains on gradual improvement. The Blues face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this weekend, hoping to secure their fourth consecutive league victory.
Forest’s last visit to Stamford Bridge ended in a 1-0 victory for the visitors during a difficult spell for Chelsea last season, but the mood around the club has changed significantly since then.
“We’re building momentum, and winning games creates energy, trust, and confidence,” Maresca acknowledged. “But we have to remain realistic about where we are. The results are helping, but the process is ongoing.”
Chelsea fans will no doubt be encouraged by the team’s progress so far, but Maresca’s message is clear: while the Blues are on an upward trajectory, they still have some way to go before they can consistently challenge for the Premier League title.
For now, patience and continued growth will be key to their success.