Have Chelsea Been Transformed Under The Stewardship Of Enzo Maresca?

Chelsea head into October’s international break occupying fourth place in the Premier League table, having enjoyed a strong start to life under Enzo Maresca. But what exactly has the Italian done to inspire such transformation at Stamford Bridge? Read on as we take a closer look…

Have Chelsea Been Transformed Under Enzo Maresca?

Chelsea have been the laughing stock of the Premier League for the best part of 2 years, but in the last 3 months since Enzo Maresca’s appointment, there seems to have been a change in sentiment.

But feelings are not always akin to facts, so let’s look at the reality.

Chelsea have played 7 Premier League games under Maresca, resulting in 14 points (4W, 2D, 1L). If you compare that to the last 7 games under Mauricio Pochettino, he managed 16 points (5W, 1D, 1L). Therefore, on the surface, you could say that Chelsea have regressed. But let’s dig a little deeper…

Analysing Maresca’s impact like this doesn’t take into account the quality of the opponent. If we compare the exact fixtures Chelsea have played in their first 7 Premier League games this season to the identical versions of those fixtures last season, you start to see a difference. Chelsea have picked up 14 points from a possible 21, but last season, in those identical fixtures, we picked up only 8 points. Almost half.

If we look at Opta’s expected points table below, you can see that statistically Chelsea should be even higher than the already commendable 4th place they find themselves in: all the way up to 2nd place.

Maresca Has Reignited A Feeling Of Positivity At Stamford Bridge

Now of course, there has to be life beyond numbers and everyone can add in their own context. You can say that Maresca has benefitted from new signings in the summer, younger players becoming a year older and a marked reduction in injuries.

However, one could also say that Chelsea invested even more into signings last summer, have taken on their fair share of new unproven players this summer, and the lack of injuries can be seen as luck, but could also be seen as excellent management, while battling even more fixtures with the Conference League.

He’s profiled players correctly, played them in their best positions, and implemented a tactical plan we could’ve only dreamed we’d see under Pochettino. Not to mention that we know it takes time for any new manager’s ideas to take effect, but especially with the vast changes Maresca has brought about.

There will always be a debate and only time will tell whether Maresca’s time at Chelsea will be a success, but where there is no doubt is that there is a hugely positive feeling around the club at the moment and the numbers are on Maresca’s side.