We are now 12 games into the Premier League season, and the league table is slowly taking shape. The relegation contenders are already scrapping for vital points towards the bottom of the table, whereas the fight for the top four is becoming increasingly more congested.
With just Newcastle left to play in this game week, only six points separate Manchester United in 12th, and Chelsea in third. The Premier League has never felt this close, and the key Champions League spots are likely to go down to the wire.
Before the season commenced, Chelsea were expected to be only fighting for a spot in the top six at best, with Enzo Maresca making his debut in the Premier League. Not only that, with the youngest squad in the top flight, expectations were minimal before the season commenced. However, Chelsea are currently exceeding the pre-season predictions, and should they continue in this form, a top four challenge is imminent – but could there be more?
Maresca Leading the Charge
If you’d have given any Chelsea fan the opportunity to be just one point behind reigning champions Manchester City after 12 games, they’d haven taken it without question. However, Chelsea’s system, confidence and squad is growing week on week, and games they almost certainly drawn or lost in previous seasons are now being won.
Whilst the recent win over Leicester City wasn’t heavy metal football, it was a victory full of character and guile. In previous seasons, Chelsea often backed into their cage when under pressure, continuously giving away winning positions, or failing to mount comebacks from a losing position. There were signs of growth under Mauricio Pochettino, but the leap under Maresca so far has been incredibly promising and murmurs are beginning to be heard around Stamford Bridge that an unlikely title challenge could come to fruition in the upcoming months.
With Liverpool enjoying an amazing start to life under Arne Slot, and currently a remarkable eight points clear of Man City in third, the league may be beyond the Blues, but even being in the question at this stage of the season is a remarkable turnaround after seasons of inconsistency and turmoil off the pitch.
A Reminder of Realistic Expectations
Returning any silverware to Stamford Bridge, along with a top four finish must be Maresca’s first priority – especially when considering the sizable investment in the squad, and the most obvious route to a major trophy remains the UEFA Conference League. Chelsea have made short work of their ties in the competition so far, and remain favourites to become the first team to win all three major European competitions.
The UEFA Conference League may not be the usual calibre of trophy expected at Stamford Bridge, and it wouldn’t be accepted as progress in the long run. However, when considering where Chelsea are at the moment, and where they were at the start of the season, a trophy alongside a top four finish, and even the resemblances of a title challenge, would constitute a massive success for Maresca and his men, and provide the Blues with the foundations for a real title challenge in the upcoming seasons.
