Revealed: The seven standards Chelsea used to rent Enzo Maresca – forward of Man United… and why ‘love’, Leicester movies, ignoring worth tags and an untouched cigar present how he is succeeding thus far

Widespread apply says it is best to lend no credence to the Premier League desk till at the least 10 recreation have handed. Solely then is there a pattern measurement worthy of portray an image, and fairly the gorgeous one it was for Enzo Maresca this week as Chelsea topped the London pile.

A lot prettier than it was for Mauricio Pochettino on the identical stage final season when, factors smart, the desk confirmed there was no person worse among the many seven golf equipment who name the capital their dwelling.

It might be doing a disservice to different influential people to wholly credit score Maresca for Chelsea’s sturdy begin – the 44-year-old Italian entered into an already current construction – however he’s on the coronary heart of an operation trying to verify Arsenal don’t take over as London’s first and most interesting on Sunday.

When trying to find Pochettino’s successor, Chelsea drew up the standards they wished of their subsequent head coach, with seven beliefs recognized as a technique to whittle down the candidates. 

Although Thomas Frank and Kieran McKenna had been extremely rated, Maresca was the unanimous alternative. Right here is how and why Chelsea are benefitting from that due diligence now as we run by way of these seven needs.

1 – STYLE OF PLAY AND PHILOSOPHY

Maresca revealed in an interview with Mail Sport after his appointment how one other Premier League membership contacted him earlier than all was finalised with Chelsea. He wouldn’t say who, however it’s now recognized it was Manchester United.

Maresca’s strategy at Leicester received him admirers, together with how he stood by his enjoying fashion when the Foxes wobbled within the second half of the season. He has used clips from that Championship title-winning marketing campaign in video classes at Chelsea, which will be barely embarrassing for £30million summer time signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor as he options in them.

Although accused of getting no Plan B on the King Energy Stadium, Maresca has impressed at Stamford Bridge in how he strategically tweaks his Plan A recreation by recreation, typically mid-match. For the go to of Newcastle within the Premier League, for instance, he moved Cole Palmer additional in direction of the left of the pitch after evaluation discovered he would have been aggressively man-marked by Joelinton.

Like Mikel Arteta, Maresca discovered from Pep Guardiola. Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, Chelsea’s co-sporting administrators who led the summer time’s managerial search, agreed he had a ‘champions mentality’ after assembly him and the trio have cast a powerful working relationship.

Maresca’s work is nowhere close to finished. Chelsea are nonetheless adapting to his fashion of play, however you may see the possession-based philosophy being carried out.

2 – DESIRE TO CONTROL GAMES, WITH DEFENSIVE STABILITY

Maresca has now settled on a midfield two of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. Enzo Fernandez price £105m, however Chelsea’s head coach is underneath no strain to take discover of worth tags.

Caicedo and Lavia type the strong base of a midfield field as two No 6s. Palmer and one of many inverted full backs – corresponding to Malo Gusto or Marc Cucurella – full it in entrance of them as two No 10s positioned within the pockets. Maresca is assured it may give him better management.

Chelsea imagine they’ve the gamers to offer defensive solidity, not least in Levi Colwill. The Blues rejected approaches for the 21-year-old academy graduate in the summertime, regardless of rivals’ claims they might promote their very own grandmother for pure revenue.

Maresca’s preliminary precedence was to excellent the way in which they play in possession, maintaining the ball being one of the best ways to make sure management. Mail Sport was allowed entry to a number of coaching classes throughout their tour of america and each single one centered on passing from again to entrance, patiently and successfully.

Arsenal mustn’t count on to see Chelsea roll over like of their final assembly which led to a 5-0 humiliation for Pochettino.

3 – DEPLOY A STYLE SUITED TO THE SQUAD IN PLACE

In one among Maresca’s earliest conferences with Winstanley and Stewart, he instructed them he was ‘in love’ with the squad that they had assembled. He even organized a compelling presentation on his recreation mannequin which confirmed the way it married up properly with the gamers already at Chelsea.

Maresca is allowed enter into signings, and the summer time introduced the conclusion of a four-window technique during which Winstanley and Stewart sought to construct a squad younger and gifted sufficient to compete for years to come back. Ignore those that have criticised Chelsea’s strategy as ‘random’. They recruited with a selected fashion of play in thoughts.

Maresca watched all of Chelsea’s video games from 2023-24 after being appointed. He was on vacation in Marbella on the time, and determined early on that Palmer wanted transferring from the correct wing, the place he had scored 22 Premier League targets, to a central place which he may construct round.

Maresca has swiftly settled on his favoured Premier League line-up, however he insists it’s fluid. Gamers have been warned if they don’t prepare correctly, they won’t play. Maresca even instructed that down the cellphone to Jadon Sancho earlier than he dedicated to becoming a member of on mortgage from Manchester United.

Managing the egos in Chelsea’s dressing room is one problem. Christopher Nkunku didn’t signal for £52m to be saved for an 8-0 Convention League win over an Armenian facet referred to as Noah. Nkunku has scored 10 targets in numerous competitions this season, and inevitably, studies are already rising overseas linking him with leaving subsequent summer time out of frustration.

4 – BUILD A CONNECTION WITH THE FANBASE

Some supporters weren’t overwhelmed with the selection of Maresca, however Chelsea wished a coach in the correct arc of their profession, somebody who will solely get higher.

Beating Arsenal would increase his reference to the fanbase as a result of these moments collectively do greater than phrases in a press convention ever may.

Pochettino felt he solely developed a reference to Stamford Bridge after the 4-3 win over Manchester United when Palmer scored within the tenth and eleventh minutes of stoppage time. However he was ceaselessly preventing a shedding battle, Tottenham blood working by way of his veins and all that.

Maresca staged the occasional Q&A session with Leicester followers. He has not but discovered time to take action at Chelsea – their schedule is way more difficult – however he speaks succinctly by way of the media.

5 – STRONG DATA ON KEEPING PLAYERS AVAILABLE

A summer time evaluate of the damage disaster that plagued Chelsea’s final marketing campaign underneath Pochettino discovered no smoking gun, nevertheless it was evident that even 56 video games with out Europe positioned a pressure. Minutes are being managed, with Romeo Lavia amongst these disregarded of their Convention League squad after his earlier issues, and Reece James being eased again in.

An advocate of knowledge, Maresca insists nothing must be left to likelihood. He even requested Chelsea’s number-crunchers to offer information on each participant from youth to senior stage when he arrived. Health coach Marcos Alvarez adopted him from Leicester, along with his speedy obligations together with bettering availability alongside director of efficiency Bryce Cavanagh.

Chelsea have prevented any damage crises up to now. The membership plan to depart it as late as potential to see if Palmer can face Arsenal on Sunday after Lisandro Martinez’s reducer on him at Outdated Trafford final Sunday.

6 – RECORD OF IMPROVING PLAYERS

This was essential given Chelsea are on the right track to common the Premier League’s youngest line-up since Leeds in 1999-2000, and it’s price remembering Maresca labored with Palmer whereas supervisor of Manchester Metropolis’s Underneath 21s.

Caicedo’s enchancment particularly has been marked, proven by how few individuals point out his British file £115m price ticket now. In case you gave Chelsea supporters the selection between him and Declan Rice on Sunday, they might be inclined to signal Caicedo once more.

Underneath Maresca, who may be very hands-on in coaching, he’s now the Premier League’s prime tackler and interceptor, their defensive destroyer in deep midfield.

7 – WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITHIN THE CLUB’S EXISTING STRUCTURE

This seventh and remaining superb within the standards virtually dominated out any return for somebody as disruptive as Jose Mourinho, a supervisor who craves carte blanche. Whereas no pushover, Maresca is completely blissful to work inside a wider staff and concentrate on teaching at the beginning.

Chelsea are heading in the right direction, although they’re celebrating nothing but. Even when Maresca secures his maiden assertion victory on Sunday, having misplaced to Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool regardless of the staff performing properly, the Partagas No 2 cigar he has saved for his first main milestone will stay the place it’s, for now.