Against all expectation, the Blues have laid the foundations for a successful season with a strong start to the campaign
Six weeks into the new season and much of the negativity around Chelsea has already faded away. Despite another bewildering transfer window under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership, new head coach Enzo Maresca already seems to have pieced together a competent team who are buying into his ideas.
Unbeaten since a predictable opening-day defeat to champions Manchester City, the Blues are just two points off second place with five games played, and the nature of the 3-0 dismantling of West Ham last time out suggests Maresca might just be cooking up something special at Stamford Bridge.
No-one expected such a swift adaptation to the Italian's tactics, especially after the summer's raft of new attacking arrivals, but things like they're starting to click – but what is behind their strong start, and is it too early to judge?
AFPDefined style shining through
In the early stages of this latest iteration of Chelsea's long-term project, the victory over West Ham perhaps offered the most compelling evidence yet of Maresca's tactical influence.
It was a performance that boasted all hallmarks of the Italian's style and philosophy, which are some of the main reasons he was brought on board; Chelsea built up patiently from the back with neat passing patterns and controlled the game from the outset with a foundation of defensive solidity.
Nicolas Jackson's second goal of the game was an excellent example, as the Blues calmly moved the ball from back to front via the middle of the park – with Marc Cucurella inverted as an auxiliary defensive midfielder – before West Ham's defence was sprung by an exquisite through ball from Moises Caicedo.
Granted, the Hammers were nowhere near their best and this was arguably the first time that things have properly clicked for Maresca and Chelsea despite some positive results elsewhere, but these were still hugely positive signs and, supporters will hope, just a taste of things to come.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRock-solid defence
A new, formidable centre-back partnership has quietly been formed at Stamford Bridge, providing the solidity that Chelsea's controlled displays have been built upon – another reason Maresca was hired.
Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana have caught the eye in the heart of defence following the latter's return from injury, with the former particularly impressive – ranking among the best centre-backs aged 21 or under in Europe's top five leagues so far this season in metrics such as progressive passing, interceptions and aerial duels.
Chelsea certainly needed some improvement in the defensive department, having conceded a club-record 63 times in the league in 2023-24, and having a settled, regular pair of central defenders following Thiago Silva's exit should certainly help.
Speaking about his partnership with Fofana, Colwill told recently: "We help each other a lot, we balance well. He's very aggressive, I like to be the sweeper, the calm one, and try and organise things. I love playing with him and I think he helps me out a lot, makes me look like a better player and hopefully I do the same for him. At times we're going to have to defend as a team."
Getty ImagesA striker in form
Things are always that bit easier when you have a striker who is oozing confidence, and Chelsea's strong start has been powered in no small part by Jackson's goals.
The Senegal international has repaid the faith shown in him in the summer as the club stuck with him rather than splurging on the likes of Victor Osimhen, Jhon Duran or Samu Omorodion, continuing his fine form from the end of last season into the new campaign.
Jackson is answering his (many) critics emphatically with six league goal contributions in just five games so far, including his wonderfully-taken brace against West Ham last time out.
Speaking after the victory in east London, Maresca pointed to the striker's unseen work, too: "It is fantastic [for him]. In terms of the numbers, so goals and assists, he is doing well since I arrived. Off the ball, he is working hard and if a player misses one or two chances, that does not necessarily mean he is not playing well."
Getty Images Sport'A nice problem'
It will be intriguing to see how long it lasts, but Maresca has so far been able to keep a array of attacking talent happy and in form despite being unable to meet all of their game-time expectations.
Jackson has made himself undroppable despite the presence of the fit-again Christopher Nkunku, widely considered to be Chelsea's most potent attacking threat but forced to settle for a place on the bench in the Premier League
Rather than sit around and mope, though, that seems to have fuelled Nkunku to stake his claim, with the Frenchman seizing every opportunity that comes his way in the cup competitions. He bagged a hat-trick against Barrow in the Carabao Cup in midweek and already has two goals in Conference League qualifying to add to his league winner against Bournemouth.
"Both Nicolas and Christo [Nkunku] are doing fantastic," Maresca said recently. "It’s a nice problem when you have two strikers who continue to score. When you can decide which one to start with, it's nice. And because they are in a good moment we can use them both."
In the wide areas, Maresca has shuffled through Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho, Pedro Neto and Mykhailo Mudryk, with all of them making their mark to varying degrees already.
