Enzo Maresca Acknowledges Chelsea's Limitations, Emphasizes Need for Improvement

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has conceded that his team is still far from competing with England's best, highlighting the need for improvement and consistency despite being satisfied with their current position.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has acknowledged that his team is still far from competing with the best teams in England, emphasizing the need for improvement. “We are far from competing, consistency and being there with the best teams in England,” Maresca stated. Despite being satisfied with their current position, he stressed that progress is necessary. “We have to be satisfied where we are but... we need to improve, for sure.”

Maresca anticipated a challenging period in the season, which has materialized in Chelsea's recent performances. “We expected this kind of moment in the season. It is almost impossible to have a season without this,” he noted. The Italian manager also highlighted the unexpected nature of Chelsea's current position, which underscores the team's limitations. “Not anyone in this room expected us to be where we are. It also shows we are far from competing, consistency and being there with the best teams in England.”

Maresca reflected on Chelsea's demanding schedule in December, which may have contributed to their recent struggles. “In December, we have played nine games and we started by winning the first five or six winning, but then struggled,” he explained. Chelsea lost 3-1 to Ipswich Town. The team's fatigue was evident by the end of the month. “We arrived at the end of the month a bit tired in general.” This exhaustion may have been a factor in Chelsea's consecutive losses to Ipswich Town and Fulham.