Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has insisted the Blues are not ready for a Premier League title challenge.
The London club continued their impressive form with a 2-1 win against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
The win means Chelsea, on 34 points, sit in second place, just two points behind leaders Liverpool on the log.
Despite his team’s good run of form, Maresca has continued to play down their title aspirations.
“No matter how many games we are going to win, I think we are not ready to compete for the title,” he said. “One of the reasons why is because I think teams know how to compete for titles.
“They are not going to concede the goal we conceded. We conceded the goal on 90 minutes, throw-in for us, we conceded a goal. A team that knows how to win titles, that goal they are not going to concede.
“This is one of the reasons why I continue to say we are not ready for titles, even if you don’t believe me or you think that I say that for…
“I’ve told you many times I would love the pressure to compete for titles but we are not ready for many reasons; one of the reasons why is because we cannot concede the goal we conceded, open the game and give them the chance to take a point here.”
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I’ve been expecting Chelsea supporters to throw stones at Maresca for these “condescending” comments about his high-flying team. But same people believed that their over hyped Super Eagles team were world class, and when the objective gaffer tried to talk down the massive pressure off the shoulders of his players, these proud and entitled fans berated and crucified him. The rest is history. I pray we qualify for the World cup and win the next AFCON. At least, nothing is impossible with a determined Nigerian team.
Of course, the coach will talk like this to take pressure off his team. He’s also being realistic. He wants to over deliver on his deliverables. Better to make a promise and deliver over and above what was promised, than to promise and fail to deliver.
So publicly, he will have a conservative outlook. But in the dressing room, he’s screaming blue murder at his players, demanding everything they can give so Chelsea can emerge champions.
Rohr did this frequently. This is what many coaches do. There is no coach who secretly doesn’t want to win. But they won’t come out and say it, unless they have the Mourinho-type confidence bordering on arrogance.
So for me, Maresca’s utterance here is completely normal.