Enzo Maresca's perfect Chelsea record is no surprise but Leicester City warning is clear

Chelsea news as Enzo Maresca's reign at Stamford Bridge shares compelling similarities to his time at Leicester City

If Chelsea extend their perfect run to six games and beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday they go into the second international break just two points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

After losing 2-0 to Manchester City on the opening day and a stale home draw with Crystal Palace, Enzo Maresca's men have been perfect. Wins over AFC Bournemouth, West Ham, Barrow, Brighton and KAA Gent have meant the Blues are in a good place.

Ahead of today's game with Forest, which is Chelsea's fourth straight home game in all competitions, Maresca declared that the club are not ready to compete for the Premier League title yet. That may be true, but right now, they are competing at a considerable level.

“I really don’t think we can compete with City or Arsenal. I really don’t think that because we are not ready,” he said. “The reason is that City has worked with the same manager for nine years and Arsenal five years. If you want to compete for big things you need that time.

“After Arsenal beat PSG [in the Champions League on Tuesday] they asked Luis Enrique and he said the same thing, that ‘Arsenal have had the same manager for five years and us [PSG] a year and a half’. Imagine us, three months … so it’s a huge difference. So I am really convinced we cannot compete with those clubs. The target is to improve and slowly, slowly to get closer to those clubs but at the moment we are not ready for that.”

The latter words of Maresca's honest admission are what are important. Chelsea are improving. In fact, apart from the end of Mauricio Pochettino's reign at the club, this is probably the best experience the Stamford Bridge faithful witnessed since the takeover in 2022.

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Clearlake Capital's decision to appoint Maresca on the back of one successful season in first-team management was one that was widely criticised. The Italian worked wonders at Leicester City and his exit left a bad taste in the Foxes' mouth, despite initial theories that they were better off without him.

As someone who watched every single one of Maresca's 53 games in charge of Leicester, this start at Chelsea is not surprising. In his first 17 games last season, the Italian won 15, losing just one league game and in the Carabao Cup to Liverpool.

In that run, they dispatched Coventry City, thanks to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's double, Southampton 4-1 away, Norwich City away, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City and Sunderland. That run proved crucial for Leicester and Maresca as they won the Championship title.

However, while he deserves his flowers for his start, Maresca's troubles came after February. A 3-1 loss to Leeds was the catalyst and if it wasn't for poor results from league rivals Ipswich Town and Leeds, they would not be in the Premier League now.

They suffered defeats to Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, Millwall and Plymouth Argyle. At times, there were calls for a change in direction due to Maresca's stubbornness in tight games.

Of course, Maresca is now managing world-class players, a much better squad, but in a much tougher league, working for one of the least-lenient hierarchies in football. But there are many comparisons between his start at Leicester and Chelsea: start well, produce a 'feel good' factor within supporters and confidence flying high.

The hope, certainly for those associated with Chelsea, will be that he can extend this impressive spell. After today's game comes the international break before they face a tricky spell. Games against Liverpool, Newcastle (twice), Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester City all follow before December.

Maresca is right that Chelsea can't compete for the title. He's got a lot right in his short-spell as head coach football but he must make sure there isn't a repeat of the big thing he got wrong this time around.

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