Enzo Maresca during Chelsea's clash against Bournemouth(Image: Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Seven Chelsea fixtures that could go some way in defining Enzo Maresca reign at Stamford Bridge

The next seven games for Chelsea are expected to be very tough for a number of reasons - not only because of the level of opposition, but having to play these matches in a three-week period

17 Oct 2024, 06:00 by Bobby Vincent · football.london

"I think it is probably the hardest job in football," were the words from Graham Potter in January 2023 when asked about his role as Chelsea head coach.

Going into the press conference, the Blues had just been beaten in back-to-back matches by Manchester City, drawn with Nottingham Forest and lost to Arsenal, Newcastle United and Aston Villa. It was a difficult time for Potter.

"I understood that things would be difficult from a leadership perspective," Potter also said. "It is a challenge, stimulating and ridiculously hard."

Less than three months later, Potter was gone. It was inevitable, unfortunately for the former Chelsea head coach - but his position had become untenable. Mauricio Pochettino followed, and similar happened to him - with the Argentine understanding just what Potter meant by the Blues job being the "hardest in football".

One man who perhaps does not understand what all of the fuss is about is Enzo Maresca. The Italian, appointed as Pochettino's permanent successor in the summer, has led Chelsea to fourth-place in the Premier League table after seven matches - with four victories, two draws and just one defeat in the process, all while implementing a complex and gruelling style of play onto his young squad of players.

Maresca, though, has not found it easy despite an almost seamless transition in the opening stages of the season. "Not easy, not easy [laughs]," the head coach replied when asked if it was easier than expected last month.

"As we said, we have already had two weeks where there is no noise around the team - this is important. I think it's not easy, it's what I expected in terms of hard work, but at the same time it's exciting."

Chelsea's only defeat this season came at the hands of champions Manchester City on the opening weekend of the campaign. A game, in truth, the Blues were never expected to win. Not only were the players still getting to grips with what Maresca was demanding from them, but they were also up against a machine in City that has been led by the frustratingly fantastic Pep Guardiola for the past eight years.

Saying that, though, Chelsea were fantastic on the afternoon when all things were put into context and were unfortunate not to get anything from the game. A couple of defensive mishaps from the Blues allowed the champions to punish them at Stamford Bridge, but there was a whole catalogue of positives for Chelsea to take from the match.

After the opening match of the season, the fixture schedule in the Premier League was rather kind to Chelsea. To date, City are the only side Chelsea have played that finished above them in the top-flight last season - but all of that is soon going to change.

In the next three-or-so weeks, Chelsea are due to play seven fixtures in all competitions. Four Premier League games, two UEFA Conference League matches and one Carabao Cup tie. In those four league outings, the Blues play two teams that finished above them last term and the other couple of sides ended the season in seventh and eighth, just behind the west Londoners.

First up is a daunting trip to Anfield against the current Premier League leaders Liverpool. Like Chelsea, the Reds have lost just one game this season but they have managed to win the other six under newly-appointed head coach Arne Slot.

It is then a trip to Greece to take on Panathinaikos in matchday two of the UEFA Conference League league phase. That is just three days before the first of a double-header with Newcastle, the team that finished in seventh last season.

Firstly, the Blues welcome the Magpies to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League in what is expected to be a really tough game for Maresca against Eddie Howe. Newcastle then play hosts a few days later in the Carabao Cup round of 16 on the Wednesday night at St. James' Park.

Chelsea then face another game up north, but this time on the north west when they take on Manchester United, last season's eighth-placed side, at Old Trafford. The Blues have a notoriously bad record at the 'Theatre of Dreams' with their last Premier League win there coming back in 2013 when Juan Mata scored the winner against the side he would join less than a year later for almost £40million.

After that, Chelsea welcome Armenian Premier League side Noah to west London in the Conference League, just three days before they entertain Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Prior to this horror run of fixtures, it gets a bit easier for the Blues - on paper, anyway - but this period looks to be crucial for Maresca.

It is by no means job-defining. Chelsea are prepared to allow the Italian plenty of time to build on the project at the club but it could go some way in defining just how strong this current crop of players are.

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