Calm Chelsea: Squad Resolved to Keep Grounded After Barça Demolition

The worst manner for the Blues to respond to their thrashing of the Spanish giants would be to believe the excitement. The challenge is that emotions in the sport fluctuate from one end to another, as the people overseeing things at Chelsea have rapidly come to realize.

They have endured plenty of criticism for their different strategy since buying the team from the previous owner three years ago, so maybe they are entitled to be a little doubtful now that Chelsea are being praised for their transfer plan and touted as possible championship contenders before hosting Arsenal on Sunday.

Opposite to public view, this is not a board that becomes overexcited readily. The starting chaos has settled – Chelsea have had four permanent managers since their takeover by Todd Boehly and their partners – and the goal of building a long-lasting forward-looking project is inconsistent with panicking to one poor performance, one decent run of form or even one thumping victory over Barcelona in the continental competition.

The philosophy has not shifted since the start of the term: stay grounded. It is worth recalling that there was plenty of negative talk from outside when Chelsea were defeated to the Red Devils and Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of September. Was any pundit discussing about a championship challenge then? Or, actually, after the side squandered a one-goal advantage and lost at Stamford Bridge to the Black Cats last month? The atmosphere was distinct. Cool thinking were necessary; the instruction from on high was that the manager and his team had to have faith in themselves after the loss by Brighton.

Now, with demanding travel fixtures against Leeds United and Bournemouth to come next week, the focus is on guaranteeing the Blues are not lulled into complacency after that stunning defeat of Barcelona.

Perhaps that calm feel will assist the least experienced team in the English football stay even-keeled. Maresca, composed to a extreme in his press dealings, fits the plan. The team were in a comparable position this time last year but the Italian consistently maintained they were not in the league race. He felt it was too early in their evolution. Maresca faced criticism when the club dropped off and concluded in a struggle for European qualification – had he provided the team an escape route? – but he was in his debut campaign as a top-flight manager. He and his players had to make mistakes and develop.

It is a deliberate tactic. The head coach is not given to making audacious statements, often saying he is focusing no beyond than the following fixture. His stance has not been altered by the team moving up to second after several victories from their previous six matches. It will almost certainly not even alter dramatically if they beat Arsenal and narrow their rivals’ gap to several points.

“Whether we triumph, whether we fail to prevail, I feel it’s too premature,” Maresca said on Friday. “We are still in the eleventh month. It’s incredibly important in winter, March, where we are. From there we’ll determine if we can attain something meaningful.”

That was about as close as it comes to an concession that, indeed, it is feasible for Chelsea to disrupt their opponents. Yet there is no pressure on the manager to claim the championship this term. The manager has objectives to hit but Chelsea will not review his performance until this summer. They have zero desire to be compelled into sacking a boss during a season again. The Blues desire continuity and are only just starting out.

They have arrangements in place to sign more promising talents in the off-seasons of the future and later. They were criticised for transferring Noni Madueke to the Gunners last off-season but did so because moving an established English player had to be done to free up a spot for the arriving the Brazilian.

The winger is progressing. The youngster forward was outstanding against the opposition, scoring a breathtaking goal, but the South American talent is unlikely to line up against the Gunners. His playing time is being carefully overseen by the manager. The club had a interrupted pre-season after making it all the way in last summer’s Club World Cup. Maresca’s heavy squad rotation is evidence of a coach planning about long-term as well as the present.

Despite the caution, though, it is also correct that the team are completely capable of defeating the Gunners. Cole Palmer is returned after two months absence and set to play. the winger is in excellent form in attack, and the midfielder and the playmaker will rival Arsenal’s centre strength.

The head coach said overcoming PSG in that international competition final had benefited his team’s mindset. He likes that they are distributing the scoring around to a greater extent than the previous term, when there was too much leaning on Palmer. A talented substitutes will also offer him a variety of ways to confront their rivals’ defensive strength.

Will it be sufficient? Maybe not at this stage. Chelsea at times do not have a deadly touch and the defender’s injury with a extended {