Last season, we struggled to play as a team and defend as a unit. Even when we were winning, Maresca warned that we weren’t ready to compete for the title — and he was right. A few months later, our weaknesses showed. But to his credit, he turned things around and built a strong side that finished the season well.

This summer, we made a lot of changes, especially among the fringe players. Most of the new signings aren’t Premier League-ready yet. Injuries to key players have made it harder because we don’t have experienced replacements who fully understand Maresca’s system.

That said, it’s a process. I bring up last season because fans often expect perfection from day one. But football doesn’t work like that — it takes time, hard work, and adaptation.

I genuinely believe we recruited well. Estevão, Gittens, Hato, and Essugo are top talents, but they’ll need time to develop. Players like Delap, João Pedro, Garnacho, and Buonanotte are already familiar with the league, and in the case of João Pedro and Buonanotte, the manager’s style too, thanks to their time under De Zerbi.

The point is: Maresca has already shown he can mould a team over time. With even more talented players this season, there’s no reason to think he won’t do it again — it’s just a matter of patience.

But hey, if you want to doubt him again… go ahead.

(Via Blue_Footy)

🔵 Premier League 04/05: Chelsea 🥇
🔵 Premier League 05/06: Chelsea 🥇
👹 Premier League 06/07: Man Utd 🥇
👹 Premier League 07/08: Man Utd 🥇
👹 Premier League 08/09: Man Utd 🥇
🔵 Premier League 09/10: Chelsea 🥇

Will we ever see these two teams dominate English football again?😢

Chalobah and Acheampong are Chelsea’s only fit CB’s to start vs Brighton

Confident we get the win?

Chelsea could have eight players unavailable tomorrow

That would make us second in the Premier League for most injuries

Any more absences would push them us first or tied first.

Injuries worrying The Blues early on in the season…👀

✍️ "Chelsea should be title contenders and considered Champions League challengers this season.

"Instead, their hierarchy seems content to be praised for being the smartest recruiters in the business,"

- Jamie Carragher

Full article: Telegraph

Since BlueCo took over Chelsea, they’ve been making big changes — not just to the players, but to the whole setup of the club. With so much being rebuilt, it’s normal that results on the pitch have been up and down. Expecting trophies right away isn’t realistic.

The club wasn’t in a great place when BlueCo came in. The sudden end of the Abramovich era left things unsettled. Their first transfer window was full of big signings like Sterling and Koulibaly, but most of those deals didn’t work out. The club is still feeling the effects of those mistakes.

Now, the strategy has changed. Chelsea are focusing on younger players who earn less and could be sold later for a good price. This gives the club more flexibility. If a player doesn’t work out, they can be moved on without losing too much money.

Because of this, the team might not be super consistent right now, but there’s a lot of potential for the future. The goal at the moment isn’t to be perfect — it’s to build a strong foundation. Once that settles, results will improve.

People often talk about how much Chelsea have spent, but forget to mention how much they’ve also made — especially from player sales. The new owners have also cut down the wage bill and were actually in profit during the last transfer window. That shows better financial planning.

Some fans question why Chelsea didn’t go after big names like Maignan or Donnarumma. But Maignan hasn’t been at his best lately, and Donnarumma was asking for huge wages — even PSG didn’t keep him on those terms. Chelsea can’t just match the spending of clubs like Man City or Man United, so they need to be smarter with money.

This rebuild isn’t about quick wins. It’s about building something long-term — a team that can win in the future, but also run in a stable and responsible way. It might not please everyone right now, but it’s a clear plan. And that’s something Chelsea have needed for a while.

Jose Mourinho on returning to Stamford Bridge next week💙