Chelsea currently holds a promising fourth position in the Premier League, staying two points ahead of formidable rivals Manchester City and Newcastle. With 14 games remaining in the season, the team is keenly focused on securing a spot in the Champions League, a competition they have been well-positioned for 109 of the 182 days this season. However, challenges persist, particularly with their winless streak away from home since their victory against Tottenham on December 8.
The team's young dynamics have been a double-edged sword, providing both vitality and inexperience. Unfortunately, key striker Nicolas Jackson is sidelined with a hamstring injury for six to eight weeks. His backup, Marc Guiu, faces similar issues, leaving Chelsea's attacking options limited. To further compound these challenges, Joao Felix has taken a six-month loan to AC Milan, creating a void in experience and firepower.
Chelsea's squad boasts the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season. Despite this youthful composition, manager Enzo Maresca feels optimistic about the team's trajectory toward a Champions League return. He emphasizes the need for his team to adopt a more ruthless approach and learn to secure narrow victories.
"We need to learn to win games 1-0," Maresca stated.
"Big teams know how to win 1-0. Sometimes when you are winning 1-0 and there's 10-15 minutes to go, the way they manage the game and the ball kills the game. It's something that we need to learn," he further explained.
Maresca acknowledges that Chelsea is still in a developmental phase, not yet ready to compete for major titles this season. He believes that mastering game management and closing out matches are essential lessons for his youthful squad.
"One of the things that we need to learn is how to win games, how to be ruthless and win the games, sometimes 1-0, to be nasty in some moments. It's something that we're going to learn for sure," Maresca said.
The absence of a proper striker poses strategic difficulties. While Christopher could step in, Maresca notes he is more of an attacking midfielder than a traditional No 9.
"Christopher could be a solution but he's not a proper No 9, he's not a striker, he's more of an attacking midfielder," Maresca commented.
As Chelsea prepares for their upcoming match against Brighton, Maresca is acutely aware of the challenge ahead. Brighton's squad features talented players like Kaoru Mitoma, Carlos Baleba, and Jan Paul van Hecke, known for their aggressive playstyle.
"Since they started, they are very aggressive on the ball. They want to try to keep the ball and play in the way they want to play," Maresca remarked.
"They have some very good players, like [Kaoru] Mitoma, [Carlos] Baleba and [Jan Paul] van Hecke," he added.
Despite these adversities, Maresca remains focused on developing Chelsea's young talents and realizing their potential. The club aims to finish the season strongly and secure a Champions League berth next year. The team's management sees this as crucial not only for the club and its fans but also for re-establishing Chelsea as a contender on Europe's grandest stage.
"It's very important for sure [Champions League qualification]. First of all, for the club, for the fans, because this club belongs to the Champions League. Then for a while, we didn't play Champions League, we didn't compete for important titles," Maresca emphasized.
The team's ability to focus on fewer competitions could work in their favor. Having exited the FA Cup, Chelsea can now concentrate efforts on excelling in the Premier League and Conference League.
"This is the reason why I said the other day after FA Cup that probably the only positive thing is that now we can be focused on the Premier League and the Conference League," Maresca stated.
"Also because at this moment we are not ready to compete for four titles. So if we can be focused now to finish in the best way in the Premier League and in the Conference, it's important," he added.
Chelsea aims to defy expectations by achieving Champions League qualification earlier than anticipated. The club initially planned for a two-year timeline to return to Europe's elite competition. Achieving this objective within one year would be remarkable progress.
"The club asked to play Champions League in two years. If we are able to bring this club after one year, it will be fantastic," Maresca expressed.
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