Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea revolution needs time. Here’s how he earns it

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. There was no plausible way to decide if Enzo Maresca was good enough or not to hold the position before the 2024/25 campaign got underway; as a head coach who had never managed a top-flight game in any league, in any nation, there simply wasn’t proof of such either way. For a club with the aspirations and spending power Chelsea have, that alone was enough for some to say this was another bizarre, bold or bad decision - yet a handful of games into the campaign, perhaps we are seeing the first signs now that the former Leicester boss and Sevilla midfielder is starting to get a hold of his squad, show them what he wants and, most importantly, get a few parts of that shown back to him during matches. But while Maresca’s full masterplan may yet be some distance away, there are signs that he has the tools at his disposal and the early understanding between them which could both buy him time to implement his true ideals, and also propel Chelsea high enough up the table to give their trigger-happy board enough reason to, this time, stick with their latest chosen figurehead. Points on the board early on don’t just set a platform for improved league finishes; at Stamford Bridge, they might buy the time needed for a genuine revolution on the pitch.