Enzo Maresca insists Chelsea cannot compete with Manchester City and Arsenal yet, because he has only been in post a matter of months.
The Chelsea boss took over at Stamford Bridge in July and has turned the club’s fortunes around quickly. They sit fourth in the Premier League, just two points off leaders Liverpool, and are the top-flight’s most in-form team.
Chelsea made it five wins in a row in all competitions on Thursday night when they beat Belgian side Gent 4-2 in the Conference League, and they return to league action on Sunday when they host Nottingham Forest, who are 10th.
But Maresca believes he has not been at the helm long enough for Chelsea to compete for silverware with the league’s most consistent teams in recent seasons.
“I really don’t think we can compete with City and Arsenal,” he said. “I really think that, because we are not ready.
“The reason why is — and I said many times — City is working with the same manager for nine years; Arsenal is working with the same manager for five years. If you want to compete for important things, you need that time.
“After Arsenal-PSG, they asked the same to Luis Enrique, and Luis Enrique said: ‘The difference between us and them is that Arsenal had the same manager for five years and we are a year-and-a-half.’ For me? Three months.
“So it is a huge difference. I’m really convinced that we cannot compete with that club. The target is to improve and slowly, slowly to go close to that club. We are not, in this moment, ready for that.”
The players are the first to recognise when the team are playing well. They can see the identity
The Italian has brought calm to the Blues and added: “I like to be focused on the things I can control. The only part I can control is the football side. All the noise around the club is not something I can control. I don’t know if it is real noise or not real noise.
“When you win games, it’s always energy, trust, confidence. For sure, it’s helping the process. The players are the first to recognise when the team are playing well or not. Results are helping us, but they are especially convinced because they can see clearly the identity.”
Maresca revealed youngster Carney Chukwuemeka would have been in the squad to face Gent if he had not fallen ill on Wednesday night. The 20-year-old’s only minutes this season were a cameo in last week’s 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Barrow.
“Carney was [going to be] in the squad, but he didn’t feel well in the night,” Maresca said. “This is the reason why he was not in the squad. The others, there isn’t any update. The only one [out] is Reece James. The rest are all available [against Forest].”
