Enzo Maresca said Chelsea are not yet defensively solid enough to challenge for the Premier League title after their 4-3 win over Tottenham.
The Italian has repeatedly rebuffed the suggestion that his side are contenders for the league title despite their promising start under his tutelage.
But after slip-ups from Arsenal and Manchester City on Saturday, as well as Liverpool’s postponed fixture against Everton, the Blues have daylight in second place and are just four points off top spot.
The manner of Chelsea’s win on Sunday, coming back from 2-0 down to win away from home against local rivals, may only serve to strengthen their title credentials in the eyes of some.
But for Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, it merely reaffirmed just how much they still have to work on if they are going to contend for the title in forthcoming seasons.
‘We have still got a lot to improve on, when we’re ready to push for a title we won’t be 2-0 down in the first 10 minutes,’ Colwill told Sky Sports.
‘That’s the level we need to be at and that’s what we need to keep working on.’
And Maresca was quick to agree with his centre-back’s assessment, insisting that his side are still some way off being considered title hopefules.
‘No, exactly,’ the Italian replied when asked whether he agreed with Colwill’s comments about his side’s perceived lack of defensive solidity.
‘After the game, my message to the players was to be focused day by day, in our session, the next game on Thursday and then Sunday.
‘The main focus has to be to enjoy the day off and when we come back, 100%, train well, go for the game.
‘The fans can dream because from the outside, it is quite clear and inside, the reality is we are not ready but the important thing is we improve day by day.’
Maresca, who was noticeably passionate at full-time, was instead keen to take in the moment and what a big derby-day win meant for the fans.
‘We work every day for these kind of moments, celebrating with the fans,’ he added. ‘For sure, tonight was a derby and the way we are in this moment, we are all happy. To share that moment is fantastic.
‘We need our fans, home and away. I will tell them now in this moment that we need them against Brentford. It won’t be an easy game so we need them to help and push us.’
Jamie Carragher was another who suggested that Chelsea’s defensive options may hold them back as the season drags on.
‘I still look at the goalkeeper and two centre-backs, [Benoit] Badiashile who played today, and I just think I can’t see someone winning the Premier League with that goalkeeper and without a real standout centre-back,’ Carragher told Sky Sports.
‘I think you’d say City winning it with Ederson and [Ruben] Dias, Liverpool with [Virgil] van Dijk and Alisson, going back to Petr Cech and John Terry. those figures, you think, that you need to win a title, I still think Chelsea are a little bit short in those areas.’
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