BBC: 6th place “disaster” means “heat” is on Maresca, who owners “expected to do better” | OneFootball

It may seem impossible, but there can be no doubting that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is under pressure.

In the end football is all about narrative more than numbers, and Chelsea’s season is a perfect illustration of that. If the Blues had started the season with the dreadful run of form they’ve been on recently (two wins from the last nine games in the league), and then had hit form after Christmas, rather than the other way around, people would be feeling very positive about Enzo Maresca.

The early struggles would have been written off as teething trouble as the team adjusted to his ideas, and the good results since would have everyone feeling positive now, even with the team on the exact same points.

But that wasn’t what happened – the team started well and got worse, and that’s creating some serious doubts.

Maresca starting to feel the heat and it won’t get easier

Enzo Maresca looks concerned after a defeat. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Journalist Adam Crafton, speaking on the BBC’s Monday Night Club, said there is “a bit of heat” on the manager already:

“They just shouldn’t be finishing below Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. As well as those teams have performed, with the level of investment that Chelsea have made, I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the owners to have expected Enzo Maresca to do better,” Crafton said.

“Given the position they were in during November and at the start of December, they have got to finish in the Champions League spots. It is a bit of a disaster if they end up sixth.

“The club won’t accept things continuing as they have been in their past few games – two wins in nine in the Premier League. There is definitely a bit of heat on him.”

Maresca’s big problem now is that his squad are low on morale and as depleted in terms of injuries as they’ve been all year. How does he turn it around?