Former Arsenal star Gael Clichy has aimed at dig at Enzo Maresca for consistently playing down talk of Chelsea being in the title race.
The Blues have exceeded many people’s expectations with their start to the season and currently sit second just four points behind leaders Liverpool.
Chelsea have only lost two of their 15 league games and are the top scorers in the league with 35 goals, and Maresca’s men now find themselves as part of the title conversation.
Clichy aims dig at Maresca and insists Chelsea must win the title
Maresca has consistently played down talk of the title on a number of occasions this season, but does believe the Blues could be one of the teams to dominate English football over the next five or ten years.
Enzo Fernandez has stated the Blues want to avoid unrealistic expectations and the club are very much adopting a one game at a time approach, which is currently serving them well.
With every game Chelsea win the title talk will grow louder and the Blues could find themselves in a position where it’s very difficult to continue to deny they are contenders.
Enzo Maresca congratulates his players. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Maresca has insisted on numerous occasions Chelsea aren’t title contenders. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Clichy feels the Blues have to be title contenders because of the money spent and seemed to aim at dig at Maresca for playing it down.
“Are you a title contender? I’ve seen the coach saying: ‘We’re not there yet’,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live as cited on X.com.
“Well, my friend, if you’re not there after £1 billion spent over the past two years, nobody is a title contender. If you look at the money they’re spending, of course they have to win it.
“Anything other than winning the title would be a failure in my opinion.”
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Cole Palmer shrugs at full time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
A Chelsea flag in the evening at Stamford Bridge.
Alan Shearer on Match of the Day.
It’s certainly strong words from Clichy and everybody at Chelsea will be aware they need to mount a title challenge over the next couple of seasons.
The Blues haven’t challenged for the title since they last won it in 2017 under Antonio Conte and the ultimate aim is to of course get back to challenging and winning the league, with the Blues seemingly on the right path.