[Recently in a Sky Sports appearance](https://www.skysports.com/football/video/36396/13275039/are-chelsea-the-real-deal-jamie-carragher-has-his-say), Jamie Carragher went big on Chelsea, presenting a big claim for Enzo Maresca’s boys in Blue.
> “They are in a title challenge. There is no doubt about that. I don’t personally think Chelsea will win the league this season.”
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> “I just think at centre-back and goalkeeper Arsenal and Liverpool are still stronger in that area. I think you definitely need a really top goalkeeper and two centre-backs if you are to win a league title. I might be proven wrong, I hope I’m not.”
It has indeed been an exceptional season thus far for the West London side. Here, we take a look at their title credentials, as well as those of Liverpool’s.
With 16 games in, one simply cannot rule Chelsea out of the title talk anymore. They have already quite a way from the ridicule they were being subjected to over the past two seasons, which did not arrive without reason. Maresca is, after all, already the fifth man in the Chelsea dugout a little over two years after Todd Boehly and Co. took over the proceedings at Stamford Bridge from Roman Abramovich.
So what has changed? Well, Chelsea’s performances over the past two seasons have allowed Maresca to do one thing the squad needed—a trimming down. Being in the Europa Conference League has allowed Chelsea to enjoy a season on the continent by fielding players that are, at the same time, surplus to requirement in the Premier League and yet way too talented to solely be playing the European third tier.
Maresca ostracising the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell from the squad is unsavoury, but it was needed. For a squad this big, someone needed to come in, select a handful of players deem them key, and either move the rest on or relegate them to the cup competitions. The Europa Conference League allows their fringe players to get minutes on the pitch, remain match-fit, and keep knocking on the door of the first team. Things will only heat up in the second half of the season. This has allowed Maresca to stabilise the first team with a “nothing to lose” attitude; after all, he is not at fault for the squad’s current size and incoherence.
Being able to compartmentalise his squad has allowed Maresca to impart a sense of identity to the Chelsea setup that was simply unthinkable until a few months ago. With a proper hierarchical understanding in place, the players know where they stand, and the manager knows which ones are his go-to players, which ones can come in their stead, and which ones are simply not for him. In a way, Chelsea’s terrible run over the past years has provided Maresca the platform to operate the way he has been operating this term.
Strictly speaking, Liverpool were not out of title contention last time around, but they did fall off towards the end. Even that much of a charge wasn’t exactly expected this time around as they turned over a new leaf with a new coach in nearly a decade.
And yet, the Reds’ savvy planning has resulted in a turnaround so seamless it’s almost impossible to comprehend. Liverpool’s move from a transition-reliant side to a team more than comfortable on the ball deep in their own half has be nothing short of sensational, and despite not having all their positions sorted the Reds under Arne Slot are tactically flexible and already capable of taking on any team on their day.
Make no mistake-—neither Chelsea nor Liverpool have won anything yet, but the way they have performed so far this season warrants all the praise they are getting.
On the other hand, as tricky as things may be going for the perennial table toppers Arsenal and Man City right now, they have earned the benefit of the doubt with their performances in recent years. Despite this being Pep Guardiola’s worst run of his managerial career, teams can’t help but dread an inevitable second-season run that could see them almost return to the title conversation. And in Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Aston Villa we have some able disruptors who’d look to sneak in at the very end, not to mention the likes of Man United and Tottenham are also just a handful of points away.
This promises to be one of the greatest Premier League title races, and even if Liverpool and Chelsea run out of steam towards the end, we are in for a feast at the top.