Revealed: The seven criteria Chelsea used to hire Enzo Maresca – ahead of Man United… and why ‘love’, Leicester videos, ignoring price tags and an untouched cigar show how he’s succeeding so far

Common practice says you should lend no credence to the Premier League table until at least 10 game have passed. Only then is there a sample size worthy of painting a picture, and quite the pretty one it was for Enzo Maresca this week as Chelsea topped the London pile.

Much prettier than it was for Mauricio Pochettino at the same stage last season when, points wise, the table showed there was nobody worse among the seven clubs who call the capital their home.

It would be doing a disservice to other influential individuals to wholly credit Maresca for Chelsea’s strong start – the 44-year-old Italian entered into an already existing structure – but he is at the heart of an operation looking to make sure Arsenal do not take over as London’s first and finest on Sunday.

When searching for Pochettino’s successor, Chelsea drew up the criteria they wanted in their next head coach, with seven ideals identified as a way to whittle down the candidates. 

Though Thomas Frank and Kieran McKenna were highly rated, Maresca was the unanimous choice. Here is how and why Chelsea are benefitting from that due diligence now as we run through those seven wants.

Paul Winstanley (middle) and Laurence Stewart (right), Chelsea’s co-sporting directors, led the summer’s managerial search

1 – STYLE OF PLAY AND PHILOSOPHY

Maresca revealed in an interview with Mail Sport after his appointment how another Premier League club contacted him before all was finalised with Chelsea. He would not say who, but it is now known it was Manchester United.

Maresca’s approach at Leicester won him admirers, including how he stood by his playing style when the Foxes wobbled in the second half of the season. He has used clips from that Championship title-winning campaign in video sessions at Chelsea, which can be slightly embarrassing for £30million summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as he features in them.

Though accused of having no Plan B at the King Power Stadium, Maresca has impressed at Stamford Bridge in how he strategically tweaks his Plan A game by game, sometimes mid-match. For the visit of Newcastle in the Premier League, for example, he moved Cole Palmer further towards the left of the pitch after analysis found he would have been aggressively man-marked by Joelinton.

Like Mikel Arteta, Maresca learned from Pep Guardiola. Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors who led the summer’s managerial search, agreed he had a ‘champions mentality’ after meeting him and the trio have forged a strong working relationship.

Maresca’s work is nowhere near done. Chelsea are still adapting to his style of play, but you can see the possession-based philosophy being implemented.

Maresca’s approach at Leicester won him admirers, including how he stood by his playing style

The Italian led the Midlands club to the Championship title in his one and only year at the club

2 – DESIRE TO CONTROL GAMES, WITH DEFENSIVE STABILITY

Maresca has now settled on a midfield two of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. Enzo Fernandez cost £105m, but Chelsea’s head coach is under no pressure to take notice of price tags.

Caicedo and Lavia form the robust base of a midfield box as two No 6s. Palmer and one of the inverted full backs – such as Malo Gusto or Marc Cucurella – complete it in front of them as two No 10s positioned in the pockets. Maresca is confident it can give him greater control.

Chelsea believe they have the players to provide defensive solidity, not least in Levi Colwill. The Blues rejected approaches for the 21-year-old academy graduate in the summer, despite rivals’ claims they would sell their own grandmother for pure profit.

Maresca’s initial priority was to perfect the way they play in possession, keeping the ball being the best way to ensure control. Mail Sport was allowed access to several training sessions during their tour of the United States and every single one focused on passing from back to front, patiently and effectively.

Arsenal should not expect to see Chelsea roll over like in their last meeting which ended in a 5-0 humiliation for Pochettino.

After an injury-hit debut campaign, Romeo Lavia has emerged as a crucial part of the team

3 – DEPLOY A STYLE SUITED TO THE SQUAD IN PLACE

In one of Maresca’s earliest meetings with Winstanley and Stewart, he told them he was ‘in love’ with the squad they had assembled. He even arranged a compelling presentation on his game model which showed how it married up nicely with the players already at Chelsea.

Maresca is allowed input into signings, and the summer brought the conclusion of a four-window strategy in which Winstanley and Stewart sought to build a squad young and talented enough to compete for years to come. Ignore those who have criticised Chelsea’s approach as ‘random’. They recruited with a specific style of play in mind.

Maresca watched all of Chelsea’s games from 2023-24 after being appointed. He was on holiday in Marbella at the time, and decided early on that Palmer needed moving from the right wing, where he had scored 22 Premier League goals, to a central position which he could build around.

Maresca has swiftly settled on his favoured Premier League line-up, but he insists it is fluid. Players have been warned if they do not train properly, they will not play. Maresca even told that down the phone to Jadon Sancho before he committed to joining on loan from Manchester United.

Managing the egos in Chelsea’s dressing room is one challenge. Christopher Nkunku did not sign for £52m to be saved for an 8-0 Conference League win over an Armenian side called Noah. Nkunku has scored 10 goals in various competitions this season, and inevitably, reports are already emerging abroad linking him with leaving next summer out of frustration.

Managing the egos in Chelsea’s dressing room is a challenge the Italian is having to manage

4 – BUILD A CONNECTION WITH THE FANBASE

Some supporters weren’t overwhelmed with the choice of Maresca, but Chelsea wanted a coach in the right arc of their career, someone who will only get better.

Beating Arsenal would boost his connection with the fanbase because those moments together do more than words in a press conference ever could.

Pochettino felt he only developed a connection with Stamford Bridge after the 4-3 win over Manchester United when Palmer scored in the 10th and 11th minutes of stoppage time. But he was forever fighting a losing battle, Tottenham blood running through his veins and all that.

Maresca staged the occasional Q&A session with Leicester fans. He has not yet found time to do so at Chelsea – their schedule is much more challenging – but he speaks succinctly via the media.

Maresca is endearing himself to the Blues faithful and a win over Arsenal will certainly help

5 – STRONG DATA ON KEEPING PLAYERS AVAILABLE

A summer review of the injury crisis that plagued Chelsea’s last campaign under Pochettino found no smoking gun, but it was evident that even 56 games without Europe placed a strain. Minutes are being managed, with Romeo Lavia among those left out of their Conference League squad after his previous problems, and Reece James being eased back in.

An advocate of data, Maresca insists nothing should be left to chance. He even asked Chelsea’s number-crunchers to provide data on every player from youth to senior level when he arrived. Fitness coach Marcos Alvarez followed him from Leicester, with his immediate responsibilities including improving availability alongside director of performance Bryce Cavanagh.

Chelsea have avoided any injury crises thus far. The club plan to leave it as late as possible to see if Palmer can face Arsenal on Sunday after Lisandro Martinez’s reducer on him at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Fitness coach Marcos Alvarez’s immediate responsibilities included improving availability

Reece James is among the players being eased back in after suffering a series of injuries

6 – RECORD OF IMPROVING PLAYERS

This was crucial given Chelsea are on course to average the Premier League’s youngest line-up since Leeds in 1999-2000, and it is worth remembering Maresca worked with Palmer while manager of Manchester City’s Under 21s.

Caicedo’s improvement in particular has been marked, shown by how few people mention his British record £115m price tag now. If you gave Chelsea supporters the choice between him and Declan Rice on Sunday, they would be inclined to sign Caicedo all over again.

Under Maresca, who is very hands-on in training, he is now the Premier League’s top tackler and interceptor, their defensive destroyer in deep midfield.

Moises Caicedo’s improvement has been marked with few mentioning his £115m price tag now

7 – WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITHIN THE CLUB’S EXISTING STRUCTURE

This seventh and final ideal in the criteria practically ruled out any return for someone as disruptive as Jose Mourinho, a manager who craves carte blanche. While no pushover, Maresca is perfectly happy to work within a wider team and focus on coaching first and foremost.

Chelsea are on the right track, though they are celebrating nothing yet. Even if Maresca secures his maiden statement victory on Sunday, having lost to Manchester City and Liverpool despite the team performing well, the Partagas No 2 cigar he has saved for his first major milestone will remain where it is, for now.