Club World Cup did not change Chelsea fans’ opinion on Maresca | OneFootball

Nizaar Kinsella has covered Chelsea for years, so his takes on what’s going on at the club are always interesting.

After another painful defeat, the BBC’s Chelsea reporter thinks that there’s been a shift in the general atmosphere among those covering and supporting the club:

“The highs of the Club World Cup are a distant memory for Chelsea, and the mood seems to have changed around manager Enzo Maresca,” he said in his piece after today’s defeat for the Blues.

Maresca suffers for players mistakes

Enzo Maresca on the touchline at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Once again it’s an easy result to excuse for the manager – he’s not in control of the rash red cards which ruined his team’s chances of winning last week’s game and today’s game. There are plenty of things he can be blamed for, but he didn’t tell his players to deny goalscoring opportunities in consecutive Premier League games.

Maresca still hasn’t convinced the doubters

We’re not so sure there’s been a change in the mood. Let’s be honest – the mood hasn’t “changed” much around Maresca. Those who doubted him from the start still doubt him. Those who believed in him from the start still believe in him.

And that’s what’s fascinating about the whole situation – both have plenty of reasons to stick to their guns. Those who think he’s a good coach have a lot of evidence to back up their view, but those who doubt him have growing piles of proof of their own.

Some people have changed their mind on Maresca in the 15 months since he was appointed, for sure. But not many have changed their mind since the summer. His Club World Cup improved his standing globally, but within the group of Chelsea fans it didn’t change much – those who always believed felt validated and those who never believed remained unmoved.

It’s a fascinating situation which still feels like it could go either way.