Chelsea face Tottenham today in a massive match that will go a long way to defining how each team’s season will be perceived. More than a third of the Premier League campaign has been played.
Those who gamble at online casinos to see who will finish higher would have given both teams similar odds of finishing in the top four this season, but the two teams are already wide apart since the pre-season predictions were made.
After a difficult summer, Chelsea have come out of the blocks very quickly and are in second place with 28 points from 14 games. A win tonight would take them just four points off the top spot.
Four wins and two draws in the last six games are a sure sign that the team’s form is solid, and Enzo Maresca is delighted with his side’s chances today, even playing away to their old rivals.
Tottenham have not had the same kind of start. They have 20 points from 14 games, three losses and two wins in their last six games. This included a draw with Fulham and defeats to Bournemouth and Ipswich, but also included emphatic wins. Manchester City (4-0) and Aston Villa (4-1).
While Chelsea surprised everyone with their consistency and quick starts, Spurs surprised no one by being good at times and then others under Ange Postegolou.
Coaches are feeling the real pressure now. A big win against a top team is quickly undone by a disappointing loss like the one suffered in midweek.
It would be too much to say that Chelsea could sack the Tottenham manager, but this game feels like a decisive one for him. Victories and poor defeats are forgotten. Defeats and wins over City and Villa mean little as his side slip to the bottom end of the table.
Maresca has no such concerns. He is so far ahead of expectations that even a defeat at Tottenham could not harm him at the moment. But his resume is still missing a real statement win (last weekend’s win over a collapsing Aston Villa was his best so far).
During the midweek full-time run, the coach was seen serenading Southampton away fans. For Maresca, who now enjoys the affection and full support of her supporters, this moment felt like a watershed.
A convincing win at White Hart Lane today will make that scene seem boring and it will feel like the start of something truly special.
