Chelsea has taken all available points but Maurizio Sarri understands how little that means. There is work to be done and it is too soon to celebrate.
History shows that Chelsea is very successful when they start a season hot. But it can also be a poisoned chalice. The last six seasons where Chelsea won the opening three fixtures saw four titles lifted. The other two seasons? Andre Villas Boas’ and Roberto Di Matteo’s.
So while there is plenty of excitement around beating a minnow, a rival, and a bogey team, there is a bit of a reality check needed. Thankfully, it is not needed on the part of Maurizio Sarri.
When asked after the Newcastle match what it means to be tied at the top, Sarri replied “Nothing, I think. The league is on 38 matches, so after three… it is important to start very well. But now the table is not important.” He is absolutely, 100 percent correct. Making grand judgement on the table after three matches is a waste of time. The table ultimately tells only the truth. But less than 10 percent through the season? The table lies and it lies badly.
To preface, it is much better to be in Chelsea’s position than it is West Ham’s or Arsenal’s. As many pundits are saying, Chelsea is learning their new style while winning. West Ham and Arsenal are learning their new style while struggling in the basement.
But it is also worth noting how much luck has played in to Chelsea’s last two fixtures. Arsenal had clear cut chance after clear cut chance. They should have entered halftime ahead. But they did not and Chelsea left as winners. At Newcastle, Chelsea needed two goals out of their direct control (a penalty and an own goal) to win. Did they buy tickets for that lottery with all their possession? Possible, but they still did not score under their own volition.
That is why Sarri says the table is not important right now. Because he sees where the squad is and where they need to go. He is not celebrating pointless stats or planning the parade like some Liverpool fans seem to be doing. Sarri’s only thought right now is “how can the club improve?”
And there are plenty of ways. The defense is still a work in progress as they adjust to a more purely zonal marking system. The offense is still a work in progress as players learn the patterns and where they need to be for each one. It is not so much individual brilliance that succeeds for a Sarri team but individuals making the right decision within the set of decisions available.
But the big take away from the matches that the table does reflect is the motivation of the team. Chelsea has some fight again. Go level against Arsenal or Newcastle? Score again. It is an attitude that permeates the best Chelsea teams but always is absent the years the Blues struggle.
Sarri is a breath of fresh air currently with his realism and openness to tactical questions. He is not afraid to admit that even with nine points this Blues team can be better. He is looking for ways to make it so. Because the table this early lies and Sarri will be well aware of how quickly things can go wrong after a hot start.