“It is already an improvement” – Stubborn Maresca insists on backwards logic that infuriates fans | OneFootball

The story of Chelsea’s season so far has been a strong start and a collapse since Christmas.

The last few weeks have seen countless attempts to get a straight answer out of him about whether he thinks there’s been enough progress this season to call it a success. He insists there has been, on the basis that this team haven’t been in the Champions League for a few years, while he’s had them in the top 4 for most of the season.

In his press conference yesterday, Maresca continued in this stubborn stance:

“No [the success of this season doesn’t depend where we finish], it’s already an improvement because we spent all season there,” the manager said.

“Now, we want to try our best to finish there, no doubt. We want to finish there, no doubt. We are happy to finish there, yes, it’s enough. But compared to the last two years, I think it’s quite clear that there is an improvement. Now, if you want to see, you see. If you don’t want to see, you don’t see. It depends in which way I see that.”

Enzo’s faulty logic is too generous to him and players

Enzo Maresca takes a Chelsea press conference. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

Sorry Enzo, that’s just not how it works. Staying in the top 4 all season and then dropping down to 6th right at the end is not better than being 6th all season. It’s just a function of the fixtures. This year we’ve had this cluster of tough games pushed right to the end. That’s precisely why you can only judge the season on the basis of all the games being played.

There’s also more to “progress” than just finishing a couple of points better than the season before. The progress within this season, comparing the team we have now to the one we saw in August, has seen things go backwards.

Is that progress?