Enzo Maresca says his Chelsea side are ahead of schedule following their fine start to the season, but warned that Tuesday’s Carabao Cup meeting with Barrow could be “the worst game for us”.
Saturday’s 3-0 victory over West Ham made it three successive away victories for Maresca, the first manager to achieve that feat at the start of a Premier League tenure since Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to City on the opening day of the season remains the Blues’ only league defeat so far, with 10 points in the four games since leaving them fifth in the early table, just three points off the top.
They also came through an awkward Conference League qualifying tie against Servette but Maresca says it is the progress his side have made in terms of playing style that has surprised.
“We were ahead of where we expected to be today,” the Italian said. “Not in terms of results but in terms of the way the team is progressing and is playing.
"In terms of results, I still think we are still far from teams like Manchester City and Arsenal because we need to learn many things. We need to improve many things, attacking better, defending better.
“But the important thing is the feeling we have at the moment that we are going in that direction. That is very important.”
The Blues start their Carabao Cup campaign at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, looking to go one better than last season’s final defeat by Liverpool.
League Two leaders Barrow come to west London in excellent form under former Tottenham midfielder Stephen Clemence and Maresca says his side cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
"It’s dangerous because football is full of these kind of games that you think are easy games and then it’s a tricky game,” he added.
“In this moment it’s the worst game for us. It’s much better [to have] a different kind of game. This is why we have to take it seriously. We cannot allow ourselves to drop a little bit.”
