Enzo Maresca has done more for Chelseas ownership group than any manager theyve previously hired. Hes delivered them from the one criticism that would have defined their tenure, that this model doesnt win trophies.
In his first season, he didnt just qualify for the Champions League, he secured a fourth-place finish, the clubs highest league position since the takeover nearly three years ago.
Then came the Conference League triumph, followed by an against-the-odds victory in the Club World Cup.
Chelsea's �600m investment in Enzo Maresca's squad 'insufficient'
Against Brighton where his team lost again, he was visibly restless. The nature of the defeat to Manchester United clearly hurt him, too, it was among the most animated the Italian has been all season.
Maresca barked instructions, clapped when Pedro Neto chased a loose ball, and showed clear emotional investment throughout the first half of the match.
He encouraged Estevao when he chose to shoot instead of pass; he tried all afternoon to catch the eye of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to help build from the back, even when his team was a man short.
During the first half when Brighton had the ball but Chelsea were well-organised defensively, Maresca made a point of shouting 'bravo', letting his players know theyd nailed the team shape.
If a manager who agreed to come in as a yes man tastes success, hes not going to revert to type and accept anything less. Sources say Maresca has been unhappy that his request for a ready-made replacement for Levi Colwill was brushed aside.
The club seems to have looked at the level of investment made and how well Chelsea coped despite playing Thursdays and Sundays last season but theyve missed the bigger picture: the Champions League is a brutal competition unlike the Conference League.
In the Conference League, a Championship-level squad is sufficient to win games at this stage of the season. In the Champions League, teams need to be at their absolute best and Maresca knows what winning looks like now.
He knows the difference between depth and genuine quality. When he rotates his first team, the drop-off is alarming and at the highest level, thats the difference between a draw and a defeat.
Insiders have said Chelsea made it clear before his appointment that hed have to manage with what was given to him. But, the same was said to Mauricio Pochettino, who initially accepted those terms, until he experienced the reality.
The club can argue, 'You knew the terms before signing,' but if youre being asked to compete in the Premier League and Champions League with Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong instead of Colwill and Wesley Fofana, then its clear the tools hes been given have been downgraded.
Then, there's the Nicolas Jackson situation. The arrival of Joao Pedro created what now looks like a false dawn. His impact at the Club World Cup, and his desire to play as a striker, led Chelsea to entertain the idea of letting Jackson leave.
But game-by-game, the Brazilian's pressing from the front just hasnt been the same.
The injury to Liam Delap has been a massive, unforeseen blow. But, however you look at the current situation, those close to Maresca say he genuinely believes this squad simply isnt good enough to compete in both the Premier League and Champions League. Something must give, the squad is likely to enjoy a good run domestically or continentally, not both.
One win in the last five games has inevitably piled pressure on him. But Chelsea should have backed him, or at the very least, given him the left-sided centre-back he asked for, especially considering how crucial the build-up phase is in his system.
Whether you believe the manager should be backed, or that he should simply get the best out of an expensively-assembled squad and stop moaning, Chelsea have missed a chance to build on their Club World Cup success.
The opportunity to properly back a manager who genuinely looked like he was building something special may well have passed the Blues by.
