IT ALL ENZ IN CHEERS

How Maresca has moulded 'billion pound bottle jobs' into title fighters

- JOHN CROSS

THE transformation has been one of the most eye-catching stories of the season.

Chelsea were written off as a laughing stock and branded as the "blue billion pound bottle jobs" by TV pundit Gary Neville only 10 months ago.

Their spending under co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly has been extravagant as they have signed 39 players in the last three years.

But now we can see the rewards as Chelsea have emerged as unlikely title challengers as they go into this weekend just four points behind Liverpool.

And at the heart of it is a clear vision rather than a scattergun approach because Chelsea now have the youngest squad in the Premier League who are managed by a coach who prides himself on working with young players.

Enzo Maresca has arguably been the final piece in the jigsaw as he has brought together a huge, bloated unsettled squad and turned them into a winning machine.