How bold Chelsea showed they have grown in maturity

Sitting in the commentary position at Stamford Bridge for BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday, for once I could feel the electric atmosphere from the start. Maybe Chelsea's win over Barcelona during the week had finally given those fans who haven't been coming for long a little glimpse of what the future might hold and what their role has to be in it.

Chelsea deserved a point at the very least against Arsenal, but a bigger message was delivered. The Blues' biggest problem until now has been a tendency towards naivety. Slowly but surely this season, that weakness has faded away and an assured, confident maturity has surfaced.

Maybe Moises Caicedo's stupid lunge that resulted in a deserved red card was an echo of their previous youthful overexuberance, but it is becoming rarer as they gain experience.

It may not be quite their time yet to win the Premier League, but that possibility looks much closer than it did at the end of last season.

‌Notably, manager Enzo Maresca is making some big and brave decisions.

To attack Arsenal when down to 10 men and not replace Caicedo with another midfielder -instead keeping three forwards on throughout - was, in retrospect, a bold masterstroke. It shows his growing belief not only in the players but in the overall long-term strategy adopted by the club two years ago.

‌That rash dash for expensive young players on super-long contracts now looks more like a wise, well-calculated and hard-headed business decision.

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