Rafael Benítez: Start to my Chelsea reign has been full of positives

Rafael Benítez insists that he has been pleased with the start to his reign as Chelsea boss but admits there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Benítez has seen the Blues crash out of the Champions League at the first hurdle and squander their third shot at a trophy this season at the Club World Cup in Japan since he took charge nine weeks ago.

But the Spaniard, whose side are third in the Premier League table, believes that the west Londoners are on the right path and has been content with his side’s progress.

“I think that there have been a lot of positives in these days,” said the Chelsea interim boss.

“We are scoring more goals and conceding less goals. Even the games that we have lost the team was doing well.

“If you analyse [those games] we had a lot of chances, we could win all of these games…Corinthians, Queens Park Rangers, Swansea, West Ham…all of them.

“I think the team was in a transitional period. It’s a team that’s growing and improving. As a manager you have to be satisfied with this. [But] as a manager of a top side where you want to win trophies we still have to try to do better.

“The priority of the club is to be in the top four and win trophies at the same time, and we are in the right way.”

Benítez is also adamant that he has the full backing of the players at Stamford Bridge.

He added: “Could we do it a little bit better? Yes. Could we have won the games we lost? Yes, we had the chances.

“The team is progressing and growing. For me, it’s the right way and for a lot of the people, especially if you talk with the players, they will tell you that we’re going in the right direction.”

The Chelsea interim boss also revealed that Blues owner Roman Abramovich was “really pleased” with the 2-1 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

“Without giving too many details, I was talking with him [Abramovich] and he was really pleased with the game,” he continued.

“He has ideas, I have ideas, we share ideas. It’s fine. We talked and explained what we are trying to do and it’s fine. He was really pleased after the game.”

“We have people that talk with him and I have information [from him]. The other day I had time with him and he was really pleased.”

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