Chelsea are one of the teams in the EPL who are very serious but the manager doesn't have the balls to admit it and I believe he has made the player to accept it that they're not in any way qualified to be title contenders. Is a shameful thing to say that a club you're managing are not yet in the title race even when you see how awesome you team have been doing even better than the current Champions and the league leaders. I think Enzo Maresca learnt a lesson from the other coaches who got fired, he noticed that the Chelsea club and the fans have this kind of pressure they inflict on every new manager to always take them to the top even when they know is not immediately it had to happen. Enzo is not really using mind game per say but he is avoiding being pressured and he also wants the players to play without pressure and he feels it will help them do well.
Yes I think they can win the premier league with the way they are playing right now I think the coach is trying to not make the fans to put pressure on his players if I could remember when a coach arrive at Chelsea and say he will make top 4 he try to put pressure on the players to deliver so the pressure make the players and when a pressure is on a player he try to do everything right which will make them hold on the ball longer because they shouldn't loose possession so he is trying not to put pressure on them I think it's a right idea