Chelsea’s players are getting their first taste of training this week under new management.
The Blues squad, aside from a few individuals on international duty, have reported for the club’s first week of pre-season training.
Enzo Maresca is the new Chelsea head coach, someone with a reputation for hammering home his possession-based style of football.
The Italian boss masterminded Leicester City’s promotion from the Championship last season, but can he now do the same under magnified pressure at Stamford Bridge?
Tosin Adarabioyo discusses Chelsea training
It’s still the very early stages of Chelsea’s pre-season schedule, but it’s interesting to hear the early influence of Maresca.
Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo, who joined the club on a free transfer this summer, has given an insight into training so far.
He’s noticed that Chelsea’s training sessions are mostly done with the ball at their feet. This won’t surprise anyone that watched Leicester play last season.
When asked how it’s been working under Maresca so far, Adarabioyo said via Chelsea’s X account: “It’s only been two days, but you can see the detail that he wants to go into and see how important every single pass and touch is.
“So yeah, everything’s been with the ball so far.
“We’ve done a few runs, but a lot of passing drills, a lot of possession.”
Enzo Maresca is a disciple of Pep Guardiola
From what we’ve seen of Maresca’s brief coaching career so far, he clearly takes a lot of inspiration from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. It’s no great surprise when you consider he was previously his assistant for a time at the Etihad Stadium.
Leicester under Maresca dominated the ball and used lots of short passes in their patterns of play.
With more technical players at his disposal at Chelsea, can he replicate the same kind of football?
FBREF data records that Leicester had 61.6 per cent possession in the Championship last season.
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