Chelsea: Seven talking points from Enzo Maresca's first US tour
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The start of Enzo Maresca's time in charge in the United States saw Chelsea participate in five matches, only managing to win one and letting in 12 goals.
A football news reporter from BBC Sport is currently in the United States.
Chelsea finished their pre-season tour in the United States by addressing the need to improve their defense following a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid.
The Blues journeyed throughout the United States and competed in five challenging matches across five different states within 18 days. They achieved one victory, one draw, and suffered three losses while allowing a total of 12 goals.
Here are seven highlights from a trip that has taken Chelsea from Santa Clara to Charlotte.
Same Transfer Approach?
Chelsea remains committed to prioritizing their young talent, even though they have not had the desired success in the last two years under the new ownership of Todd Boehly-Clearlake. Despite missing out on European qualification in their first season and only making it to the Uefa Conference League in the second season, the club has not wavered in their belief in nurturing and developing their young players.
The Blues have invested a total of approximately £115m in acquiring eight young players, all of whom are under the age of 21. These players include Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Estevao Willian, Marc Guiu, Filip Jorgensen, Renato Veiga, Omari Kellyman, and Caleb Wiley.
The mean age might decrease further, as Chelsea is rumored to be bringing in 18-year-old goalie Mike Penders from Gento and 20-year-old forward Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid.
When it comes to high-profile transfers, there is also speculation surrounding Napoli forward Victor Osimhen possibly being part of a swap deal for Romelu Lukaku.
This week, the social media posts featuring the 45 players from the senior squad have been getting a lot of attention. This group includes seven goalkeepers who are officially registered.
However, there is a belief within Chelsea that, despite the many criticisms of the club's transfer dealings, this strategy will ultimately benefit Chelsea, BlueCo, and RC Strasbourg, who are all part of the same multi-club group.
Chelsea's New Look And Style
Chelsea is focusing on reducing the number of goals they have allowed to be scored against them, according to Maresca.
Chelsea is planning to introduce a different style of playing football under Enzo Maresca, focusing more on keeping possession and playing at a slower pace.
This has been clear during the club's pre-season trip to the US, and it requires players to adjust to the manager's tactics, instead of the manager adjusting to fit the players.
This has allowed teams on tour, such as Manchester City and Celtic, to capitalize on errors as players find it difficult to adjust to risky plays starting from the defense.
In reality, six out of the 12 goals scored against us during pre-season were a result of errors made while trying to build up play from the defense. This includes three out of the four goals we let in against City.
The players have a tendency to naturally adopt a high defensive line without effectively pressing or showing intensity, which Maresca attributes to a habit from the previous season.
Additional elements of the strategy include full-backs cutting inside, players marking opponents individually, and two attacking midfielders positioned high up the pitch in a formation with five forward players.
The bold approach of taking big risks in order to achieve big rewards reflects the same fundamental values that were present in the Leicester team, which won the Italian Championship title last season.
Surprisingly, these rules are meant to be applied throughout the entire club, including BlueCo with RC Strasbourg - to be upheld even if the manager changes in the future.
Mauricio Pochettino and the club parted ways because they did not agree on the team's long-term style of play.
Nkunku To Be Chelsea's Key Player
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Christopher Nkunku got hurt during the preseason tour in the United States last year and ended up sitting out most of the 2023-24 season.
Christopher Nkunku has been on the field for a total of 398 minutes, the highest amount of time among all players on the tour. It seems like he will have a significant role in the upcoming season, as long as he can avoid injuries.
Similar to the previous summer, the French player once again performed exceptionally well during the pre-season. He scored three goals in five matches while on tour, showcasing his versatility by playing in various positions such as striker and central midfielder.
During the previous summer, Nkunku experienced a knee injury during the last game. This injury led to a series of different injuries that resulted in him only being able to start two matches last season.
Nkunku expressed his desire to prioritize maintaining his fitness and letting his football career unfold naturally. He humbly acknowledged that he is not quite at full health yet.
However, Maresca obviously has a preference for the adaptable player and stated: "Christopher [Nkunku] was sidelined due to injuries for most of last season, but I was already aware of how talented he is from his time in Germany. He has exceeded my expectations, but it was not unexpected."
"Overwhelmed By Matches And Travel"
BBC Sport asked Maresca if the tour schedule was the best way to prepare, and he responded that having five games in just two weeks and a total of 17 or 18 days was quite demanding.
We didn't follow our typical routine of preparing for games alongside our training sessions this season. Instead, for some matches, we relied on videos or tactical discussions to get ready.
Personally, the actual pre-season training has been the two weeks spent at Cobham and the upcoming week or so. My emotions have been a combination of feelings during this time.
Midfielder Moises Caicedo also echoed Maresca's sentiments by saying that some of the fields they played on in the US were not up to par, describing them as "subpar" and "very parched".
Fortunately, Chelsea managed to stay injury-free during their tour this summer.
Debate Over Reece James And Malo Gusto As Full-backs
Malo Gusto is set to start the season playing at right-back, as Reece James is suspended for three games in the Premier League due to a red card he received in the second to last match of the previous season.
However, James and Gusto will need to find a way to work together and have both faced challenges in adjusting to the expectations of playing as a full-back for Maresca.
In Maresca's strategy, one of the full-backs usually moves into central midfield and shifts their position while the other stays back to help defend, essentially converting a back four into a back three.
James should be able to handle either position, but he has had difficulty as he works on improving his fitness following a season plagued by injuries.
Gusto has faced challenges as well, filling in as a left-back on three occasions. Levi Colwill has also been tested in this position while Marc Cucurella recovers from Euro 2024.
Maresca has acknowledged that he has been trying out different lineups during the pre-season in order to "experiment." However, left-back Ben Chilwell has only played a total of 64 minutes in two matches as a substitute, leading to speculation about the possibility of him being sold.
The Blues' acquisition of new goalkeeper Jorgensen from Villarreal is intriguing. They were in need of a player who excels at playing out from the back to challenge Robert Sanchez. However, this move has put Djordje Petrovic in a position where he may be forced out of the club, possibly on loan in the near future.
The mood within the team appeared mostly positive under Maresca. However, with new players being signed quickly, representatives of some players feel unsure about what lies ahead, causing them to feel worried about their futures.
Fernandez, Gallagher Top Headlines
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Enzo Fernandez led Chelsea during some of the Real Madrid match - he said sorry to his teammates after singing a disrespectful song about black French players while representing Argentina in the Copa America.
The talk of pre-season has been centered around midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher, with both players stirring up controversy.
Fernandez has been cleared of any wrongdoing following an internal inquiry at Chelsea. However, he remains under scrutiny from Fifa for allegedly making racist remarks while celebrating the Copa America victory.
The current Fifa probe may result in a substantial ban from local competitions.
A gathering in Atlanta involving the French players, including defender Wesley Fofana who had openly criticized Fernandez, reportedly went smoothly. Maresca stated that the players had all forgiven Fernandez after he apologized, which means Chelsea can now bring their £107m signing back into the team.
Fernandez may receive negative reactions from supporters of rival teams in the upcoming season, but it is highly unlikely that he will depart from Stamford Bridge. Additionally, he was given the role of captain during the match against Real Madrid after Reece James was taken off the field.
During Chelsea's pre-season, Gallagher was not part of the team as he was on a break following Euro 2024.
But the possible transfer of Gallagher to Atletico Madrid sparked a lot of discussion among fans, with many feeling disappointed to see another talented player developed in their own club possibly leaving.
Maresca's First Season Goal?
The pattern of hiring and firing managers, which was a common practice during Chelsea's ownership under Roman Abramovich, has continued under their American consortium.
Former Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti advised his old team to be patient with Maresca during an interview with BBC Sport before their final pre-season match against Chelsea.
The Chelsea team trusts that Maresca can break the cycle, as shown by his five-year contract. This is in contrast to Pochettino, who only received a two-year deal last summer.
It is expected that Chelsea will be able to secure a spot in the Champions League this season, as they were only six points away from qualifying last year despite facing many injuries.
Maresca will have some flexibility if he doesn't meet that goal, as long as he shows improvement in other areas such as winning cup competitions or developing players. External factors like injuries may also be taken into consideration.
Chelsea is considering being patient, although this is not a characteristic typically associated with the club.
