Three things Enzo Maresca has already changed at Chelsea since his first training session

Chelsea will hope that the unwanted chaos caused by Enzo Fernandez's crass and downright stupid video mocking the heritage of France’s black players was an honest mistake. They’ll hope that his apology, potential fine, and education on unconscious bias will be enough to calm tempers in the dressing room and refocus everyone as they prepare for what will be a pivotal season for the club.

A distraction like that was the last thing new manager Enzo Maresca would have wanted as he looked to quieten the noise generated by the club's transfer activities and the way they’ve hired and fired managers. LondonWorld sources, however, have said everyone at the club has been impressed with the way manager Maresca has handled his first few weeks. So with that in mind, and ahead of what is expected to be a pivotal two weeks in the USA, here are three things sources have said Maresca has already changed at the club.

More Hands-On Training Methods

One of the feel-good factors Maresca has introduced so far is his enjoyable training methods. Players have been allowed to train with the ball from the first day of pre-season, and his possession-based football ideas have been well-received. Even in the videos shared on social media by the club, it's clear the Italian manager is not just talking and observing; he actively participates in the training and is seen in the rondos. Sources have added that players have been impressed with his training methods and are even surprised by his energetic attitude since he took over from Mauricio Pochettino, who the players liked so much.

Style of Play

Christopher Nkunku has already admitted Chelsea will be playing ‘good football’ this year. The French forward was one of the players who disappointed massively last season, despite promising a lot during pre-season in the United States. He scored three goals in America and showed enough to suggest he would be competing for the Golden Boot, but injuries meant he could only score three goals during the regular season.

When asked about the playing style the manager is trying to introduce, he told Chelsea’s website: “If everybody has the idea of the coach to play, we will produce good football this year.” One of the challenges former manager Mauricio Pochettino had at Chelsea was that fans did not take to his style of play. They also felt that players like Fernandez and Moises Caicedo had another gear to go, and they now hope that Maresca is the man who brings the best out of them. Sources at the club’s training ground have said the style of football during training is already impressive, and fans will get their first glimpse of it when they take on Wrexham on Wednesday.

Coaching Players

One of the reasons, according to sources, which led to the sacking of Pochettino was that owners and sporting directors felt the Argentinian was a bit hands-off and left a lot of the details to his assistant, Jesus Perez. This point has been somewhat emphasized in the way the club has deliberately put out social media content. Chelsea want a manager who just doesn't coach a team; they want a manager who teaches the players football so that they can learn and reach their full potential. There was a video the club’s social media put out where Maresca stops play to remind players not to take too many touches given the way they want to play. The short clip underlines the fact that he doesn’t just coach the team but teaches them the way he wants his team to play football.

When a new manager takes over a club, there is always that push from everyone to impress and fight for their spot. Sources have said the first two weeks of training at Cobham have seen players go all out to impress. Maresca will have tough days, and he will be measured against some of the greatest managers who have been in the seat he’s now in, but as the first two weeks of training go, he’s had a smooth takeoff and has been able to unite a squad, including those who were disappointed with the way former manager Pochettino left the club.