Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea side have been touring the US this pre-season, already playing the likes of Wrexham, Celtic, Club America, and Manchester City, in a host of games that have thrown up different challenges for the Blues.
Of course, this is a positive for Maresca's side, being faced with as many different challenges teams can throw at them, and learning to adapt, whilst sticking to their new system implemented by the Italian manager, ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
Chelsea have spent the last few weeks implementing their new system, starting in a 4-3-3, and inverting one of the fullbacks to create a 3-2-4-1 shape in possession. This has seen Reece James and Malo Gusto taking up central areas alongside the Chelsea number six.
Conor Gallagher on his way out
With Cobham graduate Conor Gallagher going into the last year of his contract, Chelsea are currently in the process of figuring out his situation, which looks likely to conclude with the 24-year-old leaving the club this summer.
Despite Chelsea reportedly offering Gallagher a new deal, it is believed the midfielder has reportedly been told he would be considered a "squad player" next season, with the amount of midfield depth at the club, and other profiles suiting Maresca's style of football more.
Gallagher made 50 appearances for the Blues last campaign in all competitions, scoring seven goals, providing nine assists, and totalling 4,036 minutes, even captaining a large majority of the games due to the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
Gallagher's ideal replacement
The volume of midfielder depth already at the club would mean Chelsea do not have to go out and replace Gallagher in the transfer market, and one midfielder to be excited about after pre-season is 20-year-old Romeo Lavia.
Lavia spent all of last term out for Chelsea, having joined last summer for £58m, only managing one 32-minute cameo for the Blues, before re-aggravating his hamstring injury and missing the rest of the campaign.
The young midfielder – who came through Man City's academy – has lit up pre-season and despite Chelsea losing 4-2 on Saturday evening, the former Saints star put on a stellar display.
Minutes played
90
Assists
1
Touches
67
Pass Accuracy
88%
Key Passes
1
Long Balls
4/7
Ground Duels
10/13
Interceptions
4
Tackles
8
He flexed his out-of-possession qualities with a whopping eight tackles and four interceptions. But it isn't just his out-of-possession qualities that shine through, as his excellent passing range led to Chelsea's second goal, Lavia assisting Noni Madueke.
Lavia has been superb ahead of the forthcoming season, starting in that number six role in every game so far, and having either Reece James or Malo Gusto invert alongside him to create that midfield pivot.
That said, against City, during the first half we got our first glimpse of a different strategy, not inverting a fullback, and instead having one of the number eights (Caicedo) alongside Lavia in the pivot.
His mixture of athleticism to cover ground off the ball, press resistance and comfortability on the ball under pressure, and progressive passing make him a perfect midfield pivot player for Maresca, and you can already see the trust being instilled in the young midfielder.
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ByAngus Sinclair Aug 4, 2024