Chelsea fans will likely have been hoping for more optimism than they have been given going into the new Premier League season.
The tour of the United States didn’t bring the results they will have been looking for, with it looking as if some players in particular were struggling with the Enzo Maresca style of play.
Defensively, there were some big issues for Chelsea. They conceded goals at will over the summer, and Benoit Badiashile was one player who struggled.
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This compares to 12 months ago where the Blues came back from the States having remained unbeaten under Mauricio Pochettino.
Despite the disappointment, it looks as if the players have by no means lost faith in what Maresca is looking to bring to the club.
Chelsea players still optimistic about Enzo Maresca
According to BBC Sport, there remains optimism throughout the camp in their new manager, as they now make their final preparations ahead of the Premier League curtain-raiser.
Opening day fixtures don’t come any more difficult for the Blues than the visit of Manchester City to Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer back at Cobham
All eyes will soon turn to who Chelsea have available for that game, with star player Cole Palmer back at Cobham after not joining up with the tour.
The fitness of Nicolas Jackson will also be monitored in the next week and a half, after he was unable to feature in a single game in pre-season.
In terms of players who did take their chance across the pond, Romeo Lavia will have likely given the new boss a real headache over who he should be selecting in the middle of the park.
There will always be eyebrows raised if either of Moises Caicedo or Enzo Fernandez are dropped from the starting side, however Maresca’s recent comments about Fernandez suggest there is a plan in place to get the best out of the World Cup winner this season.
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