Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has praised the style of his new manager Xabi Alonso, taking aim at his previous coaches and branding them "too rigid".
A serious knee injury in pre-season wrecked most of Colwill's last campaign, restricting him to just four matches in a season that saw three different managers in the Chelsea dugout: Enzo Maresca, Willy Roseanor and Callum McFarlane.
Alonso's methods drove Bayer Leverkusen to the double during his time in charge of the German side, and he wasted no time laying out those ideas in his first weeks at Chelsea. Colwill has embraced his principles over those who came before.
Colwill said: "Xabi wants free-flowing football. I've dealt with many managers who are strict and want you in the right positions, but with him, play what you see, look for the space and exploit it quickly."
Tenth place capped a disastrous campaign last term. Colwill, though, reckons this squad has the quality to compete.
He added, as reported by the English newspaper "Mirror": "I feel that the players in our team are ready for it. And with such a capable manager now, when all the elements come together, we will certainly be able to compete strongly for the Premier League title."
Chelsea have not won the Premier League since 2017, and under "BlueCo" ownership they have cracked the top four just once. Alonso has refused to name any main targets, hinting that things may not move as quickly as some hope.