Sarri has the ideas, but does he have the time?

The new Chelsea manager has already brought radical changes to the style of play, as well as behind the scenes at Cobham. He has tried to erase the toxic environment created due to the friction between the Chelsea board and former manager, Antonio Conte. Whether he gets the time to bring his ideas to fruition, remains to be seen.

Maurizio Sarri is a person who is never short of ideas. He is a person who once had 33 different routines to take corners. His arrival has heralded a change in attitude by the Chelsea board. Not surprisingly, Sarri has gone about implementing his ideas from the first day.

The major difference is that Chelsea will be playing more direct, attractive football, which should please fans. Here we take a look at a couple ways how this Chelsea team will differ from the ones in the past.

Sarri – ball takes effect

The most significant change since the appointment of Maurizio Sarri has been the style of play. Chelsea is usually associated with playing defensive football, with focus on maintaining shape and hitting opponents on the counter. Whether it was Mourinho or Conte, the shape of the team was paramount.

Sarri employs a style similar to that of Pep Guardiola, with focus on having possession. He wants his teams to adopt a fast-paced, style with short passes and concentration on vertical movements. The objective is to reach the opponents' final third with only a few short passes.

Sari focuses on player movements and creating open passing lanes more than the shape of the team. His teams tend to switch formations as they switch from attack to defense. He believes in making use of the possession and wants quick passing that is difficult to close down and does not rely too heavily on individual characteristics.

The acquisition of Jorginho goes a long way to get his desired style of play. Chelsea’s game against Huddersfield gave us a glimpse of what this team might look like, but there is clearly work remaining to be done.

A sturdy back line is a must:

Maurizio Sarri, over the course of his managerial career, has mentioned several times that he believes defending starts in the opposition half.

Since his teams play such direct football, they tend to maintain a high back line to continue to win the ball high up the pitch. This was evident against Huddersfield, where Chelsea dominated possession and, after a shaky first half, they were rarely tested during the second period.

Chelsea will have to be a lot more cautious against Arsenal. The high press style often leaves the two central defenders vulnerable to counter attacks and Arsenal to possess the players to trouble Chelsea on the break. Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can cause real problems if the defensive shape is not maintained.

Unai Emery’s side was unlucky to start their campaign against Manchester City. While the game was dominated by the Manchester outfit, their best moments during the game were after they had won the ball back and had the space to run at the Manchester defense.

Chelsea will have to stay compact and close out the gaps while in transition. They have struggled to impose themselves defensively, and David Luiz has been caught out of position far too often, leaving the back line exposed.

Maurizio Sarri’s arrival suggests a shift in style for Chelsea. Chelsea has witnessed several managers being sacked during the Abramovich era, but at first glimpse, the Sarri appointment feels like a refreshing change. After all, this is a man who is yet to win a trophy. Chelsea is a club who appoint proven managers so this appointment is a big departure from the norm.

The Chelsea board will have to be patient and support the team in the transfer market. Sarri has himself said it will take him up to 3 months to get his ideas across and so far, he has made a promising start. The arrivals of Jorginho and Kovacic should help in moulding this team into a different Chelsea.