Chelsea stars loving life under Xabi Alonso as new boss has already ripped up slow, stodgy rules of Maresca & Rosenior

XABI ALONSO is not afraid to get his hands dirty in Chelsea training. The new Blues boss delighted more than 5,000 fans watching his squad prepare for their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia in Sydney. Xabi Alonso has been getting stuck into Chelsea training in Sydney Credit: Getty The Blues are gearing up for their first season under the Spaniard Credit: Getty There was no watching from afar from the Spaniard, a World Cup and Champions League winner as a player. He was right in the mix, driving standards from the off – something he has vowed to change at Chelsea. Sign up for the Chelsea newsletter Thank you! With so many watching on, Alonso was never going to unveil a tactical masterplan at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium. But the energy level was high. Contrast it to Chelsea’s last significant pre-season tour, in America two years ago, where sessions featured ex-boss Enzo Maresca running players through rigid patters, and things felt very different Down Under. Players have been enthused by Alonso’s more free-flowing approach early on, encouraged to solve problems and create openings in the moment rather than stick to a plan etched on their brain from sessions. Given Chelsea had only arrived after the long flight from London the day before, this was a light session. After a huddle and warm-up there were some possession drills, with Alonso dishing out bibs and barking orders at the heart of it. The session then ended with a lengthy crossing drill, during which Alonso and some of his coaching setup pressed the wingers, showing a few touches of class too. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Chelsea face Western Sydney Wanderers in a friendly on Tuesday Credit: Getty Alonso’s ability has not been lost on his players either, with some even revealing they have felt jealous of his level at times. Chelsea’s standards when it came to effort and running dropped significantly last season, while possession under Maresca and Liam Rosenior felt slow and stodgy far too often. The early signs in Sydney are that things are about to get a lot more fast paced. Players ended the session by meeting and greeting fans who had snapped up tickets to see them train, taking selfies and signing autographs. Comment now