Speaking to LondonWorld, Chelsea defender Colville said that new manager Maresca has given him great confidence and has been encouraging him to fulfill his potential. The 21-year-old England defender has been in fine form this season, hardly missing a beat, and has been one of the first choices in the starting line-up, justifying Chelsea's decision not to include him in the Brighton deal to bring in Moises Caicedo.
Colville says his talent lies in his first touch, but he has improved significantly this season, showing greater confidence. Against Brighton, he managed to keep an eye on the physically imposing Welbeck, which showed his excellent defensive ability and positional sense. He always left himself a yard of space and made sure that whenever the ball was sent in Brighton's direction, he was in the right position to contest the first drop. Colwell credits his progress to the trust and encouragement of head coach Maresca, allowing him to play in his own style.
Chelsea's strong start to the season has come as a surprise to many, but Colville explains that competition in training has been a major factor in their success. Players are fighting for playing time every day, which means that debutants have to stay in form to earn their place. Colwell revealed that the players often approach the coaches in training to ask why they are not playing, so they have to give it their all in training in order to be at their best in matches.
In addition, Colville made special mention of teammate Cole Palmer's outstanding performance against Brighton in which he scored a brace. He joked that he had Palmer "in his pocket" during training at Cobham, but then admitted that Palmer was really special. Colville said that Palmer is a great player who always helps the team in difficult moments, and his goal helped the team a lot and ultimately brought Chelsea three points.
