With Sonia Bompastor putting the squad through its paces during the second week of pre-season at Cobham, Cuthbert and her teammates are adapting to the demands of our new head coach.

This has been a period of change with those in our squad preparing to play under a new boss for the first time in Chelsea colours. And our No.8 has embraced it all.

‘It sort of feels like being at a different club because everything is so new and so different – and everything has been so familiar since I’ve been at the club for eight years,’ our midfielder said following another productive session on the Cobham grass.

‘It’s nice to have a different stimulus and I’m really excited. It’s been totally different to anything I’ve ever been used to.

‘It’s nice to be coached by a different manager. I loved Emma [Hayes] but I think as a player to take yourself to the next level you need something different, a new challenge.

‘It came at a perfect time for many of us – and for Sonia. It’s exciting because your comfort zone is being challenged. It’s the challenge of having to be at your best every day - and from the first week of being on the pitch she has certainly demanded a lot.

During her eight years at the club thus far, Cuthbert has proved herself the consummate team player. She puts in the hard yards and assumes any role - such as captain - she needs to help her team.

She plans on being no different this upcoming campaign and believes she has even more to give as a Blue.

‘From my own point of view, I just want to stay fit and well,’ Cuthbert answered when asked about her hopes for the season. ‘It’s important because if you’re fit then you’re eligible to be selected. That’s first and foremost.

‘I just want to keep doing good work and to keep improving. I want to see where I can get to under the new manager. I probably reached my limit with Emma and she got the best out of me, but I think I can still go to the next level.’

It’s not only on the pitch that Cuthbert looks to better herself. After graduating from the Open University with a business management degree in 2022, she sought out a new focus.

Learning a new language is what she opted for, and her weekly Spanish lessons have been useful this pre-season with our young Spaniards Julia Bartel – a new signing - and Alejandra Bernabe – returning from a season-long loan - at Cobham.

‘I want to help the younger players and help them settle,’ the Scottish international said. ‘I’m helping a little bit with my Spanish - and, I’m getting really good practice now we’ve got a few more Spanish-speaking players.

‘I just want to make everyone feel welcome. When I first joined the club so many years ago, I remember the very first people that made me feel welcome. I still remember that and will forever be grateful.

‘If I can be one of the first faces to welcome somebody to the club and I can have conversations with them about what it means to be here and the expectations at a club like Chelsea then that’s great.’

These early days, Cuthbert says, are about being receptive to the ideas Bompastor and her staff are implementing.

It may only be week two of pre-season, but the midfielder - who has won 14 trophies with the Blues - knows how important it is to build the foundations of a successful campaign.

‘You have to be open and receptive to the change,’ Cuthbert said. ‘There needs to be the openness to learn. You need to want to take everything on board and not be stuck in your ways or your own ideas. Having an open mind is really important.’

Although she can now add Spanish to her repertoire, luckily, there is a universal language that the entire squad boasts.

‘Communication is absolutely vital as well [during pre-season] because so many people have come in - not just this season - from so many different cultures and different nationalities so it’s important we all speak the same language – football,’ added Cuthbert.

‘Football definitely has a language of itself.

‘It’s getting the clear language - the tactical information, pressing and holding in the different zones – because we all have to have the right pieces to go figure things out on the pitch.’