Premier League clubs are changing their formations as they attempt to stop Chelsea’s unbeaten run. Meanwhile, top-six managers are assessing their prospects in relation to Chelsea. Welcome to Antonio Conte’s world.
Antonio Conte knows what it’s like to coach a dominant club. He did it at Juventus in Serie A, and now he is doing it with Chelsea in the Premier League. So when he says that teams across England are reacting to his side the same way Italian teams did to Juventus, Blues fans have much to celebrate.
After the Boxing Day win over Bournemouth, Conte noted a pattern that has followed him from Italy.
"Teams that play against Chelsea try also to change the formation. Today is the first time for Bournemouth to play with three at the back and to try to stop us. It happened also in the past. It happened also in Italy when I was manager at Juventus. – Chelsea FC"
Premier League managers are adapting their messages as well as their tactics in response to the record-setting run. As part of his backhanded compliment towards his former club last week, Jose Mourinho said “You have to be honest and say that is very difficult .”
Pep Guardiola echoed those sentiments, with a nod to the also-rans’ favorite excuse this season.
"We have played seven more than them, which is why it will be tough. Liverpool went so close [to the title] one year because they had one game a week and last year, for Leicester, it happened the same. This time Chelsea and Liverpool are the ones. – BBC"
Guardiola then moved beyond speculation and rationalization into the objective heart of matter. “Sometimes you play before Chelsea, sometimes later – but it doesn’t matter when one team has won 12 in a row,” the Manchester City manager said.
Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp attributes some of the six point gap between Conte’s Blues and his Reds to luck.
"[W]hen they go on like this they are the deserved champions, nobody could have a doubt about this. I am pretty sure that until now Chelsea are maybe the team that have had the most luck with injuries. – Daily Mail"
Luck, because sports science and training have little to do with such matters. Although, to be fair, Chelsea were lucky that Sergio Aguero did not end David Luiz’s season (or career) several wins ago. That was a stroke of good fortune.
Klopp also reiterated before Christmas the question that Chelsea answered – at least partially – against Bournemouth. Discussing the effects that injuries have had on his side’s performance, he mused, “If it’s Hazard and Costa at Chelsea (that are injured), is it the same afterwards?”
The Premier League is no place for complacency, but a healthy dose of confidence can do wonders. Eden Hazard, in particular, plays best when he has that certain swagger. You know, the one he has when he dribbles over a prone Cesc Fabregas or attempts a 20-yard rabona. The squad’s confidence and form feed off each other, producing complete performances like that over Bournemouth.
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Antonio Conte will ensure his players maintain their intensity and focus for the remaining 20 games (plus the FA Cup). They know how to win, and other teams cannot figure out how to stop them. Chelsea fans should share and enjoy the players’ confidence, and trust in the tailor that has brought them this far.