Antonio Conte dismisses mind games, Jose Mourinho doubles down
By George Perry
Antonio Conte spent his week preparing Chelsea for their FA Cup tie against Manchester United. If Jose Mourinho is going to play his usual mind games, he can at least do some prep work on them.
Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho are each preparing for the FA Cup quarterfinals as they best know how. Conte is taking advantage of Chelsea’s full week of training to make sure his best XI are ready for a massive tie. Mourinho, still sleep-deprived from the trip to Rostov, is using what little time he has to squeeze in some last minute mind games.
Without conceding the point to Mourinho, Chelsea’s schedule gives them a significant advantage going into Monday’s game. Sorry, no offence, it’s true. Conte is making the most of the extra training time to focus his players on the match, and not the pre-game theatrics coming out of Old Trafford.
"My players and I are focused on the game, on the pitch, on the work, to try to improve every day. Mind games don’t bring you to win, above all if you face a team or a person who is focused on his work on the pitch, and who trusts his work a lot. – Chelsea FC"
Conte’s opposite number – obviously- strenuously disagrees. Jose Mourinho swiped at Chelsea fans, Conte and the players while puffing up his own legacy.
"I’m surprised with the way they play. I’m surprised because I thought they were demanding a different kind of football. I think they are very good defensively and I think they have fantastic players to be a counter-attack team and to kill opponents with three or four players. – Evening Standard"
This is not the first time Mourinho has called out Chelsea for what he thinks is defensive, negative play. This time he is at least showing self-awareness of his own tenure at Chelsea. However, that is at the expense of how the clubs compare this season.
Chelsea’s and Manchester United’s goal-scoring statistics provide a nuanced picture. Chelsea’s leading scorer – Diego Costa – has scored 30% (17) of Chelsea’s 57 goals. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 38% of his club’s goals. However, the top four scorers on each time combine for nearly identical percentages of their team’s total output. For United, the top four account for 72%. At Chelsea, Costa, Eden Hazard, Pedro and Willian account for 70% of the offence.
Mourinho will be without that leading scorer on Monday. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will serve the first of a three-game suspension for elbowing Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings. This will bring the less-seen but always potent Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford into the mix.
Ibrahimovic’s absence takes some weight off of Chelsea’s defenders, particularly Cesar Azpilicueta. The Blues’ backline is much better suited for Rooney and Rashford, and Azpilicueta vs. Rashford will be a key matchup.
Next: N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba will share the midfield spotlight in Monday's FA Cup
These are among the considerations Antonio Conte likely brought to Cobham this week. They seem a much better use of his time than zingers and shade at the pre-match presser.