Antonio Conte’s pre-match press conferences leave much to be desired. Until we’re in the little room ourselves, here are some of the questions we wish the media would ask him.
As if putting up with Diego Costa and working for Roman Abramovich is not stressful enough, Antonio Conte has to interrupt his pre-match work to do the press conference. After the usual perfunctory questions about injuries, the press gets to the meaty topics for which Conte has worked so hard. Transfer rumours, something Jose Mourinho said, the latest episode of Arsenal Fan TV….
We’ll be watching – and cringing – the presser right along with Conte. While Steve Holland or a Chelsea press rep runs interference for him, here are the questions our writers wish somebody would ask.
Daniel Mcclue: Much has been made of the formational switch to the 3-4-3. Once you’ve decided on a formation, are there times when you work on other shapes in training? Or, if a switch to four at the back is needed, do you trust the players to know their positions due to how they’ve played it in the past?
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Rayna Sidhu: It was clear on Saturday that you were hurt by the rare loss inflicted on your Chelsea side. Is there anything specific you’ve changed in training in the last few days as a reaction to the result, such as how best to cover Moses’ absence? How do you personally move on from such a surprising loss?
George Perry: To follow up on Ms. Sidhu’s first question, Antonio, how much preparation and training time do you put in to players’ “secondary” positions, such as Pedro at right wing-back or Eden Hazard as a false-nine? Do you incorporate these contingencies into the training rhythm, or can you only cross these bridges as you come to them?
Rayna Sidhu: There is clearly a great spirit at Cobham. You’re friends with everyone. So, say you’re stranded on a desert island and can have two Chelsea players with you. Who do you choose and why?
Daniel Mcclue: Why do you hate Michy Batshuayi? Really, why?
Next: Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Predicting how Antonio Conte will cover for Victor Moses