Chelsea’s positive winning mentality will prevent a repeat of 2015/16
By George Perry
Chelsea’s win against Watford tamped down the burgeoning comparisons between this season and the 2015/16 disaster. Antonio Conte’s positive style of play and winning mentality is the best protection against more ‘palpable discord.’
Jose Mourinho injected himself into Chelsea’s narrative between the Champions League and Premier League match-days. He kept the spotlight firmly on himself by filleting his players – Ander Herrera, in particular – with his remarks about their lack of motivation and passion.
Premier League-caliber players by necessity have a thick skin. While they take their manager seriously and respect his opinion, they also know how to compartmentalize criticism. A player could become calloused to Mourinho’s ways.
However, no player good enough to be at a Mourinho club wants to believe that he is not good enough to win. And that is where Antonio Conte surpasses Mourinho, and ensures that he will not drag Chelsea to a repeat of 2015/16.
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Antonio Conte expects his players to win every game. That requires him to demand a winning effort from them every game and every training session, just as he demands it from himself. That, in turn, requires him to instill in them the confidence that they can win every game, that they are equal to any challenge and that no club will cause them to timidly shrink back.
As Graeme Souness pointed out, Mourinho implicitly tells his players the opposite.
"I don’t know how Jose Mourinho gets that message across to his players. You know the one I mean. At the final against Ajax; at Anfield last week. “We’re not good enough to take them on in a game of football. So we’re going to go long and stay behind the ball.” I don’t know how you say that to players — because when I played at Liverpool, it was the opposite. We were made to feel unbeatable. – Daily Mail"
No player spends his whole life working to become one of the best players in the world, signs a dream contract with Manchester United or Chelsea and then feels content to play for a draw. Mourinho routinely orders his players to stand down their competitive instincts at the moments when they should be unleashed. He creates a conflict within a player and within a team when he suppresses their best instincts on the biggest stages. And if there is one thing that defines a late-stage Mourinho team, it is a kaleidoscope of conflict.
Antonio Conte’s winning mentality gives the players what they most want – the chance to win – in order to achieve what he most wants: a win. His desires and goals align with theirs. He does not pit the players against themselves, let alone each other or against him.
A fractured locker room cannot win. Chelsea learned that in 2015/16. Antonio Conte wants to win so, so, so very much. He wants to win not just trophies, but every game along the way. So do his players. They are and will continue to be happy to do battle together.
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As much as Jose Mourinho may try to sow discord from afar, his efforts will fall flat at Antonio Conte’s Chelsea. Defence may win championships, but when it comes to warding off Mourinho’s games, winning is the best defence.