After a great performance on Sunday, the international break comes at the perfect time for Chelsea FC.
International breaks do not excite me much, for many reasons. First, neither of my countries are going to the World Cup (U.S and Venezuela), therefore there is nothing to fight for other than “pride” (but then you can’t really have much pride if we did not make it to the biggest soccer event). Second, all you can do is hope that Chelsea players do not suffer any injuries.
However, this international break comes at just the right moment for Chelsea. After a fantastic win against Manchester United, everyone will be looking for new run of good form and consistency. The game was very well contested between Chelsea and Jose Mourinho’s men, and the Blues came out on top, thanks to a phenomenal header from Alvaro Morata.
And if that wasn’t enough, N’Golo Kante is back. The little man with a big character made all the difference for the team. He allowed Tiemoue Bakayoko to deal with the physical challenges and move up the field, while providing Cesc Fabregas with the freedom to do what he does best: dominate the tempo of the passing.
So what makes this break so good for Chelsea?
For starters, everyone gets to calm down after a massive win and realize the team can turn things around this season. Antonio Conte made that clear in the dressing room after the game. If it is consistency that the team is looking for, the squad needs a cool head for the upcoming fixtures.
Next, it gives time for those players with injuries to recover. Victor Moses is still out and is not expected to come back soon. However, Kante is almost 100% but rushing him to more games could be the demise of Chelsea’s season.
Finally, the international break gives Antonio Conte time to come up with a game plan for a run of matches that will go straight into the holiday season. It goes without saying that there are no easy games in the Premier League. Therefore stabilizing the team and preparing is an absolute must for the Italian boss.
Next: Antonio Conte's first quarter grades from his second season at Chelsea
Chelsea play West Brom, Qarabag FK and Liverpool in their next three games. Needless to say, these are imperative matches to win if the Blues are to challenge for the Premier League and move to the next stage of the Champions League. For once, the international break works in Chelsea’s favor.