Last week, the trash sources blew Antonio Rudiger’s comments out of proportion. But he revealed chinks in Chelsea’s armor and was promptly dropped for it.
After drawing to West Ham, Antonio Rudiger was interviewed. He stated that he did not understand why Chelsea always drops off after going one goal ahead. The comments themselves were innocent enough but were blown out of proportion by the trash sources looking for clicks. Now the narrative is that he was dropped for those comments.
That is, at best, half of the story. Rudiger was not talking directly about Antonio Conte with his comments. It is even a stretch to say he was talking about Conte’s tactics at all. The comments were largely just an observation of fact. The red bands picked up on it and spun it as they always do. Conte himself called dropping Rudiger “a tactical decision”.
Diego Costa after the Chinese transfer bust up was dropped as a tactical decision. David Luiz was dropped as a tactical decision. Conte has used the phrase often to describe dropping a player for not falling in line.
So is Rudiger guilty of that? Though his comments were not an attack on the manager’s tactics as the media is trying to make them, they were perfectly spinnable. If anything, his comments showed a chink in Chelsea’s armor. A way for outside forces to weed their way in and say all is not right with the Blues. That is the last thing Chelsea need right now.
Results have not been good in 2018. And to end the season successfully, Chelsea need to buckle down and basically win out. Any small weakness will sow doubt and thus effect Chelsea’s ability to do what they need to do. Rudiger’s comments were generic but they exposed a weakness. Conte rightly stamped down on it.
And of course fans went to social media to blast Conte for the decision. Words like “coward” and “thin-skinned” were thrown about. But Conte was brought in to make these exact decisions and fans welcomed it at the time.
Related Story: Chelsea player ratings: Olivier Giroud did more in eight than Blues did in 60
Player power was rife at Chelsea during most of the Roman Abramovich era. In culminated with Jose Mourinho’s sacking in 2016. Many fans blamed the players for revolting against Mourinho. So when Conte was announced and it was mentioned that he would drop anyone for trying to exert player power, fans rejoiced.
But the more Conte wields the axe to assert his authority, as he was hired to do, the more fans seem to buck the manager and ere on the side of the players. Many will mention “the text” with Diego Costa while completely ignoring the bust up in January. Some believe Luiz’s injury is mere conspiracy to explain away his falling out with Conte. And now dropping Rudiger makes Conte a “coward” for doing what fans wanted a manager to do.
Yes, Rudiger’s comments were innocent but the effect they had was not. With a vital run in occuring, Conte could not allow any player to break from the united front Chelsea need to have.
Next: Chelsea players, Antonio Conte rebutted narratives of rigidity and apathy
Rudiger, if he apologizes to Conte, will be quickly brought back into the fold in time for Burnley or the FA Cup. But it will have been a line in the sand for all Chelsea players. Play for the badge and do not ask questions until the season closes.