League title in bag, sights set on double
Conte spent the immediate aftermath of Chelsea’s 1-0 win at West Brom being bounced skywards by his players but once back on terra firma his mind was already focusing on the next target — the double.
In claiming the league title in his first season, Conte matched the feat of Chelsea predecessors Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 and Carlo Ancelotti in 2009-10.
Ancelotti went on to win the FA Cup as well and one suspects the insatiable Conte will feel a sense of anti-climax if his side do not beat Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on May 27.
“My players show me a great attitude to try to do something great this season,” Conte said after the title triumph.
“We were not lucky, we did a great job. It’s important to rest. It is a great season but now we can win the FA Cup.”
The Italian has transformed Chelsea from flops to champions in one season with largely the same group of players.
Yet defeats by Liverpool and Arsenal threatened to undermine a bright start to the season.
Conte said the drubbing by Arsenal, a game in which he switched midway to a three-man defence when his side trailed 3-0, was a turning point.
“That decision changed our season. We had to change and find a new suit for our team,” Conte said.
“In my mind there was this option to play a 3-4-3 because I knew I had the players to do that.”