MESSAGE &
Deeney 42 pen, Janmaat 84, Deulofeu 88 Pereyra 90 Hazard 82 ANTONIO CONTE wanted a message from the Chelsea board but got one from the players instead.
They put in the kind of performance that gets managers the sack and this lame surrender puts Conte in serious danger of adding his name to that list.
Owner Roman Abramovich has fired eight managers in 14 years, so it was understandable that Conte asked for a public message of support from the board amid the growing crisis.
Instead, the club hierarchy have become frustrated with his outbursts and, on this evidence, the players have given up on him as well.
The scoreline turned into an embarrassment, Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra scoring in the space of seven minutes.
Home fans chanted “sacked in the morning” at Conte, who has gone from allconquering hero to walking a tightrope.
Chelsea were awful. They lacked any sort of heart and determination to dig deep for the Italian, who equally looks disinterested compared to last season’s touchline histrionics on the way to winning the title.
In fairness, Chelsea played for nearly an hour with 10 men after Tiemoue Bakayoko’s sending off.
But that should in no way excuse the manner of their collapse in the closing stages.
Their season is disintegrating and that usually has Abramovich reaching for the panic button.
If one player symbolises their problems this term it is Bakayoko.
The £40million summer signing has been such a disappointment that when sent off his manager blanked him and Blues fans shouted abuse.
He almost set the tone for Chelsea’s bad start with his clumsy passes which invited Watford to attack.
Quite how he has kept his place all season is anyone’s guess and Chelsea improved briefly when he was dismissed after 31 minutes. In contrast, Watford looked bright and fluid, their movement stretching the Chelsea defence and making them edgy.
The Hornets could easily have gone ahead when Deulofeu smashed a shot into the side netting and Troy Deeney sliced another chance horribly wide from a corner. Chelsea were a shambles at the back but it was Bakayoko’s clumsiness which really cost them. His first booking after 25 minutes was for a silly foul on Etienne Capoue.
Most players would show a bit of common sense and stay on their feet after that. Not Bakayoko (above).
His poor control let the ball drift away, he overstretched to try to get it back and fouled Richarlison. It was idiotic and referee Mike Dean had no hesitation in sending him off.
Conte sacrificed Willian to bring on Cesc Fabregas to stiffen up the midfield and it worked briefly until Chelsea pressed the self-destruct button for the umpteenth time this campaign. Janmaat’s pass got things moving, Deulofeu raced into the area and keeper Thibaut Courtois charged off his line and dived in.
There was not much contact but it was a clear penalty. Up stepped Deeney to drill home the spot-kick.
Eden Hazard scored a wonderful 82nd-minute equaliser. Picking up the ball 30 yards out he raced forward, shimmied and curled a brilliant shot into the far corner. It looked to have at least rescued a point and given Conte a stay of execution – only for the visitors to plumb new depths.
Janmaat cut in, played a one-two with Pereyra and finished superbly.
Deulofeu made it 3-1 with another surging run after 88 minutes and Pereyra struck with an angled shot to complete the rout in injury time.
Chelsea fans were still singing Conte’s name. They still love him for last season, but it would seem everyone else has short memories.