Players ready to fight for manager amid reports of revolt

ANTONIO CONTE MAY have launched a savage attack on his own side after Chelsea’s 41 defeat at Watford, but that hottest of heads had cooled by Tuesday morning.

After Watford scored three goals in the last seven minutes of the game to clinch victory, Conte had claimed that his side played with fear, devoid of personality, and suggested that some of them simply were not up to the job of playing for a big club.

But with the passing of time came a realisation that this frantic, unforgiving festive period had not only been hard on the Italian.

As such, players were given three days’ rest, with training cancelled as Conte takes time to work out how to turn things around.

And those players will, in turn, fight for him amid talk of his imminent demise, says Cesar Azpilicueta.

“We know that there is speculation here all the time – it has been that way in the six years I have been here.

“Are the players letting the coach down? No. I think if you see the training sessions, we all fight hard. We are the first to be disappointed with the way the last two games went.

“We are getting penalised in the bad moments we are having in the game. It’s not a long period, but in this League, which is so tough, you get punished as soon as you drop a bit.

“As a player, all I want is to come back to the training pitch as soon as possible, to work hard and to get into Monday’s game against West Brom, to get the three points and to get our confidence back.”

Chelsea captain Gary Cahill has also said the players must take responsibility for their poor form this season.

But the Daily Mail suggests some Stamford Bridge stars have lost faith in their manager.

That is reportedly due to a few of the players growing tired with Conte’s “repetitive” training regime.

It is said they have privately moaned about Conte’s methods leading to fatigue among the players.

There have been some reports suggesting his time at the club could come to an end this week with Luis Enrique or Carlo Ancelotti the leading candidates to take over from Conte.

Monday’s visit of West Brom is far more intriguing than any neutral observer would ever have thought.

The Baggies have a reputation as coach slayers, harbingers of doom for Premier League managers and, in particular, those heralding from Stamford Bridge.

Seven have bitten the dust after games with Albion, including Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto Di Matteo. Defeat on Monday in front of a frustrated Chelsea crowd would be, at the very least, uncomfortable.

Chelsea also face a tough run of fixtures towards the end of the month as they come up against Barcelona, Manchester United and Manchester City in the space of a fortnight. – The Independent/ Express Newspapers