Unfazed Conte puts ball in Chelsea’s court
ANTONIO Conte will lose no sleep over the threat that he could be sacked less than a year after winning the Premier League, following a 4-1 thrashing at Watford on Monday, the Chelsea coach said.
The champions have now conceded seven goals in their last two outings after also going down 3-0 at home to Bournemouth last week, putting their chances of Champions League qualification for next season in serious peril.
“Tomorrow is another day. I [could] be the Chelsea coach or not, what is the problem?” Conte said. “I go to sleep without a problem. “I try to do everything and, if this is enough, ok – otherwise the club take a different decision. Life goes on.”
Defeat leaves Chelsea still lagging in fourth spot, and just a point ahead of fifthplaced Tottenham Hotspur, in the battle for the top four.
Conte has complained throughout the campaign about his lack of input towards the club’s recruitment strategy.
The Italian once again lined up without a recognised striker at Vicarage Road, with Alvaro Morata sidelined by injury and new signing Olivier Giroud deemed fit enough only for a place on the bench.
However, Conte also delivered some stinging criticism to his players, who he said played with fear.
“I continue to work to try to improve different aspects of my players, but today [Monday] I think our performance was very poor,” he said.
“For sure, I have to take the responsibility because maybe I made the wrong decision for the starting XI.
“To play football in a big club, it means you must have personality. It is simple to play when there is the confidence.
“In this type of moment you can see who is [made] for a great club, to play with personality, to risk something.”
Chelsea’s task was not made any easier when Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off after just half an hour for two quickfire bookable offences.
Troy Deeney’s penalty put the hosts in front just before the break, but Chelsea were offered a lifeline eight minutes from time by a brilliant 25-yard (22.8m) strike from Eden Hazard. And Conte was particularly annoyed with his side’s reaction in the closing stages as they conceded three times in the final six minutes, to Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra.
“In the second half I saw great will and desire, but a lot of confusion,” he said.
“We were able to draw and I thought, in that moment, that we must be good to manage the situation, to understand the moment.
“A great team must do this – but instead in 10 minutes we conceded three goals.”
Conte refused to accept that injuries and fatigue were the reason for the stark difference in Chelsea’s performances and results from his first season, when they did not have the distraction of European football.
“For sure it is a difficult moment and if we want to find excuses or alibis, we can always find everything,” he said.
“[That] is not my way to face the situation, to solve the problem.
“The winner finds a solution, the loser finds excuses. I like to be a winner.” – AFP