LONDON FALLING
Chelsea still on top but all their defeats in the capital city are a cause for concern for Conte
WORRYINGLY for Antonio Conte all of his defeats this season have come in London.
So with Manchester City in town on Wednesday night there is every chance the hole blown into Chelsea’s title bid by Crystal Palace could be widened further. No wonder Conte had the air of a man still reeling afterwards without knowing exactly what had hit him.
He will spend today with his players taking another look at the DVD of a contest in which this defeat could have been worse. He remained defiant, of course, maintaining Chelsea had earned the right to lead the chase by seven points with nine games left. “Don’t forget the other teams were candidates to win the title and instead we have stayed up the table,” he said. “We have tried to keep this position. If you are able to keep this position it means we deserve it.” Quite right too. But the Spurs juggernaut is gaining momentum. That win at Burnley on Saturday without Harry Kane was outstanding. Mauricio Pochettino’s men have now won their last four to keep the pressure on and are poised to strike. Add to that the fact Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet in the League since January.
“The stats are always important and I know this.” said Conte. “But sometimes we conceded a goal against teams like Arsenal and West Ham when the game was finished.
“Against Stoke City we conceded a penalty.
“But for sure we know we can improve and that needs to improve.”
It is a time for calm heads at club more than used to the course and distance. It is time for the kind of experience that enabled Conte to lift three consecutive titles at Juventus.
Again, rightly, the Italian pointed out there is a big difference between this defeat and the shambolic September surrenders against Liverpool and Arsenal.
Back then he was still getting his tactics right.
Against Spurs in January he was beaten by the better team.
Here it was just one of those days – even though Conte refused to use the word ‘unlucky’. “I don’t like this word,” he said.
“In a lot of situations you can score or not. We shot a lot of times but the ball wasn’t going to go into the goal.
“This defeat is totally different. If you compare this with the other defeats, we are another team. We are a strong team. Today it wasn’t our day because we created a lot of chances to score a goal.
“We dominated. When you lose this type of game in your mind you try to apply a lot of questions. But it’s very difficult to find a reply to this result.”
The absence of right wingback Victor Moses was key.
Chelsea were unbalanced and Pedro, who deputised, was simply unable to cope with man-of-the-match Wilfried Zaha. Cesc Fabregas, on the right of a three, did his job with a fine goal after five minutes.
You could have had any price you liked about Palace at that stage with the points on course to go to the Blues.
Then came the goals that stunned the Premier League, let alone Stamford Bridge. First Zaha turned in the box and shot through three defenders to equalise.
Then Christian Benteke showed outstanding composure to dummy keeper Thibaut Courtois before lifting the ball over him.
For all the huff and puff Chelsea had no answers.
They will have to find some on Wednesday night.