Conte: My new boys are unfit
ANTONIO CONTE has aimed another dig at Chelsea’s recruitment policy by complaining his new signings are not fit to go straight into action.
The Blues boss gave Ross Barkley his first start of the season in the defeat to Bournemouth and subbed him after 54 difficult minutes.
And Conte said Olivier Giroud and Emerson Palmieri are not ready to start in Monday night’s game at Watford.
“We have to wait, especially for Palmieri,” he said. “We are talking about a player who is coming back from a bad injury. He has played only one game, in the Italian Cup.
“Olivier is coming back from a muscular injury and was out for 50 days, before playing 15 minutes against Swansea.
“We are starting to work with him and have to check his physical condition. It won’t be easy to see him in the starting 11 on Monday.”
Chelsea could be out of the top four by the time they kick-off at Vicarage Road and Conte added: “For me, the pressure is life. If I stay without pressure, I don’t like it.”