THE BAR League leaders are still a work in progress for confident Conte
WING KING ALONSO
The Italian’s warning is the last thing the chasing pack need to hear as they fight to stay in touch with the Blues.
After all, Conte’s men have dropped points in just four of their 21 league games this season and recently notched up a club-record 13 Premier League wins on the bounce.
Despite that sensational run of results, Conte claims there is more to come from a Chelsea side still to reach their full potential under his watch.
The Stamford Bridge supremo – who has unsettled Diego Costa (below) fit and available for today’s clash with Hull – said: “For sure, I’m proud with how we’re playing and it’s very important we’re top of the table.
“But I have been working with these players for five or six months and, as with every team, there is always room for improvement.
“Of course, it’s easier to achieve with great players but you also need players who want to get better. Without that, it’s impossible.
“That’s the most important thing we have here – players who want to do the work.”
And if that spells trouble for the rest of t h e P r e mier League, the surprisingly swift return of Chelsea’s top scorer Costa to the first-team scene is equally ominous.
The Spain international’s alleged training ground bust-up with his boss before last weekend’s trip to Leicester fuelled talk of the ex-Atletico Madrid HARRY PRATT striker pushing for a big-money January move to China. Whatever the truth behind Costa’s absence at the King Power Stadium – Conte maintains it was a back problem – Chelsea’s 3-0 win was the perfect response to a potentially damaging situation. And, according to the Italian, the performance proved beyond question that the current crop at Stamford Bridge possess the resolve, character and morale required for Premier League glory. “If you want to win something over a season, if you want to be successful, you have to have this unity,” said Conte, 47, who l ed Juventus t o t hree successive Serie A triumphs between 2011 and 2014. “In every team I’ve managed I’ve always tried to build this because team spirit is fundamental to winning titles. “You need good spirit betwe e n t h e p l aye r s , between the staff and throughout the club. I think we are showing we have this here. “I’m proud to see our collective spirit and above all I’m pleased for my players to see what brings us to play in this way. “It’s good we’ve reached this level after only six months because it take lots of different steps over time to create it. “It’s not easy but with more time and work, I will improve our level even more.” MARCOS ALONSO is feeling right at home in his new wing-back role at Chelsea. Alonso (left) scored twice in a game for the first time in his career in last weekend’s 3-0 win at Leicester. Now, ahead of Hull’s trip to Stamford Bridge today, he says his partnership with right wing-back Victor Moses is key to table-toppers Chelsea’s success.
“It is a good balance for the team,” said Alonso.
“In a lot of games he goes more forward and I maybe stay more at the back but it’s good to have variation.
“Victor is doing a great job and hopefully we can keep helping the team.”