GIVE ’EM WAT FOUR
10-man Blues are caught in Hornets sting
ANTONIO CONTE’S dismal run as Chelsea manager went from bad to absolute disaster last night.
First the under-pressure Italian saw Tiemoue Bakayoko sent off in the 30th minute after picking up two cautions.
Then Conte suffered again 12 minutes later when Troy Deeney put struggling Watford ahead from the penalty spot.
Eden Hazard drew the Blues level with an 82nd-minute strike, but Daryl Janmaat grabbed a goal two minutes later to put the Hornets back in front.
Gerard Deulofeu, on his home debut, grabbed a superb third after a 50-yard run – before Roberto Pereyra completed a devastating late blitz with a fourth goal in stoppage time.
Conte has moaned that he has had little say in the champions’ signings this season. It is not known how keen he was for the club to buy Bakayoko from Monaco for £40m in July.
The man brought in to replace Nemanja Matic was awful from the start and in the 19th minute passed straight to Richarlison, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by a brave Gary Cahill. In the 25th minute Bakayoko lost possession to Etienne Capoue, then grappled with him in a bid to get the ball back, landing the first caution.
Then came the red card, after yet another poor touch led him to go in late on Richarlison.
Few could argue with controversial ref Mike Dean for dismissing him in his short time on the pitch.
The focus was on Dean again for Watford’s goal. In the 37th minute Dean had gone over to have a long chat with Conte on the sidelines to discuss a complaint from the Italian.
Dean did nothing to improve his relations with the ex-Italy boss when he ruled keeper Thibaut Courtois brought down
Barcelona loanee Deulofeu as he sprinted past him after rushing onto an excellent Janmaat through ball.
Deulofeu certainly went down dramatically, but Courtois dived in rashly after the ball was poked past him.
Deeney took the penalty and smashed it home to the right of the Belgium keeper.
Facing Watford, in theory, was just what Conte ought to have wanted as the Hornets hadn’t stung Chelsea in their previous 13 meetings.
But it was Javier Gracia’s underdogs who started livelier. Abdoulaye Doucoure had a good opportunity to test Courtois with a half-volley, but miscued his shot wide of the far post.
Deeney was left embarrassed in the 10th minute when an Capoue corner found him unmarked past the far post. But he fluffed his sidefooted volley.
In Chelsea’s first attack of note Willian blazed wildly over the bar, with the Brazilian later having to make way for Cesc Fabregas after the red card.
Chelsea did not impress after the restart, with Watford’s Richarlison and Deulofeu the liveliest players on the pitch by a long way.
Hazard, looking unhappy playing in a central role, at least grabbed his goal as one of the few Chelsea players to shine.
But the sensational late Watford goal storm, with three strikes in six minutes, sealed Chelsea’s fate on the night – and probably Conte’s as well. WATFORD (3-4-3): Karnezis; Mariappa, Prodl, Holebas; Janmaat, Doucoure, Capoue, Zeegelaar; Deulofeu (Carrillo 89), Deeney (Gray 90), Richarlison (Pereyra 65). Subs: Bachmann, Mukena, Ndong, Lukebakio. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Bakayoko, Kante, Zappacosta; Willian (Fabregas 34), Hazard, Pedro (Giroud 64). Subs: Caballero, Rudiger, Emerson, Drinkwater, Hudson-Odoi. Referee: Mike Dean.