CHELSEA v ARSENAL ANT’S Losing to Arsenal was our springboard to title glor y
Bakayoko’s proud of Wenger
CHELSEA new boy Tiemoue Bakayoko only ever heard good things about Arsene Wenger during his Monaco days.
But the £36million midfielder (right) admits it was the chance to work with Antonio Conte and follow in the footsteps of another French football hero which swayed him to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
“Wenger is a legend at Monaco,” said Bakayoko, who reportedly met with his fellow countryman to discuss a move to Arsenal before opting for Chelsea.
“He spent a few years there and they have great memories of him. During the time I was there, they spoke a lot to me about him.
“Mr Wenger is doing a great job at Arsenal, but it’s always been something we’re proud about – to have a French compatriot coaching Arsenal. He’s a very good coach and I’m happy to have the chance to play against his club. “It’s true that perhaps Arsenal as a club have a bigger following among French people because of him and because there have been a lot of French players who have gone there and built great careers over the years. I know that every game against Arsenal is a big game.” Despite the esteem in which Bakayoko holds Wenger, the decision to snub him was made after holding talks with last season’s Premier League titlewinning manager Conte. Bakayoko, 23, explained: “I made the choice to come to Chelsea largely because of the coach and after speaking to him. “It has always been a club I liked since I was young, especially because of guys like Didier Drogba being here.”
The Blues boss was just seven games into his reign in south-west London when his side, having lost their previous fixture 2-1 at home to Liverpool, found themselves 3-0 down at the break.
They had been humiliated by Arsene Wenger’s men during that first period, with Chelsea turning in the sort of performance that could so easily have got their manager sacked.
It was during that half that Conte decided to switch to a 3- 4- 3 formation after the interval.
Drastically
And, even though they were unable to turn things around at the Emirates, it was a decision which would drastically alter the course of Chelsea’s season.
“I remember that game very well because it was a really bad game for us,” said Conte.
“Then we changed our system, because after that game I understood our team very well. We hadn’t got the right balance.
“In that game they dominated us from the start until the end and this wasn’t the right way for us.
“But after that game we changed a lot of things... and then we won the league.”
Things might ultimately have turned out well for the Italian but, in the immediate aftermath, stories emerged that he was on the brink of the sack and several leading bookmakers agreed.
Even so, he insists he never for a minute feared that Roman Abramovich would wield the axe.
“Then it can happen that an experience can be positive or negative, but I don’t change my mentality, I don’t change my method, I don’t change my idea of football.
“Don’t forget, it happened also this season after the win against Tottenham.
“Every coach must be used to hearing these voices, it’s normal.
“But every coach has to be focused on his work, has to continue to work every day, because only through work can you improve your team and stay in one team for many years.
“I remember during the press conference after that game, I remember a question about this betting on me to go.
“But this is our job, we must be prepared to face this type of situation. We must live with this type of pressure. When I go into my house and I know I have given 120 per cent then I am happy.”
The former Italy boss was given time to get it right but, as Frank de Boer’s exit from Crystal Palace after four games demonstrated, not everyone is so fortunate.
Conte said: “Every coach has to work with the players to understand which is the right fit for the team, which is the right system for the team and then to make a decision.
Quality
“When you arrive in a new team you need time to understand the quality but above all t he characteristic of your players and then to find the right fit.
“It’s always a pity when another coach is sacked. In the human aspect I’m very close to Frank for this bad situation.
“Sometimes you have this time, sometimes you haven’t. This is our job. We must be prepared to face this situation and for this reason we must have great patience.
“Our job is difficult. Every day you have to think, you have to work very hard to try to have a good result.
“When the result is not good, anything can happen and we must be prepared for this.”