We have to be alert for danger in title run-in, says Conte
ANTONIO CONTE warned his players to keep their ‘antennae’ switched on to guard against complacency as they tightened their grip on the Premier League.
Arsene Wenger conceded the title is Chelsea’s to lose but Conte refuses to relax. ‘I don’t slip and I don’t want my players to slip,’ said the Italian.
‘The league is not finished. We must know that. We must work and continue to work very hard if we want to realise a dream.
‘In my squad I have players with good experience because they won a lot in their careers. They know that until now we haven’t won the title. It is important to know this and to keep our antennae very high because in my career, above all as a player, I won a lot, but I lost a lot. When you
lose three finals of the Champions League and you win only one, I think you have a great hunger.’
Conte also won an Italian title when Juventus overturned an eight-point deficit in the last four games — and he lost one in similar fashion. ‘There are 14 games to play and there are 42 points to take,’ he added.
‘Sure, it was important to win against a rival for the title. You must exploit this type of situation but it is not easy.
‘Arsenal showed us they are a great team with great players and if you don’t play with good organisation, talent, with good will to fight, with a good will to work together offensively and defensively at the start of the game, you risk losing.
‘Instead we work very well. I am pleased for my players. They showed me great commitment.’
It is easy to forget what a shambles Chelsea were when losing to Liverpool and Arsenal in September, which triggered Conte’s transformation of the tactical system and the mentality inside the squad.
He said: ‘We faced two great teams but we were not a team. We were 11 players playing and in this way anything can happen.
‘We have totally changed the spirit and the will to fight together, to be a team, to try for something important.’
As if to emphasise the attitude required, Conte berated his assistant Angelo Alessio when Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista headed a chance wide.
‘Angelo is always the victim,’ smiled Conte, as he explained he was angry because his instructions to change the positions for defensive set-pieces had been ignored.
He sent Alessio scampering down the touchline to hammer home the message.