Chelsea’s 11 musketeers
CHELSEA HULL CITY Conte: All for one... and win for all
Last weekend’s English league debut win over Bournemouth was Silva’s 51st victory since the start of 201415, and his average 2.52 points per game is only marginally inferior to that of Conte (2.57).
Silva said: “It didn’t start very well for Conte this season but after he changed some things in the squad a little bit he’s first.
“But I don’t want to talk so much about the other teams, I need to do my work and change what I want for my team.”
Silva accepts relegationthreatened Hull will blemish his record – they face Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal in their following three fixtures.
“Yes, but never before a game have I thought about losing it. I think always to win games, and we will see the result after,” Silva added.
“Sometimes you play to be champions, sometimes you play to put your team in European competitions, at other times you play to remain in the Premier League.
“This is the life of the coach. For me, this is different but I am ready to do this job.” ANTONIO CONTE has told his Chelsea stars that unity and team spirit will be key to any success this season.
The Blues are riding high at the top of the table with 17 games to go and all looked rosy as the team embarked on a 14-game winning sequence before being halted at the start of this month by Tottenham.
They got back to winning ways in the Premier League last week when they beat Leicester 3-0, but they had to do so without star man Diego Costa after he had a bust-up with a fitness coach and his head turned by a big-money offer from China.
The Costa situation has been the first big test of Conte’s time at Stamford Bridge, although those who did play at the King Power Stadium last week celebrated each goal with a real sense of togetherness.
That pleased former Juventus and Italy boss Conte (left), who said: “If you want to win something, i t ’s important to build this unity.
“It’s important to create a team, to create a good spirit. This is the most important thing. To create this unit between the players, the staff, the club. “It’s very important to have a good spirit and we are showing this. “In every team I’ve been manager of we had this strength, always. I’ve always tried to build this spirit. “I repeat: the right spirit is the fundamental importance if you want to have a good season. “The most important thing. “It’s not easy to create and, before creating this spirit, you have to pass different steps. “It’s not easy to do this. But I’m pleased to see this unity in my team.” Conte, who still believes there is room for improvement in his team, is very proud of the level he has seen from every player in his squad this season – particularly the front four. Not least Pedro, who came into the team when Willian took compassionate leave to be with his sick mother. Conte a dded: “Pedro is playing in a fantastic way. Not only is he scoring, but he’s playing really good football with the ball and without the ball. “He’s always in the right position to press and win the ball, and also to score goals. “We are seeing the best moment of Pedro. “Pedro played this type of football when he was at Barcelona. “He is a really important player for us in the same way Willian, who has recovered good form, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are. “We have four players who are playing very well, in a fantastic way. “To have these four players in great form is important for me, important for the team, and during the game I can change one player with another and have another different situation to win the game. “But it’s not simple and, please, if I make a decision to choose one player and not another, it’s not because I want to punish one player. Conte knows that if he does leave Costa out against Hull City today it will be viewed as a punishment. Only time will tell whether the call he makes on that front is the right one for Chelsea or not.