I like Antonio Conte, I really do. But I`m starting to have my doubts about his managerial style. He seems to be making some very strange decisions and I`m not sure why. The subbing of Hazard, his reluctance to use Giroud.
Some would say he`s trying to get himself fired and While it may look like that at times, I can`t buy in to that theory. Why would he do that, his professional pride would surely not allow it. But what other options are there that would allow his professional pride to to let the team he manages keep going into freefall.
Perhaps, it`s nothing to do with Conte. Maybe it`s simply, that the players are just not quite good enough, they were last season, they one the the league, could they have over-achieved. The loss of the influential, club legend, John Terry and coach, Steve Holland from the dressing room have, conceivably, affected moral.
Three motivational players have also left the team Nemanja Matic, and Diego Costa apparently, wanted to leave the football club. You could argue that Costa was forced out of the club by Conte, either way, neither side handled that whole situation well. It was a disrupting distraction at the start of the season.
Matic is more difficult to gauge, in his reasoning for wanting to leave the club. There can`t be many who`d argue he`s been adequately replaced though. Speaking after United win, he said he didn’t want to discuss his reasons for leaving Chelsea.
‘I don’t want to speak about why I left Chelsea. I will keep that to myself. I`m happy in Manchester and that’s it. Moving to United was good for me. I play for a big club.’
Then there is David Luiz, still a part of the squad, but now mysteriously, always injured. At the moment he`s sidelined, according to The Physio Room with a ‘knock`, whatever that is. That injury table for Luiz lists 6 injuries this season, he only had two all last season. Suddenly, he`s turned into Daniel Sturridge.
So for me, it begs the question, is he injured at all? Is this simply, the result of both player and manager falling out. Their well documented disagreement after the Roma games, has seen the Brazilian, almost indefinitely sidelined. That`s an issue that is now coming home to roost as Andreas Christensen, struggles to play two games a week.
The Dane has been immense this season, but let`s not forget, he young and in his first full season in the world`s most competitive domestic league. Those games are beginning to take their toll and it`s putting him under a pressure he doesn`t deserve.
Conte should realise he needs Luiz on side. Differences must be put to on the back burner, you don`t have to get on to work together. You just need to respect each other. He managed to show respect to Jose at the weekend, he needs to do it with Luiz now. The time has come to forgive and forget for the sake of Christensen.
There’s no one reason for Chelsea’s up and down season, just a set of incidents and circumstances that create a domino effect that is difficult to control. Conte, if he has any sense, will try to remove the two domino’s that will arrest the fall. However, I fear it may be too late.
Share this article
