Antonio Conte's honesty will be key to resolving Chelsea's problems
Antonio Conte delivered a frank and honest assessment of Chelsea’s situation following the Arsenal loss. This attitude will be key to turning things around.
Chelsea are not good at football. Yes, they were once world-beaters, but this incarnation of the Blues squad are far from the standard required to win trophies. Antonio Conte expressed this sentiment after being thrashed by Arsenal with the honesty that must be present for matters to turn for the better.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Italian did not dress up the loss or dodge the pathetic performance. Conte was frank about how far Chelsea are from being genuine Premier League contenders.
We must work a lot because we are a great team only on paper. [From] the first minute we did not have the right attitude…We must find a solution. – via BBC Sport
Chelsea looked clueless during the first half as Arsenal danced their way through midfield and defence. Had they been more ruthless, the score could have been worse than 3-0 at half-time. If they had bothered to turn for the second half, a humiliation for the ages was on the cards.
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While some fans blamed the players for last season’s abysmal campaign, others also criticised Jose Mourinho. Six games into this Premier League season, it is clear that the manager had little to do with the club’s downfall.
Optimism was abound when Antonio Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge. His impressive track record and reputation for discipline rendered him a perfect candidate for the job. However, he now truly knows the complicated situation he has to deal with.
The first step in the transformation is to be honest. Even though Chelsea were awful last season, many wrote it off as a bizarre period for the Blues. An anomaly, so to speak. Once they could start afresh they would revert to the title-challengers they have perennially been.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea (L) show dejection after Arsenal score during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Evidently, the quality of the squad is not up to scratch for a top four position. The defence is an absolute mess, a situation exacerbated by another failure in summer recruiting. Further up the field, the talent cannot gel effectively to provide the right balance between defence and attack.
Chelsea’s back four are being twirled around on the opposition’s whim, but they are receiving no support from the midfielders, as evidenced by Eden Hazard during Arsenal’s second goal. Defending to some degree is also part of a midfielder’s job.
The current Blues squad are simply a mid-table outfit. The allure that some of the former stars’ names once had have disappeared. Players up and down the league do not feel fear when coming up against the likes of Eden Hazard, they see an opportunity to exploit their weaknesses and claim three points.
Antonio Conte is a smart man. He must have known that this job would not be easy. However, he is only now realising just how much work there is to do.
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