After a forgettable season of the title defense at the Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were able to attract one of the best managers in world football in Antonio Conte to lead the side this season. The Italian boss started the season in fine fashion taking maximum points from the first 3 games but the back to back losses against Liverpool and Arsenal saw the many flaws in the squad take the front seat. Though they managed to sneak in a victory before the international break, Conte will know that his squad still has a long way to go before truly challenging for the title and will work hard to improve it throughout the season. The international break provides a decent opportunity for the manager to turn things around and here are 3 things he could change to get his side to win consistently:
Center-back pairing:
One of the biggest problems for the Blues this season started after the injury to club captain John Terry. The former England international started the season strongly but an ankle injury in the game against Swansea this season has left his side with a center back pairing of Gary Cahill and David Luiz. Though neither of them are too bad, they have not been able to stay solid as a pair and it might be time for a change at the back for the Blues. Terry is set to return in midway through the month while Kurt Zouma is not too far away from recovery as well and Conte will finally have decisions to make before selecting the team and will have to change things fast to keep Chelsea from falling down.
Midfield combination:
The manager has used the likes of N Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic and Oscar in a midfield role this season while Cesc Fabregas and John Obi Mikel have acted as covers. Kante will take one of those places regularly while the other three, with completely different attributes, have one or two places to fill. Each player adds his own threats to the squad and Conte will have to make sure that he has the best combination out on the field for every game. There might be different needs for different games and the manager should see to it that his midfield is well balanced in both aspects of the game.
Roles of star players:
Another issue that Conte has been facing this season is proper roles of star players in the side. Cesc Fabregas, one of the best midfielders in Europe, has not been able to keep his place in the midfield while the likes of Eden Hazard and Willian, though partially effective, have not been at their best. Diego Costa has done an exceptions job leading the line for the side but the players around him have not looked confident and are clearly still getting used to Conte’s style of play. The manager should make sure that the best players in the squad are given a chance to influence the game in their natural position. It has been something Conte has been working on and he does not have too much time to get it right.
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