Conte must rotate to survive
English Premier League (EPL) champions Chelsea lost a great opportunity to win only the second ever double in their history when fatigue cost them the FA Cup final against Arsenal.
Minimal changes to the starting line up had helped the Londoners to the league title, in a manner not dissimilar to Leicester City’s the previous season. However, by the time they faced Arsenal, many of their players were knackered.
How well manager of the year Antonio Conte rotates his team to keep them fresh for an assault on four fronts will be central to how successful Chelsea’s title defense turns out. The five-time EPL champions begin the campaign without their three leading marksmen from last season.
Diego Costa has been declared persona-non-grata whereas Eden Hazard and Pedro are out injured.
This implies Conte could begin the campaign by switching from his favoured 3-4-3 formation to a 3-5-2 as the latter system accommodates both number nines, Michy Batshuayi and record signing Alvaro Morata.
Indeed the Italian gaffer, a title winner in each of his last four seasons - won three in a row at Juventus - must be at his innovative best, as teams have done their research about how best to counter the 3-4-3. Fans are worried stiff by lack of depth in the squad, and yet the club has sanctioned loans and sales of players like Nemanja Matic and Nathaniel Chalobah, who could have provided cover in the engine room.
Wing-back positions and the sweeper are the other notable problem area. Chelsea ought to find competent back-up for David Luiz, Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, who performed exceptionally well last season. The inflated transfer market has already denied the club its first choices though indications are Conte is working round the clock to fix this issue.
Second season syndrome
After the 2015 title triumph, Chelsea badly imploded the following season. Conte therefore needs to continue to motivate players who executed directives at one hundred percent efficiency.
Chopping, changing and injecting new hungrier blood is the best way to keep players on their toes to get maximum traction from them.
The departure of upcoming youngsters Bertrand Traore, Chalobah, Nathan Ake, Dominic Solanke, Kurt Zouma (loan) and Tammy Abraham (loan), should be treated by those who have stayed as a vote of confidence.
Denmark defender Andreas Christensen and Ivorian Jeremie Boga appear ready for the big time.
With the Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool splashing the cash, and Mauricio Pochettino’s young energetic Tottenham side continuing to mature, this Premier League title is bound to be the most difficult to defend.
Antonio Conte will not only have to call on his legendary motivation skills, he must be atop his wits to ward off ‘Big Six’ rivals.
HIT OR MISS?
The departure of Traore, Chalobah, Ake, Solanke and Zouma should be treated by those who have stayed as a vote of confidence.
