Mikel John Obi believes Chelsea‘s players are much fitter under new manager Antonio Conte than they were last season as they came a disappointing 10th in the Premier League.
Conte succeeded caretaker manager Guus Hiddink in the summer after the Dutchman had been brought in to try to recover Chelsea’s Premier League title defence following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho.
The Italian has endured a mixed start to his Chelsea career, but midfielder Mikel revealed that Conte has had his players on double training sessions, and it is paying dividends, per Goal’s Nizaar Kinsella:
Yes, I think it played a part last season (not being fit enough). One thing is for sure, the team is a lot fitter this season. A lot of players are going to be much, much fitter and that is only going to help the team.
[Double sessions] That’s the way [Conte] wants to train, that’s his style, that’s his way that he thinks we can win and that he thinks can get Chelsea back to where they belong. Obviously, quite a lot was made last year that a lot of the players were not fit, so the club decided to go for someone to make sure we are fit.
The players have responded very well to him, we are going with whatever the manager wants to do in training, everyone is putting in their best and we have to keep going his way.
We have to make sure we keep doing whatever the manager wants to do and if we can improve the team that way then I think everybody is on board with that.
After seven matches of the 2016-17 Premier League season, Chelsea currently lie seventh in the table having earned 13 points.
Where will Chelsea finish in the 2016-17 Premier League table?
At the same stage under Mourinho last term, Chelsea had accumulated just eight points and were 14th in the standings.
When the Portuguese manager was given his marching orders just before Christmas, the situation was even worse, with the Blues 16th in the table and just one point clear of the relegation zone.
It was an extraordinary slump given that Mourinho’s Chelsea had cruised to the title in May 2015.
The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss’ decision to give his players more holiday as a reward for winning the league was picked out by Cesc Fabregas as a reason for their drop in form, per Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (via MailOnline’s Tom Bassam).
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Chelsea were ill-prepared for their title defence last term, but, according to Mikel, there is no danger of that happening this season as Conte’s men look to return to the top of the English game.
The 29-year-old Nigerian was given a key role under Hiddink in the second half of last season but has yet to be fielded in the Premier League under Conte.
However, Mikel has still clearly bought in to the new manager’s methods and will hope to play his part during the 2016-17 campaign.
