The Blues made it back-to-back home wins in the Premier League for the first time since April 2015 on Saturday,comfortably defeating Burnley 3-0. The win puts them top of the table, albeit their position there over the international break is dependent on results going their way 24 hours later.
The dominance of the performance was a sign of the changes Conte has already implemented at Stamford Bridge. His opposite number, Sean Dyche, observed a different use of the full-backs and wingers at Chelsea these days, but there’s also a renewed desire to succeed. This Chelsea team is the antithesis of the one that failed so miserably last season.
Chelsea look tough opponents again, and their performances in these early days of the new campaign have been largely down to Eden Hazard and Diego Costa. We shouldn’t forget the contribution of N’Golo Kante in his defensive-midfield role, but it’s what the aforementioned pair have created in the final third that has got Chelsea going. Without them, draws don’t become victories.
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Of the seven goals Conte’s side have scored in the Premier League this season, Hazard and Costa have four, sharing two apiece. That tally is in stark contrast to their failures last term. For Hazard, it wasn’t until April that he could boast two league goals, while it took Costa until mid-October.
When Chelsea ran away with the title in 2014/15, that pair allowed Jose Mourinho’s side to do it. That they are looking back to that sort of level under Conte is a considerable boost for the new manager’s own aspirations, yet he knows Chelsea need something extra to make them stand out from the rest.
“Eden is a fantastic player and, like the others, is working very hard with a great attitude,” the boss said of the Belgian playmaker, having watched him score the game’s opening goal against Burnley. “After the first day, I saw this very soon—his will to improve and to find a good shape. I am pleased for his commitment and his work rate during our training sessions, but he can still get better.
Had luck been on his side, Costa would have been walking away with the match ball. Twice he was denied by good saves from Tom Heaton, while some last-ditch defending thwarted him at vital moments.
“Diego today was very unlucky,” Conte continued. “He had many chances to score a goal, but in the last two games, he scored two goals that were very important. He is a very good finisher, but I repeat I am very happy for the whole squad who play and who doesn’t. It’s important if you want to build a team and a family.”
Whatever Conte is attempting to construct in west London, it’s clear it will revolve around Costa and Hazard. They give Chelsea their joie de vivre—perhaps euforia is more apt given the manager’s heritage—and without them, this team just isn’t the same. As much of a strength as it is, it’s equally a problem.
Hazard and Costa are just two players; if Conte could add a third with the same sort of goal threat, he would have his own Lionel Messi-Luis Suarez–Neymar (MSN) or Gareth Bale-Karim Benzema-Cristiano Ronaldo (BBC) triumvirate at Stamford Bridge.
Without delving too much into a lack of depth at the back, it’s this that Chelsea are missing. They have enough of a threat to dismantle the likes of Burnley, but over the course of a season, it’s too much to be asking Costa and Hazard to produce the magic every week.
There’s plenty more beside that makes watching Barcelona or Real Madrid the spectacle it is; top of the list are those attacking combinations, however. The BBC and MSN are what capture the imagination and defeat opponents.
When Barca and Real are firing, it’s often on the back of what their talismen are producing. Their relentless form in front of goal delivers titles, which is why they come at such a premium. Without them, we would be looking at different teams completely. The MSN and BBC are what Barcelona and Real respectively are built around.
Conte doesn’t have to replicate them like-for-like, but he does need his own version to propel Chelsea forward. With Costa and Hazard, he is almost there. He just needs to find that missing piece.
Willian was on the scoresheet on Saturday, although he isn’t prolific enough in front of goal to carry that threat Chelsea need. His goalscoring form fluctuates much too often, and his role is to influence Chelsea’s performances in a different way. That can still happen even if Conte adds a third goalscorer who brings significant flair.
Costa and Hazard, on the other hand, are the supreme performers. At a time when the conversation is dominated by his yellow cards for dissent, we should be talking about Costa the footballer. He is an exceptional talent, with his movement off the ball causing teams so many problems.
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Costa is difficult to pick up, which Michael Keane and Ben Mee found to their detriment at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. He’s always on the move, drifting into the channels before darting at defenders with purpose to latch onto through balls or open space for team-mates to exploit.
Hazard’s role is more defined given Conte’s desire and need for him to provide width, yet in possession, he is back to being the same player we saw in the 2014/15 campaign. His opener was the perfect example of how he allows Chelsea to turn over possession quickly and hit teams at pace.
By discovering another player to do that alongside him, Chelsea’s threat in the final third would be formidable. They would boast a front line that few could challenge in the Premier League, putting them on a level with the teams they will hope to be facing in next season’s Champions League.
There’s a case for Michy Batshuayi to force his way into this reckoning given the start he has made to life in England. He already has three goals in his four appearances, not to mention an assist.
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For it truly to work, the acronym is of equal importance, so perhaps BED would be suitable. That way, at least Chelsea fans would never tire of phrases that end in Conte’s side putting games and teams to, well, bed.
With the transfer window set to close on Wednesday, there’s an opportunity to dip into the market and bring that threat from an external source.
Whatever happens, Chelsea are continuing down the right track in the early days of Conte’s reign. With a bit more conviction in the danger areas, we could be talking about them bringing back the good times faster than many expected.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report’s lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes.
