Chelsea’s in fine form and looking primed to challenge for second place in the Premier League, and that has Antonio Conte in a fairly relaxed mindset regarding his roster.
Chelsea walloped Stoke City 5-0 on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, running their clean sheet streak to 360 minutes and giving the Blues 32 of their last 39 available points.
That has Conte’s men neck and neck with Manchester United in the battle for second, and Chelsea’s boss says his squad can improve but it’s not a necessity. From the BBC:
“I am very happy to work with my players. I have had conversations with the club and they know my opinion. I am the coach and I look after the things on the pitch, if the club can help us, it would be okay, but if they can’t it will be okay as well.”
It’d be difficult for Conte not to be encouraged after he left Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Tiemoue Bakayoko, and Andreas Christensen out of his lineup and still clobbered a Premier League opponent.
Now Hazard and the Blues will have one more day’s rest than Arsenal when the London rivals meet Wednesday at the Emirates Stadium.
“We need to have all my players in the best form, and we know very well in January will be a difficult time because of the games, and in February the Champions League starts again, so I need all my players at the top of their game.”
Conte got goals from Davide Zappacosta and Antonio Rudiger to go with markers from Willian, Pedro, and Danny Drinkwater.
