ANTONIO Conte and his players held an angry half-time inquest as Chelsea were crushed by Arsenal inside 45 minutes on Saturday.
Conte’s men were humiliated and produced one of the most woeful defensive displays from a Chelsea side in recent memory.
Nothing should detract from Arsenal’s dazzling football, as goals from Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil crowned Arsene Wenger’s 20-year anniversary as manager in style.
But the dismal nature of Chelsea’s defending will be highlighted by Conte today when he forces his players to watch a replay of the match during a debrief at their Cobham training centre.
There will be serious consequences for at least three of the four players who started in Chelsea’s back four as Conte plans an overhaul in the next two transfer windows.
Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill will both be phased out in the coming months.
Similarly, the long-term position of David Luiz as a first-choice central defender — despite only rejoining the club on August 31 — will also come into question as Conte looks to sign at least two centre backs.
John Terry, who is nearing a return to fitness, should be available for next week’s clash against Hull but at 35, Conte knows he must locate a replacement for the Chelsea skipper.
For now, though, Conte’s hands are largely tied as he looks to rectify the defensive frailties that have marred their start to the season, though Kurt Zouma could soon return after seven months out injured.
He is needed. Sanchez chipped the ball over Thibaut Courtois after Cahill’s error for the first goal, Walcott finished off a fine move from close range for the second and Ozil exchanged passes with Sanchez before striking the third. All within the first 40 minutes.
Conte was visibly agitated when questioned about his side’s shocking display at the back.
‘Was I angry at half-time? Yes, but I prefer to keep my words, because it’s right when I talk with my players, to keep what I tell them,’ Conte said.
‘This is normal. Sure I was angry, but my players were also angry. Because we weren’t satisfied with our game, with our performance. I don’t sleep, sure. I don’t sleep. This is normal. After this game, this defeat, it’s normal for me not to sleep. I reflect. And it’s important to reflect.’
There’s plenty to reflect on.
– Daily Mail