Chelsea have been undergoing a disastrous season and almost hit rock bottom with their weak performance but could things change for the better soon. According to Gazetta dello Sport, Antonio Conte has agreed to become their new boss.
That’s right, Guus Hiddink will be bidding farewell at the end of the season after handing the job to the Italian. The Premier League champions have been gunning down for a long-term replacement after the sacking of Jose Mourinho and Conte seems to fit the package for them.
The 46 year-old, currently in charge of the Italian national team, has agreed a deal-in principle with the club and will possibly step down from managing Italy after the 2016 Euro Cup. Not to mention, it is also Conte’s first job outside of his home nation.
Chelsea certainly was not in their best form this season. Though there are a number of valid reasons on why the Blues could not keep their flag flying high.
First of all, it’s fair to argue that the Chelsea players have looked complacent and the lack of signings may have influenced the squad morale. Last year’s title winning squad may have been strong enough but they probably should have bolstered the squad with a couple of new signings.
There’s an argument that old is gold but age plays a minor factor to their deterioration. In the world of sports, there’s a limit to how well your body can perform and in the case of Chelsea, some players seem to be catching up with age, including Branislav Ivanovic whom just turned 32 yesterday and John Terry. Though age seems to be an old excuse but there is a limit to how long one can play and there’s no point relying too much on the seniors when you’re brewing the younger players.
The Blues also seem to be over reliant on Diego Costa to deliver the goods. When Eden Hazard strikes a bad run of form, where’s the party for Costa?
Managers are important and this could be seen during Mourinho’s era. The Portuguese was deemed a legend but his actions may have affected the team’s current performance. Previously, Mourinho sold off Juan Mata, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku with claims that they did not suit his style of playing. From a subjective point of view, the lost of these players could be crucial. With Chelsea’s underlying delivery and dismal, players like Mata could have stepped in for Hazard when he was not doing well. Lukaku could have been the answer when Costa was struggling. De Bruyne has been performing excellently in Manchester City before his injury. With new man Conte, things could be resolved.
Overall, there’s no denying Chelsea slid drastically and there are many factors behind it. However, can Conte be the man to fix it and revive the team’s glory days? Chelsea fans will certainly be hoping so.
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