Chelsea is a team of many different parts and abilities. Every man knows his place in Conte's scheme. Players like Fabregas and Willian would be stars on others sides, even as they do not always start on this Chelsea squad. However, Chelsea would not be where they are without either of them. Conte's team mentality is why they might win the EPL this year. Yet, with four games to go they cannot afford to slip. If Tottenham wins all their games, and Chelsea ties two, Tottenham wins on goal differential. While Tottenham is a wonderfully talented and exciting side, they have not shown that they can win on the big stage. They were easily bounced from the Champions and Europa League tournaments, and got beaten by Chelsea in the FA Cup at Wembley. Being a Champion is as much psychological as physical. Chelsea knows how to win, and that is why they probably will take the EPL this year. As to next year, look for improvements in the side, which will produce more clinical football.
The national European soccer leagues should have playoffs at the end of the season to determine the champions just as American sports leagues do. The other cup playoffs they have throughout the season are not as meaningful. Also the Cup Winners' Cup should be restored at the European level. Alot of popular and excellent teams never get far in the current system. Just alot of boring rematches.
1
Conte's team shows the mental toughness that the manager exhibited in his almost 300 appearances for Juventus. I'm not a Chelsea supporter, but I must say it's well deserved. Cheers and early congratulations.
1
Love waking up to A Chelsea Morning. Blue and White forwever! Hoping for a double combined with the FA Cup. But not having to play Champions League has helped. That said I enjoy this team. Perhaps not as flashy as Drogba sides but The Bridge still puts on a great show. Just waiting for complaints about our Russian oligarch owner. Maybe he is wiretapping the EPL!
1
What a poor article. Arsenal 'exciting and brash' ? This Arsenal team that has been been so easily brushed aside so many times this season? And it makes us (Chelsea) sound boring. So why are we the league's top scorers? Why is Eden Hazard surely the most exciting player in the league? And why is it that Chelsea this season has scored so many spectacular goals?
3
"Fragile" teams? Maybe.
But who in their right mind would trade the Premier League for any league in the world. Quite simply, there's nothing like it. We can only thank the blessed Gods of technology for making its games so readily available for our pleasure.
Is it more fun to watch Chelsea, or Liverpool in full stride? Or Tottenham when they're really going? Or what Man City used to be, and on some days half can? Or even sometimes these days, Man United (though wouldn't they be more exciting with strong minutes from Fosu-Mensah?)?
Hazard weaving through? Costa bulldozing or finessing fabulous passes? Kante everywhere? Fabregas/Pedro, making magic on their good days? Willian racing by? There's plenty to see and be bewitched by at Chelsea, regardless of the current rage of admiring their supposed stolidity and seriousness of purpose.
But the beauty of the Premier League is that Chelsea are only one of the many stories and teams that anyone would want to watch on their good days. Do many of the teams have bad days? Sure they do. But I wouldn't give up their excitement on their good days, for anything. Crash and burn all you want in Europe, EPL teams, just keep churning out those fabulous Sunday, Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday, etc., matches!
But who in their right mind would trade the Premier League for any league in the world. Quite simply, there's nothing like it. We can only thank the blessed Gods of technology for making its games so readily available for our pleasure.
Is it more fun to watch Chelsea, or Liverpool in full stride? Or Tottenham when they're really going? Or what Man City used to be, and on some days half can? Or even sometimes these days, Man United (though wouldn't they be more exciting with strong minutes from Fosu-Mensah?)?
Hazard weaving through? Costa bulldozing or finessing fabulous passes? Kante everywhere? Fabregas/Pedro, making magic on their good days? Willian racing by? There's plenty to see and be bewitched by at Chelsea, regardless of the current rage of admiring their supposed stolidity and seriousness of purpose.
But the beauty of the Premier League is that Chelsea are only one of the many stories and teams that anyone would want to watch on their good days. Do many of the teams have bad days? Sure they do. But I wouldn't give up their excitement on their good days, for anything. Crash and burn all you want in Europe, EPL teams, just keep churning out those fabulous Sunday, Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday, etc., matches!
10
Surely you jest - any mid tier La Liga team could and would make a meal of the best PL teams. Note how far Totenham progressed in the CL
2
Spot on AJ!
1
The Premier League is overrated. The Italian is underrated. And I don't even know why they call this an "English" league. The best team coached by an Englishman was at No 12, last time I looked, and most excitement on the field is generated by players from elsewhere, because the youth development program is semi-broken. For anybody who hasn't grown up on it, it holds little interest, sorry.
2
It is not just defense and counterattacks. Chelsea will spread players wide and absorb a strong press with icy cool. One of the reasons Chelsea seems so fit is other teams tire themselves out trying to force errors that never come.
2
Anyway you want to look at it makes little difference. "Blue is the colour, football is the game. We're all together and Chelsea is our name."
4
Chelsea will likely win the EPL this year, but if you are thinking of getting filled with how great they are consider:
1) No European play so a much lighter schedule. No Champions league.
2) Scores:
Tottenham 2 - Chelsea 0
ManU 2 - Chelsea 0
Arsenal 3 - chelsea 0
It's not just that Chelsea lost all these matches to some of the best other EPL teams, but they were never really in any of them.
Chelsea won the EPL two years ago, then folded up last year. Mainly the same team.
So, is Chelsea ready to compete with the best of Europe? Maybe not.
Can you be sure they will be great next year? I don't know.
1) No European play so a much lighter schedule. No Champions league.
2) Scores:
Tottenham 2 - Chelsea 0
ManU 2 - Chelsea 0
Arsenal 3 - chelsea 0
It's not just that Chelsea lost all these matches to some of the best other EPL teams, but they were never really in any of them.
Chelsea won the EPL two years ago, then folded up last year. Mainly the same team.
So, is Chelsea ready to compete with the best of Europe? Maybe not.
Can you be sure they will be great next year? I don't know.
6
You are right, and all at the club are grateful for no Europe this year.
But last year's problems were with personality. Much as he had been in the past so successful with the club Mourinho had engendered a poor atmosphere, and in the end it cost him - but not much. Abramovich still likes him and, let's face it, he is now with a much more famous club. There's no need to worry about Chelsea's future, backed as they are by a soccer-loving billionaire.
But last year's problems were with personality. Much as he had been in the past so successful with the club Mourinho had engendered a poor atmosphere, and in the end it cost him - but not much. Abramovich still likes him and, let's face it, he is now with a much more famous club. There's no need to worry about Chelsea's future, backed as they are by a soccer-loving billionaire.
2
Rather unfair to quote selective statistics; on the flip side:
PL MATCHES
Chelsea 4 - Manchester United 0
Chelsea 2 - Tottenham Hotspur 1
Manchester City 1 - Chelsea 3
Chelsea 3 - Arsenal 1
Chelsea 2 - Manchester City 1
FA Cup
Chelsea 1 - Manchester United 0
Chelsea 4 - Tottenham Hotspur 2
Changes the narrative, I'd say...
PL MATCHES
Chelsea 4 - Manchester United 0
Chelsea 2 - Tottenham Hotspur 1
Manchester City 1 - Chelsea 3
Chelsea 3 - Arsenal 1
Chelsea 2 - Manchester City 1
FA Cup
Chelsea 1 - Manchester United 0
Chelsea 4 - Tottenham Hotspur 2
Changes the narrative, I'd say...
3
This is interesting since I thought Chelsea has played more than three games the whole season. I thought they pounded Manchester United 4-0 and then they beated them again 1-0. They also went to beat Arsenal 3-1 while also winning twice against Tottenham 2-1 and 4-2. So is Chelsea the best team in England? Obvious. Can they win the UCL next year? Well, is there any other team that can compete?!
1
This is strange article. Citing post-match quotes from defeated managers is bound to elicit underwhelming praise - what would you have them say: "Chelsea were more brilliant than us"? Yet among neutral fans, glowing plaudits for Conte's Chelsea - after last season's stifled implosion under Jose Mourinho - is almost universal. As they close in on the title, Chelsea are rightly regarded as supremely dynamic, surgical and exciting, and in Eden Hazard celebrate one of the world's most gifted, creative players. And whether or not you believe the Premier League revels in a "saloon brawl atmosphere", if you trawled opinion for the one player who you'd most expect to see smashing tables, blindsiding the barman, busting out of jail and making off with the Sheriff's girl in an old-fashioned Western melee, Chelsea top scorer Diego Costa would without doubt head the field.
6
Other than Kante, this is mostly the same squad that won the league at a canter just two seasons ago under a different, defensive minded manager.
There is nothing to critique. They are pretty easily the best team in the league, full stop.
There is nothing to critique. They are pretty easily the best team in the league, full stop.
8
Conte has set Chelsea up to be the best team without the ball & this excellence, in the most part, goes unnoticed. Without the ball they position themselves to control the space and the very quickly transition to attack when back in possession. So simple but so difficult to execute.
8
That's very confident of you state that Chelsea WILL win the league. It looks likely, very likely, but Sports and certainties don't necessarily compliment each other. As a Chelsea fan, I refuse to get carried away and will take it one game at a time. Looking forward to hearing you on Monday's podcast with Mark Chapman. I hope Sutton is not there .
1
I agree. This talk of it being done and dusted makes me nervous. And of course Arsenal couldn't be bothered to compete properly today in the North London derby...heaven forbid they limit Spurs to a point.
2
Couldn't be bothered to compete properly? Are you implying Arsenal didn't try to win against the Spurs? Their biggest rivals? That's ridiculous. The truth is that currently Tottenham is the most exciting, most in-form team in the EPL. However Conte's Chelsea's lead is too great especially considering their remaining games. They are the overwhelming favorite to win the league and Conte deserves all the accolades.
1