Chelsea balls: Conte walks, counting your roosting chickens and the sack race
Chelsea are playing with power and pace. Undefeated since the Premier League’s opening day – and with every game since a victory – the champions are looking strong. The Daily Mirror’s Darren Lewis has noticed:
Chelsea’s critics were at it on Deadline Day. Never mind that boss Antonio Conte had proved them wrong before, by turning Marcos Alonso, Victor Moses and David Luiz into title winners.
A pox on those clueless critics. Like the wally who on August 13 wrote:
The trouble this time is that the chickens are coming home to roost after Antonio Conte ’s champions failed to build from a position of strength… Someone, somewhere has dropped the ball. As it stands, Chelsea have now been beaten in three official games since winning the title last season: the FA Cup final, the Community Shield and now this.
On August 17 some knee-jerker wrote:
It is a continuing crisis for a man knee-deep in it this summer:
Cost was on his way out the door:
The biggest fear is that the man who did so well to win so many people over in his debut campaign last season, could walk away…
All Darren Lewis, of course, who get a sympathetic ear at the Mirror, which seems to have it in for the likeable Conte. On August 6, John Cross warned Conte:
Antonio Conte should fear the Community Shield curse after vulnerable Chelsea’s Wembley defeat to Arsenal. The Wembley curse is hanging dangerously for a third year running with Antonio Conte fearing he could become the latest victim.
The last two managers – Claudio Ranieri and Jose Mourinho – to win the title were both sacked midway through the following season after also losing the Community Shield.
And on August 14, Matt Lawless added:
Antonio Conte won title – and could now win sack race! Bookmakers think Chelsea boss will be axed first
“Antonio Conte is already clinging to his job,” opined one caption.
It’s almost as if you can’t judge an entire season on one performance.
Posted: 14th, September 2017 | In: Back pages, Chelsea, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
