Gruelling schedule putting strain on Chelsea as Antonio Conte is forced into 'risks'

Simon Johnson18 October 2017

Antonio Conte is finding three games a week a difficult challenge. Here we are two months into the campaign and already there has been plenty of evidence that Chelsea are struggling with a more intense schedule.

No one can dispute that the Blues were the best team in the League last season and deservedly won the title.

However, the absence of European football at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1996-7 was seen as a major advantage.

Conte could give his players more rest than other clubs, while also having a full week to prepare for a match.

Fortune sometimes plays a part when it comes to injuries but clearly aches and strains can be managed better with fewer games.

In the top flight last term, Conte made just 53 changes to his starting XI — only West Brom had fewer (49). It meant that Chelsea’s side had a very settled look.

That crucial understanding between the first-choice players was allowed to grow each week and they were able to build an almost unstoppable momentum, as their 13-game winning streak in the Premier League between October-January demonstrated.

All observers, and Conte himself, knew it would be harder to repeat such form this term with the return of the Champions League.

The start to their title defence has already begun to suggest that, with three defeats coming in the opening eight League matches.

Chelsea training on 17th October 2017 - In pictures

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But the results only tell part of the story, the varying standard of performances provides a huge indication too.Three weeks ago, Chelsea arguably put in their best display under Conte when they won at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Yet a few days later, they were second rate against Manchester City.

A number of players then went away for the international break and another feeble display followed, this time against bottom club Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Unlike 12 months ago, Conte is having to rotate in order to meet the demands of so many fixtures, although not all of his selections have been by choice.

Seven of his squad — N’Golo Kante, Alvaro Morata, Pedro, Eden Hazard, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Victor Moses and Danny Drinkwater — have been unavailable at one time or another because of injury.

There has also been the inconvenience of four players serving a suspension — Gary Cahill, Cesc Fabregas, David Luiz and Moses.

Those issues have caused Conte to make 19 changes to his first XI in the Premier League alone. That is already over a third of last year’s total with just eight matches gone.

Is it any wonder that Chelsea have been far more inconsistent compared to Conte’s first year at the club? It was a problem that dominated the pre-match press conference.

Marcos Alonso was part of the Chelsea side that so impressed in their last Champions League group game, in Madrid, only to lose their next two domestic matches in such underwhelming fashion.

When asked to explain the difference, he said: “It’s not easy to play 100 per cent, even more after the international week, with lots of hard work and training.

“When you play in four competitions, there are so many games and because of this there is more risk of injury or tiredness.

“We need to quickly change things. We’ve been working well and tonight is a good chance to put in a performance like we did in Madrid.”

Injured Drinkwater has not made an appearance since joining in the summer
Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Conte is renowned for being demanding during training and there is little sign of the Italian going easier on his players.

Chelsea’s players were ordered back to their Cobham base on Sunday in order to get ready for the visit of Roma — a decision taken before the loss at Selhurst Park.

Conte spent all of pre-season voicing concerns about a lack of signings and the size of the squad.

Chelsea did bring in six new players but far more were allowed to depart permanently or on loan.

Conte appears to suggest the lack of options is a factor for the amount of injuries and defeats.

He said: “The situation is difficult. We have to play every three days and it’s not simple.

“In this moment, we [the squad] are ‘thin’ and we have to always play the same players. There is this type of risk to have other injuries.

“Also we have players in our team who are not used to playing three games in a week. For Kante, it’s the first time. For Moses, Morata and Alonso it’s the same.

“When you have a lot of games, you need to rotate players. If this is not possible, I have to take risks.”

A win tonight will keep Chelsea firmly on course for the last 16 of the Champions League but continuing to advance in Europe’s premier club competition could come at a cost.

Champions League | Group C

Pos Team P W D L GD Pts
1 Chelsea 2 2 0 0 7 6
2 AS Roma 2 1 1 0 1 4
3 Atletico Madrid 2 0 1 1 -1 1
4 Qarabag 2 0 0 2 -7 0

12/09/2017

Roma 0 Atletico 0
Chelsea 6 Qarabag 0

27/09/2017

Qarabag 1 Roma 2
Atletico 1 Chelsea 2

18/10/2017

1945 | Chelsea vs Roma
1700 | Qarabag vs Atletico

31/10/2017

1945 | Atletico vs Qarabag
1945 | Roma vs Chelsea

22/11/2017

1700 | Qarabag vs Chelsea
1945 | Atletico vs Roma

05/12/2017

1945 | Roma vs Qarabag
1945 | Chelsea vs Atletico

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