After early promise gave way to a worrying
wobble, Antonio Conte has firmly settled
on a system that appears to have
established Chelsea as genuine contenders
for the Premier League title.
While some of Chelsea’s star men have
been reinvigorated by the Italian’s change
of approach, others have been forced to
watch on from the sidelines as their hopes
of first team action slowly evaporate.
The chief victim of
Conte’s revamped
side appears to be
Cesc Fabregas,
whose fall from grace
has been so alarming
it appears he’s on the
verge of being forced
out the club in
January .
From the architect of their last title
winning season to being deemed surplus
to requirements in the space of 18 months,
why has it gone so wrong for Fabregas.
Fabregas was hardly alone in suffering a
dip in form last season as Chelsea
embarked on a spectacularly unsuccessful
defence of the Premier League title, with
Eden Hazard’s decline the most alarming
of all.The Belgian was slow in adjusting to the
demands of Conte’s tactical approach and
was particularly culpable from a defensive
point of view in the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal
which prompted the Italian’s switch to his
preferred formation.
While Fabregas, nursing an injury, hasn’t
been seen in a Chelsea shirt since the
Emirates debacle, Hazard has gleefully
accepted the creative mantle in his
absence, weaving his magic and reminding
us why he was the Premier League’s
outstanding player in 2014/15.
Conte’s system allows for only one free
spirit and it looks like Hazard has got the
gig for good.
Having failed his audition to become the
side’s chief orchestrator, Conte saw
nothing in the Spaniard’s make-up to
suggest he was in any way capable of
protecting a reorganised defence.
Like Hazard, Nemanja Matic has also
rediscovered the championship winning
form he displayed under Mourinho and, to
his credit, has added an extra attacking
purpose to his game, as evidenced by his
four assists already this season.
Meanwhile, headline summer signing
N’Golo Kante has really come to the fore in
the new system, recovering from the shock
of being outmuscled and outpaced by
Mesut Ozil during what appears to be
representing a season-turning drubbing.
In truth, Fabregas’s decline has been
unfolding before our eyes for some time
now, reminiscent of the problems Wayne
Rooney has encountered at Manchester
United.
Like the United captain, Fabregas has
played relentlessly at both club and
international level since his teenage years.
Whereas their respective sides used to be
built around them, on the rare
opportunities they’re being handed first
team opportunities, managers are
shoehorning them into formations and
systems ill-suited to their remaining
qualities.
After being disposed of by Barcelona, who
upon his departure offered a withering
assessment of his performances during
the second half of seasons, he
rediscovered his golden touch at Chelsea
before mirroring his own side’s decline last
term.
When he left the Catalan giants he had the
likes of Manchester United vying with
Chelsea for his signature, while Arsenal
were also considering the idea of bringing
him back to north London, despite their
raft of central midfield options.
It is telling that should he be available for
loan in January, a fallen giant like AC
Milan are likely to be the highest profile
club bidding to snap him up.
After early promise gave way to a worrying
wobble, Antonio Conte has firmly settled
on a system that appears to have
established Chelsea as genuine contenders
for the Premier League title.
While some of Chelsea’s star men have
been reinvigorated by the Italian’s change
of approach, others have been forced to
watch on from the sidelines as their hopes
of first team action slowly evaporate.
The chief victim of
Conte’s revamped
side appears to be
Cesc Fabregas,
whose fall from grace
has been so alarming
it appears he’s on the
verge of being forced
out the club in
January .
From the architect of their last title
winning season to being deemed surplus
to requirements in the space of 18 months,
why has it gone so wrong for Fabregas.
Fabregas was hardly alone in suffering a
dip in form last season as Chelsea
embarked on a spectacularly unsuccessful
defence of the Premier League title, with
Eden Hazard’s decline the most alarming
of all.The Belgian was slow in adjusting to the
demands of Conte’s tactical approach and
was particularly culpable from a defensive
point of view in the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal
which prompted the Italian’s switch to his
preferred formation.
While Fabregas, nursing an injury, hasn’t
been seen in a Chelsea shirt since the
Emirates debacle, Hazard has gleefully
accepted the creative mantle in his
absence, weaving his magic and reminding
us why he was the Premier League’s
outstanding player in 2014/15.
Conte’s system allows for only one free
spirit and it looks like Hazard has got the
gig for good.
Having failed his audition to become the
side’s chief orchestrator, Conte saw
nothing in the Spaniard’s make-up to
suggest he was in any way capable of
protecting a reorganised defence.
Like Hazard, Nemanja Matic has also
rediscovered the championship winning
form he displayed under Mourinho and, to
his credit, has added an extra attacking
purpose to his game, as evidenced by his
four assists already this season.
Meanwhile, headline summer signing
N’Golo Kante has really come to the fore in
the new system, recovering from the shock
of being outmuscled and outpaced by
Mesut Ozil during what appears to be
representing a season-turning drubbing.
In truth, Fabregas’s decline has been
unfolding before our eyes for some time
now, reminiscent of the problems Wayne
Rooney has encountered at Manchester
United.
Like the United captain, Fabregas has
played relentlessly at both club and
international level since his teenage years.
Whereas their respective sides used to be
built around them, on the rare
opportunities they’re being handed first
team opportunities, managers are
shoehorning them into formations and
systems ill-suited to their remaining
qualities.
After being disposed of by Barcelona, who
upon his departure offered a withering
assessment of his performances during
the second half of seasons, he
rediscovered his golden touch at Chelsea
before mirroring his own side’s decline last
term.
When he left the Catalan giants he had the
likes of Manchester United vying with
Chelsea for his signature, while Arsenal
were also considering the idea of bringing
him back to north London, despite their
raft of central midfield options.
It is telling that should he be available for
loan in January, a fallen giant like AC
Milan are likely to be the highest profile
club bidding to snap him up.
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