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Conte eyes title glory as Blues go on a record run
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ANTONIO Conte has challenged his Chelsea stars to use their club-record run of 12 successive victories as the foundation to win the English Premier League title.
Conte’s side moved seven points clear at the top after a 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Monday and it is now just two more victories away from equalling Arsenal’s EPL record of 14 consecutive wins.
Should the Blues defeat Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur in their next two games, they will have earned a significant statistical landmark.
But it is trophies that matter most to former Juventus and Italy boss Conte and he has set his sights on leading Chelsea to the EPL crown it last won in May 2015.
“I prefer to win the title than the record,” Conte told Chelsea TV. “Records are important, but not all. It’s important to write history only when you win.
“To be in the history of the club and to win 12 games in a row is fantastic. But with the players we want to continue.”
Bournemouth switched to three at the back to try to match the Chelsea formation that has proved such a success since Conte first deployed it earlier this season. But Conte’s men still proved too strong and the Italian views teams changing tactics as a mark of respect.
It is a nice problem for Conte to have, and one that is familiar after his time at Juventus, which won 33 of 38 games under him in 2013-14.
“After 12 wins in a row, every team who play against Chelsea try also to change their formation. It happened also in Italy when I was manager of Juventus,” Conte said. “We must be prepared for the formation of our opponent (to change). I think this means great respect for us.”
Going into Monday’s match with Diego Costa and N’Golo Kante suspended, it was widely assumed Conte would throw in 33 million pounds (US$40.54 million) buy Michy Batshuayi for his first league start up front.
Instead the manager sprung a surprise by playing without a recognized striker and was rewarded with inventive attacking displays from two-goal Spaniard Pedro, Belgian Eden Hazard, who got the other from the penalty spot, and Brazilian Willian.
Approaching the halfway point of the season, Chelsea has 46 points to the 39 of Manchester City which won 3-0 at Hull City.
Liverpool, which was hosting Stoke yesterday, and Arsenal, which needed a late Olivier Giroud goal to sink West Bromwich Albion 1-0, both have 37 points.
Sixth-placed Manchester United kept in touch thanks to a 3-1 defeat of Sunderland at Old Trafford while Leicester City’s struggles continued when it lost 0-2 at home to Everton and the champion is now two places and three points above the relegation zone.
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