We are still struggling to catch our breath after that humdinger of a helter skelter of a Lewis Carroll of a match. Yet, despite the chaos, there were three lessons Tony Conte would be mindful of, as they undertake their next trip to Arsenal.
#1 Fabregas Is Not An Expendable
It wasn’t just hype that made Cesc Fabregas one of the most productive playmakers in Europe, with assists statistics challenging the likes of Andres Iniesta, Frank Lampard and the who’s who of European elites, when he was barely out of his teen. Granted, that he might be a bit of a brat, and he doesn’t quite pull his weight when it comes to defensive groundwork, he still is, without a shadow of a doubt the player with the most vision in a Chelsea team filled with grafters, and players who wear blinders when they run, found the game tilted on its head and spun around. With Matic and Kante manning the barricades, Fabregas hunted down space and positioned himself best to resurrect his Chelsea career. The question now is, would Conte trust him enough to build a team around him?
#2 Give Cesar His Pedestal
Leicester City couldn’t cope with him. Cesar Azpilicueta is perhaps one of the most dependable players in the entire Chelsea squad, well, apart from John Terry. A standout player who took responsibility, even in the wreckages of Jose Mourinho’s last season, he’s one Tony Conte can bank a house on. But saying that, there is the temptation to let him do what he does, without the risk of letting him explore his game. Tony would acknowledge that managers oftentimes typecast a player. But on last night’s showing, the Italian would be made aware of the Spaniard’s swashbuckling qualities, when he is given the luxury and the initiative to bomb forward.
His goal was an absolute corker, and he has shown in his time in Osasuna and Marseille, that he’s just as reliable when he’s on the front foot. Should Tony Conte coax that ability out of him, he’d find himself with a glorious plethora of tactical options he can deploy. Not the least, his much-favoured 3-5-2.
#3 Nathaniel Chalobah’s Has Kicked The Door Down
The introduction of the Sierra Leone man made Fabregas explode into life. Him sitting back gave Fabregas the freedom to go forward with reckless abandon and deal the killer blows that keeled the Foxes over. Not daunted by the occasion, he played the odd 40-yard pass, that showed his nerveless qualities. It about time he gets chosen over the anaemic displays of Nemanja Matic.
