Sport
WHY CHELSEA ARE DARK HORSES OF PREMIER LEAGUE
This year’s Premier League season is destined to be one that football fans will remember. There’s been a distinct lack of top quality teams in the past few campaigns, but with new managers, players and an injection of innovative ideas, there are a number of clubs you could quite easily say will win the Premier League. Chelsea are dark horses.
The focus throughout the opening few weeks – and especially this weekend – has been primarily on the two clubs in Manchester. José Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are two globally successful managers and there’s talk wherever they go. Not only that, but look at who they’ve both recruited: Zlatan Ibrahimović, Paul Pogba, Leroy Sané, Ilkay Gündogan etc. High profile names.
Though, down in London, Antonio Conte and his Chelsea team are just warming up. Their opening few games have been shaky and on edge, but it’s evident to see that they have the winning mentality from the Italian instilled in them already.
The Blues haven’t spent a great deal this summer – a surprise was bringing in David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain two years on after selling him, but other than the Brazilian, they’ve recruited smartly and only for players they needed. There was no statement laid down from Chelsea.
Conte now has the privilege of managing away from the spotlight; he’s in the shadows, ready to eventually make his move and strike. There’s been remote talk of Chelsea possibly winning the title, but it’s muted by the two overwhelming clubs in the North West.
If you ask any manager or any player, they’ll say they’re at their best when there’s no intense scrutiny and pressure placed on them. None of this ‘favourites’ talk – just take a look at how England fared this summer in France.
Chelsea aren’t the favourites. They’re not even the second favourites. They’re third or fourth, and this plays perfectly into Conte’s hands. Like Claudio Ranieri of Leicester City, the Blues boss can manage in a relaxed (as relaxed as that environment can be) setting.
Some teams thrive – though, rarely – and some teams crumble like an apple pie when the temperature rises. Spurs reaped the benefits of being the outsiders when attempting to hunt down Leicester in last year’s title challenge, but then look at how they lost their tempers against Chelsea when the pressure was on. Small margins when knowing you’ve got to win at a certain time can make the best of teams self-implode.
Chelsea have been through the ringer in the last season – underperformance and underinvestment occurred and for a club of their standard, it wasn’t good enough and complacency had set firmly in.
Conte isn’t a manager to rest on his laurels and settle for second best, when he wants something he’ll go out and do the very best to achieve the end goal. Chelsea will always be in the shadows, and they’ll always be waiting, but when the time comes, expect them to pounce and not let go.
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