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Agence France-Presse

Chelsea’s troubled season hit a new low on Monday as the Premier League champions crashed to a 4-1 loss at Watford that heaped fresh pressure on beleaguered boss Antonio Conte.
Less than a year after being hailed as the mastermind of Chelsea’s title triumph, Conte appears destined to become the latest high-profile boss to pay the price for failing to satisfy ruthless Blues owner Roman Abramovich.
With fourth-placed Chelsea trailing 19 points behind leaders Manchester City, Abramovich is reported to be considering replacements for Conte, with former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique strongly linked with the job.
Take a look at the reasons for Chelsea’s collapse:

Conte loses the plot
The champagne corks had barely finished popping at the end of Chelsea’s title celebrations in May before Conte bizarrely lost his cool and set off down a path that now looks certain to end with his exit.
Misjudging his power base, Conte felt winning the league should allow him much more say in who came and went from his squad – and first in his sights was notorious malcontent Diego Costa.
Infuriated by Costa’s mood swings and an attempt to engineer a move to China, Conte decided to sell the Spain striker even though his goals had been instrumental in the title success.
But he hadn’t reckoned on Costa going public with a text message from Conte telling him he is not in his plans for next season, a move that prompted the Chelsea boss to exile his forward from the squad.
The situation quickly disintegrated as Costa refused to train with the reserves, leaving Chelsea struggling to find a buyer.

Abramovich was said to be furious and, although Costa eventually got his wish to join Atletico Madrid, the Italian has been on a collision course with the club’s hierarchy ever since.
The breakdown in relations manifested itself in Conte dragging out negotiations over a new contract and when he eventually signed the improved terms, tellingly it did not include an extension.
Already grumbling about his lack of influence over transfers and complaining that Chelsea were not spending as much as their rivals, Conte was livid when Abramovich sanctioned Nemanja Matic’s switch to Manchester United.
It did not help that technical director Michael Emenalo left the club, leaving Marina Granovskaia, a close Abramovich aide, in charge of transfer deals, much to Conte’s chagrin.

Engaging in a petty feud with Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho only added to the perception that Conte was unravelling as Chelsea failed to keep pace with City in the title race.
“That’s the type of wretched result and performance that gets managers the sack,” Henry Winter, chief football writer of The Times, said of the rout at Watford.
Yet Conte has never seemed settled in England, with his family only joining him this year, and he seems unruffled by the prospect of leaving.
“I’m not worried. I can be the Chelsea coach or not. What is the problem? My soul is clear,” he said after the Watford game.

Confidence crisis
From the very first day of the season, Chelsea, reflecting their manager’s discontent, have seemed totally out of sync on the pitch.
A shock 3-2 home defeat against Burnley on the opening weekend foreshadowed the problems to come, with Conte claiming it could take four years to build a team capable of consistently winning silverware.
That downbeat assessment hardly inspired Conte’s players, who were already reported to be chafing at his demanding training sessions and intense personality.
A 3-0 loss at Roma in the Champions League in October exposed more fault lines in a team suddenly bereft of confidence, with the problems exacerbated by David Luiz clashing with the Italian after the defender criticised his tactics.

Adding to Conte’s woes, Tiemoue Bakayoko, signed from Monaco to fill the defensive midfield role vacated by Matic, has endured a dismal season, while Alvaro Morata, the Spain striker brought to replace Costa, has been inconsistent in front of goal and lacks his predecessor’s intimidating physical presence.
Numerous hamstring injuries to Chelsea players this season have led some to question whether Conte’s training methods are culpable, yet he complained that the club had signed too many players, rather than investing their money in marquee recruits like City and Manchester United.


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English Premier League

What’s gone wrong at Chelsea? Why Antonio Conte is facing the sack at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea’s Gary Cahill and his teammates look dejected after their 4-1 defeat by Watford. Photo: Reuters

epa06498840 Chelsea's Tiemoue Bakayoko (C) reacts after being sent off by referee Mike Dean (R) during the English Premier League soccer game between Watford and Chelsea at Vicarage Road Stadium in north London, Britain, 05 February 2018. EPA-EFE/WILL OLIVER No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications

This combination of pictures made in London on January 13, 2018 shows Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho (L) gestures as he awaits kick off in the English Premier League football match between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United at The Hawthorns stadium in West Bromwich, central England, on December 17, 2017 and Chelsea's Italian head coach Antonio Conte (R) before kick off of the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 20, 2017. Jose Mourinho on January 12, 2018 said he felt "contempt" for Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as their toxic public row continues to escalate. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS AND Oli SCARFF / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Chelsea - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - February 5, 2018 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Football Soccer - Premier League - Chelsea vs Burnley - London, Britain - August 12, 2017 Chelsea manager Antonio Conte REUTERS/Dylan Martinez EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Atletico Madrid vs Valencia - Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain - February 4, 2018 Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa heads at goal REUTERS/Susana Vera

Unconcerned Antonio Conte puts ball in Chelsea’s court after Watford hammering

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is under serious pressure after another loss to a bottom-half club. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Chelsea - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - February 5, 2018 Chelsea's Gary Cahill and team mates look dejected after the match REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Chelsea - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - February 5, 2018 Watford's Troy Deeney celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY TEMPLATE OUT

Soccer Football - Premier League - Watford vs Chelsea - Vicarage Road, Watford, Britain - February 5, 2018 Watford's Daryl Janmaat celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Sport

Football

Champions Chelsea are 19 points off the top of the Premier League with club facing a crisis in confidence


What’s gone wrong at Chelsea? Why Antonio Conte is facing the sack at Stamford Bridge

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Champions Chelsea are 19 points off the top of the Premier League with club facing a crisis in confidence

Champions Chelsea are 19 points off the top of the Premier League with club facing a crisis in confidence