Chelsea manager-Antonio Conte addressed assembled media at the club’s Cobham training centre at lunchtime this afternoon ahead of his team’s trip to Tottenham’s temporary homebase-The Wembley Stadium.

The manager responded to different questions ranging from injury updates on Tiemoue Bakayoko and Eden Hazard, possilibility of David Luiz starting as a midfielder against Spurs and expectedly, he did not mince words about the future of Diego Costa at the club.

The Blues manager kicked-off by stating the obvious concerning the shrink outlook of the Chelsea squad ahead of the trip to Spurs…

‘’You know very well our situation after these two red cards. We are preparing very well and must be focused on the pitch, on the game to do our best to not find an excuse. It can happen to receive two red cards, they miss the next game but a club like Chelsea must be ready for this situation.’’

‘’I am not worried about this. For sure at this moment it is not simple, not easy, but we must be strong to face this situation. I repeat it is important not to find an excuse about this moment. It’s important to work, everyone give 150 per cent.’’

He continued by giving updates on injury and fitness of his players like Eden Hazard and Tiemoue Bakayoko respectively…
‘’Hazard is improving, but to be fully fit we must have patience and do the best for him.

About Bakayoko, he is improving very well he is not at the top of physical condition. But I think he can be in contention for the game, because I don’t have another midfielder. Pedro has trained with us today; he had pain in his ankle.

I don’t know if he is available on the bench. Bakayoko, his situation is not easy at the moment; it could force me to make a different decision. At this moment some players don’t have 100 per cent.

Also Morata is another player to continue to work to. We have to find the right solution; I have to face a difficult situation. Bakayoko could be in contention, why not’’?

Funnily, after throwing subtle jibes during the pre-season at his London rival during the pre-season; Antonio Conte reserved some compliments for Tottenham’s boss-Mauricio Pochettino for the good ‘base’ he has established for the team.

I think they are doing a great job in this year; Pochettino is doing a great job. He has built a great base, foundation for his club.

We must do the same, we don’t have these bases. We must try to do the same. I have great respect for Tottenham; they are doing a great job They are challenging for the title. I have great respect for their job, I want to help my club to build the same solid foundation, we don’t have this.

We need time to work, to improve. I thought this season would be difficult, we lost a lot of strong players that built a strong base. Terry, Mikel, Ivanovic, and now we need to find the right way to build and it’s right to know we must have patience to build for the future. We have to work very hard’’

As ever, the Premier League winning manager gave more insights into the transfer activities at the club as the summer transfer window winds down.

‘’I think that my task is to work with my players, to improve my team and players.

This is my task; I know that the club is working to try to do the best in the transfer market.

I have to continue with my players, to try to improve the team. Then at the end of the transfer market I will be very happy’’.

Antonio Conte was more cautious while responding to the possibility of starting both Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi upfront on Sunday. The manager revealed his intentions;

‘’I think everything is possible, but then I have to think that there is a game, the game has 95 minutes and I must have to find the solution to change the game, with different options. I have to try to think to bring on the bench the possibility to change the game’’.

The Italian was evasive in providing answers to whether he regrets sanctioning the sale of Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek?

Interestingly, he gave a biggest hint on his possible midfield options on Sunday and revealed his admiration for the versatility of David Luiz who once could also start as a midfielder on Sunday against Spurs…

‘’I am trying different solutions, to find the right characteristics to play in this role. I am not worried about this; I tried to transfer this concept to my players. I am sure we are ready’’

In the past he played in the midfield, I prefer him to play central defence. We are trying to find a different solution. He is a player to play in different solutions, it is a pleasure to have this sort of player’’.

The Chelsea gaffer revealed that Christensen is ready to play for Chelsea and also registered his gladness to see the former Chelsea loanee’s performance against Burnley last timeout…

‘’I trust him; he is a player ready to play for Chelsea. I trust Christensen. Last week he played a good game, he can improve a lot. For sure he is a good prospect to be a Chelsea player. He had two years with Borussia Monchengladbach’’.

He ended his press conference by dropping some words to the Chelsea fans…

‘’I can tell the only thing that we are working very hard to try to do the best for the club. Football is not good to try to create the illusion. The only words thought that I can tell our fans is that we are working very hard for the players to have a good season. You know very well there are situations that you can’t control’’.


Source: http://ninnomedia.com/details-of-contes-pre-match-conference-today-on-costa-injury-updates-and-more/

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