Antonio Conte is under increasing pressure at Chelsea after a third consecutive 0-0. The team looked tired but also uninspired, and his team selection had people scratching their heads.
One moment that seemed to define the game came when Conte took off Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas, the two most creative players on the pitch for his side.
Neither of them was playing well, but it still seemed an odd call to take off your most dangerous weapons as you searched for a goal.
But speaking to the BBC after the game, Antonio Conte defended his decision.
“I think the substitution was good. Because then the game changed, we started to attack, we created chances to try to score.”
What made it more frustrating was the fact that Leicester got their red card just a couple of minutes after Willian and Pedro came on. If the red had happened earlier, the coach may well have opted to take off a more defensive player for one of the attackers.
In the end the die was cast and he couldn’t undo what he’d done. Unfortunately for him, it was left looking like a more defensive move than it really was when viewed in hindsight.
