“A great team doesn’t concede three goals or four goals against Watford” – Antonio Conte defends why he played defensively against Man United

Chelsea won the FA Cup on Saturday playing pragmatic football against Manchester United to lift the trophy and Antonio Conte defends why he played such a tactic.

The Italian manager has been criticized a lot this season after his side failed to get into the latter stages of key competitions or place better in the Premier League standings.

Chelsea finished the Premier League campaign 30 points behind winners Manchester City with only 70 points, five behind Tottenham Hotspur who finished the season with 75 points.

Their disappointing campaign meant many expected them to be overrun by Man United in the cup final. But Conte had different plans.

He plotted to play a bit more carefully against their top rival after insinuating his side’s demolition against Watford in the Premier League gave him the impetus to go in cautious last Saturday.

Conte says a ‘great team does not concede three goals or four goals against Watford’.

“If you ask me if we can play better then, yes, we can play better. But now the real situation of this club is this: we have to play strong defensively if you want to win a trophy or to get a place in the Champions League.  Maybe we missed the Champions League this season because we tried to play very open and in this moment you can’t do this especially with a strong team because to concede three goals in seven games it means you don’t have stability. A great team doesn’t concede three goals or four goals against Watford.

Then, against Manchester United, it was the only way, the only way to lift a trophy. Now we are in this moment and if you want to change then we can change our idea, but you must change many players. Understand?”

Antonio Conte, Telegraph

Chelsea News