Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Antonio Conte’s Chelsea have won both their opening games but have left it late in which to do so. Last weekend’s win away at Watford was in no small part thanks to Conte’s second half substitutions which turned the tide of the game and help them overturn their first half deficit.
They haven’t quite looked as scintillating as both Manchester clubs but they are doing the most important thing and that’s picking up wins. Added to that they have a Diego Costa who looks like the one of old, he has been the man who has turned draws into victories over the past couple of weekends and you would fancy him to do it again on Saturday.
Burnley will come to Stamford Bridge full of confidence after their win against Liverpool last weekend and Sean Dyche will have his men well drilled for battle in West London, whether or not they have the quality to pick up points on the road remains to be seen.
It’s going to be an old age battle of continental flair versus domestic determination but which one will win out. If Chelsea can make it three from three then you get the feeling that the transformation from last season would have been a quick one and their rivals will have to sit up and take notice.
Andre Gray may have opened his Premier League account last week but then made the headlines for the wrong reasons, Burnley fans will rightly or wrongly back their player because that is the nature of football fans the best thing Gray can do is get his head down and emulate last weeks efforts with a goal at Stamford Bridge it won’t make people forget about what happened but at least it will put the focus back onto matters on the field.
Chelsea may have picked up maximum points but they have had to very much earn them the hard way, again it raises the argument do you want to win ugly and pick up the points or be easy on the eye and not get the job done. Any sensible fan would pick the former and to be honest after disaster of last season it’s what Chelsea need to do and with Conte they have the man in which to deliver that.
The Blues haven’t quite been at their best but that said I can’t see Burnley pulling off two upsets in the space of a week. I think Chelsea will manage to go three wins from three as the revolution at Stamford Bridge begins to pick up some real pace.
