Conte not looking for excuses or scapegoats: We win together; we lose together

Antonio Conte suffered one of his worst defeats as Chelsea manager on Wednesday, as relegation-battling AFC Bournemouth strode in to Stamford Bridge and strode out with three points and three goals and a clean sheet. Chelsea were toothless in attack (other than a few first-half headed chances), weak in midfield, and shambolic in defense (especially after Andreas Christensen was forced off with yet another — seven in total now — hamstring injury picked up by a Chelsea player this season).

Conte wasn’t looking for excuses however, dismissing any talk of the Batshuayi situation or Christensen’s injury as key difficulties for this game.

There haven’t been too many such days under Conte at the Bridge, and we’d do well to move on quickly from this loss. The players and coaches will have to learn a few things from it of course, but there’s little reason to dwell on it otherwise. Pointing fingers, raging at the world, calling for heads to roll isn’t all that useful.

Win together; lose together, as Conte has said before.

The task for the season doesn’t change: Champions League qualification; FA Cup run; Champions League dreams.

Chelsea have dropped back to fourth, which is the lowest acceptable finishing position. We remain just three points from second after Manchester United lost to Spurs, who are just two points behind the Blues now in fifth. (Arsenal remain well off the pace in sixth.) It’s going to be a dogfight to the end, and we must be ready physically, mentally, emotionally.

Today was bad.

There will be better days.

Forza.