Antonio Conte is just as frustrated with Chelsea’s season as you

Two games to go, two points to close on Spurs. For the first time in forever, Chelsea find themselves putting pressure on Spurs rather than the other way around. The times, they are truly changing. Let’s all look out the window and check if pigs are indeed flying (it’s now that we can be thankful that Chelsea were outbid for Battersea).

That’s not to say this is a good situation. It’s much better to be pressured than to be the one doing the pressuring — unless either Liverpool or Spurs continue to implode in hilarious fashion. Schadenfreude is man’s best friend and I’d be hard-pressed to pick which of the two I’d prefer to suffer such ignominy. Actually, Spurs.

Antonio Conte is a tad bit classier than that, at least in public, and doesn’t seem to be looking at the full potential of this situation. He’s only concerned with the actual footballing matters (gah, boring!), which is not nearly as glorious at the moment.

“I prefer to stay ahead and the other teams to have the pressure to put pressure on us like last season.

”Don’t forget that in the last 12 games Tottenham tried winning ten games to put pressure until the end and we were able to win many games and keep the right distance to win the title.

”It is easier to stay ahead of the other teams also because you know the situation is in your hands and not the other hands.”

Indeed, Conte is right about Spurs’ good form as it was their six consecutive wins in Premier League, after their 2-2 draw against Liverpool, which seemed to have all but ended Chelsea’s hopes for happiness in this season.

Of course, Spurs are gonna Spurs and what has followed that impressive run has been equally as ... “impressive”. Spurs have lost three and drawn one of their last five games with their sole victory coming against Watford. And if we believe in past results influencing future returns, their recent records against Newcastle and Leicester aren’t exactly stellar either.

Liverpool’s form isn’t any better as they’ve drawn two and lost two of their last five games. These performances have left both these clubs feeling the pressure as the end of the Premier League draws near.

“The only way to put a bit of pressure is this, to get three points in every game and in the last month we did this. We won three tough games away at Southampton, Burnley and Swansea and one game at home against Liverpool.

”We are doing our job in the best way to put a bit of pressure on Liverpool and Tottenham but for sure the situation is not in our hands and they have the possibility to win the last game against Brighton to reach the Champions League and it is the same for Tottenham.

”They have two games at home and it will be enough to win one game and draw and then for goal difference we are penalized in this situation.”

It is quite frustrating that even after our rivals’ implosion and our five game win streak, our future is still not in our hands. Instead, we have to rely on luck and pray that our rivals drop points just to reach the top four.

Chelsea, unlike some clubs, don’t consider a top four finish to be a trophy and the fact that we have to fight so hard just to finish in the top four shows that there have been a lot of errors this season, whether it’s in planning or execution. Errors which need to be corrected before they become a habit.

“For sure there is a bit of disappointment because this season we dropped many points in a stupid way against teams, especially after games when we dominated the game and create many chances but we weren’t able to score more goals and the result was bad for us.

”We must be disappointed for this but now there is not time to regret because we have to play two games against Huddersfield and Newcastle and then the final of the FA Cup and at the end of the season we will see our season.”

“Our expectations are to have a tough game and Huddersfield are fighting to avoid relegation for this reason we must pay great attention and we have to play another tough game after only two days of rest and against Liverpool we spent a lot of mental and physical energy.

”We must be good to recover and find the right solution and to think you can win the game in 90 minutes and not in the way that you start. We must be clever and try to win the game in the whole 90 minutes.”

-Antonio Conte; Source: football.london

The situation isn’t ideal, for sure. Huddersfield are fighting for their survival and thus, Chelsea must expect a tough game, especially coming so soon after Sunday’s exertions in the hard-fought victory over Liverpool.

We definitely need to be clever and avoid any mishaps, as unlike Manchester City who drew 0-0 against Huddersfield in their last game, we cannot afford to drop any points. We need them and we need them all.

Let us hope that we can finish this season on a high. Life without Champions League is a boring, boring life.

FORZA CHELSEA!