Gary Cahill says Chelsea's players are pulling together again under Antonio Conte after last season's 'disaster'

CAHILL

Gary Cahill says Chelsea are reaping the rewards of the coherent game plan implemented by new boss Antonio Conte.

Former manager Jose Mourinho was sacked last December with Chelsea's Premier League title defence unravelling in startling fashion.

But after losing nine of their opening 16 league games under the Portuguese three-time English championship winner last season, the Stamford Bridge club have opened the current campaign with three victories on the bounce.

'We needed organisation,' said Cahill. 'Everyone saw what happened. We went from winning the league, having stayed at the top all year, to the disaster of last season. 

'We lost our way tactically, everyone's head was in different directions.

'When I say about pulling together as a team, I felt everyone had different situations going on individually - whether that be if you're playing or not, the manager, or this or that. Different distractions are never healthy.

'It is the hardest thing (when players have contrasting agendas). People talk about it as if you wake up one day and suddenly you're a bog standard player. It doesn't happen.

 'You always have the quality and ability. It's the mindset, everyone being fully focussed on what they're doing, no distractions.'

Conte arrived in west London renowned for his fastidious approach, a reputation enhanced by Italy's tactically cute displays under the 47-year-old's tutelage at this summer's European Championship.

And the former Juventus player and manager quickly made his mark on his new players, with defender Cahill lauding Conte's impact on the team's organisation and mindset. 

 'The main thing for me is how fit and sharp we look, and the organisation in terms of where players need to be,' added Cahill, speaking to BBC Radio 5 live.

'It was important that we regroup and get everyone focussed back to where we should be.

'We needed to have a game plan, have the tactics and way we want to play drilled into everyone and everybody buy into it. That's what we have seen early on.

'This season we have come in, worked very hard and we are buying into what is happening here. That's the most important thing to move forward.'

Cahill has returned to Chelsea following an international break in which he helped new England manager Sam Allardyce launch his reign with a 1-0 win in Slovakia.

The centre half will be back in club colours on Sunday afternoon, when Conte's team go to Swansea seeking to extend their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season.