CAHILL AND COSTA
Chelsea have been the best performers in the Premier League
this season and are genuine title contenders, according to the Sunday
Supplement panel.
Antonio Conte's side stormed
to the top of the Premier League with a resounding
5-0 victory over Everton on Saturday.
Their rise to the summit has coincided with Conte's decision
to revert to his favoured 3-4-3 formation - a decision which has seen
Chelsea keep five consecutive league clean sheets.
And Jonathan Northcroft of The Sunday
Times claims Conte's tactical shift has turned Chelsea into the league's
most attractive side, capable of replicating the machine-like displays
synonymous with Jose Mourinho's first spell at the club.
"There is a whiff of the
early Mourinho days at Stamford Bridge at the moment,"
Northcroft told the Sunday Supplement. "The team looks like a
machine, as it did when Mourinho first arrived at the club. The players know
exactly what they're supposed to be doing.
"Nobody has won
the league playing three at the back and this is the best team I've seen play
three at the back. It's not just the system, it's the way Conte has the players
buying into his philosophy.
"Eden Hazard is what he
was two years ago, probably more so because he's got even more freedom.
It's
really impressive management, he's only had 11 games and Conte already looks
embedded at the club.
"Chelsea have the squad depth the rival Manchester City
- they've gone on this run without Willian, Michy Batshuayi and Oscar really
being involved.
"They don't have
Champions League football, they look superbly conditioned and they have a
manager who refused to get carried away by the victory over Everton.
"At the moment Chelsea
have been better than City so far this season since they changed system."
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
claimed Chelsea were the best exponents of a back three he had faced during his
career as a player and manager.
While the Dutchman
may have been trying to move the focus away from the Toffees' poor performance,
Steve Bates of the Sunday
People was
unyielding in his praise of Chelsea, who he feels are now genuine title
challengers.
"Everyone appears to
have bought into what Conte has done and against Everton they were absolutely
devastating," Bates said. "Chelsea were as good as Everton were
shocking, they tried to match Chelsea's three at the back and it didn't work,
they were cut to ribbons.
"While other teams are
struggling to find a shape or an identity, Conte has instantly given Chelsea
something they haven't had since their first spell under Mourinho. It was
spectacular to see.
"There was a firework
display above Stamford Bridge before kick-off but the fireworks on the pitch
were definitely more exciting.
"Chelsea have come under the radar a little bit with
Manchester City and Liverpool getting the headlines but they put down a title
marker against Everton. They have got to be taken a serious title
contenders."
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