Premier League Hangover: Has Antonio Conte Found a Tailor-Made Fit for Chelsea?

For the second time this season Antonio Conte likened a manager’s life to that of a tailor. After a couple of shapeless off-the-peg performances had ludicrously led to some bookmakers on Thursday suspending betting on the Italian leaving Chelsea, a victory over Leicester City as measured and exquisite as anything found on Savile Row was the perfect riposte.

It usually takes around five meetings between tailor and client to make a bespoke suit with a perfect fit. It looks as though it may have taken Conte eight games to do likewise with his Chelsea side.

A 3-4-3 formation has proved liberating in releasing the manacles, mind-forged or otherwise. Like placing under the stairs an unwanted vase inherited from a deceased relative, he’s waited a respectful period before ditching Chelsea’s time-honoured 4-2-3-1.

“In the week we tried a lot to find a solution that gave us more compactness,” said Conte, per Sky Sports. “For this team and squad this system is the right fit. The coach must understand and find the right suit. We are like a tailor.”

Leicester, in comparison, wear the moniker of champions as child-again Josh does an adult-size suit at the end of Big. It swamps them completely. 

So before eulogizing effusively over Chelsea, first comes the caveat. Leicester were atrocious, again.

An unspoken consensus seems to have been drawn to give Claudio Ranieri and his players a free hit this season. Such was the incogitable nature of their title win, Jamie Vardy and his band of brethren could take to the field in Bermuda shorts clutching pina coladas and still be afforded a guard of honour. If they did, it would explain a lot.

The notion they have “found their level” this season has been readily bandied about, as though losing each of their four away games at a cost of 13 goals conceded is just about right for a side that won the Premier League by 10 points and spent £70 million over the summer. Without putting too fine a point on it, that’s utter bollocks palpable nonsense.

A lull was always to be expected in the season after the night before, but Leicester are playing as though they have just come out of a coma rather than a hangover. Surprise league winners Leeds United (1991/92) and Blackburn Rovers (1994/95) before them had similarly wretched away form the season after a title-winning campaign.

4 – Leicester are the 4th reigning top-flight champion to lose their opening 4 away league games, and 1st since Blackburn in 95-96. Falter.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 15, 2016

Doing unremarkable things remarkably well was what propelled Leicester into the pantheons of sporting greats. The current campaign has seen them bereft of the core principles so perspicaciously drilled into them by Ranieri. There is no organisation, application, commitment, desire or direction. Saturday was the third Premier League game in succession they failed to register a shot on target in the first half.

Defenders look embarrassed to put the ball in the stand; midfielders are taking an unnecessary extra touch; forwards once willing to chase lost causes as a dog does a stick thrown into the sea, now look behind them with an expression that says: “You kicked it, you ‘effin chase it.”

It is as though they are trying to play in a manner they perceive to be befitting of champions. It’s like trying to paint a self-portrait without a mirror or photograph. What you think you look like is rarely what the rest of the world sees.

At the moment watching them reminds of “Beautiful Head,” a song by American band The National: “You’re aware of yourself lately, redefining yourself, designing yourself.”

Leicester need to go back to being unapologetically Leicester.

Ranieri’s decision to start with Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani and Danny Simpson on the substitutes’ bench with Tuesday’s game against FC Copenhagen in mind, effectively informed the watching world he is prioritising the UEFA Champions League over the Premier League this season. He’s not the only one, going off his players’ performances.

Leicester were never likely to repeat a once-in-a-lifetime feat, so the argument is what does it matter if they finish sixth or 16th in the league if it helps facilitate a run to the knockout stages, maybe even the latter rounds, of Europe’s premier club competition?

Certainly the early indication is the rest of Europe is not as finely acquainted with Leicester’s unique qualities as a Premier League less likely to be caught cold again this time around. Ranieri’s pursuit of glory on the continent at the expense of keeping up appearances domestically could be construed as romantic, but to this critic’s eye his side look bloated and complacent.

They should be judged as champions and not some kind of end-of-the-pier novelty act. Better to be cutting than condescending.

In the second half on Saturday, an unusually animated Ranieri engaged in an …

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