Chelsea Victory over West Ham Shows Antonio Conte Has Tapped into Blues’ Culture

STAMFORD BRIDGE, London — On the back of Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Monday, Antonio Conte was asked if the Blues’ performance was a sign that his players are already playing like a team in his vision.

“Does this club now reflect your philosophy as a coach and as a player in the past?” a journalist asked.

The question was geared to the Italian giving a view on where Chelsea’s sudden rediscovery of their intensity had come from as, for the first time since they were crowned champions in 2015, the Blues had the look of being a unit again. There were some excellent individual performances, but it was collectively where this London derby was won.

It was as a team that Chelsea harassed and harried West Ham out of possession; it was as a team that they squeezed central areas to win back possession before attacking at pace to turn the Hammers’ defenders. It was as a team that the Blues looked conditioned; it was as a team they showed a desire to win.

It’s not often we have said any of that for much of the past 12 months. Yet here we are, one game into the season and the signs are that the conversation is beginning to become more positive.

Grinta, cuore, passione? Or just Conte. pic.twitter.com/nmRb8omIA1 (via @marcocalcio22) #cfc

— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) August 15, 2016

“Any new manager who arrives in a new club tries to bring his philosophy of football,” Conte reflected. “We are working only one month with the players, but I am pleased as tonight I saw the right intensity.

“[…] It’s important to bring something different from last season. Every manager brings his own football philosophy, and for this reason, I am happy with the attitude and behaviour of the players. They are putting themselves in the team. To have a great team, this is important; to have the right spirit and the players.”

For all the focus we’ve given to what systems and formations the manager would introduce this season, it’s been Conte’s ability to tap into the Chelsea culture that has been overlooked.

New manager and a new look it may have been, but this was same old Chelsea in the best possible sense.

What we’ve seen in the past decade is Chelsea win things with no shortage of graft, sprinkled with an element of stardust that Roman Abramovich’s deep pockets have attracted. When Jose Mourinho first came in as boss in 2004, it was Arjen Robben and Damien Duff on the flanks who were doing it, with Frank Lampard a commanding figure through the middle to complement Didier Drogba’s threat.

In one form or another, that evolved. Joe Cole became a big part of Chelsea’s success, …

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