Chelsea’s Premier League title defence may have fallen away but Roy Keane’s suggestion they lack desire is wide of the mark, says Antonio Conte.
Antonio Conte believes he retains the total commitment of his Chelsea squad after their performances were criticised by ex-Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane.
“These Chelsea lads are so unprofessional,” Keane told ITV Sport. “When they go and win the league in the last few years, they’ve [subsequently] downed tools under different managers. It’s shocking behaviour.”
But Conte insists there are no problems at Stamford Bridge when it comes to work rate and application.
“I think that, in this 18 months, we built a great mentality. In every training session, I see great commitment and great behaviours. Under this aspect, I’m very happy.”
Asked whether Morata and Giroud could be fielded in tandem, Conte added: “I think that, in the future, yes, it could happen. If we decide to play with the three midfielders.
“During the game it can happen. But now, I think it’s very soon to answer this question. Don’t forget that we are playing with a system [3-4-2-1] from last season. In this case, in this system, it would mean Hazard, Pedro and Willian are out.”
Ross Barkley (hamstring) will miss Hull’s visit to west London, while David Luiz and Tiemoue Bakayoko have been unable to overcome knocks in time to feature.
Also Read: Conte names the five academy stars ready to break into Chelsea’s squad
