Though not entirely unexpected, the big news before kickoff was the inclusion of Oscar ahead of Cesc Fabregas in Conte's new-look Chelsea midfield. What the Brazilian lacks in experience and poise (in comparison to the Spaniard), he more than makes up for in tenacity and direct running. Some of Chelsea's best chances in a scrappy opening 45 minutes sprang from their primary midfield playmaker pickpocketing West Ham midfielders in dangerous areas.
Conte sent Fabregas to warm up with Chelsea 1-0 up in the second half, and it's quite possible he would have been introduced had Collins' strike not changed the script. Then again, it is tempting to wonder what this means for the 29-year-old when he finds himself behind a younger man who, until fairly recently, was being heavily linked with the Stamford Bridge exit door.
Chelsea missed Fabregas' keen eye for a killer pass throughout, and neither of their goals was particularly intricate in creation. But the trio of Kante, Nemanja Matic and Oscar at least ensured that the Blues were able to match the intensity of their talented visitors, as was too rarely the case last season.
In defence, John Terry and Gary Cahill handled the unique threat of Carroll much better than in this fixture last season, though teams with greater pace up front will be better placed to expose their weaknesses. Branislav Ivanovic, perhaps Chelsea's first-team player with the smallest margin for error after Ola Aina's promising preseason, played as if the last 12 months of his career never happened.
At the other end, the introduction of Batshuayi in the 85th minute and Chelsea's subsequent shift to a two-man strike force posed questions that the West Ham defence couldn't answer. Conte will have to decide whether diluting his midfield will be a viable option from the start of Premier League matches, but on this evidence, it is at the very least a promising Plan B.
Chelsea's new head coach didn't see everything he wanted to see from his players on Monday -- the constant stream of bellowed instructions and furious gesticulations from the touchline were testament to that -- but there was more than enough to suggest that his players are absorbing his ideas quicker than most expected.
Though not entirely unexpected, the big news before kickoff was the inclusion of Oscar ahead of Cesc Fabregas in Conte's new-look Chelsea midfield. What the Brazilian lacks in experience and poise (in comparison to the Spaniard), he more than makes up for in tenacity and direct running. Some of Chelsea's best chances in a scrappy opening 45 minutes sprang from their primary midfield playmaker pickpocketing West Ham midfielders in dangerous areas.Conte sent Fabregas to warm up with Chelsea 1-0 up in the second half, and it's quite possible he would have been introduced had Collins' strike not changed the script. Then again, it is tempting to wonder what this means for the 29-year-old when he finds himself behind a younger man who, until fairly recently, was being heavily linked with the Stamford Bridge exit door.Chelsea missed Fabregas' keen eye for a killer pass throughout, and neither of their goals was particularly intricate in creation. But the trio of Kante, Nemanja Matic and Oscar at least ensured that the Blues were able to match the intensity of their talented visitors, as was too rarely the case last season.In defence, John Terry and Gary Cahill handled the unique threat of Carroll much better than in this fixture last season, though teams with greater pace up front will be better placed to expose their weaknesses. Branislav Ivanovic, perhaps Chelsea's first-team player with the smallest margin for error after Ola Aina's promising preseason, played as if the last 12 months of his career never happened.At the other end, the introduction of Batshuayi in the 85th minute and Chelsea's subsequent shift to a two-man strike force posed questions that the West Ham defence couldn't answer. Conte will have to decide whether diluting his midfield will be a viable option from the start of Premier League matches, but on this evidence, it is at the very least a promising Plan B.Chelsea's new head coach didn't see everything he wanted to see from his players on Monday -- the constant stream of bellowed instructions and furious gesticulations from the touchline were testament to that -- but there was more than enough to suggest that his players are absorbing his ideas quicker than most expected.
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