Antonio Conte reveals sleepless nights searching for Chelsea tactical solutions

Vaishali Bhardwaj26 January 2018

Antonio Conte insists that criticism of Chelsea's form this season has made him stronger, and admitted to watching replays of matches during sleepless nights to find solutions to the Blues' struggles of late.

Champions Chelsea, who trail current Premier League leaders Manchester City by 15 points, were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Arsenal on Wednesday night.

The elimination, which came after a 2-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, means Chelsea now only have the FA Cup - where they face Newcastle in the fourth round on Sunday - and the Champions League trophies to hope to win this season.

Meanwhile, Conte's own position at Chelsea has continually been questioned this season - although he insists he is happy at the club.

But the Italian revealed he still isn't sleeping well, and said he has been staying awake to watch replays of Chelsea's games to understand why the Blues haven't won more matches in recent weeks.

"It is not simple for sure. But people who know me very well they know that I live this job with great passion, with great love and for this reason sometimes I don't sleep especially when you are faced with difficult situations and you want to try to do the best for the team, the players, the fans the club," he said.

"To play every three days for us is not simple and we have to hope to have all players available otherwise we have to try to invent something before the game or during the game.

"When I don't sleep I continue to work with the computer also because I don't want to create problems with my wife," he explained. "I go in another room, the living room, and then sometimes I start to work, watch the game or try to find a new solution.

"I think to watch the game many times is important to understand positive things and negative things and to try to improve your team especially when you lose. For me it is very important to understand very quickly which is the reason because we lost."

Conte for the first time admitted on Wednesday that he has very little influence on who the Chelsea board sign in the transfer market.

His admission was seen as a sign of frustration at a lack of perceived backing by the club hierarchy with transfers, which then revived reports that the Italian could be on his way out of the club this summer.

However, Conte insists he is "relaxed" about his future at Chelsea, saying recent speculation has only made him stronger.

"Yes [he has become stronger] but who knows me very well knows I don't stop myself in front of difficulties. I try every day, through the hard work to overcome this difficulties. I am a specialist in this type of situation," he said.

In Pictures | Brighton vs Chelsea | 20/01/2018

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"As I said before my only worry is to work, only to work very hard but for sure if you look at the stats you can see that in 14 years, 10 managers were sacked in this club.

"But the stats are this but at the same time when you are sure about your work and that you are doing everything to improve this club and to work this way with the players, under this aspect I am very relaxed, calm, very relaxed and I don't have this type of worry.

"When you start the season everyone has to try to dream. It is right to dream and then there is the reality and you have to fight the reality to try sometimes to overcome the reality like last season and to do something special but for sure it is not simple, not easy.

"I think that there are different times for every team to understand if you can go to fight for everything or go to work very hard. To dream but at the same time to be ready to fight for a place in Champions League and fight to try to reach a semi-final or a final but there are different ties."

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