There is much to like about the new-look Chelsea

All aboard the good ship Conte! Table-topping Chelsea are loving the ride their charismatic Italian boss is taking them on, and with no European distractions to steer them off course, the super-slick Blues are serious title contenders. Ahead of a potentially explosive derby at home to Tottenham Hotspur, our EPL analyst Adrian Clarke (sports [at] mediacorp.com.sg) explains why he has been so impressed with the new manager…

WHISPER IT QUIETLY: CHELSEA ARE BECOMING LIKEABLE

With a win-at-all-costs mentality and frequent lapses in class, footballing neutrals have never had a problem despising the modern Chelsea.

Roman Abramovich’s trophy-laden era has, at times, come at the expense of the club’s reputation.

I mean, how many non-Blues fans do you know who would confess to admitting they have a soft spot for Chelsea?

Didn’t think so.

Antonio Conte is energetically going about the business of changing perceptions.

Treating fans, players and the media with equal respect, the ex-Juventus chief has eradicated the paranoid atmosphere fuelled by Jose Mourinho in his sullen second spell.

The football is also now more attractive.

Developing a fast, cohesive and well-structured style that is built around his best forwards, rather than nullifying the opposition, Chelsea are suddenly worth staying in for.

The 47-year-old’s passion and enthusiasm are infectious. He is a demanding man, but exciting to be around.

So with smiles on faces, a willingness to entertain (and no John Terry in the first XI), there is not a lot not to like about the new-look Blues.

TURNING SOW’S EARS INTO SILK PURSES

Let us throw four names at you: David Luiz, Marcos Alonso, Pedro and Victor Moses.

Had you surveyed a thousand Chelsea fans at the start of this year and asked how they would feel if that quartet were the cornerstone of the 2016-17 side, at least 995 of them (probably more) would have reacted with dismay.

In fact, they would have looked at you and thought, “What a ridiculous question”.

Right now, each is integral to how Conte’s side performs.

Handed a new lease of life by a manager that does not do preconceptions, they have collectively bounced back from the label of damaged stock to thrive at the top level.

New signings Luiz and Alonso are perfectly suited to the 3-4-2-1 formation.

Protected by two solid defenders on either side of him, the frizzy-haired Brazilian has enjoyed being the central figure, playing out from the back with an air of authority.

Ex-Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland defender Alonso, 25, brings a cultured left foot and an outstanding engine to the left flank. Maturing as a player, his presence balances a team that was lopsided, with Cesar Azpilicueta asked to do a job on his weaker side.

Pedro has always been a top player — he just needed the trust of his boss and the chance to shine in a position he felt comfortable in.

Mourinho wrote Victor Moses off as a no-hoper, but since being elevated to first-choice right wingback, the athletic Nigerian has been a revelation.

In a thinly disguised dig at his predecessor, the Italian said of Moses this week: “I find it incredible that someone like him has been underestimated.”

TREATING HIS MEN AS EQUALS

Cesc Fabregas is not being left out because he has fallen out with the manager, or because of internal politics. It is nothing personal.

The World Cup winner just does not suit the system Conte wants Chelsea to adopt.

So what if he is a superstar? The team’s needs come first, and that strong outlook has helped create a happier and more harmonious environment which is inclusive of everyone.

Already this season, youngsters Nathaniel Chalobah, Ola Aina and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have featured in the Premier League. Not a lot, but they are still very much part of the manager’s group.

Unlike some of Chelsea’s previous managers, the Italian will not discriminate against age or reputation. His selections are based on what he sees, and the type of player the side requires.

That is refreshing.

THEY WANT TO PLAY FOR HIM

During his first spell, Mourinho made Chelsea’s players fall in love with him.

It is not public knowledge, but behind his “Special One” persona, he was one of the lads, a provider of treats, a joker, a friend, a mentor. His charges were prepared to run through brick walls to please the man.

Somewhere down the line, that charm got lost, but Conte is reviving the same spirit.

Yes, he is a strict taskmaster who  is obsessed with conditioning, fitness and tactics, but he also gives his players their fair share of individual care and attention.

They like him, and they like playing for him.

While it is easy to keep stars such as Diego Costa and Eden Hazard content when you are winning games and they are doing the business, it is important to ask yourself why they are performing with such zest.

Given how poor they were last season, Chelsea have no right to be in this season’s title mix, but Conte’s work has transformed expectations. Everyone believes in him.

BIG-MATCH PREDICTION

Tottenham are a tough nut to crack, but the formbook points to another victory for the leaders.

Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane will pose a threat down the sides of Chelsea’s back three, but it is hard to envisage a Spurs defence that is missing Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose being able to hold off a barrage of well-oiled attacks.

The Blues are in full control of their game right now, and should be too strong.

Score call: Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1

THE SUPER SWEDE STAYS

Is Manchester United’s decision to trigger a second-year extension on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s contract a show of faith in the veteran, or a lack of confidence in the heirs to his throne?

It’s impossible to ignore the possibility it’s the latter.

Mourinho is yet to show any great trust in Anthony Martial or Marcus Rashford at centre forward, and with Wayne Rooney labeled ‘too slow’ it doesn’t leave a lot of wriggle room.

Ibrahimovic, who has been excellent in fits and starts, is currently United’s best striker and it appears things will stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Qualification for next season’s Champions League would put the club in the marketplace for an elite marksman next summer, but as of now, that can’t be guaranteed. Attracting the world’s best may be an issue.

So to cover their backs, keep Ibrahomovic’s eye on the ball, and in turn prevent him negotiating a move to the US, it makes sense to activate the extension.

It’s an insurance policy that suits all parties.

TV LISTINGS

SATURDAY (NOV 26)
Burnley v Manchester City
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub TV Ch227, 8.30pm

Leicester City v Middlesbrough
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub TV Ch227, 11pm

Liverpool v Sunderland
Singtel TV Ch103 & StarHub TV Ch228, 10.50pm

Swansea City v Crystal Palace
Singtel TV Ch104 & StarHub TV Ch229, 10.50pm

Hull City v West Brom
Singtel TV Ch105 & StarHub TV Ch230, 10.50pm

SUNDAY (NOV 27)

Chelsea v Tottenham
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub TV Ch227, 1.30am

Watford v Stoke City
Singtel TV Ch103 & StarHub TV Ch228, 8pm

Arsenal v Bournemouth
Singtel TV Ch102 & StarHub TV Ch227, 10.15pm