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Analyst, TSN Radio 690 Montreal

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Not only are the star players doing their part in what increasingly appears to be a second title in three seasons for Chelsea – Antonio Conte’s team are also attracting the Hollywood stars. 

Will Ferrell, who in his spare time is a minority owner of Major League Soccer’s LAFC, and his fellow “Step Brothers” star John C. Reilly were guests of honour last Saturday at Stamford Bridge. The duo, in London to film a Sherlock Holmes spoof, watched the Premier League leaders take on third-place Arsenal.

Chelsea was looking to make amends for an embarrassing performance when Arsenal made a mockery of Conte’s side during the reverse fixture back in late September. Down and out 3-0 by half time, it was the trigger point for Conte to reshape Chelsea into his own identity. He changed his team’s formation to three at the back, with two wing forwards required to trace back when out of possession and be the wide outlets for attacks.

Chelsea has gone on to win 16 of their last 18 Premier League matches since that humiliation at the Emirates in the fall. Back in a distant sixth place, eight points behind then leaders Manchester City following the Arsenal defeat, Chelsea hit top spot in late November following a road win at Middlesbrough. Conte’s team have slowly but assuredly increased their cushion at the top since, now at a season-leading nine points with 14 matches left to play.

In his post-match press conference following their 3-1 win over Arsenal, Conte cautioned that the title race was far from over.

Conte believes there is still much to play for between now and the end of season in May. The Chelsea head coach then rattled off a number of times as a player he lost from what appeared to be winning positions, including Serie A titles and Champion’s League finals with Juventus, plus the 1994 World Cup and EURO 2000 Finals with the Italian national team. 

It’s the kind of highly valuable experience that even Roman Abramovich’s billions can’t buy. To reinforce his message Conte stated he doesn’t sleep at night, and doesn’t want his players to either. The manager is not about to look too far ahead in a league that is the most competitive world football has to offer.

The Chelsea manager does let his emotions out when celebrating with the supporters after his team scores. The more important the marker, the more exuberant the celebration becomes.

The routine dates back to the season opener at home to West Ham in August. It looked like Conte’s debut in the Chelsea dugout was going to end in a stalemate that particular Monday evening, until Diego Costa popped up at his menacing best to smash in the winner with barely seconds left in normal time.

Costa’s goal sent Conte sprinting up the touchline to high-five supporters in the packed Stamford Bridge crowd. It wasn’t Costa’s goal that dominated the pictures in the newspapers the following morning. Instead it was a photo of the Chelsea manager hugging a middle-aged man whose immense size wouldn’t have looked out of place at last Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Conte’s celebration that night paled in comparison to his reaction to Eden Hazard’s wonder goal against Arsenal on a chilly winter Saturday afternoon.

Collecting the ball in his own half, the Belgian winger did his very best Diego Maradona impression, circa 1986 World Cup Finals, mesmerizing a retreating Arsenal defensive corps. Hazard’s strength on the ball was so immense that Francis Coquelin failed in his feeble attempt to stop him by jumping on the Chelsea star’s back. Once inside the penalty area, Hazard turned Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny inside out before deftly slotting the ball past the onrushing Petr Čech.

Conte, clad in his traditional black suit, white shirt, black tie and patent leather shoes, began crowd surfing with the ecstatic Stamford Bridge faithful. One of the great individual efforts in the history of Stamford Bridge had a celebration that was every bit as special.

The sum result of Hazard’s operatic strike was a second goal for Chelsea, a sure three points in his club’s title aspirations and one completely exhausted manager. Conte spent so much energy during his celebration he probably asked his erstwhile assistant Angelo Alessio to substitute him. 

The Chelsea manager’s energy was so contagious that Abramovich broke out of his usual wry smile and was seen high-fiving his guests in his private box.

Conte had displayed a passion that is all too rare in sports today. When was the last time you saw the head coach of your favourite NHL team high-five the fans in the stands, let alone jump in there and crowd surf among them?

Conte can be ruthless too when the occasion calls for it. This was perfectly illustrated late in the first half when Arsenal was awarded a corner. Taking it short and quickly, Gabriel’s close-range header forced a fine save from Thibaut Courtois to preserve the 1-0 Chelsea lead. Instead of applauding his goalkeeper’s world- class reflexes, Conte grabbed Alessio, who has been with Conte since their Siena days back in 2010, by the lapels to encourage him to run up the touchline and sort out the poor set piece defending.

Post-match Conte was effervescent again, this time in his praise for Hazard the defender. Conte also had heaps of praise for summer signing N'Golo Kanté. After announcing himself to the Premier League as a cornerstone of Leicester’s 2016 fairy tale, the 25-year-old Parisian now has more tackles in only a season and a half than any other player in the league has over the last three seasons.

Conte has completely transformed both a team and all of the club’s stakeholders in seven short months. Michael Emenalo, Chelsea’s technical director, is already on the record as saying he hopes Conte stays at Chelsea forever. 

On a rare brief trip back home, Conte attended last Sunday afternoon’s Juventus match against Internazionale in Turin. During an interview with Sky Italia he described Chelsea as an ugly duckling when he arrived that swiftly changed into a swan.

But the club is not a beautiful swan just yet. Conte is way too football smart for that. His parting words to media at Stamford Bridge last Saturday afternoon included assurance that he and his players will keep their antennae high. Woe betides anyone who loses focus on what potentially lies ahead for the current Premier League leaders.