Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 6y

Antonio Conte said he'd play Eden Hazard as false nine again if necessary

LONDON -- Antonio Conte insisted that he will not hesitate to deploy Eden Hazard as a false nine again, despite the Belgium international voicing his frustration with playing the role in Chelsea's 1-0 defeat against Manchester City.

Hazard said he left the pitch with the impression that he "hadn't played a game of football" after touching the ball just 32 times in 89 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, in a position that required him to jump for numerous high clearances out of defence as Chelsea failed to register a single shot on target.

Conte was forced to defend his tactical approach amid widespread criticism after the match, but the Italian is adamant that he will continue to vary his attacking set-up as the situation requires, while also reaffirming his trust Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud.

"The tactics were the same against Barcelona [in the Champions League]," Conte said. "Defensively, we were very good in both games. If you look at the stats, we conceded only two shots to Manchester City: one they scored, and another after a free kick and [Cesar Azpilicueta] saved it on the line.

"I didn't see a lot of shots on goal from Manchester City, and this is very strange. Usually when you play against Manchester City they shoot about 20 or 25 times every game. For sure, compare that with the Barcelona game, I think we were not so good in ball possession. We missed a lot of last passes.

"For sure, we have to improve. We have to improve in personality, especially when there is a lot of pressure from our opponent. But the tactics were the same against Barcelona and, against Barcelona, I didn't [hear] anyone complaining.

"If I think it's right for the team to play in this way, it's okay. Otherwise I can take another decision and play with a striker. I can take different decisions. There are three players for two places. One has to go on the bench. Then I have to decide who has to go on the bench."

Asked how he feels about players voicing their dissatisfaction to the press, Conte replied with a story from his past.

"I did this when I was a player," he recalled. "Do you want to know what happened? [At] Juventus, with [Marcello] Lippi. We played a game, a massive game against Parma when they were first and we were second. We won 3-1. After the game, there was an international break.

"During the international break they made me [do] an interview. The journalist asked me if I was happy with the team and with this important win. My stupid answer was, 'We are winning, but I'm not happy because I'm not enjoying the role the coach decided to give me.'

"When I came back to Turin, it was a meeting with Lippi and all the players, and he killed me. He killed me in a bad way, not in a soft way. In front of the players.

"After training, the club called me. They killed me another time, [gave] me a big, big fine. And then, in the next game, I didn't play. I was on the bench against Piacenza. You can check. That's in the past. This is a funny story.

"[Lippi] told me it was a lack of respect for my teammates, first of all, and then for him, the club and the fans. He killed me. But I brought this experience into my heart and, after that, I improved a lot. Not to be selfish. I started to think for the team. I became captain of the team after that."

Chelsea afterwards insisted that Conte's story was not directed at Hazard, whom the Premier League champions are trying to commit to a new long-term contract in order to ward off long-standing interest from Real Madrid.

"I don't think this is the same situation," the Italian replied when asked if he would adopt the Lippi approach with his star.

Conte has not spoken to Hazard about his comments, but reiterated that his team selection is always made with the interests of the collective in mind.

"My decisions are always for the best of the team," he added. "It's important to be committed in the team, and not to think about myself or another. I have great experience as a player, and maybe this experience helped me to manage this type of situation.

"But, I repeat, the tactics were the same against Barcelona and, after Barcelona, I didn't read or [hear] people complaining."

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