00:00Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Morning. Okay. Good morning and thank you for joining us.
00:25We will take the usual format today, starting with a live section. Gail Davis in Sky Sports News.
00:34Way to go, Gail. Morning. Morning. Good to see the nitwars back. Thank you.
00:38You've got quite autumnal today, haven't you? Yeah.
00:39As we sign off for this section of games into another international break, how do you reflect on those first few weeks?
00:53Are your team where you thought they'd be in terms of performance and points?
01:00I think we start very, very well in terms of results and performance. The first four or five games and then probably the rest of the game.
01:16We didn't get the points that we want for sure, but we already analysed the reason why.
01:28Again, I think most of the game where we didn't get the points is because they were game very complicated for us in terms of, again, unfortunately, red card.
01:39But no doubt that, you know, also the injury situation, we have in this moment, I think, eight players out.
01:51So it's a mix of combinations, but we don't have any doubt that slowly, slowly we're going to be again where we need to be.
02:00And I know that you've spoken a lot about discipline, 25 yellows and three reds, I think, in your nine games, and I remember speaking to Mikhail Tata about it, and he said, actually, he chose not to speak too closely to his players about it because it almost becomes more of a thing.
02:21What's your approach with your players in terms of crossing that line? Because as you said, it's costing you games.
02:26Yeah, you have to analyse case for case, you know, when it's a red card for bad intention or for bad discipline, it's different compared to my United red card or Brighton red card.
02:44In that case, it's just the decision that you have to take in two seconds, three seconds.
02:50Do I do foul or not? It's difficult.
02:55So we analyse case for case.
02:59Again, I don't see any discipline problem, even if we consider, I think, three, four red cards, that is not something normal.
03:09But again, it's for different reasons.
03:11You've talked a lot over the past few weeks about solving problems and conundrums that you've got from so many players out.
03:20How do you approach putting together a defensive unit for the weekend against a side that maybe hasn't picked the heights we expect?
03:30But what sort of players are you thinking, are you thinking outside of the box, are you just going to have to trust some of those youngsters in your squad on Saturday afternoon?
03:39No, but again, I think it's a fact that I really trust the young players, not just the young players that we buy, also the young players from the academy.
03:53Again, we gave games last year to Josh Achipong, having players on the bench, senior players.
04:00So that shows that I trust young players.
04:04The same thing happened with the tie.
04:07So I really trust all the players we have.
04:10As you said, in this moment, we have, I think, four or five defenders out.
04:14But we're going to try to adapt and find the right solution for tomorrow game.
04:21Just one thing for me, I think about three weeks ago you said that it would be impossible for anyone to stop living.
04:27You must be misunderstanding me.
04:29If you review the interview, I said, if they continue in the same way, that there were five games, five wins.
04:37So if a team continue to win, win, win and win.
04:40You still said the words, they'll be impossible to stop.
04:43So I wondered.
04:45It's impossible to catch.
04:46Catch, sorry.
04:47Impossible to catch.
04:48But you haven't heard my question yet, so you don't actually know what I'm going on with.
04:51I tend to find that a little bit more useful.
04:55Impossible to catch.
04:57Do you feel the last week has shown that there is any vulnerability about Liverpool this season?
05:03There is vulnerability about any team in the world, not just Liverpool.
05:09But if a team wins all the games, it's impossible to catch them.
05:14When we did the interview, after five games, they had 50 points.
05:19My words was, if they continue in the same way, it's impossible to catch them.
05:23Now they lost one game, two games.
05:26That show that there is vulnerability.
05:30And this is something...
05:31That wasn't now, and what were three weeks ago.
05:33Yeah, this is something for me from not just Liverpool, but from all the teams in the world.
05:38So, and then the Premier League, you know, how difficult it is.
05:43And you can draw points against any team.
05:46Thanks, Gail.
05:47Soraya?
05:48Morning.
05:48When we spoke last season, you said the performances against Liverpool, particularly the away game, was one of the best you played.
05:55Slott also agreed.
05:56He said it was one of the most challenging games last season at Anfield.
05:59What have you learned about Liverpool from playing them last season to this season?
06:03And what do you think it is about this fixture that makes Chelsea play their best?
06:06Yes, we played both games, I think, against Liverpool very good.
06:14Unfortunately, we lost there and we won at home.
06:16But every game is different, especially from one season to the other one is different.
06:22We're going to try to prepare the game in the best way we can for tomorrow.
06:26Try to win the game.
06:29But again, I think even if in the last one or two games they'll draw points,
06:33but they show the reason why they won last year at the Premier League
06:38and they're going to be there until the end.
06:41I want to touch on your box highline.
06:43You had some success with it last season where your defenders looked to put players offside on the edge of the box.
06:49Some teams have sort of exploited this now.
06:51They're attacking the back post in open play at set pieces.
06:54We've seen some goals and conceded at the back post.
06:57How do you reduce the risk of that, especially when you've had to rotate your defenders?
07:00How do you work on that in training?
07:02Yeah, it's just to try to continue to evolve.
07:07As you said, I think our defensive line was very good last year.
07:12I think in terms of goal conceded after Liverpool and Arsenal,
07:16with Chelsea there, so sure that we did something important.
07:20But it's not enough.
07:21You have always to try to evolve, to try to add things, how we can do better.
07:25And now we are trying to do exactly the same.
07:28Positively, Vardy Achille returned.
07:31He was so strong when he was yours.
07:33He was a really helping the team out a lot.
07:35He was the first to step out in front of the press.
07:37He looked very shocked.
07:38Can you talk about his return and how you think he can tactically help the team come in?
07:42That depends.
07:43Since I joined the club, every time I spoke about Benoit, I always said that for me personally,
07:50he's an important player.
07:51He's a very good player.
07:53Unfortunately, he has been injured a few times since I joined the club.
07:57But again, even before the last injury, he was playing almost every game.
08:02Before in the club World Cup, then injury against Benfica, but now he's back.
08:08It's good news for us, for the team-mates, but especially for him because, you know,
08:13when you are out for a long time, long period, it's always a shame.
08:17Thanks, Soraya.
08:19John?
08:20With Liverpool, do you think it's a different proposition playing them now than it would
08:24have been a couple of weeks ago?
08:25We talked about vulnerabilities.
08:26What do you think those vulnerabilities are that we've maybe seen over the last couple of games?
08:33I don't think that now it's better to play Liverpool just because they draw points in the last two games.
08:40It's always a tough game, always a big team.
08:45And for me personally, the way they are doing this season, in any case, is fantastic, especially after the Jota tragedy.
09:00I live exactly the same when I was a player 20 years ago.
09:06And it's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the manager.
09:12When you arrive at the training ground and you see every day that play is empty, so you have to be very strong.
09:18And this is the reason why, for me, they are doing not good, even better than good, even more,
09:24because they are trying to deal with a problem that is not easy.
09:32You've talked about the season so far.
09:35How would you describe it for you personally?
09:37Has it been enjoyable?
09:39Has it been frustrating?
09:41How would you...?
09:42Enjoyable.
09:43Enjoyable.
09:43For sure, for sure, I would like to have all my players available, because that is a nice job for me that, you know,
09:53you can decide which one is the best for that game, but overall has been enjoyable, it's normal.
10:01I'm not thinking, you know, to be a Chelsea manager and always, you know, that everything is in place and everything is working well.
10:09You need to adjust things, you need to, as I said, you need to evolve and I feel good.
10:16Just a question on Mark Guillaume, obviously he was recalled from the loan, he hasn't featured since he came back,
10:21so what is the situation with him?
10:23Yeah, Mark is working well. This week he has worked very, very good, much better compared to the first weeks when he came back.
10:32But for sure, he's going to get minutes with us and he's going to play games.
10:37And Esteval, have you considered starting him as a number 10 with Krol Pong not playing?
10:41I think in the past he has said that it's possibly his preferred position.
10:47We consider all our players to give them minutes and all position,
10:52but also I think Esteval reminded me a lot of Krol, when Krol was with me with under 23 at City
11:02and when he was with us in the first team.
11:05I think Krol's path has been similar to Esteval's path in terms of starting wide as a winger
11:14and then slowly, slowly you can move inside.
11:17Premier League is completely different compared to the other country in the world.
11:21If you want to play in the middle, you need to be prepared, physically prepared.
11:28I think Krol now is like that.
11:30In the past he needs to develop that.
11:33And I see Esteval excited in the same way.
11:36Thanks, John.
11:36Davide?
11:37Davide.
11:37Ilhan Sultan.
11:40Liverpool, as defending champion, might be the major mistake for every team.
11:44Do you consider them the major mistake for Chelsea and at what level do you think you are entering this scheme?
11:51I consider them the best team in this moment in England.
11:55The reason why is because they showed that and because they won the Premier League, where
12:00we are in this moment, I think we are improving.
12:05We are trying to solve problems in terms of finding solutions, but for sure, as I said
12:13at the beginning of the press conference, I think at the end we're going to be there,
12:17close.
12:18Rob?
12:19Is there a risk that his development is being risked or compromised by having another
12:27season on the bench, when you presumably would have been playing quite regularly, that obviously
12:33was the club's plan initially, is there a risk to the development that the club had planned
12:40for him?
12:41I don't think so, personally I don't think so, because he's back with a big club like
12:45Chelsea, again, he's going to get Minos with us, no doubt.
12:51And also for me, the development of a young player is not just about the game when you
12:56are so young, it's also about the training session and the day-by-day and I think it's
13:00important that he is with us and he's working with us.
13:03Time for one more question, Simon.
13:06Just the basic one on team news, if there's any update on that and is Cole still, for
13:13example, due to come back after the international break?
13:17Cole is still out, we have Trevi suspended, so we have, to tell all the names, it's complicated,
13:31but we have seven, eight players out for tomorrow game.
13:36Just to put you on, Cole, is it still looking like the first game back after the international break?
13:42I don't have any update at the moment, we have a meeting this week to see how it is,
13:49and then we decide.
13:50OK, thanks guys, camera's off please.
13:52zoom out please,
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