Sarri hands squad video nasty after ‘mental confusion’ hits Chelsea
Italian made his misfiring side watch video nasties of Saturday’s collapse against Leicester and held a series of meetings to stop the rot
Sponsored by
MAURIZIO SARRI’S gift to his players has been a full blown inquest into the “mental confusion” gripping Chelsea.
Angry boss Sarri has made them watch video nasties of Saturday’s collapse against Leicester and held a series of meetings with the squad and individuals to try to stop the rot.
This is not the season to be jolly as grumpy Sarri faces a tough task trying to turn things around at rejuvenated Watford tonight.
Sarri said: “We will prepare a video about the match. We will prepare an individual video, with individual mistakes.
“I want to speak with the group, first of all. Then with three, four or five players. I don't know how many at the moment. But of course we have to do everything just in order to avoid the same problem in the future. But it's not easy.
“At this moment, we have to think about us. Only about our team. The match is difficult. We know very well we have to study very well this kind of opponent. But I think that, now, the most important thing is our reaction after the Leicester match.
“In the match, the reaction was not in the right way. Now we have to think about the reaction after the match just in order to prepare in the right way for the next match.”
Sarri has embraced his players since taking over in the summer; relaxing the strict dietary code of his predecessor Antonio Conte, training in the afternoons so his young men can spend time with their kids.
A REAL NAB Chelsea blow as Real Madrid ‘offered’ chance to sign Lyon star Nabil Fekir
But in return he does not hold back when it comes to delivering public criticism when they do not come up to scratch.
He recently labelled shaky striker Alvaro Morata “fragile”. He says England World Cup midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek needs lessons in tactics, claims former Player of the Year N’Golo Kante is not technically good enough.
LATEST CHELSEA NEWS
And honest Sarri has virtually written off Danny Drinkwater’s future at Chelsea because he does not fit into his midfield formation.
Chelsea’s passing and movement in pursuit of the mythical, quickfire ‘Sarri-ball’ is enthralling. Their lack of punch in the centre forward position frustrating.
Morata is fit again and expected to play some part at Vicarage Road this evening when Chelsea face a Watford team rebooted after winning 2-0 at West Ham on Saturday.
But the club’s one-time record signing at £55 million has not scored a Premier League goal since November 4. Strike partner Olivier Giroud not for more than a month.
Sarri has never been a big fan of Christmas and wants points not presents.
But what he seeks more than anything is for his players to take in what he tells them and show some character when the chips are down in a game.
He said: “I have an idea about what happened. So I want only confirmation.
“But it is clear that we did not lose against Leicester because of the way of playing. We were a bit unlucky, because the reaction after the goal was in the wrong direction.
“We had only to continue. We were in full control of the match. We were dangerous, without conceding anything to the opponent, so we had only to continue.
“I like to play one touch, maximum two touches. If you saw the second half, you have seen something different.”