What the double would mean for Chelsea
Chelsea are on the brink of a league and FA Cup double, their first since 2009-10. What would the achievement mean for the club?
When Antonio Conte arrived at Chelsea last summer, it was hard to know what to expect. His credentials — three consecutive Serie A titles with Juventus and a successful stint with the Italian national team — were no doubt impressive, but he was inheriting a squad that had finished 10th the previous season, and entering a much more competitive league in a new country, along with a host of other big-name managers.
The Blues’ iffy start to the season didn’t answer many questions. But a switch to a back three in late September was the first step to an emphatic Premier League title win, and a record number of wins in a 38-match season. That by itself would’ve been an unequivocal success, but Conte now has the opportunity to lead Chelsea to their first league and FA Cup double since 2009-10, a remarkable managerial achievement.
With a Cup win, he would vault into the very upper echelon of Chelsea managers, becoming only the second coach to bring a league and FA Cup double to Stamford Bridge. After a season to forget in 2015-16, it seems Chelsea are, very emphatically, back.
The fact Conte might do all this in his first season in charge only makes it more impressive. He was not, after all, the only famous manager to arrive in England over the summer. Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho’s would-be rivalry in Manchester was the big story of the summer, while Jurgen Klopp’s first full season at Liverpool mopped up much of the rest of the coverage. Conte, while his achievements in Italy had earned him respect, was something of an afterthought. It seemed to stay that way until halfway through the 13-match winning streak that propelled Chelsea to the title.
None of that matters now, of course, but things are only set to get more difficult next season. Chelsea were afforded the luxury of being able to save their key players for important league matches, and had a week to prepare for most games while most of their rivals had to deal with midweek fixtures. Conte relied on a small group of players this season — Willian and Cesc Fabregas were the only bench players to feature regularly — and that’s unlikely to be a feasible approach with a European campaign to worry about.
Roman Abramovich is a fickle owner, and however much leeway Conte should have earned himself this season, a poor start to next year, or failure in the Champions League, is likely to test the Russian’s patience. Indeed, the last manager to lead Chelsea to the league and Cup double in his first season, Carlo Ancelotti, was sacked at the end of his second. The Blues finished second in the league. Conte could meet a similar fate, especially with Chelsea’s big rivals set to improve next year.
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For now, however, Chelsea must simply embrace this rare opportunity. The big achievement of the season is certainly the Premier League title, while qualification for next season’s Champions League may be more valuable than an FA Cup (just ask Arsenal fans), but after an ugly finish to Mourinho’s second stint at Stamford Bridge, this would be a perfect way to complete the comeback.