Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says hard work is the key as the team prepare for Sunday’s fixture against Tottenham after suffering a shock defeat to Burnley.
“I’ll show the players the game, the positive and negative situations and we will work again to try to improve to avoid the mistakes we made against Burnley and prepare in the right way for the Tottenham game,” he said.
Conte saw his team finish with nine players after Gary Cahill’s harsh first-half red card before Cesc Fabregas was dismissed late on for two bookable offences.
That made it three competitive matches in a row that Chelsea have had their men sent off the pitch.
“I think it’s right to see very well if there is a fault of the players, but if the decision of the referee is good or not, it is very strange, because in the last three games, to finish twice with 10 men and then nine men, I think it is maybe a record if you look at the past,” he told the club’s website on Monday.
Cahill and Fabregas will both be suspended for the trip to Wembley, although Victor Moses will be available for selection again after serving his one-match ban for a red card in the FA Cup final.
Conte who admitted that Cahill and Fabregas’ absence was a blow noted that his focus was working with his squad to go into the next match with the right mind-set.
“Honestly, now there is a great disappointment that we don’t have these players for the next game, but we have one week to try to find the right solution,” he said.
“It will be a really tough game but we must be ready and show the same will and desire to fight that we did in the second half; we need to show that from the start.”
