Cahill: Conte has me in better shape than ever
Chelsea’s improvement from last year’s dismal Premier League campaign is already clear to see, but defender Gary Cahill insists the gains they have made under Antonio Conte cannot be picked up by the naked eye.
The Blues made it four wins from as many competitive matches under the Italian in Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Burnley, where Cahill also made his 200th appearance for the club.
And the scoreline could have been far greater for the Londoners, as Chelsea notched up the most attempts on target and the most completed passes of anyone in the Premier League over the weekend.
But for Cahill, the biggest improvement under former Italy manager Conte has been more than skin-deep, with few new faces joining the club and emphasis placed on conditioning and structure instead.
“We’ve added one or two quality players which is great but predominantly it’s the same players from last year, and when we won the league the season before,” he said.
“The main thing for me is how fit and sharp we look, and the organisation in terms of where players need to be.
“I felt like last year we were all over the place at times. We’ve got discipline, we’re organised and we look fit. I’m in the best condition I’ve been for a long time.
“The manager is adamant about the way he wants to play and that’s what everyone has to buy into. If everybody pulls in the right direction, nine out of ten times you’ll succeed.
“The fitness and nutrition, things that people probably don’t see, is vitally important, especially in this league.”
