Gary Cahill: ‘Players already benefiting from Antonio Conte arrival’

The game looked set to end in a draw, before Chelsea’s Spanish striker Diego Costa slotted home the victor, giving new boss Antonio Conte a ideal start to his Chelsea career. “We know that we can improve and we must improve a lot with the work. The atmosphere was fantastic and I want to say thank you to the fans because they followed the players at the end”, he said. But I repeat I don’t see any problem, I’m very happy to have these players and train these players’. We came back into the game, we played well after 1-1 but we made the mistake in the middle of the park.

After a goalless first half at Stamford Bridge, goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa handed the Blues the three points and gave Conte a winning start to life in the Premier League with Chelsea.

“You only have to look at all the things that happened last season to know it’s irrelevant what anyone is saying about any team or any manager right now and who is going to win the league”, Cahill told the London Evening Standard.

He added: “It’s not easy, but we must try and we must find the right motivation, the right spirit to fight”.

Cesc Fabregas has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge after being left out of Chelsea’s Premier League opener against West Ham on Monday night. I missed a couple of penalties last season and Oscar asked me before if he could shoot but I said, “No, it’s my turn”.

Summer signing N’Golo Kante says the strength of Conte’s vision for Chelsea was the key reason why he chose to leave Premier League champions Leicester City to move to Stamford Bridge, and says his new head coach has not disappointed him up close.

I even found it a bit weird, but then I understood.

Complementing the good collective showing from the team, Eden Hazard had a day to remember as he seamlessly beat whoever dared to block his path towards West Ham’s 18-yard box.

Liam is ESPN FC’s Chelsea correspondent.