Ian Wright: By the time next season kicks off, I’m sure that either Antonio Conte or David Luiz will have left Chelsea
Wright reckons something is wrong at Stamford Bridge and you can tell by Conte's demeanor — but if he does cling on to his job in West London then it’s hard to see Luiz being part of his plans
STAMFORD BRIDGE is clearly not big enough for the two of them.
By the time next season kicks off, I’m sure that either Antonio Conte or David Luiz will have left Chelsea.
Personally, I don’t believe Conte will still be in West London this time next year — you can tell by his demeanour that something is wrong.
I’d be happy to eat humble pie if I’m wrong — and there’s part of me that will be pleased if I am because I’ve a lot of respect for the guy.
But if he does cling on to his job in West London then it’s hard to see Luiz being part of his plans.
I don’t see the Brazilian being the kind of guy who will be happy to sit on the bench or in the stands.
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And it could very quickly become another problem for Conte if he does.
Whether it was the manager or owner Roman Abramovich who decided to bring Luiz back from Paris Saint-Germain last summer — it was against the better judgment of a lot of people.
But he’s proved a lot of people wrong and was a massive part in Chelsea winning the Premier League last season.
Conte came up with a system that worked with N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in front of Luiz providing the protection, plus Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta alongside him.
It was like giving him a suit of armour with all those players around him.
Yet they have looked shaky in the two recent Champions League games against Roma, as well as the home win over Watford.
There’s also been talk about Luiz performing poorly in training and now Conte has shown him who is the boss by dropping him for one of their biggest games of the season, against Manchester United.
It’s a gamble — particularly as we know he is one of Abramovich’s favourites — but on Sunday’s evidence he got it right as Andreas Christensen did really well.
Something has changed with Conte this season, you can tell that just by looking at him when he talks to the media.
Last season he was forthright, full of smiles and his broken English was quite endearing. Now he’s sitting back, solemn-faced and swearing at people.
He doesn’t look like a man you should cross. And Luiz knows that now.
The Italian has proved before that no matter what standing you think you may have at a club, he is not afraid to make the big decisions.
We saw the way he dealt with Diego Costa in the summer — his goals record counted for nothing in the end.
Chelsea can afford to go out and buy the best and they will do that again if they have to. So Luiz needs to be careful.
Something has clearly happened between Luiz and Conte.
If it’s an attitude problem then he has a lot of work to do and plenty to think about.
Because any manager who comes in to replace Conte will spot that a mile off.
Poor Slav's been Hammered
I WAS sorry to see Slaven Bilic go in one way — but at the same time I’m relieved my good friend is finally out of there.
I could tell that he was suffering — his health and sanity would have been affected if he had stayed much longer.
I don’t think a manager should have to work under those circumstances where you’re always a couple of games from the sack.
His position always seemed tenuous and I just don’t think it’s healthy. For me that is no way to run a football club.
There were always rumours about other managers they were looking at and talk of them changing the manager - and you wonder where all that talk was coming from.
I just don’t feel it’s right — and Slaven deserved better than that.
I know how much West Ham means to him - how proud he was to be manager of the Hammers.
He’s had to go through a lot there with the move from Upton Park to the London Stadium — which was traumatic for everyone connected to the club.
Then he had his star player Dimitri Payet downing tools and engineering his way out of the club.
Yet the promises that he was made during what was always going to be a difficult period were never delivered.
All that talk of brining in the players who deserved to play in the new stadium in front of 50,000 — yet it has never materialised.
Instead Slav had to get by with bargain basement players for most of his reign.
Yes they spent some money in the summer but compared to other clubs around them it wasn’t a lot.
You have to say he’s had his ups and downs and the start to this season has not been what he or the club would have hoped for.
But he got them to seventh place two seasons ago - and 11th last season.
His points per game ratio stands comparison with any of the Hammers manager of recent years.
With all the broken promises, what did the board seriously expect?
The best a club like West Ham can hope for is sneaking into the top half of the table — eighth, ninth, tenth around there — and he’s been there or thereabouts in his two full seasons in charge.
It sounds like David Moyes will be the man brought in to replace him - on an interim basis until the end of the season.
And I think that’s the right thing all round because I would not want to commit to working for this board long-term.
But also Moyes is a manager who is entering the last chance saloon after failing in his last three jobs.
I’ve spent a lot of time with David and I wish him well. But you have to wonder if he doesn’t do well in East London then where next?
