Antonio Conte is relying on improvements in front of goal from Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard, Michy Batshuayi, Willian and Pedro to help Chelsea keep pace with Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side have 42 Premier League goals in 2017-18, dropping points in only one game to sit 11 points above defending champions Chelsea in the table.
Morata 2/1 to score first vs Swansea
Willian has been involved in each of Chelsea’s last five goals and Conte has been asked whether he wants to see more goals from the Brazil international.
He responded by stating that all of his forwards could improve their finishing ability.
“It is very important to be a good finisher, especially if you play in those roles,” Conte said at Cobham Training Centre. “If you are No. 10 or a striker it is right to be a good finisher. It is very important to improve this skill and to try to score more goals than the previous season.
“It is very important for Willian, Pedro, Hazard, our No. 10s, and Morata, Batshuayi, our No. 9s, to improve this ability and try to improve and score more."
Paul Ellis
The Blues are behind Manchester City in the Premier League table but they are also behind Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, despite beating them only three weeks ago.
Conte admits that he is keen to close the gap on United first before worrying about the January transfer market. However, he is happy to give his opinion on transfers, if asked by the club ahead the upcoming opportunity to buy new players.
He said: “We are in November and now we have to fight with this squad, and I want to repeat I am very happy to work with these players and to try to do our best in this tournament. If one day the club try to ask me something about this topic [transfers], I can give my opinion.
“At the same time, I am very happy to work for this club with these players. The club knows very well we are trying to build something important for the present, for the future, in this moment, we started to build something from the last season.
“Last season we were so good to win at the same time but don't forget we are building and the club knows very well what is our situation at the moment.
“Last season, if you remember we started the season without a lot of pressure because a lot of people didn't think Chelsea would be at the top of the table and maybe not even in the Champions League.
“Last season we started without this pressure, but I want to tell you that the pressure is very important. If there is no pressure, I put pressure on myself, the players and the club because it is right to have pressure if you want to create something important for the present and the future.
“I need to feel this and if I don’t, I put it on myself and also the players because it is a vital part if you want to create something important, if you want to win. We must be focused game by game and November, December and January will be a busy period for us.
“We must be focused to go game by game and go with my players to take as many points as possible, to try to reduce this gap on Manchester United and then we have to try to do this with Manchester City.”
Chelsea will play Swansea City on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge looking to stay in touch.
