Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has revealed how Antonio Conte has made the team fitter this season than they were under former manager Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea for two years in his second spell with the club, before Roman Abramovich dropped the axe on him for a second time after a torrid start to the 2015/16 season.
Chelsea won just four of their opening 16 league games under Mourinho last season and it prompted the club to bring in Guus Hiddink as Mourinho’s replacement until the end of the campaign.
Chelsea’s results certainly improved and they started this season in much stronger fashion than the last, with Conte ensuring his side run themselves into the ground with double training sessions a regular occurrence.
And Mikel admits that the Italian tactician has certainly worked on that one flaw that Mourinho had left in his side last season.
“Yes, I think it played a part last season (not being fit enough),” Mikel told Goal. “One thing is for sure, the team is a lot fitter this season. A lot of players are going to be much, much fitter and that is only going to help the team.
“[Double sessions] That’s the way he wants to train, that’s his style, that’s his way that he thinks we can win and that he thinks can get Chelsea back to where they belong. Obviously, quite a lot was made last year that a lot of the players were not fit, so the club decided to go for someone to make sure we are fit.
“The players have responded very well to him, we are going with whatever the manager wants to do in training, everyone is putting in their best and we have to keep going his way.
“We have to make sure we keep doing whatever the manager wants to do and if we can improve the team that way then I think everybody is on board with that.”
Whilst Chelsea fans have not been entirely happy with the start to this season under Conte – they recently went three top-flight matches without a win and lost to Liverpool and Arsenal – they are currently seventh on 13 points, level with Manchester United.
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