Antonio Conte is unsure whether his Chelsea squad is stronger than the one that won the Premier League title last season but has suggested clubs will need to draw
Teemu Selanne Authentic Jersey up clear strategies if they are to be successful in next summer’s truncated transfer window. Premier League transfer window to close early – but will rest of Europe follow suit? Read more The champions endured a chaotic finale with Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta joining on deadline day while moves for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fernando Llorente and Ross Barkley fell through. Chelsea still spent more than ?180m in the summer, recouping over ?110m in sales, and with Diego Costa remaining awol in Brazil, as they sought to provide Conte with a squad capable of competing in the Champions League. Antonio Rüdiger, Tiemoué Bakayoko and the record signing, álvaro Morata, are likely to play at Leicester on Saturday. Yet, after a tense summer behind the scenes, Conte was unable to determine whether he possesses a squad with enough strength in depth to challenge on four fronts. “This question is very difficult to answer,” said the manager, whose side play seven times in three weeks this month. “I think we have to wait until the end of the season and then we’ll see. Then I can answer this question. “The club tried to do their best in this transfer window. Sometimes you are able to buy. Sometimes you are not able to buy, for many reasons. But I think the club tried to do its best during the transfer market. Now the window is closed – that is the past for us – and it’s time for us to work with these players. I’m very happy to work with the players we have. The next few weeks will show us more.” Next summer’s transfer window will be shortened with Premier League clubs having voted narrowly in favour of closing the market before the start of the domestic season. Chelsea were one of the 14 who voted for the change, a move with which Conte agrees, although he has stressed the necessity to be far more efficient when it comes to recruitment in a year’s time. “If you have a correct plan, a correct programme, I don’t see a problem,” he said. “If you wait until the end of the transfer market, you could have problems. But if you have a plan and your ideas are very clear, I don’t see a problem.” Eden Hazard, who returned after ankle surgery for Belgium’s World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece, has travelled with Chelsea’s squad and is likely to start on the bench at the King Power Stadium. Drinkwater, who completed his ?35m move to the champions on deadline day, is not expected to start against his former clubJimmy Anderson surprised himself with
http://www.authenticducksstore.com/andrew-cogliano-jersey_c-436.html Andrew the emotions that followed becoming the sixth player in history of Test cricket to claim 500 wickets, with England’s record-breaking bowler brought close to tears when his golden moment finally arrived. Lord’s, the scene of his first victim back in 2003 against Zimbabwe, rose to a standing ovation for Anderson as he celebrated crashing the middle stump of West Indies’ opener Kraigg Brathwaite with a beauty that nipped down the slope. With his family among them its significance hit home. Speaking after stumps on the second day, which the tourists closed on 93 for three in their second innings with a lead of 22, the 35-year-old said: “I felt a bit emotional because my family were in the crowd, my kids, my mum and dad and my missus. Knowing they were there made it special and sharing with guys I have played 100 Tests with was an amazing feeling.” The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian's sport coverage Read more Asked if this was more than he had ever felt on the field before, Anderson replied: “Probably, yeah. Normally it’s anger but today it was a bit more, not quite teary but emotional in that way. I don’t get like that
http://www.nflbengalsofficialshop.com/Nike-Jake-Fisher-Jersey.html when trying to focus on my job and it took me a bit by surprise.” Anderson, who had earlier put on 31 with Stuart Broad for the last wicket as England were bowled out for 194 in this low-scoring series decider, ended the day with 501 wickets thanks to a beautiful outswinger from around the wicket that trimmed the off bail of Kieron Powell. He said: “I think ideally I’d have got to the milestone on the first day (when he moved to 499) but Ben Stokes (six for 22) didn’t want me to. To get it out the way now, with a tight game to focus on, is a big help. We didn’t bowl as well as the first innings but we’re still in a good position.” Anderson experienced his more regular feeling on the cricket field when issued with two warnings by umpire Marais Erasmus for running on the pitch – one more and he will be withdrawn from the attack for the remainder of the innings – and expressed this verbally to the official before eventually switching to his less preferred Nursery End. Advertisement He said: “I was talking him through my 500! But yes, I was getting frustrated. He mentioned it a couple of times early on and then warned me straight away in my second spell. I tried to chat it through. I’ll be doing everything I can to not run on the wicket now. I have laws to abide by but, with us batting last, it doesn’t make sense to do it deliberately.” This issue could not detract from Anderson’s earlier feat, however, and already the ball with which he became
Jeff Driskel Jersey only the third seamer after Glenn McGrath (563) and Courtney Walsh (519) to reach the landmark has been stashed away after it was damaged on striking Brathwaite’s stumps. The Lancastrian referenced the hard times from 2005 to 2007 when injury and form made it a stop-start period early in his career as making him the player and person he is today while adding that his passion and love for the game is what has driven him to join the elite. Asked about now looking to pass McGrath to become the all-time leading wicket-taker among seam bowlers – the spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708) and Anil Kumble (619) sit above the great Australian – Anderson replied: “Milestones are nice but not what drive me to be as good as I can. “I want to help England win games of cricket. That’s my motivation and why I turn up every day and try to improve myself. I am loving playing cricket at the minute I am bowling well. I feel fit and strong and hopefully that can continue for a while yet
