Dubai.
IF you want to tag an event from the past week which affected the performance, I would suggest the manager not being able to be close to the players all week due to covid19 was the single biggest factor.
I agree mate - I've said higher up that this is not on the players, but on Conte for being out-tactic'd by Potter.
But I do think you're overlooking the optics issue here, and it's a simple human reaction. Typically, when people aren't doing well in their day jobs, one way that they show their value is in putting in extra effort to improve. Staying behind, volunteering to take on more work, showing a commitment to become better.
It isn't because of anyone asking them to forego their private lives, it's because they feel obligated to show they have value to their team and their employer. I did that a lot in my earlier career a few years ago - no one forced me to swear off going out on weekends or after work, but there were times when I wasn't doing well and voluntarily chose to put in overtime or be there when my team needed me, to show I could still be useful even when not doing well.
I think it helped my manager and employer see that I wasn't shirking, I was genuinely trying to put in the effort even if the results weren't there. And I think it helped me retain their trust until the bad spell turned and I got better at my job again, at which point I didn't need to worry about how I looked taking off at 5 in time to hit the clubs come the evening.
These players barely work 20-25 hrs a week - would it have killed them to be a bit dedicated to football until the end of the season with so much on the line? That's all I'm trying to say.
They didn't, they went out on the week - and then they lost pretty limply on the weekend, which is why questions start being asked. It's natural.
While Conte will take the heat as he absolutely should - those players should also be asking themselves if they were setting the right example, imo.
