Jamie
Carragher thinks there's a chance Antonio Conte could leave Chelsea before
they face West Brom on next week's
Monday Night Football after
their "shambles" of a performance against Watford.
Watford piled the pressure on Conte, whose side were beaten 3-0 at home by
Bournemouth in their last game, as a late flurry of goals secured a thumping
4-1 victory.
The Blues had Tiemoue Bakayoko sent off inside half an hour before Troy
Deeney scored a penalty in the closing stages of the first half, but Chelsea
stayed in the contest and equalised through a magnificent Eden Hazard goal
in the 82nd minute.
The visitors were not level for long, however, as Watford scored three times
in seven minutes through Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra
to secure victory for new head coach Javi Gracia.
If reports are to believed, the result could leave Conte potentially
fighting for his job and Carragher thinks history shows the Italian could be
in danger.
When asked if Conte could leave before the West Brom game next Monday,
Carragher said: "There's a good chance he could go before then.
"Not just because of how Chelsea are playing of late but because of
Chelsea's history of changing managers when the club fear they are not going
to make the Champions League.
"They did it with [Andre] Villas-Boas, [Roberto] Di Matteo, [Jose] Mourinho
as well."
Conte has clearly been frustrated this season and he has appeared to
question the club's transfer dealings following the January transfer window.
He was once again in a fractious mood in his post-match interview with Sky
Sports' Patrick Davison at Watford and Carragher feels the Conte is playing
a dangerous game.
"It looks to me when I hear him speak in press conferences I wouldn't say he
wants to be sacked but it doesn't look like it'd be the worst thing in the
world if it happened," the former Liverpool defender said.
"It's almost like he's testing the board at Chelsea.
"He's
prodding and poking them in press conferences and interviews and that will
not go down well with Roman Abramovich."
Ahead of the game, Conte called for public backing from Chelsea in order to
silence speculation about his future as head coach.
Conte - who last week denied reports linking him to the Italy job - has
expressed his desire to honour the remaining 18 months of his contract, but
Carragher insists performances will have to improve drastically if he is to
keep his job at Stamford Bridge.
"I think when you call it on with your owners and your board as he has done
over the last few weeks with the January transfer window, you've got to back
it up," he added.
"Unfortunately, they've been found wanting. The players may have let him
down and that may be his feeling but to lose to Bournemouth 3-0 and to go to
Watford and lose 4-1, for Chelsea that's not good.
"It was a shambles really. Watford, even 11 against 11, were by far the
better team and should have been a goal or two up. Second half Chelsea had a
bit of possession but never looked like scoring apart from a piece of
brilliance from Eden Hazard.
"However, as soon as Watford stepped they just fell apart at the back and
that is nothing that you associate with Conte teams. You have to look at
again, as we saw with Mourinho, is there now a discord between the players
and the manager?"
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