Chelsea
need their players to step up and perform to save under-fire head coach
Antonio Conte, according to Ray Wilkins, who says current performances are
similar to those of Jose Mourinho's final games in charge of the club.
Pressure has mounted on Conte following his side's 4-1 defeat by Watford at
Vicarage Road on Monday Night Football.
The result leaves Chelsea fourth in the Premier League, on point clear of
fifth-placed Tottenham, but Wilkins believes the Blues must stick with Conte
and back the Italian with an upturn in performance on the pitch.
"What about the players, it's time they started performing as well," Wilkins
told Premier League Daily. "They're starting to put in performances now that
got Mourinho the sack.
"They've got to play for this guy, he coaches with a lot of passion and you
can see the way that he works but the players just aren't performing.
"Chelsea, at this moment, are quite average.
"I don't think the dressing room is strong enough with enough characters in
there. When you're on a slight slump where are the John Terrys who are going
to pull this dressing room up and get these players playing?
"It's almost a two-year stint. They [managers] go in there do two years and
unfortunately Mr [Roman] Abramovich decides he's going to sack the guy.
"I think Antonio's done a fantastic job and it'd be a mistake for him to go.
I'd like to see him throw a few of the younger guys in and give them the
opportunity, like when [Ethan] Ampadu has come in. [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek has
been the best player Crystal Palace have had this year."
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Conte's future, Wilkins is confident the
title-winning head coach will be retained by the club as long as they remain
within reach of the Champions League places.
"So long as he's in the top four or in and around the top four I think
Abramovich will go easy on him," Wilkins added. "It's about time some of
these big players, or so-called big players, started standing up and
actually performing."
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