Antonio Conte said he saw two different sides of his Chelsea team in their 3-2 defeat by Burnley.
The Premier League champions’ title defence got off to an appalling start as they were 3-0 down at the break following captain Gary Cahill’s sending-off.
A rousing comeback saw them pull two goals back in the second half, despite being reduced to nine men when Cesc Fabregas was also dismissed, but it was not enough.
“Today I saw two faces – one positive, the second half; and one negative, the first half,” Conte said.
“After the red card [to Cahill] we lost our composure and conceded three goals. We have to improve a lot on this aspect, because a situation of this type can happen.
“In the second half it was very difficult to change the final result, despite the great commitment, the great desire, the great will of my players.”
Conte refused to comment on Craig Pawson’s decisions – which were defended by his opposite number Sean Dyche – but admitted he was concerned that his side were again in disciplinary trouble following Victor Moses’ sending-off in the FA Cup final and Pedro’s dismissal in last weekend’s Community Shield.
He said: “You can see it in the last three official games, we finished with 10 men [twice] against Arsenal and today with nine men.
“I have to start to study a new formation with 10 players because when it happens with regularity you must be worried.”
This post was last modified on 12/08/2017