Chelsea boss Conte defends Bakayoko
Antonio Conte has defended Tiémoué Bakayoko following recent criticism of the Chelsea midfielder.
The Frenchman, 23, has struggled at times since his summer move from Monaco and was particularly poor in Saturday’s draw at Liverpool.
Blues boss Conte insisted he is happy with Bakayoko’s contribution despite the player being far from the finished article.
“Don’t forget that Bakayoko is a player who is very young and for many reasons he has played a lot games,” Conte said.
“I think he needs to improve in the tactical aspect with us and to go into our idea of football, but at the same time I think for a young player to play with us regularly is not simple.
“He is playing well and it’s normal to alternate good performances with less good.
“He’s a young player working very well and I’m very happy with his commitment and his behaviour. He has a lot of space for improvement.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are assessing David Luiz, who is struggling with a knee problem.
