How Conte saved Moses career
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has hailed
Nigeria winger Victor Moses as the player continues to thrive in his
new role at the Premier League side.
In his second start for the Blues, Moses
scored a goal in the 3-0 defeat of Premier League champions Leicester
City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The 25-year-old, who represented
Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, was reportedly considered
quitting Chelsea after his loan spell at West Ham expired in the summer
for playing time elsewhere. But Conte stopped him. Chelsea had earlier
loaned Moses to Liverpool and Stoke.
Moses forced his way into the former
Italy manager’s plans with his impressive performances during
preseason and he is now a regular player for the side.
According to Conte, who took over the
reins at Chelsea after managing Italy at Brazil 2014, Moses is
playing well because he insisted on seeing the player during the
preseason.
“When I arrived at Chelsea, I asked the
club to see Moses in preseason. I knew him very well and his
reputation,” the former Italy international was quoted by Evening Standard as saying.
“He played a good game as a winger when
we played the 4-2-4. He is a very good player. Now he is playing
wing-back and it’s fantastic for us because he has great attention in
the defensive situation and can go one against one in attack.”
Conte, who promised to continue with
Moses, said he had discovered that the player performs better in the
3-4-3 formation, saying he would play him as a wing-back for the
league game against Manchester United at the weekend.
“(Marcos) Alonso always played this role but Moses is a winger. His education is fantastic. I’m pleased for him,” he said.
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