What Di Matteo needs to do next season

After signing a two year contract with Chelsea, Di Matteo said,

‘It was a very intense end to the season, I’m enjoying the break right now but already looking forward to next season,’

‘The club have made a decision and I respect any decision which they make. I’m just happy that my legacy with this club continues.”

‘The club’s ambition has always been clear, we’ve shown that in the past and we will continue to do so.’

So what should he aim to build on the success that  he has achieved so far with the club?

Defending to the death can win you games, but can also lose you fans for playing unattractive football. Many pundits were vocal about Chelsea’s style of play, though it won them their maiden Champions League trophy. Anti-football they called it. Di Matteo will have to change the way Chelsea plays, and shun his Italian style of defending. Roman Abramovich has always wanted beautiful and attacking football to be played at the Stamford Bridge, something similar to Tika Taka which has been mastered by the Catalans. So far defending deep inside ones half has been the only answer to Tiki-Taka, but another option could be counter attacking at a frenetic pace.

The shelf life for a manager at Chelsea has decreased down the years, and  by now I expect Roman would have understood that the club needs stability and consistency. Using his amazing and godly financial muscle, Roman has created what gamers would call the FIFA Ultimate Team of the year. Poor performances meant that some one was out of a job as he demands the best. To achieve job-security Di Matteo has to convince the players to stand by him, especially the old guard.

Keeping your players happy is the only way to get the best out of them. Jose Mourinho stressed on players feeling like it ‘s one  big family to increase the team’s work-rate, and made sure that the players thought about their teammates before themselves. Di Matteo did nothing tactically other than teach Drogba and the wingers how to defend. He instilled belief into the team and taught them to never give up even in the direst of situations. Before facing Bayern Munich, the entire team was made to watch a recorded video containing emotional messages from family members back home in London. Keeping faith in an unwanted Salamon Kalou and newbie Ryan Bertrand has made them work an extra 10 % harder against Munich to repay back that faith.

Liverpool v Chelsea – FA Cup Final.

Saved our entire season didn’t it? ” God bless that cross bar” is what I said after Messi missed that penalty. Luck is important no matter how strong we are, and I was scared that ours would run out of it in the run up to the final. Luck has been with us throughout in the FA Cup and Champions League with both the cross bar and Petr Cech both making important saves to keep us in the game.