Hull City 2-0

Independent:

Hull City 0 Chelsea 2

Willian and Diego Costa halt Antonio Conte's losing run

Both goals came in the second half meaning it is three consecutive defeats for Hull

Ian Whittell

Diego Costa’s rejuvenation under new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte continued at Hull where the controversial Spanish forward played a pivotal role as his club ended a worrying run of three games without a victory in ultimately comfortable fashion.

In truth, the opening period had been far from comfortable but by the time Costa, ably supported by Willian and Eden Hazard, had completed a counterattacking masterclass, Conte and Chelsea’s season was firmly back on course and Costa had scored his sixth league goal in seven games this season.
By comparison, it took Costa until the first week of January, and 16 games, last season to reach that mark.

Further yet, Costa also managed to avoid collecting a fifth booking in the new campaign and the suspension that would have come with it.

“It’s fantastic for him, for us,” said Conte. “He has scored six goals but I think Diego has the opportunity every game to score goals.
“But it’s important that today he scored a goal but it’s important he’s working for the team. For me, this is the most important thing - together with Willian, together with Hazard.

“I’m pleased with the performance because today we played with the right intensity and good pressure. After two defeats, it’s never easy, but I’m pleased with the attitude and commitment of the players. We’re working hard and I think that’s the right way.”

After surviving a poor first half showing, Chelsea emerged for the second looking far more business like and intent on hurting their hosts on the break.

Hazard twisted and sprinted towards the area before being denied by David Marshall, Costa rounded the keeper from N’Golo Kante’s through ball, struck the post and saw his team mate sky the rebound over and, on 61 minutes, Willian shot Chelsea ahead.

Costa spearheaded the counter, picked out the Brazilian alongside him and, after Willian had shimmied to put his marker out of the game, curled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
Costa was denied with a low shot from 18 yards moments later but, on 67 minutes, there would be no such reprieve for Hull as Nemanja Matic surged into the home area, had a shot blocked by Curtis Davies and the ball broke kindly for Costa to curl it into the goal.

Yet, Hull had forced Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into the only two saves of significance in the first half - one early, one late - and, in between, gave as good as they got against a club they had not beaten in 28 years.

After just four minutes, and a David Luiz foul on Dieumerci Mbokani, Robert Snodgrass’s terrific 25-yard free-kick forced the Chelsea keeper into a twisting save as he turned the ball over his cross-bar.

And, in first half injury-time, it was Ryan Mason who gathered the ball 25 yards from goal and unleashed a strong shot which the keeper appeared to see late as he forced it behind for a late corner.
Marshall’s first real test came in the opening minutes of the second period, however, as he tipped over a Hazard shot and Chelsea’s combination play should have brought about an opening goal on 58 minutes as Costa rounded Marshall struck the post and N’Golo Kante hurried the rebound high and wide.

A goal soon followed and matters might have worsened for the hosts three minutes after it as Costa collected the ball on another counter-attack and saw his 18-yard shot parried by the keeper.
A second was the least Chelsea deserved and Costa, with a wild shot from the corner of the six-yard box, and Oscar, whose low attempt was pushed away by Marshall, might have further extended the lead in the closing minutes.

For Hull caretaker manager Mike Phelan, the international break should offer the opportunity to discuss his position at the club.

“My future will take care of itself but there is no panic,” he said. “I’m not in a position of worrying too much about it. The talks I’ve had have been extremely good but, once people sleep on things, they tend to change overnight.
“It’s just a case of I wasn’t particularly happy with the uncertainty of the deal. But moving on, we’ll have another coffee and cake, like we did last week, and discuss it.”

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Observer:

Hull 0 - 2 Chelsea

Chelsea get back on track as Willian and Diego Costa seal routine win at Hull

James Riach at the KCom Stadium

A first league win since August and finally some satisfaction for Antonio Conte. The Chelsea manager tinkered with his team and, although the performance was not a vintage one, his side eased to a comfortable victory here after goals from Willian and Diego Costa.

Conte was visited by Roman Abramovich three times in the week leading up to this match, when they discussed how to revive a flagging team, and although this result may not indicate a complete turnaround, at least it was a start.

Conte dropped Branislav Ivanovic and played with a three-man defence that started shakily, but grew into the game. Hull, however, faded badly and Costa capitalised. Both his and Willian’s goals were fine strikes into the top corner in the second half, to ensure Chelsea eased to a much-needed win after recent defeats by Arsenal and Liverpool.

“We played with the right intensity and pressure,” said Conte. “For me, we played a good game and also kept the clean sheet for the second time.
“After two defeats, it’s never easy. You need to work very hard, but I am happy with the commitment of the players.
“It [a three-man defence] can be a big change on the tactical aspect, but I think more than the system it’s the principles that are important. This week we worked on it a lot. We must find the right solution to be more compact. We were able to defend very high and this is very important.”

In the end, Chelsea cantered home, but they were evidently learning the nuances of their new formation on the job. David Luiz was flanked by Gary Cahill and César Azpilicueta at the back, and it was Thibaut Courtois who was forced into the two significant saves of the opening half.

The first came in the third minute, when he acrobatically tipped over a Robert Snodgrass free-kick that deflected off the wall, David Luiz having pulled down Dieumerci Mbokani on the edge of the penalty area.

Eden Hazard and Willian played just off Costa, but while there were a few scuffed efforts here and there, fluidity was limited early on.
Hazard appeared the greatest threat and, in the 40th minute, Curtis Davies had to be alert to produce a precise sliding tackle to deny the Belgian a shot at the goalkeeper David Marshall inside the area.

Chelsea restarted with renewed impetus and Hazard, in particular, lifted his game. Marshall was forced into a fine stop after the Blues player turned brilliantly in midfield before jinking past his marker and curling a powerful shot towards the top corner of the goal.

It was the spark that Chelsea needed to begin a concerted period of pressure. Hull’s only creative outlet was Snodgrass and passes soon began to go awry for Mike Phelan’s side. Indeed, it was one such miscue that almost gave Chelsea the lead.

Davies played the ball straight to N’Golo Kanté and the former Leicester City midfielder slipped in Costa, who rounded the onrushing Marshall and shot on to the post, with Jake Livermore getting the faintest of touches as he desperately slid in front of his own goal. Kanté then had a glorious opportunity to score from the rebound, but he fired over.

In the 61st minute, however, Chelsea did have their lead. Hull again gave away possession in midfield and the blue shirts swarmed forward, Costa feeding Willian out left and the Brazilian cutting into the penalty area to curl the ball exquisitely into the top corner.

Cue more pressure, as Hull’s confidence crumbled. Soon afterwards it was 2-0, as Costa added his sixth goal of the season after Matic, driving forward, had a shot blocked that fell to the striker, who finished coolly.

Phelan, the Hull caretaker manager, said: “I was encouraged after the first half; I thought we took Chelsea to certain limits and created a few chances. But, at this level, you need to take them to be in the game.

“We did not treat the ball with the care and attention it deserved, and when you do that you get punished.
“I’m looking forward to a break. My future will take care of itself. I’m not in a position of panic. I’m not shying away from the challenge; it’s hard this division and we’re a newly promoted team.”

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Telegraph:

Hull City 0 Chelsea 2:

Antonio Conte's experiment with three-man defence puts end to poor run

Sam Wallace

You can tell by the way he winces at the memory that Chelsea’s two previous league defeats took their toll on Antonio Conte and there will have been times during this victory over Hull City when he will have wondered if his team’s problems were worse than he thought
.
Yet they came back after a poor first half to win with goals from Willian and Diego Costa that allayed some of those fears and suggested more of the spirit that was evident in the EFL Cup win away at Leicester City. Six days earlier, Arsenal had wiped the floor with Conte’s team and while it will take more than a win at Hull to recover from that humiliation, this was a step in the right direction for their Italian manager.

He dropped Branislav Ivanovic, a decision that was long overdue, and spent the week drilling his team to play with a three-man defence. He was rewarded with a clean sheet for a new three-man defence and Conte’s faith in that formation will be put to the test when his players return from the international break to face Leicester at home on Oct 15.

Yet there were times in the first half when the problems of last season, and in the defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal, were in evidence. In the first half there were still questions about Nemanja Matic and the lack of a playmaker in the team, although that changed after the break when the space opened up in Hull’s midfield and Chelsea took full advantage.

Asked about the decision to drop Ivanovic, Conte implied that the Serb had accepted that it was time to take a step back after another poor performance against Arsenal the previous weekend. “Chelsea are a great team and I try to choose the best team because the club and the fans want to win,” Conte said. “We have different options in this situation.”

Conte added that his team had been, in his words, “more compact” and it was true that Hull barely had a chance worthy of the name after half-time although that might say more about the home side’s current state. “This week we worked a lot on this aspect [of play],” Conte said. “We must find the right solution to be more compact and today we were more compact. To finish with a clean sheet is important for the confidence.”

Mike Phelan was a long time coming to his post-match press conference and lamented the fact that after a solid first half his team were architects of their “own demise”. Hull now have just one point from their last five games and the reality of their season is starting to set in, with empty seats at the Kcom Stadium.

Phelan said: “I was encouraged by the first half and we took Chelsea to certain limits – we even created a few chances. When you get chances against teams of this quality then you need to take them. I feel disappointed and they [the players] understand why because we were [architects] of our own demise. We gave the ball away cheaply and we didn’t treat it with sufficient care and attention.”

Phelan said that he hoped the international break would be a chance to resolve his own future. “The talks I have had have been very good. Once people sleep on things, they change overnight. I wasn’t particularly happy with the uncertainty of the deal. I have stressed that. We will ...  discuss it again. It’s more than being a manager of a club, there a lot of things you want to know.”

Chelsea’s three-man defence had David Luiz at the heart of it, with Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta either side of him and Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses as the wing-backs. A bold decision in the circumstances, but then something had to change.

As the first half demonstrated, this is a Chelsea team that struggles to get out of first gear. Matic is too slow in possession. Always involved, N’Golo Kante can run with the ball and tackle as well as anyone, but he is no playmaker. Chelsea’s passing was slack and they lingered too long over the few chances they had. 

The final incident of note before half-time – and there were not many – was Ryan Mason’s shot that was saved by Thibaut Courtois. It was a different proposition in the second half with Chelsea foraging for chances from the start and no longer reliant upon the surging runs of Eden Hazard to open the game up for them.

Kante was the first to run through Hull virtually unchecked and if he had confidence in his left foot to hit a shot, he might have scored. Before the hour he played in Costa who went round the goalkeeper Andy Marshall and struck a shot that Jake Livermore, playing at centre-half, managed to get something on. It struck the post and Kante missed the rebound.

The first goal came from a Costa surge forward and the ball laid off to his left to Willian who curved a right footed shot expertly past Marshall. Six minutes later and there was the unusual sight of Matic striding through Hull’s midfield with no firm idea of what to do when he reached their area. His shot was blocked but Costa picked his spot perfectly with the rebound. Last season it took him 16 games to reach six goals.

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Mail:

Hull 0-2 Chelsea: Willian and Diego Costa strike as Antonio Conte's side return to winning ways

By JOE BERNSTEIN FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY

Antonio Conte reacted as you’d expect to a 3-0 roasting by Arsenal. The fiery Italian ripped up Chelsea’s formation, became the first manager since Andre Villas-Boas to drop Branislav Ivanovic and watched as Diego Costa helped end their worrying mini-slump.

Their record arriving on Humberside was virtually a crisis by Roman Abramovich’s standards, one point out from a possible nine with seven goals conceded.

So just like Jose Mourinho a week ago at Manchester United when he left out Wayne Rooney, Conte did not shy away from making big changes.

He lined up with a three-man central defence, two unlikely wing-backs in Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, and Ivanovic watching from the bench — the first time the Serbian has been left out of a Premier League fixture since the 2011-12 campaign.
The rewards weren’t immediate with Chelsea indebted to two fine saves by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in order to reach half-time level.

But after that they moved up the gears with midfielders N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic powering further forward and two sumptuous finishes from Willian and Costa from near-identical positions sealing the points.
‘We played with a real intensity,’ said Conte, who had briefly experimented with his new formation in the second half at the Emirates when the game had already been lost.

‘It is never easy after two defeats but it was important to keep a clean sheet here after conceding two and three goals,’ said the Italian. ‘We were able to defend very high and this is very important.
‘The team was always compact and when we lost the ball, we tried to win it back quickly. When you work together, it is easy.’

There was scant sympathy for Ivanovic, 32, who has been a mainstay of Chelsea’s glory era.
‘I try to choose the best for the team because I want to win and the fans want to win,’ added Conte.
‘It is important all the players must be involved in the project, young and old. We work together and it is important to trust the work.’
Hull had never beaten Chelsea in the Premier League but might have been encouraged by the surprising line-up Conte used.

Full-back Cesar Azpilicueta was the right-sided defender of three alongside David Luiz and Gary Cahill.
Moses has been out on loan for most of his four years as a Chelsea player while it was a first Premier League start for Alonso following his £23million summer move from Fiorentina.

The formation turned out in effect to be a 3-4-2-1 and Hull coped comfortably in the opening 45 minutes.
Indeed, the home side came closest to scoring. After four minutes, Courtois flew across his goal to beat away a Robert Snodgrass free-kick.

Right on the interval, the Belgium goalkeeper had to be alert to save again when Ryan Mason let fly from 25 yards.

Having survived those scares, Chelsea’s midfield players appeared to be given the license to power forward. Kante set up Costa to hit the post and then fired the rebound over the top, but it proved to be only a temporary let-off for the home side.

Willian fed Costa and when the striker played a pass for Eden Hazard, Willian took it off his team-mate’s toes and curled an inch-perfect finish past David Marshall from 20 yards.

Poor Marshall couldn’t get near it and six minutes later Costa scored a carbon copy from a similar range, bending his finish into the top corner after Matic had rampaged forward and seen a shot charged down.

It was Costa’s sixth goal Premier League goal — it took him until January to reach that tally last season. Conte must be relieved Chelsea did not sanction his sale back to his old club Atletico Madrid during the summer.

‘It is fantastic for him and for us,’ added Conte. ‘I think Diego has the opportunity in every game to score goals but the most important thing is he worked hard.’

Fearing another heavy beating, Hull settled on damage limitation this time. The busy Marshall saved from substitute Oscar and Moses was denied a penalty after a trip by Andy Robertson.
Chelsea’s former England Under-21 midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah came on to make his first Premier League appearance for the club.

Hull’s still-interim manager Mike Phelan has now presided over four defeats in five League games — albeit against big-hitters Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

MATCH FACTS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE FROM THE KCOM STADIUM

HULL CITY (4-3-3): Marshall 6.5; Meyler 6, Davies 6.5, Livermore 6.5, Robertson 6.5; Clucas 6 (Huddlestone 81mins, 6), Mason 7, Henriksen 6 (Hernandez 72, 6); Snodgrass 6.5, Mbokani 5.5, Diomande 5.5 (Maloney 63, 5.5)
Subs not used: Jakupovic, Maguire, Weir, Keane
Booked: Livermore, Robertson

CHELSEA (3-4-2-1): Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 6.5, Luiz 6.5, Cahill 6.5; Moses 7 (Pedro 85, 6), Matic 7, Kante 7, Alonso 6.5; Willian 6.5 (Chalobah 89), Hazard 6.5 (Oscar 81, 6); Costa 7.5
Subs not used: Begovic, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Batshuayi
Booked: Moses, Matic
Goals: Willian 61, Costa 67

Referee: Anthony Taylor 6.5
Man of the match: Costa
Attendance: 21,575


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Mirror:

Hull City 0-2 Chelsea: Diego Costa inspires Blues as pressure eases on Antonio Conte - 5 things we learned

BY ADRIAN KAJUMBA

Goals from Willian and Diego Costa put the Blues back on track with the Tigers happy to see the international break after back-to-back defeats

Chelsea got back to winning ways in the league over Hull thanks to two second-half goals in six minutes from Willian and Diego Costa.

The Blues arrived at Hull after successive league defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal which punctured some of their early-season optimism.
But they eventually had too much class for Hull as they secured a comfortable win at the KCOM Stadium.
Conte responded to Chelsea's poor, recent defensive showings by dropping Branislav Ivanovic and switching to a three-man defence.

And after a lacklustre first-half display Chelsea finally came to life after the break.
Willian broke the deadlock with a fine curling finish just after the hour and a carbon copy strike from Diego Costa sealed all three points for Antonio Conte's men.

1. Conte's opts for what he knows best

Antonio Conte started with a three-man defence for the first time, a setup that has served him well in the past with both Juventus and Italy.
Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill made up the back-line with Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso providing the width and energy on the flanks.
At times the three became a back five to give Chelsea even more security and bodies in front of Thibaut Courtois.

2. Ivanovic's Blues future is bleak

Antonio Conte could have signalled the beginning of the end for Branislav Ivanovic.
Conte became the first manager to drop Ivanovic because of poor form since Andre Villas-Boas.
It has been coming with Ivanovic struggling for form since the start of last season
Chelsea kept a clean sheet, admittedly against a side who were not the most threatening, and looked a lot more solid without him.
Given the success of the setup, and with his contract up at the end of the season, it would be no surprise if Ivanovic is starting to fear the worst.

3. Conte's half time team-talk works a treat

Antonio Conte called his players “spineless” at half-time last week as they trailed 3-0 at Arsenal.
There was no fight-back at the Emirates but whatever he said at the break at Hull worked a treat.
After a sluggish first-half display Chelsea looked transformed in the second half and played with an energy and intensity that was missing in the opening 45 minutes and simply too much for Hull.
The two goals and three points were, in the end, fully deserved.

4. International break well-timed for Hull

After three wins in their opening four games, Hull have won just one of the subsequent five.
The raft of new signings who arrived on deadline day haven't had the desired effect of helping them build on their promising start to the season.
Their defending hasn't helped either. After shipping a total of nine goals against Arsenal and Liverpool they shot themselves in the foot with sloppy defending for both of Chelsea's goals.
They now have two weeks off before their trip to Bournemouth and the international break looks like being an ideal opportunity for them to try and regroup.

5. Conte a fan of Moses

At times it has been easy to forget that Victor Moses is still a Chelsea player but there is something about him that Antonio Conte likes.
After being loaned out for the last three seasons, Conte has chosen to keep Nigerian winger Moses at Stamford Bridge this season.
And he handed Moses his first Chelsea league start since May 11 2013 against Hull. If Moses continues to impress he may even force his way into Conte's starting line-up.

Ratings

Hull: Marshall 6; Meyler 6, Livermore 5, Davies 5, Robertson 6; Clucas 7 (Huddlestone 82, 5); Snodgrass 7, Mason 6, Henriksen 5 (Hernandez 73, 5), Diomande 5 (Maloney 64, 5); Mbokani 6.
Unused: Jakupovic, Maguire, Weir, Keane.

Chelsea: Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, Cahill 6, Luiz 6; Moses 6, Kante 7, Matic 6; Moses 7 (Pedro 86, 5), Alonso 7; Willian 7 (Chalobah 89, 5), Hazard 7 (Oscar 81, 5); Costa MOTM 7.
Unused: Begovic, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Batshuayi.

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Sun:

TIGERS TAMED Hull City 0 Chelsea 2: Willian and Diego Costa give Hull runaround with second half strikes

Chelsea struggled in the first half and failed to put shot on target -  but Antonio Conte's men came good in the end

BY GEOFF SWEET

SECOND half goals from Willian and Diego Costa wrapped up a welcome three points as they recovered from their thrashing at Arsenal.

Costa struck the winner in the 66th minute, sweeping a curling shot past a helpless David Marshall and into the top corner from just inside the area.

Nemanja Matic set up the chance with a terrific run from deep and a shot that deflected into Costa’s path off Curtis Davies.
Willian had broken the deadlock on the hour, also with a sublime finish.

He checked back on to his left foot and curled a 18-yarder past wrong-footed Marshall.

The Blues initially struggled to find a way past Davies and the rest of the resolute Hull defence. In fact,  they failed to put a first half shot on target – just as they did against in their defeat to Arsenal last weekend.

There was a penalty appeal, though, when Victor Moses went down in a heap after a tangle with Adama Diomande. But ref Anthony Taylor wasn’t interested.

They came alive after the break, Eden Hazard turning inside Andrew Robertson and unleashing a stinging shot from 20 yards which Marshall tipped expertly over.

Hull, were the more inventive side early on with Ryan Mason testing Thibaut Courtoisfrom 20 yards after excellent work by Jake Livermore.

And Sam Clucas – signed from Chesterfield for a little over a million and up against N’Golo Kante who was signed from Leicester for 30 times that amount – sent a fabulous volley delicious volleyed ball forward to Dieumerci Mbokani.

But the striker couldn’t control and Courtois picked up the pieces.
Instead, Chelsea began to dominate and the Tigers survived another spot kick appeal in the 77th minute.

An smashing backheel from Costa into the path of Willian saw a stretching Davies just manage to get a toe to the ball.
In the closing stages Oscar tried to make it a hat-trick of right-footed curlers into Marshall's top-left corner, but the Hull keeper pushed the ball away, while Pedro stabbed a Marcos Alonso cross wide when well placed.

STATS, FACTS, GOALS & LOLS

Visiting Chelsea fans might have wondered how Hull has been awarded the title of the UK’s City of Culture for 2017. Locals used today’s match to promote their volunteer scheme. But chants of ‘City of culture, we know what we are’ were really not needed.

It takes a brave man to drop Branislav Ivanovic, who is close to owner Roman Abramovich. But Antonio Conte did just that, becoming the first Blues boss to axe the Sebian on form since Andre Villas-Boas in 2011-12.

Conte still doesn’t have much time for Cesc Fabregas. He gave the Spaniard is first league start at Arsenal. But Fabregas was subbed after 55 minutes there – and was out of the team today.

Expect Chelsea to continue playing three at the back. Conte switched to the wing-backs system in the second half at Arsenal and started with it again here – to great success.

Robert Snodgrass must be one of the best free-kick takers in the country at the moment. He’s already scored two this season and would have had a third were it not for a brilliant save from Thibaut Courtois.

Hull caretaker boss Mike Phelan would have been happy with his side's first half performance
Sam Clucas is Premier League class. The Hull midfielder was playing non-league just three years ago. But his super display against the Blues proved he can cut it at this level.

Whatever Conte said to his Chelsea side at half-time had the desired effect. The Italian clearly gave them the hairdryer treatment because the Blues were a different side after the break.

N’Golo Kante has a lot of qualities – but finishing is not one of them. He only scored one league goal for Leicester last season. And in the second-half here he blazed over from ten yards with the goal gaping.

The Blues faithful chanted ‘Boring, boring Chelsea’ after Diego Costa scored their side’s second. And that will have been music to the ears of Conte, who immediately shouted “clean sheet” as the team were still celebrating.

Hull need to end the uncertainty over Mike Phelan’s future. They may be without a win in their last five league matches but he still deserves to be handed the reins on a permanent basis. And the ongoing contract talks are not doing the club any favours.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Hull City: Marshall 7, Meyler 6, Davies 7, Livermore 7, Robertson 6,
Snodgrass 6, Henriksen 6 (Hernandez, 72, 6), Clucas 6 (Huddlestone, 81, 6), Mason 5, Diomande 6 (Maloney,  63, 5), Mbokani 6.
Subs not used: Maguire, Jakupovic, Weir, Keane

Chelsea: Courtois 7, Azpilicueta 7, Cahill 7, Luiz 7, Alonso 7, Kante 7,
Matic 6, Moses 8 (Pedro 85, 5), Willian 8 (Chalobah, 89, 5), Hazard 7 (Oscar, 81,6), Costa 8
Subs not used: Begovic, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Batshuayi
Star Man: DIEGO COSTA 8

WHAT THEY SAID

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte:

"Every game is very tough in England and I am pleased with our performance because we scored two goal and got a clean sheet. I saw the right pressure and the right intensity from the players.
"After these two defeats it's not easy to work because two defeats for Chelsea are heavy defeats. But this was a good answer.

"I saw many of the players with great commitment, attitude and will to change the situation. I am pleased for them.
"We must follow this with work, work, work!"

Hull caretaker manager Mike Phelan:

"We were quite pleased we created a few issues for them in the first half, but we expect a team like Chelsea to ramp up the pressure a little bit.
"It has been difficult to get forward but we're not playing Mickey Mouse teams here. We have to be sensible with our approach and can't just be open against these teams.

"My situation has fluctuated from week to week but we're not far apart. We are talking and having lunches together, the owners and I. It's just a case of where it all stands.
"Now we have to get together and move forward. I don't think there's any issues with the players who are here, they are trying to win football matches."

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Star:

Hull 0 Chelsea 2: Diego Costa and Willian on target to sink Tigers

THEY have sited a massive funfair next to the KCOM Stadium – and Diego Costa loved every minute of his own rollercoaster ride.

By Steve Millar

The Chelsea striker did not have a single shot in a dismal first 45 minutes for every one of Antonio Conte’s men disappointed.

But then Costa became goal provider for Willian and followed up to loop in his own effort to break Hull hearts and put him top of the Premier League’s scoring charts with six hits.
Amazingly, it took him until the first week of January to reach that target last season.
Costa is on fire – and loving every thrill-a-minute moment.

In fact, he had so much amusement that when he belted the ball into Row Z trying to inflict further damage, he could afford a wry smile.
Not like him at all to break that deadpan expression.

But he deserved the “Costa Costa” adulation from the travelling Chelsea fans, who found themselves in dreamland after a nightmare start.
They failed to record a first-half shot on target in consecutive league games for the first time since March 2012.

Spare a thought, though, for Hull. That is five league matches now without a victory to further furrow the brow of caretaker boss Mike Phelan, who still has not been given the permanent job or seen a much-hyped takeover come to fruition.

All the spotlight was on Conte, who worked hard in the summer to hold on to Costa.
He showed his ruthlessness by leaving out defender Branislav Ivanovic for the first time.
Conte said: “It’s fantastic for Diego. Fantastic for us as he has scored six goals.

“Diego has the opportunity in every game to score the goals.
“It’s important, too, that he works for the team. If you work really hard, you do have the opportunity to score the goals. But I am pleased for all the players.”

Phelan said: “My future will take care of itself and I’m not in a position of panic.
“Talks I have had are very good. We will have another coffee and a cake and discuss it. I’m looking forward to the break.

“I thought, though, we were more than a match in the first half.
“We took Chelsea to certain limits and created a few chances but we gave the ball away cheaply and you get punished – that certainly happened.”

It did not paint a pretty picture for Hull fans in the end. But it did at the start, when glamour girls handed out flags proudly declaring Hull as the City of Culture.

But there was little of that precious commodity on show in the early exchanges of this eagerly-awaited encounter which should have had the fans shuffling to the edge of their seats in excitement.
Instead, they slumped back in frustration at the lacklustre events on the pitch although Hull had a couple of digs at Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to stop him from nodding off.

Chelsea, in fact, almost found themselves one down with just a handful of minutes on the board when Robert Snodgrass’ free-kick took a deflection and forced a great save from Courtois.
And Ryan Mason had a couple of pops at the Chelsea No.1 as his team-mates struggled to wake themselves up from their slumber.

When they did, Costa fed across to Willian but he summed up Chelsea’s first-half performance with a clumsy mis-hit.
Then skipper Gary Cahill scuffed a shot wide.

There was no such incompetence from Hull’s Mason, who wriggled through the Blues’ ranks to sting Courtois’ hands with a hefty low drive.
Chelsea got back on track after the break – they had gone three Premier League games without a win prior to this game.

Eden Hazard spelled danger when he saw his shot flipped away by Hull keeper David Marshall and then Costa finally got his act together.

He slipped past Marshall and his shot for goal hit Jake Livermore and the post, before the ball fell for N’Golo Kante who ballooned over.

But in the 61st minute Chelsea broke the deadlock. Willian, just inside the box, showed his first glimpse of real class with a curler into the top corner to leave Marshall thumping his thighs in anger.
And six minutes later, Costa picked his spot in similar fashion with unhappy Marshall powerless to stop a second sucker punch.

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Express:

Hull 0 - Chelsea 2: Willian and Diego Costa get Antonio Conte's men back to winning ways

PERHAPS the road to Hull proved the road to recovery for Chelsea.

By RICHARD JOLLY

Because, after a traumatic September, they started October by getting back to winning ways.
They had a change of shape and a change of fortune and, after two straight league losses, Chelsea claimed three points.

After a solitary clean sheet in 15 games, Chelsea prevented Hull from scoring. They did so with Antonio Conte’s favourite defensive ploy.

Just like his Juventus and Italy teams, Chelsea played three centre-backs.
And after taking a lone point last month, they already have three in this, recovering from their hammering at Arsenal.
“After two defeats, it is never easy,” said Conte.

Chelsea made hard work of it, but Willian and Diego Costa struck. The Brazilian midfielder was the shining light in the gloom of last season, the one Chelsea player to excel in adversity.

And Brazil-born striker Costa has responded to Conte’s appointment this season.
Both found the same corner of David Marshall’s net. They turned a dour draw into a potentially vital victory.

Willian’s was an inch perfect finish, curled past Marshall after a bulldozing run from Costa.
Then Nemanja Matic went on a surging run to the edge of the Hull box. He found Costa, who dispatched his shot with genuine force.

“It is fantastic for him and us that he scored six goals,” said Conte. But he took more pleasure in the fact that Hull scored none.
“We finished with a clean sheet,” he added. “It is not normal for us. In the last four games we conceded two or three goals [every game].” 

But it was a game of two halves. Chelsea were poor in the first, powerful and purposeful in the second.
Conte’s words at the break clearly had an impact. They could have scored four goals within 20 minutes. Two sufficed.

Conte made a statement from the start.
He showed his tough side. He dropped Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic and ditched his defensive system as he switched from a back four.

“We were able to defend very high and this is important,” said Conte. “We were more compact.”
They were. But initially Chelsea were ragged, struggling to get to grips with a new system.
They gave the ball away time and again. They gave Hull chances to take the lead.
Thibaut Courtois had to claw away Robert Snodgrass’ deflected free-kick. He had to stop Ryan Mason’s thunderbolt.

In the first half, Chelsea indulged in ponderous passing, going nowhere. Only N’Golo Kante provided much running power. Only Eden Hazard hinted at creativity.
In the second, the Belgian almost got a goal out of nothing. He skipped away from Adama Diomande, turned away from Andy Robertson and struck a crisp shot.

Marshall tipped it over the bar. But that stirred his team-mates.
Kante sent Costa scampering clear. The striker rounded Marshall and took aim. With Jake Livermore getting the slightest of touches to his shot, he hit the post. It still should have been a goal.
The rebound fell to Kante. He blazed over an unguarded net.
It mattered not. Willian and Costa did it instead.

The fixture list has been cruel for Hull. “We’re not playing Mickey Mouse teams,” said caretaker manager Mike Phelan, whose side has now lost to Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. But City were, Phelan said, architects “of our own demise”