Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich "provided a strong show of support" for Manager Antonio Conte on Monday by having lunch with him at the club’s training ground, according to Matt Hughes of the LONDON TIMES. It is understood that Abramovich "spent several hours" at the club’s Cobham HQ. He made a point of watching an entire training session in an attempt to "get to grips with the problems" that have resulted in Conte’s side losing its past two Premier League matches, at home to Liverpool and away to Arsenal, conceding five goals in the process. Abramovich did not speak to the players after training and "resisted the temptation to hold a crisis meeting, as he has after poor results in the past," with the Russian instead holding informal talks with Conte. Abramovich "is said to be willing to give Conte time despite having made 11 managerial changes in 13 years." There is "also a strong feeling at the club that the players should be held accountable for their performances," which will be scrutinized closely over the next few months with a view to "making wholesale changes" in January (LONDON TIMES, 9/27).
