His job was on the line and the fans would have had a second thought when Arsenal thrashed Chelsea but fast forward six weeks after Antonio Conte has turned around the club in a fashionable way.
The blues have recorded five consecutive wins scoring 16 goals and conceding none since the defeat at the Emirates Stadium. The London club are a point below leader Liverpool in the second position on the league table.
Here is an analysis of how Conte has turned the club around
The Switch to 3-4-3
The turnaround coincided with the switch to the 3-4-3 formation after the defeat at Arsenal. The formation has made summer signing David Liuz to thrive in the middle of the back and also provided the opportunity for strikers to concentrate more on the attack which has led to Eden Hazard scoring five goals in his last four league games.
Diego Costa and Eden Hazard Rediscover Form
The two had a torrid time last season. Hazard couldn’t score his first Premier League goal until April and Costa was nowhere near his best as he failed to replicate his first season form that won the title for the Blues. This season Hazard has scored seven goals already and he is been compared with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. His striker partner, Costa, is topping the league scoring chart with nine goals. This time last season the Spaniard managed just two goals.
No One is Untouchable
Unlike under former manager Jose Mourinho when some players proved to be bigger than the coach and cannot be benched or his favourites, Conte has made it clear that the team is suitable only for those that are ready to deliver. He is the second manager after Andrez Villaz-Boaz to drop out of form defender Branslan Ivanovic. Even club captain John Terry has been limited to the bench since his return from injury.