Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[mil1lion]

do you think we are decent side then - because this season we are miles off - there really aren't many bright spots that I have seen I am truly astonished when I people say that we are not far away they have to be joking

Come on, saying we're shit is not worth arguing with. We're slow and patient first half of most games which is boring. We're often a lot better 2nd half. We have too many good halves and poor halves. We've had some where we've actually been good first half but poor 2nd. We've had a few games where you could say shit but still think it's a moronic phrase at this level. Shit doesn't sit this high in the table simple as. I just think fans focus purely on the poor halves and ignore the good halves to form their opinion.

 

[Mark_147]

Watching both Arsenal and United today it was very clear Conte will never get us playing as well as either team

They had players who could, and were allowed to, pass the ball

Don 't Think that's in Contes DNA at all

Very interesting because watching both Man utd and Arsenal the passing starts from the back including the keeper. Only Romero looks comfortable in this aspect so how do you expect us to play like that. Only Bentancur in midfield has the technical ability to play possession based football.

 

[synththfc]

Christ I’d really brushed over the club going for Nuno instead of Ten Hag.

Fucking hell.

the line fed to the spurs press was levy thought ten hag “didn’t have the charisma” to manage in the PL.

he then went and appointed Nuno Espírito Santo; the least charismatic man i’ve ever seen in charge of a premier league club

one of the most unforgivable decisions he’s ever made.

 

[DiVaio]

I can’t be the only one who likes conte coming out and staying obviously controversial things. If that’s the only way that levy and the board will listen then why not?
We don’t know what they say behind doors between them all but if he feels like he needs to come out and say it publicly be my guest. To now know that the board and levy don’t like hearing what he’s been saying to the press… well that’s their own fault… not contes. Don’t be mad at the one whos preaching to us and letting us know things. Like his style or not don’t use that as an excuse for your own agenda

I would prefer coach to change something as last 3 months of our football is horrible and we made only 10 points in last 10 PL games than coach who won't do this but instead will publicly moan about how horrible the board is.

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Completely irrelevant to what you originally said which was about Potter going swimmingly, which was what I responded to, no relation to Conte was made in the swimmingly comment by you or me. So think it's utterly pointless you telling me about what he's got in contrast to Conte.

It is literally in a thread called " Manager Watch: Antonio Conte".

If it has nothing to do with Conte, you're in the wrong thread.

 

[DanielJohnCosta]

Prepping the press with this shit and playing absolute shit football, does anyone really want him here?

 

[Harrier]

Come on, saying we're shit is not worth arguing with. We're slow and patient first half of most games which is boring. We're often a lot better 2nd half. We have too many good halves and poor halves. We've had some where we've actually been good first half but poor 2nd. We've had a few games where you could say shit but still think it's a moronic phrase at this level. Shit doesn't sit this high in the table simple as. I just think fans focus purely on the poor halves and ignore the good halves to form their opinion.

It’s difficult to ignore when you’re losing those games as a result of a bad half.

It’s often a case of too little, too late.

We’ve very rarely looked impressive this season even when we’ve won the game.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

Not sure that's what @mil1lion is saying though.

Would love to know what people who think he can do better with this squad would actually do.

A back 4 isn't the solution with the options being Romero alongside one of Dier/Lenglet. I'm not having Sanchez or Davies as an option and if anyone even tries to mention Tanganga it's just because they're biased about the 'style' and they'd probably want the romanticism of Poch coming back.

Oh I love Poch, he's so great I wish he was my daddy.

Put Forster in goal ahead of Hugo, might work out, if it doesn't Conte still gets the blame because "he picks the team". Nobody, absolutely nobody could have predicted Hugo falling this far and costing us 6 times already this season. We're only over half way and if he keeps going the way he is, that's 12 goals extra he's going to cost us. But yeah, Conte is the issue.

for starters the problems don't all lie at the back - we are constantly outnumbered in midfield and get over run and the sole solution this season has been to drop deep with the midfield almost making a back 7 at times as a result when we have the ball there aren't the options

play a narrow back 4 keep them tight together work as a unit pushing higher to condense play with a tight 3 in the middle with a forward dropping off to make a 4 to both give options on the ball but also defensive but almost importantly you pressure the ball in midfield you don't allow sides time to build play.

Geez the nonsense talked about we can't play a back 4 we can't play a 5 if you let sides dominate you every week

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

So if he’s going at the end of the season anyway - what’s point keeping him until then?

 

[spurs mental]

I would prefer coach to change something as last 3 months of our football is horrible and we made only 10 points in last 10 PL games than coach who won't do this but instead will publicly moan about how horrible the board is.

What would you see him change?

The keeper who continues to make mistakes for a keeper nobody rates?

The centre backs (Romero has been injured) who continues to make mistakes for other centre backs like Sanchez or Tanganga who have always made mistakes?

The midfield of Hojbjerg and Bentancur, that was machine like last season? Sarr has come in and done well. Skipp has just returned from almost 18 months out. Bissouma has had 5 yellow cards in a limited space of time on the pitch.

Kulusevski, Moura, Richarlison all injured at the same time. Not to mention Bentancur and Romero being injured together to go with that.

So, tell me, what exactly would you like him to do when he's had to contend with a mountain of injuries, a squad with defenders who make mistake after mistake after mistake, a GK who has thrown two! 2! into our own net vs our biggest rivals this season and continues to get worse.

We haven't been able to build any rhythm, any structure because we have missed key players almost all bar about 6 games this season.

Maybe he could change things, especially during games, and I believe he should be doing more overall, but laying all, or most of the blame on him because you don't like the style of play is nonsense. We battered teams last season under him. We'll batter teams again under him as long as he's backed.

 

[mil1lion]

It’s difficult to ignore when you’re losing those games as a result of a bad half.

It’s often a case of too little, too late.

We’ve very rarely looked impressive this season even when we’ve won the game.

So the comebacks are not impressive? It does sound incredibly pessimistic. We've turned our share of bad halves around which shows the character we have under Conte. If it wasn't for individual mistakes we also would have done much better in our last 2 games. We're really not that bad just not at the level we hit back end of last season (which in fairness didn't really start until March).

 

[spurs mental]

for starters the problems don't all lie at the back - we are constantly outnumbered in midfield and get over run and the sole solution this season has been to drop deep with the midfield almost making a back 7 at times as a result when we have the ball there aren't the options

play a narrow back 4 keep them tight together work as a unit pushing higher to condense play with a tight 3 in the middle with a forward dropping off to make a 4 to both give options on the ball but also defensive but almost importantly you pressure the ball in midfield you don't allow sides time to build play.

Geez the nonsense talked about we can't play a back 4 we can't play a 5 if you let sides dominate you every week

Whose in your back 4 then? Back up what you're saying with some facts or points to show it could work.

Romero plus who at CB?

Dier? Nope. Sanchez? Nope. Davies. Nope. Tanganga? Certainly not. Lenglet? Couldn't do it in La Liga in a back 4.

Right back? Royal? Doc? No thank you.

Left back? Davies? Perisic? Sess? All 3 would be horrific.

Midfield three doesn't solve the issues we currently have with getting the ball forward and creating chances either. Aside from Bentancur, nobody else in there that is in the squad can progress the ball forward quickly enough, although Sarr looks like he has it in him, maybe.

We'll still get dominated as well, because if the width is still coming from the full backs who aren't good enough already then we aren't going to be able to keep the ball when we get further up.

I really don't see how changing to a 4 at the back makes any difference with the players at his disposal.

If he changes and it works happy days, but I'd be cautious believing it would.

 

[mil1lion]

for starters the problems don't all lie at the back - we are constantly outnumbered in midfield and get over run and the sole solution this season has been to drop deep with the midfield almost making a back 7 at times as a result when we have the ball there aren't the options

play a narrow back 4 keep them tight together work as a unit pushing higher to condense play with a tight 3 in the middle with a forward dropping off to make a 4 to both give options on the ball but also defensive but almost importantly you pressure the ball in midfield you don't allow sides time to build play.

Geez the nonsense talked about we can't play a back 4 we can't play a 5 if you let sides dominate you every week

God this outnumbered in midfield argument is so boring. Like it isn't by design in the 343. We're happy to surrender possession there so we can break and make the most of the extra player left when we attack. I mean we played this way last season when we went on a great run. It hasn't looked the same with Son out of form and Kulusevski often injured. Add to that individual errors leading to goals and we're struggling yet still in the top 4 race. Conte doesn't play possession football.

 

[ultimateloner]

What would you see him change?

The keeper who continues to make mistakes for a keeper nobody rates?

The centre backs (Romero has been injured) who continues to make mistakes for other centre backs like Sanchez or Tanganga who have always made mistakes?

The midfield of Hojbjerg and Bentancur, that was machine like last season? Sarr has come in and done well. Skipp has just returned from almost 18 months out. Bissouma has had 5 yellow cards in a limited space of time on the pitch.

Kulusevski, Moura, Richarlison all injured at the same time. Not to mention Bentancur and Romero being injured together to go with that.

So, tell me, what exactly would you like him to do when he's had to contend with a mountain of injuries, a squad with defenders who make mistake after mistake after mistake, a GK who has thrown two! 2! into our own net vs our biggest rivals this season and continues to get worse.

We haven't been able to build any rhythm, any structure because we have missed key players almost all bar about 6 games this season.

Maybe he could change things, especially during games, and I believe he should be doing more overall, but laying all, or most of the blame on him because you don't like the style of play is nonsense. We battered teams last season under him. We'll batter teams again under him as long as he's backed.

I expect a coach with his CV to make us solid at the back.
We are conceding too many goals. Our defenders are mostly average (aside from Romero) but we are playing at worse than the sum of our parts. Arsenal is the total opposite. I'm bring up Arsenal because they are outperforming their ability, which is in direct contrast to us.
I dont expect him to change how we play. Counter-attacking football suits our personnel and has been how we've played for many seasons.

 

[Ledders Army]

I’d love to see a Levy stay/go poll, but not sure how to do that!!!!

It needs to be an Enic stay/go poll

 

[Johno1470]

Despite the recent poor form, we’re not sitting too badly in the table.

We’ve played the majority of the toughest opponents away. We still have to face Chelsea, West Ham, Man City, United and Brighton all at home

We’re only 6 points off third - with 18 games still to go there’s plenty of chances to claw back.

The most frustrating thing for me is the lack of investment to support the team and Conte to push on and try get top 4 again. Zaniolo and Porro could easily make the difference in some games between now and the end of the season, which we saw from Kulu and Bentancur last year.

Conte has been unlucky in terms of the players available to him. Now that we have Richie and Kulu back, I hope he shows some balls and drops Son. He has overused PEH to the extent that he’s knackered now and his performances have been patchy. I’d like to see him begin to start Bissouma alongside Bentancur.

Tomorrow nights game could have a huge bearing on what happens between now and the transfer window closing. I just hope we don’t sit on our hands and fail to give Conte the tools.

 

[dontcallme]

gutted we’ve all jumped the gun

It reads like an educated prediction over possessing actual knowledge of what Conte is thinking.

But I believe his prediction will be right unless something seriously changes.

Not all.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

Come on, saying we're shit is not worth arguing with. We're slow and patient first half of most games which is boring. We're often a lot better 2nd half. We have too many good halves and poor halves. We've had some where we've actually been good first half but poor 2nd. We've had a few games where you could say shit but still think it's a moronic phrase at this level. Shit doesn't sit this high in the table simple as. I just think fans focus purely on the poor halves and ignore the good halves to form their opinion.

Slow and patient I would say we are dull lacking movement and far to passive allowing sides to dominate us - as for being better in the second half over the last few months that's mostly due to sides dropping off and protecting their leads as much as us improving

As for the position in the table I think it flatters us greatly we have the stats and maybe lately the form of a lower mid table team which is why the manager needs to go

 

[spurs mental]

I expect a coach with his CV to make us solid at the back.
We are conceding too many goals. Our defenders are mostly average (aside from Romero) but we are playing at worse than the sum of our parts. Arsenal is the total opposite. I'm bring up Arsenal because they are outperforming their ability, which is in direct contrast to us.
I dont expect him to change how we play. Counter-attacking football suits our personnel and has been how we've played for many seasons.

I agree we are worse than the sum of our parts, but as you say, our defenders are average at best, and continue to make mistakes. Not helped by our captain behind them.

Arsenal also have had little or no injuries to any players, in fact they are probably playing better since Jesus got injured.

Their manager has also had 3 years to get rid of the shite in the squad and buy his own players to fit his system. They've backed him massively. If we did the same for Conte I expect we'd see similar results.

We won't do that though, we'll be back here in 12 or 18 months time discussing the issues with the next manager and why he can't get the same players who haven't performed for 4, soon to be 5, different managers in the last 4-5 years.

And Levy will have gotten off free again most likely

 

[ralphs bald spot]

God this outnumbered in midfield argument is so boring. Like it isn't by design in the 343. We're happy to surrender possession there so we can break and make the most of the extra player left when we attack. I mean we played this way last season when we went on a great run. It hasn't looked the same with Son out of form and Kulusevski often injured. Add to that individual errors leading to goals and we're struggling yet still in the top 4 race. Conte doesn't play possession football.

if its by design its clearly not working the system is broke looks outdated and is being outplayed weekly