Tactical Predictions and Player Improvement

[Johnny J]

I am not convinced by the narrative that the new 5 subs rule will help the big clubs. I think it is just as helpful to the teams that come to park the bus.

Put simply, bigger clubs have more good players (and better players) than smaller clubs. Having 5 subs will absolutely favour bigger clubs because they have deeper benches with more quality.

Having fresh defenders doesn't help much if those defenders aren't as good as the ones on the pitch. Or if they're facing fresh forwards who are as good as those they replaced.

Another reason we need more depth. I think Conte will sub at least one wing back every game.

 

[Styopa]

Put simply, bigger clubs have more good players (and better players) than smaller clubs. Having 5 subs will absolutely favour bigger clubs because they have deeper benches with more quality.

Having fresh defenders doesn't help much if those defenders aren't as good as the ones on the pitch. Or if they're facing fresh forwards who are as good as those they replaced.

Another reason we need more depth. I think Conte will sub at least one wing back every game.

Definitely agree. Part of the reason Liverpool and Man City were so good this season is because they were able to bring on players capable of changing a game. This season, especially after January, it felt like we had a really decent starting eleven but a very average bench. There were a couple of times when Bergwijn and Lucas made impacts- in particular Bergwijn against Leicester- but generally they felt more like punts than subs who were really going to give us something different. I like both players but it mostly felt like a drop off in quality when we used them.

 

[Phil_2.0]

One thing that is missed during our expectations during this window is that we will be looking to sign a quick passing midfielder that can take the ball off the defence and circulate it quickly ala Jorginho. I think Ally Gold mentioned it briefly in one of his articles and having a player like that will alter the way we play.

Bentacur can receive the ball under pressure but Conte will want a pure passing option.

He had Fabregas at Chelsea and used him lots from the Bench. With Eriksen dropping deeper for Brentford I could see him being brought in for that role but I would like to see us spend some money and bring in a Top Level midfielder, someone like Thiago would be amazing. We struggled hugely against teams that sat deep and the next level of our evolution will be when we are dominating teams we will need to be able to break them down by circulating the ball fast.

Lloris
Romero Dier Bastoni
Kulu Hojbjerg Thiago Bentacur Perisic
Kane Son​

3-3-4 in possession is what that formation would end up like and Chelsea use that a lot and dominate their games tactically but they haven't had the goalscorer to score in the tight games.

 

[Tottenham_God]

One thing that is missed during our expectations during this window is that we will be looking to sign a quick passing midfielder that can take the ball off the defence and circulate it quickly ala Jorginho. I think Ally Gold mentioned it briefly in one of his articles and having a player like that will alter the way we play.

Bentacur can receive the ball under pressure but Conte will want a pure passing option.

He had Fabregas at Chelsea and used him lots from the Bench. With Eriksen dropping deeper for Brentford I could see him being brought in for that role but I would like to see us spend some money and bring in a Top Level midfielder, someone like Thiago would be amazing. We struggled hugely against teams that sat deep and the next level of our evolution will be when we are dominating teams we will need to be able to break them down by circulating the ball fast.

Lloris
Romero Dier Bastoni
Kulu Hojbjerg Thiago Bentacur Perisic
Kane Son​

3-3-4 in possession is what that formation would end up like and Chelsea use that a lot and dominate their games tactically but they haven't had the goalscorer to score in the tight games.

Thiago would be great, but never gonna happen.

Skipp?

 

[tevezito]

It's funny, reading this thread has made me wonder a few weird thoughts...

Could Gil benefit from the 5 subs rule as he could come on for a cameo as Plan C when Plan B is already not working? Against tired legs his lack of physicality shouldn't be such an issue and he might just help get the odd late goal or two (in a different way to Stevie, the specialist, obviously).

Those mentioning that park the buses can just sub on more double deckers late in the game, surely the point about strong squads is that the less rich clubs can't afford to have four or five spanking brand new double deckers, so when their two or three best buses tire, they only have rusty old single deckers to come on (however well-drilled they are in the formation etc.).

And as for the quick passing ball carrier, is that not what NDombele and Lo Celso are supposed to excel at? Conte has improved so many of the squad between January and June, what could a pre-season have done for the latter at least? But then that's clearly just the Malbec talking. (And obviously, Skipp was the correct answer).

Doubt I'll bother coming back to this thread, whatever Antonio thinks we should do tactically and player purchase/improvement-wise is absolutely fine with me. But thanks for entertaining and indulging me over Friday night dinner.