Mate, I love Conte as much of the rest of us and I think he's going to be a success. My opinion that today wasn't a good performance doesn't make that not true.
Applying your logic, we shouldn't have been able to question Nuno or Jose either as they knew far more about the state of the players that we do. I'm not asking for a 5-0 win but this is a Watford team who've won 1 out of their 10 and conceded 4 to West Ham four days ago. We scraped through with a win utilising a broadly similar group of players to the players who have consistently struggled to create quality chances against low blocks for over two years now, and in my opinion we could have made it much easier on ourselves by making changes earlier in the game.
Also, this is broadly Conte's system. We're not particularly good at it but we're trying to play it. The space today was exactly where Conte's teams always find space - in the wide areas of the final third. It was clear after half an hour, though, that we weren't using these spaces due to (a) the inefficency of our WBs and (b) the number of players Watford defended with in central areas and in the box.
This is a common struggle with Conte teams. Ask Inter fans and ask Chelsea fans. I'm delighted with three points and I
Crazy why clubs keep appointing him. The Leicester title was a complete fluke, he's not going to repeat it. Can't even make a team look competent nowadays.Fuck Watford and fuck Ranieri. They came out of their shell for a small ten-minute segment in the second half, and other than that they had no intention of trying to win that game. They sat in a deep block from the first minute and even after we scored didn't try and press us!
They deserve everything they got. Football is a better place when Ranieri isn't managing and when Watford aren't in the Prem.
I know everyone is still dubious because of past history etc, but he's really not the one making those decisions anymore.
I mean yes he has the power to overrule in principle, but FP and AC have been told in no uncertain terms the budget is theirs to do with what they will. If he goes back on this he will lose both of them for sure. He knows he can't afford to back down on the promises he's made now with pressure from above after the Summers debacle.
@mark_2017 You think we clearly deserved to win? We were extremely lucky to avoid a draw, I thought. 1st half we had a ton of possession but only a few real chances. 2nd half was pretty even, really, and we were fortunate to score there at the end. I don't think Mustoe was wrong in his assessment that we just about deserved the win.And he's correct.
I don't know what the budget is, but I can't believe Conte has come here to work with a shoestring budget.That would have been my expectation/hope in any case. My concern boils down to whether the budget itself will be sufficient to make the improvements the squad and team desperately need.
@mark_2017 You think we clearly deserved to win? We were extremely lucky to avoid a draw, I thought. 1st half we had a ton of possession but only a few real chances. 2nd half was pretty even, really, and we were fortunate to score there at the end. I don't think Mustoe was wrong in his assessment that we just about deserved the win.
Brian Kerr, I thinkDoes anyone know who the Irish co comm was on premier sports? Just so I know to avoid him in the future, jeez he was painful to listen to.
Missed the first half, hope the person in crowd is okay.
Davinson had a very good half I thought, I thought our passing was sloppy again at times and we definitely need a locksmith of a midfielder otherwise like peak Poch teams are just going to park most players behind the ball and hope to catch us on the break and we struggled back then even when Eriksen was in baller mode and that was what 4/5 years ago now?
Was annoyed with the result vs Southampton I just hope once the fixture congestion eases and we can get a couple in this window and a few in the Summer.
Otherwise happy new year and get the players on crossing practice FFS.
I'm completely chilled. Just surprised that anyone would think we clearly deserved to win that game. I think we just edged it. Either way, delighted to have got the three points.Yes I think we deserved to win. And also chill out
It wasn't a good performance. A set-piece goal at the death doesn't change that. Conte would probably be the first to tell you that.
We're allowed to criticise when strange decisions are made. He's a top, top manager and I'm delighted he's ours but that doesn't mean his system doesn't have flaws nor does it mean he's a superhuman.
I'm completely chilled. Just surprised that anyone would think we clearly deserved to win that game. I think we just edged it. Either way, delighted to have got the three points.
Yes but bring 3 in and then you have 3 players to bring on.
The back 3 look good with Romero still to return. We NEED an attacking RWB a playmaking CM and another attacking option. Get all three and we are set until the Summer. In fact I'd happily just take two of the three in Jan if we can't do all three because it would change us dramatically just having more attacking threats from 2 more areas of the pitch.
Does anyone know who the Irish co comm was on premier sports? Just so I know to avoid him in the future, jeez he was painful to listen to.
Missed the first half, hope the person in crowd is okay.
Davinson had a very good half I thought, I thought our passing was sloppy again at times and we definitely need a locksmith of a midfielder otherwise like peak Poch teams are just going to park most players behind the ball and hope to catch us on the break and we struggled back then even when Eriksen was in baller mode and that was what 4/5 years ago now?
Was annoyed with the result vs Southampton I just hope once the fixture congestion eases and we can get a couple in this window and a few in the Summer.
Otherwise happy new year and get the players on crossing practice FFS.