Conte's 3-5-2

[Trix]

He isn't an idiot but while he's had success with 3-4-3 he's had far more success with 3-5-2.

You know more than most about our transfer plans but I'd be very surprised if there aren't plans afoot to bring in an AM like Barella or to figure out who can already do it.

He played 352 with Winks as the dm and it worked (albeit against Leicester) so it's definitely an option for him. I'd imagine it's something he'd prefer to do if he can but he'll need the personel to do it.

People keep referencing what he did at Inter and Juve, yet Conte himself has said the Prem is very different to other leagues and requires different skill sets and tactical approach. I'm sure we will play 3-5-2 from time to time but not enough to go big for a dedicated AM imo.

 

[wrd]

If we sign a creative midfielder then it will be in the mould of a De Jong or Jorginho type I imagine. I don't think it'll be a number 10 type and I think it'd be with a view to either signing a player as an alternative option in terms of switching formation to 3-5-2 so a player whose quality would most likely reflect being on the bench, alternatively though pushing Bentancur down the pecking orde. It'd need to be literally somebody like De Jong rather than in the mould of in order for Bentancur to be benched imo.

 

[Spud6n6p]

last season would be wasted if we went 3 5 2...

 

[kremlyn]

It's going to be interesting.

Reading about him, his significant changes in approach have been forced on him and he's adapted successfully each time. I think he started as a 4-2-4 coach, switched to 4-3-3 then to 3-5-2 for Juventus, 3-4-3 for Chelsea, 3-5-2 for Inter and back to 3-4-3 last season.

His previous changes were pure pragmatism. He simply didn't have the playes to be truly effective any other way.

This might be the first time he gets carte blanche to build his own team and it'll be interesting to see if his true preference becomes obvious. History points 2 ways. Greater success with 3-5-2 but greater success in the PL with 3-4-3.

I think we might see 3-5-2 in the CL as it's slower and possession becomes more of a deciding factor.

 

[kremlyn]

last season would be wasted if we went 3 5 2...

Totally agree. We didn't have the personel.

 

[werty]

People keep referencing what he did at Inter and Juve, yet Conte himself has said the Prem is very different to other leagues and requires different skill sets and tactical approach. I'm sure we will play 3-5-2 from time to time but not enough to go big for a dedicated AM imo.

He played a lot more 352 in his second season with Chelsea because teams adapted to his 343.

 

[werty]

Totally agree. We didn't have the personel.

Yet we had some great performance with 352...

 

[soflapaul]

How would you line them up?

3-4-3 for the most part with midfield selection dependent primarily on the opponent. You have to have your best players on the pitch which means putting Kane, Sonny and Kulu on the pitch every time you can. although, there's a pretty good chance that Richarlson excels in this new environment as he will have more space and time with better service. Doing that will force others to play away from their tactical strengths unless they excel at bus parking.

 

[kremlyn]

Yet we had some great performance with 352...

It's a can of worms though. Winks played really well which is reason enough for many to never want to see it again!

I jest.

 

[kremlyn]

I'll admit that I love a 3-5-2. I grew up on football italia and loved the way it was played back then. In those days Italian football was much slower though and the great english teams of the late 90s absolutely destroyed them.

Spaletti broke the mould and played hyper aggressive football and reinvigorated their domestic game. Sassuolo were important too.

The return of 3 at the back is wonderful but 3 in midfield is the evolution I've loved in Conte's Juve and Inter along with Atalanta.

It might not work here because of how direct the EPL is but then again..

 

[Cochise]

The game against Leicester stands out in my mind when talking about us playing a 352. IIRC we completely bossed that game but failed to take our chances, eventually winning thanks to Bergwijn's late double. We also used it at home to Liverpool and were it not for some poor moments in the final third, we could've score a few more.

I can see us using it at times this season too. I think Skipp or Bentancur would be the option in the Brozovic role. I personally think Skipp has the ability to play those accurate ground passes, whereas Bentancur is more of a volume passer. All of our midfielders could play as the #8 imo, but I don't think any of them offer that creative element nor goal threat required to make the three a truly scary proposition.

The key for me would be signing a creative midfielder or at least a midfielder that has a regular goal output. We've seen links to Maddison, Tielemans and the odd whisper on the forums around Ruiz at Napoli, which suggests Conte wants the option.

I wouldn't worry about the forward options either. Two from Kane, Son and Richarlison would start whilst Moura and Kulusevski would be options on the bench should we wish to change the system mid game.

 

[cockerel downunder]

I wonder if a 352 could come into play when Kane is rested/injured so we can replace his playmaking with a more creative midfielder Snd then have son & richy up top .
ksne is so unique you can’t just replace him like for like.

 

[HNIM]

Kane and Conte is a marriage made in heaven. Because Harry can drop deep to take the outlet from a CB or deep MF, and drive play forward playing aggressive passes to either wingers or Son/Kuku (or R9). Or, if the CBs or deep MF play it wide, Harry can get forward to get the ball with scoring/assist opportunities. Depending on how we play out from the back, it’s either 343 or 352. It’s brilliant and only possible with a player as versatile as Harry. That’s the real appeal IMO to Conte for managing this squad.

 

[spurs9]

He played a lot more 352 in his second season with Chelsea because teams adapted to his 343.

Conte only played 3-5-2 15 times in 59 games in his second season at Chelsea and he had a higher win percentage with 343.

 

[Japhet]

Bissouma, Bentancur, Skipp and Hojbjerg are tailor made for 2 in CM. We always have the option of Kane or Kulusevski to drop into the hole behind the strikers if we go with Sonny and Richarlison up top at any stage. I think that would always be a 2nd choice though with 343 being the preferred line up. It also pretty much negates the need to sign an AM like Eriksen or Maddison imo because I think both Kane and Kulu have all it takes to fulfill that role.

 

[GutBucket]

Conte only played 3-5-2 15 times in 59 games in his second season at Chelsea and he had a higher win percentage with 343.

He realized Bakayoko and Drinkwater were crap, he likes to have flexibility and with our DMs it will be easier.

 

[Impspur1]

If we chasing a game I would like to see this:

————————Lloris

———Romero - Dier - Lenglet

Kulu-Bentancur-Kane-Bissouma-Perisic

————Richarlison - Son

Kane drops deeper and Kulu goes right wing back

I’m pretty sure when he joined that conte said he wanted Kane further up the pitch. I think in the formation you have we would use an attacking midfielder, which we will hopefully buy.

 

[Japhet]

I’m pretty sure when he joined that conte said he wanted Kane further up the pitch. I think in the formation you have we would use an attacking midfielder, which we will hopefully buy.

That was before we had Richarlison.

 

[spurs9]

He realized Bakayoko and Drinkwater were crap, he likes to have flexibility and with our DMs it will be easier.

That would suggest he started with 3-5-2 them dropped it which wasn't the case. He used it sporadically when he felt it would offer a better option in a specific game.

 

[GutBucket]

That would suggest he started with 3-5-2 them dropped it which wasn't the case. He used it sporadically when he felt it would offer a better option in a specific game.

Wasn't suggesting that, he said himself that it's very important for him to have that flexibility, just saying he 100% will use that formation, sometimes. And that he would have used it more often at Chelsea if he had better DMs, plus Drinkwater got injured soon after joining and kept getting injuries later, plus Bakayoko was terrible (except against us typically).