Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[sundanceyid10]

When we beat Liverpool at Wembley 4-1 that was well into Pochs reign and the second season for Klopp. We were awesome that day and I believed at that point that Liverpool were way behind. 2 years later they won the champions league by beating us and won the league a year later. I remember Liverpool fans calling for Klopps head after that draw against West Brom. Conte has been here a year next month. He hasn’t walked into a side like the side he won the league with. He has different problems. We’ve looked magical and we’ve looked dirt poor in the last year. Liverpool didn’t look amazing until Klopps third year. But I’d argue that Chelsea side were amazing that year when they won 13 on the trot. We need the players. We ain’t gonna get the players in one window. Let’s acknowledge we don’t look great but acknowledge we are improving and with backing and with Conte staying over the next couple of years we might have a change around like that. People comparing him to Nuno I mean come on. I’m not a Conte fan boy by any means but at this point last season we’d won 3, lost 2 scored 3 and conceded 6 and were at sea.

There was a run of games where the football was flowing under Conte last year, so it is in us as a team. Im not sure why people would compare him to Nuno or the how the team performed under Nuno as it is not as bad as that. We just need a few more real quality additions and to hit a bit of form.

 

[spurs9]

How long did it take Conte to switch systems when was the Chelsea manager? Was it after a couple losses and dire performances? I don't want us losing a game to be the catalyst for a system change, would like to see him try a 352 and build with that. It's not working out in our midfield currently.

It was after 6 games but 2 losses in a row (Liverpool at home and Arsenal away). We have more points after 5 games than Chelsea did after 5 games either season he was there.

Also, we have the same points now, as we did after 5 games in our best ever PL season.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

How long did it take Conte to switch systems when was the Chelsea manager? Was it after a couple losses and dire performances? I don't want us losing a game to be the catalyst for a system change, would like to see him try a 352 and build with that. It's not working out in our midfield currently.

Different circumstance altogether. They were playing 4 at the back, when Conte shifted to his preferred 3 at the back.

That was Conte starting with players in their preferred positions, before tearing it up and going with his preferred formations.

Even if you thought Conte should switch to a 352 - we don't have the personnel to make that switch now. And, we don't have the training time to implement it - even if we got the right players in tomorrow.

 

[vinsomer]

I’m actually pissed with Conte here. Royal is pathetic on the ball, he should only be deployed when we are more focused on pack it up and defend (like against the big 6 away). Add sanchez to that, and our right side cant produce ONE fucking forward pass. Davies also struggles with the ball and is weak in decision-making. Dier is frustrating when not having ball-playing defenders next to him, and don’t let me get started on Lloris. If Conte wants to play his way, fairs, but these players just don’t fit this style of play. When Romero + Lenglet join the defense line with Doherty or Spence (players who can actually pass a damn ball and are comfortable with it on their feet), we will see a much improved performance with the ball. But again, Royal just isn’t. Royal + Sanchez is a disaster waiting to happen with the ball. We need to improve so so much

 

[taidgh]

343 works great when all of the front three are pressing hard, running their socks off, and continuously making runs, finding space.

Watching Son and Kane today was hard. Both were so sluggish and lacked passion. It’s when they play this way, we get overturned in midfield. Additionally. If the two CMs are struggling with control, passing, tracking, etc… then yeah, it is a recipe for being dominated throughout midfield

This is the one for me. People keep banging on about Poch teams, and how amazing they were, forgetting that the younger versions of Kane and Son were doing the hard running then, closing down and pressing off the ball. There's very little of this these days from either, and while this is understandable due to age, injury, etc., the lack of activity is really noticeable (and I'm talking about real pressing, not the token efforts we've been seeing recently). Even worse, I think the energy conservation is contagious. That's why Bentancur gets the plaudits when he chases down a pass back to the keeper from the halfway line. This also is why refreshing the team is so essential - get younger, more dynamic players to do some of the legwork the vets can no longer do consistently. Simply put, Richarlison needs to start. He brings an energy to the team that trickles down to the midfield and backs as well. The trigger to press comes from the forwards, and if Kane and Son aren't doing it, there is never really a press to begin with.

Teams will have ups and downs, and managers will make errors in judgment. The only criticism I have of Conte so far is the stubbornness to stick with Son (and to a lesser extent Hoibjerg) when the replacements could be so much more dynamic off the ball and drive the team forward.

 

[EQP]

Different circumstance altogether. They were playing 4 at the back, when Conte shifted to his preferred 3 at the back.

That was Conte starting with players in their preferred positions, before tearing it up and going with his preferred formations.

Even if you thought Conte should switch to a 352 - we don't have the personnel to make that switch now. And, we don't have the training time to implement it - even if we got the right players in tomorrow.

There's no way Conte and his caoches aren't training the 352 or variant formations with the players. The biggest reason why he won't switch to a 352, is because he's seen what happens when in-form versions of Son, Kane and Deki combine and he's hoping the "next" game will be the catalyst for that.

 

[spurs9]

There's no way Conte and his caoches aren't training the 352 or variant formations with the players. The biggest reason why he won't switch to a 352, is because he's seen what happens when in-form versions of Son, Kane and Deki combine and he's hoping the "next" game will be the catalyst for that.

Deki played in a CM3 (in a 433 though) for Atalanta U19s, which earned him a loan move to Parma. I was surprised we didn't try him there pre-season.

 

[Monkey boy]

We seriously need an injection of pace in our attack. As much as I love Kane and Kulu it is painfully slow out there.

 

[spurs]

Perhaps we've not yet been as fluent as at the end of last season. The attached image shows that over the last 6 months (18 league games) we've only lost 2 games and are 2nd to Man City in points per game. The XG gd posted on the previous page is similarly impressive. Everyone is a bit flat today, but there is a lot of reason to look forward to this season.

 

[Mr Pink]

Ball players from the back (and we had plenty of these type games last year with Romero in) is only useful if when it goes into the front it sticks and you can play off it. Lets leave out that Conte ball is about deep possession rotations to bait the opposition into overcommitting and combos into the space in behind, every time it did go forward second half it came straight back at us it felt like and though all three attackers are very good players obviously, they've barely got going really this season bar some moments and have had a bad tendency to all go missing when we've been under the cosh in games. I also still don't think we get enough from the wingbacks tbh, we need one of them surely to be able to really stretch the play and eat up ground carrying it.

So we need solutions against obdurate deeper defensive blocks. Was always a critical objective for the season, and on first go we didn't manage to find them. But the attacking platform has got to turn up and fire whatever we do. It's going to be a struggle when they're only doing it in fits and starts.

Agree with this.

Out attack looks really stale at times.

Needs to offer more movement/options so we can work the ball through to them more effectively.

Devastating trio they are....they haven't got going this season at all yet.

And we do need more from the wing backs.

If the idea was for Spence to be more eased in this season then we needed a ready to go RWB who offers more than Royal going forward.

That already looks a mistake...unless Spence is coming in sooner rather than later.

 

[Dzejkob]

IMHO we look very solid, commited. It's difficult to beat us. I feel we need few things to tick and we will be better forward. Yesterday Son was poor again, Kulu meh, Emerson not existing in attack, Perisic not as good as in previous games. So 4 attacking players underperformed. And the goal was individual mistakes IMHO. Bissouma (debut, pretty nervous whole game) lost cover and Perisic was refereeing instead of playing. I'm still calm. Dissapointed with yesterday game but calm.

 

[Danny1]

I think people need to lower their expectations a bit. Conte himself has said that any talk of a title bid is stupid and I agree. We are a long long way off City at the minute, and rightfully so considering they have spent £1.5b on players.

This season is about improving on last season where we just about scraped top 4 and possibly pushing for a cup trophy. At this moment in time we have improved on last year points wise but the performances are yet to come. This will happen, even Liverpool are playing poorly and City are looking poor at the back, both things that I think will change for them.

This season is a strange one where there will be a game every few days due to the WC so we will see patches of bad form for every single side. I think a lot of the worry is that we think that Conte won’t stick around too long, however the guy is talking about the long term more and more and if we continue to improve then we will get there.

11 points from 5 games with two away London derbies isn’t a bad start at all. Arsenal won’t keep up their form either.

 

[djhotspur]

Perhaps we've not yet been as fluent as at the end of last season. The attached image shows that over the last 6 months (18 league games) we've only lost 2 games and are 2nd to Man City in points per game. The XG gd posted on the previous page is similarly impressive. Everyone is a bit flat today, but there is a lot of reason to look forward to this season.

Last season does not matter, it’s a new season and we just look crap. We’ve have half a game of football where we’ve played well. Our supposed world class forward line aren’t firing at all and we are trying to play i a system we just do not have the players for. We do not have the right ball playing cbs and we do not clearly have the right cbs. He’s trying to play out from the back with poor ball playing cbs and a gk who is not set up to do so.
we don’t press we don’t do anything.
son is horrendous yet he perseveres with him and takes Kulu off to play richie on the right where he’s ineffective.
Kane does not even seem to be able to strike a ball any more and only scores headers and one scuffed shot.
He doesn’t make subs when we are desperate, he talks about a squad game yet doesn’t use a squad.
He talks about suffering… yeah we are suffering because we played 3 days ago and you refuse to make subs.
He didn’t take hojberg off who clearly was not mobile any more, Emerson was doing absolutely zero going forward.

 

[Danny1]

Last season does not matter, it’s a new season and we just look crap. We’ve have half a game of football where we’ve played well. Our supposed world class forward line aren’t firing at all and we are trying to play i a system we just do not have the players for. We do not have the right ball playing cbs and we do not clearly have the right cbs. He’s trying to play out from the back with poor ball playing cbs and a gk who is not set up to do so.
we don’t press we don’t do anything.
son is horrendous yet he perseveres with him and takes Kulu off to play richie on the right where he’s ineffective.
Kane does not even seem to be able to strike a ball any more and only scores headers and one scuffed shot.
He doesn’t make subs when we are desperate, he talks about a squad game yet doesn’t use a squad.
He talks about suffering… yeah we are suffering because we played 3 days ago and you refuse to make subs.
He didn’t take hojberg off who clearly was not mobile any more, Emerson was doing absolutely zero going forward.

Mate your posts are so over the top and come across as entitled. Last night you wrote “fuck Conte” and today you are writing this. I agree that last night wasn’t the greatest but come on, you are talking about Conte as if he is a dreadful manager.

Criticise yet, flat out slating the guy and saying fuck him is just odd.

 

[djhotspur]

Mate your posts are so over the top and come across as entitled. Last night you wrote “fuck Conte” and today you are writing this. I agree that last night wasn’t the greatest but come on, you are talking about Conte as if he is a dreadful manager.

Criticise yet, flat out slating the guy and saying fuck him is just odd.

I deleted that post as it was over the top and was reactionary. But this post isn’t over the top imo as its simply from watching us every game.
We have looked decent for half a game of football.
We’ve played two half decent sides and should have lost to both and concede big chances to both. We are lucky chelsea and West Ham are having big goal scoring problems this season.
We are just shocking to watch, we watch football to enjoy it and it’s not fun to enjoy.
It’s well known conte struggles with multiple games a week and my big worry is that if he won’t rotate and he won’t make subs he will burn us out massively.
can you really watch that game last night or is this season and not be worried? The writing is on the wall

 

[Mr Pink]

Yeah it's going to take us time to get going and integrate the new signings.

I'd love to see us start with a high tempo against Fulham.

Already edgy about Fulham...they could cause us some serious problems.

 

[Mr Pink]

I deleted that post as it was over the top and was reactionary. But this post isn’t over the top imo as its simply from watching us every game.
We have looked decent for half a game of football.
We’ve played two half decent sides and should have lost to both and concede big chances to both. We are lucky chelsea and West Ham are having big goal scoring problems this season.
We are just shocking to watch, we watch football to enjoy it and it’s not fun to enjoy.
It’s well known conte struggles with multiple games a week and my big worry is that if he won’t rotate and he won’t make subs he will burn us out massively.
can you really watch that game last night or is this season and not be worried? The writing is on the wall

The writing is on the wall? ?

 

[glacierSpurs]

His passing from the back is so key. Thats the difference with Sanchez, he got targeted tonight. He panics and launches it down the line.

This. As much as he can be a good defender and had a great record of keeping clean sheets, he gets flustered too easily and keep passing back, not even to Dier but Lloris, inviting pressure again and again to the back. ?‍

 

[Danny1]

I deleted that post as it was over the top and was reactionary. But this post isn’t over the top imo as its simply from watching us every game.
We have looked decent for half a game of football.
We’ve played two half decent sides and should have lost to both and concede big chances to both. We are lucky chelsea and West Ham are having big goal scoring problems this season.
We are just shocking to watch, we watch football to enjoy it and it’s not fun to enjoy.
It’s well known conte struggles with multiple games a week and my big worry is that if he won’t rotate and he won’t make subs he will burn us out massively.
can you really watch that game last night or is this season and not be worried? The writing is on the wall

Writing is on the wall, and you say that your post isn’t over the top. So are you actually saying that it’s time to relieve Conte of his duties, as that’s what that statement essentially means.

Yes we have played poorly at times but still have 11 points, and if we had taken our chances we would have beaten Forest 6-0, after smashing Southampton 4-1 away……..I guess the writing is on the wall for 17 other managers too………

 

[glacierSpurs]

Last season does not matter, it’s a new season and we just look crap. We’ve have half a game of football where we’ve played well. Our supposed world class forward line aren’t firing at all and we are trying to play i a system we just do not have the players for. We do not have the right ball playing cbs and we do not clearly have the right cbs. He’s trying to play out from the back with poor ball playing cbs and a gk who is not set up to do so.
we don’t press we don’t do anything.
son is horrendous yet he perseveres with him and takes Kulu off to play richie on the right where he’s ineffective.
Kane does not even seem to be able to strike a ball any more and only scores headers and one scuffed shot.
He doesn’t make subs when we are desperate, he talks about a squad game yet doesn’t use a squad.
He talks about suffering… yeah we are suffering because we played 3 days ago and you refuse to make subs.
He didn’t take hojberg off who clearly was not mobile any more, Emerson was doing absolutely zero going forward.

I don't know, maybe Conte just want to make sure we don't even lose that point by conceding another late goal. But I really thought Emerson and Perisic could make way even for Doherty and Spence, seeing how Conte used Doherty as the LWB at times last season. Emerson was just meh towards the end and Perisic was also tiring out. Doherty and Spence should have something for spammers to worry about at that stage.