The Conte Thread

[kellzfresh 7,226]

2 minutes ago, Styles said:

Tbf Guardiola is starting with a much stronger group. Man City have better footballers (ability on the ball mainly) in pretty much every single position. You make a combined XI and who makes the teams? Kante and Hazard and that's about it.

They have better players on the ball and all are mobile enough to adapt to pressing. While we have so many poor in possession so naturally our gameplay will never be fluid if the ball keeps bouncing off our players on their first touch 

[MefiX19 1,092]

Lol some people not happy with Conte because our players did not score to open net? 

[Polo7 3,496]

And so it begins.....dark times ahead.

[Tomo 21,681]

31 minutes ago, nono said:

They are missing 4 starting players. Kompany, Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Gundogan. Their football just looks way more fluid whereas ours is just as disjointed as last season because we haven't really changed anything at all apart from the defense.

Sorry what?

[Special Juan 27,101]

Whilst today was a little annoying how it went I cannot believe the reaction in here.

[nono 791]

4 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Sorry what?

Our football hasn't really improved is what I'm saying.

[Tomo 21,681]

Just now, nono said:

Our football hasn't really improved is what I'm saying.

From last season? Yes it has, that's not exactly saying much, but still.

[Barbara 15,149]

We are improving, even if the only effective change in the team is Kanté for Cesc. Which means the credit goes to the manager - although getting rid of the horrible environment Mourinho built also weights in.

I still don't get why we have Matic as the midfielder supporting our attack. Maybe he's under the same illusion as Mourinho about height? I believe today was yet another match for at least bring Fabregas much earlier.

The defense is as bad as it has always been, we've been getting away with it because we've faced (including today) terrible opponents so far.

I hope Luiz is incorporated soon because even with his ups and downs, it doesn't get worse than Cahill + Terry (as much as I dislike Ivanovic, I must admit he hasn't been compromising as of late). While Mariner stole a goal do Swansea as Fer fouled Cahill twice and never touched the ball, why was Cahill so rooted while asking Terry to pass him the ball? Why so slow (both legs and brain)? It was infuriating, I can't wait to get rid of him for good.

Conte continues to take too long to change the team, but I am giving him this calendar year to get used to things (because unfortunately we have fucking international breaks in October and November too). Let's see if he starts being more daring and bolder. I have complaints about some of his choices - starting lineup and subs - but all in all he's been changing the attitude and the approach, even if he's been using the same players as Mourinho and Hiddink did last season, bar Kanté.

Speaking of whom, we must acknowledge what piece of business we've made getting him. Maybe Conte is getting some of the credit because of Kanté, but definitely both deserve credit so far.

Making mistakes is part of the game and the job. We should have left with three points today - easily btw because Swansea - as Burnley - was shit, but shit happens on results too and it happened today.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

22 minutes ago, nono said:

Our football hasn't really improved is what I'm saying.

You mean offensively or defensively ? Because defensively there's spectacular diffrence, offensively it's hard to say. Maybe Hazard is difference here but keep in mind we signed ONE offensive player who is a sub. We can build structures and organize the team all we want and defensively it gives effects but you can't fool when it comes to creating. Giving Guardiola example is just plain stupid, he bought several offensive players and inherited spectacular squad even before these new additions. While our Player of the Year is not able to create a situation and guy like Moses is called for the rescue (to his credit, he was on different threat level to our POTY).

I was calling for offensive signings before signing a defender. You can cover your weakness in defense by being well drilled machine but you can hardly do this on the other end.

All in all, we're on course of finishing in top3 which is our aim.

[Muzchap 8,966]

1 hour ago, nono said:

Wish we had Guardiola. He would've really transformed the team.

Why do you think he joined City? He's not a stupid bloke - City needed a few signings to be a really great team. 

Chelsea needed at least 5-6 signings and the team individually is below that of City 

Our team struggles with passing and moving - we are slow and static - we have no desire to make angles and give the person on the ball options. This will improve - but it takes time and a change of personnel - we need Cahil and Iva dropped, Azpi on the right and new guy (again) on left 

we need Cesc + Kante in midfield. 

As for today - their goal was a foul on Cahil - no surprise Marriner didn't see it - easily one of the most useless refs around

we should have scored 4-5 - it has been a perennial problem. 

Hazard, Willian & Oscar do not score anywhere near enough goals. 

The improvements will be slow and painful - but as long as we are improving I'm happy. 

[nono 791]

2 minutes ago, Muzchap said:

Why do you think he joined City? He's not a stupid bloke - City needed a few signings to be a really great team. 

Chelsea needed at least 5-6 signings and the team individually is below that of City 

Our team struggles with passing and moving - we are slow and static - we have no desire to make angles and give the person on the ball options. This will improve - but it takes time and a change of personnel - we need Cahil and Iva dropped, Azpi on the right and new guy (again) on left 

we need Cesc + Kante in midfield. 

As for today - their goal was a foul on Cahil - no surprise Marriner didn't see it - easily one of the most useless refs around

we should have scored 4-5 - it has been a perennial problem. 

Hazard, Willian & Oscar do not score anywhere near enough goals. 

The improvements will be slow and painful - but as long as we are improving I'm happy. 

Yeah I am losing perspective. It's just the emotional high after a terrible result plus those donkeys at the Emirates got gifted two points this weekend while we were robbed.

[Tomo 21,681]

My main gripe with the club as a whole during my whole life as a Chelsea supporter is how shit we are winning points late on, not only winning the points but the application, we never seemed to pin teams back like United under Fergie did and to an extent Arsenal late 00s/early10s aswell.

Obviously law of averages we did it a few times but I always had this dread when games hit 70-75 and we weren't in front, after the Watford and Swansea games when we levelled the score I was convinced we were going to win it, I know we didn't today but we had Swansea by the balls to the point they hooked off their best player for a defender.

I know there's still a lot of work to do, but by the looks of it Conte has installed an almost Fergie time like belief in our squad that we can save games in the dying embers.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

12 minutes ago, Muzchap said:

Why do you think he joined City? He's not a stupid bloke - City needed a few signings to be a really great team. 

Chelsea needed at least 5-6 signings and the team individually is below that of City 

Our team struggles with passing and moving - we are slow and static - we have no desire to make angles and give the person on the ball options. This will improve - but it takes time and a change of personnel - we need Cahil and Iva dropped, Azpi on the right and new guy (again) on left 

You are absolutely right. I'm sure Guardiola has had his sights set on City, but has taken time to analyze other offers, too. In the end I think it was impossible to choose others over City because of one thing - their squad. What makes Guardiola so unique is that, unlike other managers, he thinks that he can control the game and close the spaces by having the ball. Most of the managers think that in order to be compact and leave no space you need steel in midfield and players with a good work rate. I bet that 95% of the managers in this world would not have started a midfield three of David Silva - Fernandinho - De Bruyne away at United in one of world's most anticipated football game. Most of them would have gone for Fernandinho of course, one of David Silva or De Bruyne and another defensive minded midfielder, Fernando for example. But not Guardiola who does not give a shit if David Silva is not tall enough, or De Bruyne's work rate is average. These players are very good with the ball and that's enough for Guardiola. I'm sure that when Gundogan is going to be fit, too, he will try to integrate all of them into the starting line-up at the same time. Guardiola would be ready to make changes to his tactics in order to have all this ballers on the pitch at the same time, rather than think he is going to disrupt the defensive part of his team. As long as his team is in posession he has nothing to be afraid of.

At City he has the likes of Gundogan, David Silva, De Bruyne, Nolito, Sterling, Fernandinho, Sane, all of them superior to Chelsea's midfielders. Out of Hazard and Cesc, maybe Pedro, too, are there any other midfielders in our squad good enough for Guardiola's game plan? Not for me, no. His decision to go to City was the most obvious one. 

Too bad we lack creativity in midfield, but at the same time Cesc can't get a sniff ahead Oscar and Matic. Such a shame. 

[nono 791]

47 minutes ago, Blue Colored Sky said:

You mean offensively or defensively ? Because defensively there's spectacular diffrence, offensively it's hard to say. Maybe Hazard is difference here but keep in mind we signed ONE offensive player who is a sub. We can build structures and organize the team all we want and defensively it gives effects but you can't fool when it comes to creating. Giving Guardiola example is just plain stupid, he bought several offensive players and inherited spectacular squad even before these new additions. While our Player of the Year is not able to create a situation and guy like Moses is called for the rescue (to his credit, he was on different threat level to our POTY).

I was calling for offensive signings before signing a defender. You can cover your weakness in defense by being well drilled machine but you can hardly do this on the other end.

All in all, we're on course of finishing in top3 which is our aim.

Should have maybe gotten a winger instead of Bats ? Maybe Mahrez or Mane ? I know Costa has a bad history of injuries but if he stays fit all season that means Bats is basically a waste of 32m pounds. 

[AlesJuve 264]

Equalize is a defeat for Conte,in fact he said that Chelsea lost two points today.You had to close the game before the first half was one-sided in favor of Chelsea.Unfortunately with the defense that you have you can not afford a single goal.But this draw could be good to make it clear to the players that they have to give best and stay focused for the whole game.

[Fernando 6,376]

Not much worried. 

I will be worried if come November we still have the same back four. As it would have proved what I was saying before, if your not going to use the players don't buy them at all as that's a waste of money. But if he uses them, which I hope, then good. 

Other then that, the first test comes Friday. We shall see what he's made of. 

[Azpinator 2,325]

I've heard from some Juve fans that he almost always starts making subs around the 75th minute.

My only problem with his subs today was that he should have used Michy before Moses. Michy had bigger impact in the first 3 games.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

I know a lot of people what to grill Conte for not starting/bring on Fabregas earlier, but we were in complete control before they equalized. 

Chelsea currently lead the league in Expected Goals Against at about 1.79. Swansea couldn't create one clear cut opportunity until we had to chase the game. We've been very solid defensively. 

Here's the stat. *And our ExpGA would be a 1/3 less if you takeout that Fer/Cahill foul to goal. 

What Conte has to answer, is  how the hell was Azpilicueta the ONLY man back from that free kick which resulted in their counter? We were so disorganized at the back, and had no bodies In defense to take up the positions for Cahill/Ivan/JT who had gone up for the FK. 

Either players forgot their assignments, or that hasn't been practices enough, idk what happened, but that was League One stuff from us. That simoly cannot be happening. 

Otherwise, can't wait to see how Conte prepares us for Liverpool.