The Conte Thread

[Leif 6,006]

All teams will improve next season, so this is unreasonable, but I do expect better next season, both from Conte but moreso the players.

For the sort of runs & records we went on this season, to drop some of the points we did, for all that domination and sweat, to only be 10 points ahead now, isn't good enough. It's good, but we want to be great. What we're doing now is the norm; winning the league by having around 3 more wins than the teams around. A normal league title, but based on those figures and the terrible management around us (esp Guardiola), not near exceptional. If we were as exceptional as we could've been, we simply would and should've been 20+ points ahead right now. We shouldn't have lost to Arsenal, nor any of the other small teams (which Juventus simply never did, so its the players more than Conte for sure.) We would've drawn with Tottenham, and our record would still be alive (I believe?). 

Good season. But an exceptional one would really cement us back as the top dog. That said, it's not like the leaders of La Liga, Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga are ahead by even 4 points or more (Juve ahead by 8). Compared to them, a less rocky season. Yet if we don't raise our standards they'll surely slip in just a year or 2. Our expectancy should be to win the league every season; and doing so more confidently can be the only next aim.

[Tomo 21,681]

53 minutes ago, Leif said:

All teams will improve next season, so this is unreasonable, but I do expect better next season, both from Conte but moreso the players.

For the sort of runs & records we went on this season, to drop some of the points we did, for all that domination and sweat, to only be 10 points ahead now, isn't good enough. It's good, but we want to be great. What we're doing now is the norm; winning the league by having around 3 more wins than the teams around. A normal league title, but based on those figures and the terrible management around us (esp Guardiola), not near exceptional. If we were as exceptional as we could've been, we simply would and should've been 20+ points ahead right now. We shouldn't have lost to Arsenal, nor any of the other small teams (which Juventus simply never did, so its the players more than Conte for sure.) We would've drawn with Tottenham, and our record would still be alive (I believe?). 

Good season. But an exceptional one would really cement us back as the top dog. That said, it's not like the leaders of La Liga, Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga are ahead by even 4 points or more (Juve ahead by 8). Compared to them, a less rocky season. Yet if we don't raise our standards they'll surely slip in just a year or 2. Our expectancy should be to win the league every season; and doing so more confidently can be the only next aim.

We have only dropped 15 points all season, to be 20 points clear at this stage we could only have afforded 5 dropped points, you surely can't be demanding 25 wins and a draw in 27 games to class the season as exceptional, can you ?

[Leif 6,006]

Well yes. That would be exceptional. Being ahead by 3 points wouldn't be, that wouldn't be great. Ahead by 10 points? Now we're in the territory of good, for some people great. But there's plenty of great teams, and you only come out on top again and again if you raise your game to exceptional. So yes, I do expect us to do what Juve have done, essentially twice, what Arsenal have done, twice, what we would've done only if we implemented our formation from day 1, not after the Arsenal loss. With the consistency of formation in place, all you need is 1 player more in this team, whether he replaces Matic or Costa, to push us over the edge into exceptional. Managing to upgrade in solely 1 of those 2 areas would bring us just into the level for my exceptional standard to be met next season 

[iceboy 992]

 

[Fernando 6,374]

27 minutes ago, Mana said:

Conte is a wonderful manager to have. I am just scared that we may sack him if things turn south. Pells, Mourinho, Ranieri...

Break that trend Super Conte!

If not being above the relegation zone like Mourinho and Raniere, then he should be fine. 

I think the club has realized that one season out of the CL is not the end of the world. But being close to relegation zone is. 

 

[BoyBlue96 990]

7 hours ago, Fernando said:

If not being above the relegation zone like Mourinho and Raniere, then he should be fine. 

I think the club has realized that one season out of the CL is not the end of the world. But being close to relegation zone is. 

 

Carlo Ancelotti got sacked when finished second in the League. People can say whatever they want about him but it was a disgraceful thing to do from the club. 

[manpe 10,855]

1 hour ago, BoyBlue96 said:

Carlo Ancelotti got sacked when finished second in the League. People can say whatever they want about him but it was a disgraceful thing to do from the club. 

It was, but at that time Abramovich didn't have the perspective that he has now I believe. Having gone through incredible highs and lows during this time that we didn't go through before I think he won't be this trigger happy again.

[Special Juan 27,092]

A man who washes his hands after shaking hands with the opposition gets a thumbs up from me.

[iceboy 992]

40 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

A man who washes his hands after shaking hands with the opposition gets a thumbs up from me.

He usually does that. He did vs sunderland too.

[BoyBlue96 990]

I hope the club and Roman give him a 300 million war chest in the summer for his list of targets. Get him who he wants at all costs. Last summer, even though we're doing good, the board failed him so they have to make up for that.

Especially if he wins us the title in his first season, he immediately has enough credit to get full backing from the board and the owner and with that, a big fucking transfer war chest and a new contract with a huge payment boost.

 

Forza Antonio!  

[Unionjack 7,531]

Tkinks "Gotta get this smell of Pikey and wet spam off me mits"

Obviously some type of OCD or germ phobia but I'd rather think the 1st choice.

 

I really would like to see him get the choices HE wants I doubt very much if they would please the majority of us but I think he's earned that chance to do so.

[Tomo 21,681]

7 hours ago, BoyBlue96 said:

Carlo Ancelotti got sacked when finished second in the League. People can say whatever they want about him but it was a disgraceful thing to do from the club. 

He got tactically bent over by Dalglish and brought Torres over Aguero, he deserves the sack for those things alone.

[DYC. 7,542]

11 minutes ago, Tomo said:

He got tactically bent over by Dalglish and brought Torres over Aguero, he deserves the sack for those things alone.

Haha, I knew this was coming.

Milan, Chelsea, Real and Bayern yet Tomo rates him as a midtable manager.

[Tomo 21,681]

11 minutes ago, DYC. said:

Haha, I knew this was coming.

Milan, Chelsea, Real and Bayern yet Tomo rates him as a midtable manager.

No I don't, no need to twist it. However I still remember how horrific that second season was so for as long as people say Carll was doing an amazing job and his sacking was a total disgrace, I'll keep biting.

However compared to Jose, Conte and even then first coming of Hiddink I thought he fell short in terms of overall and I felt that even during the double season.

Funnily enough I had similar complaints about him than I did Rafa, when it was good under both it was very good (hence our two biggest wins ever coming under the pair) but neither knew how to react when things were going wrong and the team got complacent at awfully inappropriate times.

If i had to make a comparison in terms of what level I see the managers at, Rafa and Carlo would be Pedro and Duff while Jose and Conte would be Robben and Hazard.

[DYC. 7,542]

1 minute ago, Tomo said:

No I don't, no need to twist it. However I still remember how horrific that second season was so for as long as people say Carll was doing an amazing job and his sacking was a total disgrace, I'll keep biting.

However compared to Jose, Conte and even then first coming of Hiddink I thought he fell short in terms of overall and I felt that even during the double season.

Funnily enough I had similar complaints about him than I did Rafa, when it was good under both it was very good (hence our two biggest wins ever coming under the pair) but neither knew how to react when things were going wrong and the team got complacent at awfully inappropriate times.

If i had to make a comparison in terms of what level I see the managers at, Rafa and Carlo would be Pedro and Duff while Jose and Conte would be Robben and Hazard.

I was joking.

I understand what you mean with that last line but I wouldn't call Ancelotti the Pedro of managers. I don't think he'll be remembered in such a fashion either. But it's alright if that's your view.

[manpe 10,855]

3 hours ago, Unionjack said:

Obviously some type of OCD or germ phobia but I'd rather think the 1st choice.

Or one of the wet spams had forgotten to wipe spunk off his hand, because you know, they're 

[Tomo 21,681]

19 minutes ago, Mana said:

 

 

Let's forget Mancini too. Basically the past winners, Ancelotti, Pells, Mancini, Mourinho and Ranieri got sacked the following season after winning the league. Heck I want to throw in Sir Alex, as he left his club after winning the league!

That suggests serious motivation problems, that's why i can never subscribe to the notion Pep, Alegri, Blanc had it easy motivating winners to go again is very hard infact you can argue that is what seperates the good from the great.

[Special Juan 27,092]

Very close to a new deal apparently.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10794543/antonio-conte-close-to-agreeing-new-chelsea-contract