The Conte Thread

[Pizy 18,368]

He must push and push and push some more for just a couple more signings. He's tactically masterful and can motivate players like few others can, but we can't just trust that our back 4 will play like that all season.

Just give him a couple more and we can do this. We can definitely finish in the top 4 if we sign Koulibaly and maybe one other player.

[The Skipper 20,593]

19 minutes ago, nadavTKL said:

But what about the midfield? Oscar-Matic?

Oscar is Oscar, a question mark that we've given up on, but maybe Conte didnt?

Matic have no place in the team when Kante is the single holding DM in this 4-1-4-1/4-3-3. He did well defensively but he's not a player you want in attacking areas, at all.

If Conte wont play Cesc as a starter because of his lack of energy, i wonder whats the plan. Surely we'll get another CM if thats the case.

That's what I'm curious about too. Matic did okay defensively today but offered naught going forward. Matic seemed to be playing a more conservative B2B role, maybe a deeper playmaker... compared to Oscar who was up and down each box all the time. The role seems tailor made for Oscar tbh. Not sure what role Matic was meant to play though. I could envision Fabregas doing well in that role (offensively, not defensively). It'll be interesting to see how this develops. 

[Styles 9,790]

Loved the celebration.

1 minute ago, The Skipper said:

That's what I'm curious about too. Matic did okay defensively today but offered naught going forward. Matic seemed to be playing a more conservative B2B role, maybe a deeper playmaker... compared to Oscar who was up and down each box all the time. The role seems tailor made for Oscar tbh. Not sure what role Matic was meant to play though. I could envision Fabregas doing well in that role (offensively, not defensively). It'll be interesting to see how this develops. 

Matic doesn't really seem to serve any purpose - defensively average (doesn't even use his size particularly well) and non-existent offensively. But then Fabregas is such an absolute liability defensively Matic is still able to get in the team ahead of him. Even the worst Premier League teams can and will look into exploiting the issues caused by Fabregas playing.

[The Mak 4,459]

30 minutes ago, nadavTKL said:

But what about the midfield? Oscar-Matic?

Oscar is Oscar, a question mark that we've given up on, but maybe Conte didnt?

Matic have no place in the team when Kante is the single holding DM in this 4-1-4-1/4-3-3. He did well defensively but he's not a player you want in attacking areas, at all.

If Conte wont play Cesc as a starter because of his lack of energy, i wonder whats the plan. Surely we'll get another CM if thats the case.

 

 

6 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

That's what I'm curious about too. Matic did okay defensively today but offered naught going forward. Matic seemed to be playing a more conservative B2B role, maybe a deeper playmaker... compared to Oscar who was up and down each box all the time. The role seems tailor made for Oscar tbh. Not sure what role Matic was meant to play though. I could envision Fabregas doing well in that role (offensively, not defensively). It'll be interesting to see how this develops. 

 

If Mikel played the same role Matic did today, we probably wouldn't hear the end of it (from some) until next season. He'd get to live off a performance like that for another year.

[The Skipper 20,593]

10 minutes ago, Styles said:

Loved the celebration.

Matic doesn't really seem to serve any purpose - defensively average (doesn't even use his size particularly well) and non-existent offensively. But then Fabregas is such an absolute liability defensively Matic is still able to get in the team ahead of him. Even the worst Premier League teams can and will look into exploiting the issues caused by Fabregas playing.

I think Conte is waiting to get in defenders that can deal with or mask Fabregas' liability defensively before he plays Fab in that role. That makes sense to me anyway. 

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

 

[Jase 43,479]

First game of the season and he's already not afraid of making some big decisions!

- Dropped Fabregas, who's one of our only two main creative source in the team

- Took Hazard off when the game was at 1-1. Most, if not all the other managers wouldn't have taken the most important player off in that situation

- Played 2 strikers upfront, UPFRONT when we needed to chase the win. It was risky but refreshing to see that. Tired of seeing managers put 2 strikers in the XI, only to see them put one out wide

[Barbara 15,149]

1 hour ago, The Skipper said:

I think Conte is waiting to get in defenders that can deal with or mask Fabregas' liability defensively before he plays Fab in that role. That makes sense to me anyway. 

 

1 hour ago, Jason said:

First game of the season and he's already not afraid of making some big decisions!

- Dropped Fabregas, who's one of our only two main creative source in the team

- Took Hazard off when the game was at 1-1. Most, if not all the other managers wouldn't have taken the most important player off in that situation

- Played 2 strikers upfront, UPFRONT when we needed to chase the win. It was risky but refreshing to see that. Tired of seeing managers put 2 strikers in the XI, only to see them put one out wide

You guys covered well what I was going to say based on what I watched (arrived just after their goal).

I think he doesn't want to risk losing his first match of the season and he knows pretty well about our defensive limitations, he wouldn't take a risk with Cesc there because he knows the importance of winning today,but I have little doubts he will use Cesc in many games - but not the most important.

I also like the way he reacted - although waiting until the 80th minute was a bit too much for me, but again I believe it was only because this is the season opener for us and he wanted to make sure we had a win. He wasn't afraid of taking Hazard and playing two strikers, as Jason said, but what are the consequences of such a 'wild' decision?

When I use the word wild I mean because for years that's a foreign concept to our players, so it's refreshing for us, but it's also promising to them. When they see a manager going with this attitude they hopefully can feel like winning is a priority, that we'll go full throttle if we need and that's how you start changing players' mentality - something we desperately need.

I also think this is how you keep Eden motivated. No accusation, no pressure, no 'let him do whatever his talent allows him'. No, he brings new blood, knowing a player like Moses will have many reasons to do well in those 5-8 minutes he was going to play to earn his stay in the team. It takes Eden away from his comfort zone without any confrontation. If he wants to be indisputable , he'll have to work very hard, he isn't protected in a passive-aggressive way. He will just feel like he needs to performance well and that if he's 1) tired 2) sustaining small injuries 3) having a bad day, he won't be kept just because he's the star. This kind of thing makes difference in the player's mentality without the blame-game baggage. You either perform at your best, or I'll give some minutes for someone that could make the best out of them. Eden will know he needs to earn his position and won't be blamed publicly for not following/marking his man. I teach 5-6 years old and I know is completely different, but it's scientifically proved that when you discipline someone in the right way they feel appreciated by you. I'm sure Eden will feel like this because when he stays is because he earned, not simply because he was kept there to make a miracle and do his thing while also being ready to blame him for whatever he does wrong. The magic of fair meritocracy. 

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

First game of the season and he's already not afraid of making some big decisions!

- Dropped Fabregas, who's one of our only two main creative source in the team

- Took Hazard off when the game was at 1-1. Most, if not all the other managers wouldn't have taken the most important player off in that situation

- Played 2 strikers upfront, UPFRONT when we needed to chase the win. It was risky but refreshing to see that. Tired of seeing managers put 2 strikers in the XI, only to see them put one out wide

Two strikers for about 8 minutes plus injury time. We've seen that a zillion times haven't we?

[Unionjack 7,531]

While I was jumping up n down screaming like a school girlie I looked over to see that Conte was doing exactly the same thing!

And when he came out on the pitch and he spotted the cards made into the il Tricolore he looked into the crowd to I suppose his Mrs and pointed to it. So it must have brought a lump ro his throat.

Now I've not totally agreed with some of his team selections for tonight but I suppose thats why I'm not a footy manager. But I shouldn't think that he is fully sure of the players yet plus hopefully in his mind what new guys will do what and WHEN. But theres some good signs so I think we should keep him awhile.

[bababoom 4,478]

To be fair Jose would often throw on another striker if we were losing or badly needed the win, but the thing is that when he did it - it felt forced, the players weren't sure how to setup and the team was unbalanced, basically just asking to be countered. Conte has actually trained using the 4-4-2/4-2-4 formation with the squad already, they know their roles and duties so it's most definitely not foreign territory to them anymore. It's so refreshing knowing we can play two different systems if need be. 

 

[Roquila 1,335]

It takes balls to take off Hazard and bring on Moses who hasn't played for 2-3 seasons for us. I fucking loved his celebrations, proper passionate manager!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

8 hours ago, The Mak said:

If Mikel played the same role Matic did today, we probably wouldn't hear the end of it (from some) until next season. He'd get to live off a performance like that for another year.

What role? He had none. He could have been sent off and I don't think it would have made any difference to the game whatsoever. 

If Mikel had had that same performance as Matic yesterday people would be calling for him to be assassinated on here. 

[Special Juan 27,424]

Infectious and enjoyable.....it's nice to say that.

[Cosmin 2,484]

Well, it was his first official game as Cheslea manager, so those of us who like to be critical should cut him some slack.

This man's passion and energy made me feel proud to be a Chelsea fan. He and Klopp are the most charismatic managers in the league right now. Just like the German, Toni is a people's manager, you saw how he surfed the crowd after Costa's game. I love that, I was sick and tired to see a manager who was trying to always make it about himself. 

Also, I have to admit that I am not surprised to see that none of Mourinho's fanatics is celebrating on this thread like they did after United's win. Chelsea fans indeed. 

FORZA CONTE! 

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Training the 4-2-4 paid dividends. The run by Michy, knock down and run by Costa were exactly like plays being run in preseason. So great to see that we got a goal from a practiced set play.

[Chelsea4 1,521]

Antonio Conte  

 

 

[Special Juan 27,424]

7 hours ago, iceboy said:

You just know Mourinho was watching tonight.

Too busy posting camel emojis on Instagram.