The Conte Thread

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

3 hours ago, Fernando said:

All good but is this sustainable in the whole season and in the coming season? Especially in the coming season, we shall see if the players are able to accept this. 

Its worth mentioning (i think) that Conte has a degree in Sports exercise. 

Anway, the off season is for building the athletic side of the sport and then the actual season is for maintaining that fitness and making sure the recovery is there throughout the campaign. 

Put another way, pre season is for getting fit and improving (if possible) to a new level of fitness and then the season is about maintaining that level. 

[Shakez 755]

Most clubs do double training sessions in pre-season to get fitness lvls up, it's nothing new... 

[calculatingInfinity 1,443]

3 hours ago, superfrank8 said:

Think the double training sessions are just for pre-season to get the players back into shape as soon as possible. Doing them after the season starts could result in more injuries.

This is true. Of course he isn't going to do double training sessions when the team got several matches a week sometimes.

He has however always done double training sessions at pre-season, also with Juve. As the poster above says, this is really not that unusual for any clubs.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

 

[Unionjack 7,531]

Fun at training

Chelsea practice bizarre training methods in Austria

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/531840/Chelsea-Antonio-Conte-pre-season-training-Austria-sportgalleries

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

[Unionjack 7,531]

Loving this guy more n more. Wheres the defenders bruv?

Conte: Let's make our fans proud

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2016/07/conte--let-s-make-our-fans-proud.html

[Pizy 17,860]

Is the lady on our bench a physio or what?

[kellzfresh 7,226]

https://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/531859/Chelsea-Antonio-Conte-pre-season-friendly-secret-sportgalleries&ved=0ahUKEwiEia6f4IXOAhUOM8AKHesuDycQFggoMAM&usg=AFQjCNGcA7GgzhTDaWCAaofI0ubDz6J1wA&sig2=b8YXUHyK2Y6dnroSaZb6Uw

Therewas a secret friendly??? I never knew of this  

[DYC. 7,542]

6 minutes ago, kellzfresh said:

https://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/531859/Chelsea-Antonio-Conte-pre-season-friendly-secret-sportgalleries&ved=0ahUKEwiEia6f4IXOAhUOM8AKHesuDycQFggoMAM&usg=AFQjCNGcA7GgzhTDaWCAaofI0ubDz6J1wA&sig2=b8YXUHyK2Y6dnroSaZb6Uw

Therewas a secret friendly??? I never knew of this  

That would defeat the purpose of a secret, my friend.

[The Chels 2,502]

10 minutes ago, kellzfresh said:

https://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/531859/Chelsea-Antonio-Conte-pre-season-friendly-secret-sportgalleries&ved=0ahUKEwiEia6f4IXOAhUOM8AKHesuDycQFggoMAM&usg=AFQjCNGcA7GgzhTDaWCAaofI0ubDz6J1wA&sig2=b8YXUHyK2Y6dnroSaZb6Uw

Therewas a secret friendly??? I never knew of this  

Check the Chelsea twitter feed.

[Barbara 15,149]

I'll come up with something to say in a little bit, after I read today's news related to Conte and the team. It's just I can't be culprit of having Mourinho's thread once again as the last active thread from Matthew Harding in the HP.

A relevant post will come later, for now I'm just working on making it look right

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

45 minutes ago, Barbara said:

I'll come up with something to say in a little bit, after I read today's news related to Conte and the team. It's just I can't be culprit of having Mourinho's thread once again as the last active thread from Matthew Harding in the HP.

A relevant post will come later, for now I'm just working on making it look right

While you are working on your thoughts, and I agree with your rationale, I will jump in.

I cannot, as well as the rest of you, even start to predict how the Conte era will start and play out over time, BUT I have to admit I really like his approach to the game and attitude. I hope all the players will get their act in gear and dedicate themselves to Conte's system and Chelsea FC. I never want to see a replay of last year's lack of focus/effort.

If we can add another striker and one (or two preferably) CBs, I think we can have a fun year. I find Conte's style refreshing.

The media spotlight and pressure will be on Pep and JM in Manchester. We have no games in Europe. We have one primary goal, Premier League, and a couple of domestic cups. Conte may be just the guy at just the right time.

I am looking forward to the games in the US v. Liverpool, Real, etc. Good warm up games. I am ready for August 15th and West Ham at the Bridge now!!

Come on you Chelsea!!

Barbara, I now give you the floor back

[Barbara 15,149]

17 hours ago, Fernando said:

All good but is this sustainable in the whole season and in the coming season? Especially in the coming season, we shall see if the players are able to accept this. 

 

12 hours ago, Shakez said:

Most clubs do double training sessions in pre-season to get fitness lvls up, it's nothing new... 

First, Shakez, it's so nice to see you posting. I've been away for a long time (no time to even breathe let alone read, post or even watch Chelsea). Not that I don't welcome new members - if they are nice I surely do, but still seeing some guys from the days I posted more often brings a smile to my face, and you my dear, are certainly one of them

Now about the double training sessions - I'm sure it's only until the team reaches their best physical condition and an attempt to start the season as strong physically as we could.

Last year we as a club - whether it was a Mourinho's option, a club option or both - made a test by giving players longer vacation time and starting very light on training during preseason. Mourinho addressed it a few times at the beginning of the season and back then I thought it was a valid attempt, but one I would assess when the results of such decision appeared. I did assess it and before the whole Mourinho implosion got out of control, I was starting to second guess the decision of letting the players rest more and start preseason with light sessions. I pointed that out as one of the reasons why things weren't working out in the first two months. We were a couple of step behind the other teams in terms of competitiveness and physicality.

Fact is a lot of things - most directly linked to Mourinho's presence - brought us the the deep hole we dug, but I think we were physically subpar. It was a mistake to give players more time to rest. Unfortunately this is not affordable in modern football, not only because of the bloated calendar, but because the intensity of the game increased a lot. The most physical players from 20 years ago wouldn't last much in nowadays football before running out of steam.

So I fully support the decision of taking heavier, more intense sessions, even if twice a day (I'm going to assume one of those two sessions might be a bit lighter than the other). I'd say when the team is running on full throttle physically we can go back to one session a day - or keep it on alternate days, as we'll rarely have midweek football this season.

Players needs to get ready physically, but also mentally for real competition and the aspect of a demanding manager, that is breathing on their neck, pushing them the farthest they can go prepare players not only physically to endure the challenges of an unbelievable busy calendar, but also have them mentally ready earlier as well. I hope we never ago take the longer vacation time,lighter preseason route again.

51 minutes ago, Chelsea Buzz said:

While you are working on your thoughts, and I agree with your rationale, I will jump in.

I cannot, as well as the rest of you, even start to predict how the Conte era will start and play out over time, BUT I have to admit I really like his approach to the game and attitude. I hope all the players will get their act in gear and dedicate themselves to Conte's system and Chelsea FC. I never want to see a replay of last year's lack of focus/effort.

If we can add another striker and one (or two preferably) CBs, I think we can have a fun year. I find Conte's style refreshing.

The media spotlight and pressure will be on Pep and JM in Manchester. We have no games in Europe. We have one primary goal, Premier League, and a couple of domestic cups. Conte may be just the guy at just the right time.

I am looking forward to the games in the US v. Liverpool, Real, etc. Good warm up games. I am ready for August 15th and West Ham at the Bridge now!!

Come on you Chelsea!!

Barbara, I now give you the floor back

I don't exactly know what is the floor you're giving me, but I hope is from a stage because I'm on vacation and I won't sweep anything (bad joke I know, but I'm the queen of bad jokes)

I think it's going to be paramount for our success this season - and consequently Conte's too - the fact that we won't have any European football to play at all. I mean, of course I would have preferred if we were playing Europe, even Europa League, but as we are not, let's make the most of it and I think that gives Conte the best scenario to work. After the season we had, there's obviously less pressure than usual. We were 10th, so it's not like people are going to demand us to win the title. Most fans would be happy with being Arsenal for a season and just aiming the 4th place and assuring UCL next season. So when bad results come - and they certainly will - media and fans won't be on Conte like they would if we had a standard Chelsea season last year. Unfortunately the stakes aren't as high as they normally are, but that's working to Conte's advantage if you ask me.

Not playing during the week not only helps the players being fresher, but also allows Conte to make more tests with formations, tactical approaches, etc. When you have two or three days before your next match, you can't work on those things as much as you want because you need to get ready for the next game. With the next game being 6, 7 or even 8, 9 days later, Conte has time not only to train drills, but also to make tests. Even though the lack of European football sucks, I think it's going to be the one fact that will help Conte the most.

And let's not joke ourselves, even during my most avid Mourinho defending days, I complained about how he seemed to have dropped some of the drilling aspect of training. It seemed like he became sloppy in training certain kind of moves with players, how to position on free kicks - both defending and attacking. How many times have we read or heard him saying that he told Hazard he could go there and do his thing and it feels like except demanding a whole much of work rate from all players, Mourinho seemed to have settled for letting them to their thing most time and having only a few organized, trained (or as we say in Portuguese, rehearsed) plays, moves, composition, etc. We relied a lot on Fabregas killer eye for an assist, Willian's energy and pace, Hazard's talent and Costa giving-it-all attitude.

A team as big as us certainly needs its manager to go beyond that. The manager we need can't let players do their thing and only demand work rate from them. They need to be trained in the most strict meaning of the word, drilled, pushed, guided and if that's the case, even taken by the hand. I want to see Conte stopping the training motion simply to correct our defense and midfield positioning. I want him to be livid on players when they aren't paying enough attention or keeping to the plan as they're supposed to, I want him to push, push, push as much as he works, works, works. Those players aren't as bad as they looked last season, the thing is they weren't pushed enough and most of them became the worst version of themselves because let's not fool ourselves, the intensity and demands of modern football I mentioned above are insane and if there isn't someone breathing on their necks to give more and go further - they, like any other human being on their place - will just fall into their comfort zone. Most of them probably do it without noticing and without being able to leave that place by themselves. Modern sports - not only football actually - keep demanding more, and it's a while since the demands went above the 'natural' disposition. Yes, they're paid much more than they should just to play in this level, but money doesn't reset how your brain works and the exception is the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo - players that are constantly pushing their limits by themselves, but that's a very particular and personal trait, we can't expect - let alone demand - every player, no matter how much money the club gives them to have their brain reset to just make their body go beyond its natural limits.

And now I said too much, but that's entirely Chelsea Buzz fault. He gave me a whole floor, what was I supposed to do with it as I refuse to do any more sweeping on my vacay time? Complaints direct to him please

Kidding of course, I may not be the queen of the longest posts anymore, but I just had a lot to say... as usual for women and even more so for me. Good thing most of you can cope with me already

The ones who can't yet for they're new here, chop chop and learn (bad joke again)

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

6 hours ago, The Chels said:

Check the Chelsea twitter feed.

?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

On 7/21/2016 at 8:39 AM, Blue-in-me-Veins said:

Wait... Wait WHAT?! 

Last season's preseason was an absolute joke and for me remains the main reason for our horrific season.

Conte is doing nothing unusual with double sessions. Most teams do that in preseason, including us apart from last season. 

 

EDIT: Really shouldn't post before I read all the posts. Barbara pretty much covered this in a manner that puts my half-arsed attempt to shame! 

[The Skipper 20,593]

This guy really brings an air of positivity to the club that I haven't seen in a long, long time. With Jose it was always 'us vs. the world' but Conte seems to bring a passionate humility about him. He seems so hungry to succeed, a hunger I haven't seen in Jose for a long time, probably not since his first stint. I feel like he'll utilise our youth a lot better than Jose too, we have one of the best academies in the world and some very talented players that just need polishing. I think Conte can do that. He has the track record. Let's hope a few guys come through soon. Early signs are extremely positive. 

[The Skipper 20,593]

4 hours ago, Barbara said:

 

Them trademark, long-ass Barbara posts. It's been a while. Haha.