Chelsea 2016/17 - Very Content

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I don't see them winning the league,plus they've had an easy enough run of games lately.
Don't think we'll win it either, but we've had far from an easy run. We've made it look easy more like.
 
Their performance today was one of the best I can remember for a while in the Prem. Everton barely had a shot, and some of Chelsea's goals were outstanding. Conte is proving to be a great manager.
 
Their performance today was one of the best I can remember for a while in the Prem. Everton barely had a shot, and some of Chelsea's goals were outstanding. Conte is proving to be a great manager.

He definitely is, at the very least he is very competent and has found a good balance and formation which is something I thought Jose would do for us.
 
He definitely is, at the very least he is very competent and has found a good balance and formation which is something I thought Jose would do for us.

I think that job was easier at Chelsea. Even with their Roman merry-go-round of managers , they have always struck me as purchasing Mourinho-ish players for the most part. Villas-Boas aside, most their managers have stuck to a rough blueprint similar to Mourinho. I always felt that Mourinho left a blueprint for Chelsea that they more or less followed to some degree since then (obviously some managers diverted to a degree but identity remained mostly the same).

The problem with your situation is you really don't even have a consistent over-arching blueprint either intentional (like City) or organic (Chelsea perhaps). I think Arsenal has the same problem because our organizational blueprint, like you, is based on one man. Wenger and Ferguson were really the last of the "manager dictator" model at the highest level. Its why I am very conditionally Wenger Out. More than Wenger out or in I want a viable and stable transition plan to a manager like Tuchel for instance. I care more about having a DoF like Monchi or Rangnick than I care about specific manager because there needs to be an over-arching organization consistency. Clubs like Atletico, Sevilla, Bayern and Leipzig have a strategic plan. Arsenal doesn't. Our strategic plan "ask Wenger". That's not a stable strategy. Its dangerous to leave everything up to each manager's tactical plans in this day and age IMO.

Ferguson, Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho all have different blueprints that aren't consistent when you look at them all together. What I think you need now, and Arsenal desperately needs before Wenger retires is something like a DoF like Monchi or Rangnick that can ensure a consistent plan no matter who the manager is.
 
This is a very good point. LVG was slaughtered for using that formation while everyone is currently waxing lyrical about Conte. Although Conte's team seem to pass with more purpose & are much more direct I think the difference between the two systems are ultimately the level of players.

I played 3-4-3 during my high school days. The difference with LVG's version of the system is that his wing backs aren't as hard working as Conte's. Without hard working wing backs, the formation goes to shit. Also, playing a flat 4 or 5 midfield (which Koeman did today) vs a 3-4-3 is asking for trouble. All the wingbacks need to do is play the ball along the line then run diagonally to pull your players out of position. It works as long as you have players willing to work their asses off.
 
They get a weeks rest between games and that's helping them a lot. If Hazard stays injury free, they are genuine contenders.
 
Really didn't expect this 3-4-3 formation to work out so well.
 
I think that job was easier at Chelsea. Even with their Roman merry-go-round of managers , they have always struck me as purchasing Mourinho-ish players for the most part. Villas-Boas aside, most their managers have stuck to a rough blueprint similar to Mourinho. I always felt that Mourinho left a blueprint for Chelsea that they more or less followed to some degree since then (obviously some managers diverted to a degree but identity remained mostly the same).

The problem with your situation is you really don't even have a consistent over-arching blueprint either intentional (like City) or organic (Chelsea perhaps). I think Arsenal has the same problem because our organizational blueprint, like you, is based on one man. Wenger and Ferguson were really the last of the "manager dictator" model at the highest level. Its why I am very conditionally Wenger Out. More than Wenger out or in I want a viable and stable transition plan to a manager like Tuchel for instance. I care more about having a DoF like Monchi or Rangnick than I care about specific manager because there needs to be an over-arching organization consistency. Clubs like Atletico, Sevilla, Bayern and Leipzig have a strategic plan. Arsenal doesn't. Our strategic plan "ask Wenger". That's not a stable strategy. Its dangerous to leave everything up to each manager's tactical plans in this day and age IMO.

Ferguson, Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho all have different blueprints that aren't consistent when you look at them all together. What I think you need now, and Arsenal desperately needs before Wenger retires is something like a DoF like Monchi or Rangnick that can ensure a consistent plan no matter who the manager is.
Agree with this. chelsea have stuck with the 03/04 Mourinho doctrine up until this season when Conte has varianted with his 343. That initial Mourinho squad also largely stayed in tact and any outgoings were largely replaced with similar technical players. Terry, Cole and Lampard ensured the club culture also remained the same.

It was a very effective form of Club stability which allowed for Abrahimovich to then constantly change his manager to inject freshness and momentum
 
Conte has fixed the mess so quickly. I wonder if the 3 - 4 - 3 is the way forward for a few other clubs?
 
His players are working harder, that's the only difference I'm seeing.
Well that, and them clearly understanding the system they're playing in, their individual roles within that system, and the players actually suiting those roles...

So basically it's just tactics and motivation - that's all, barely worth mentioning...
 
This is a very good point. LVG was slaughtered for using that formation while everyone is currently waxing lyrical about Conte. Although Conte's team seem to pass with more purpose & are much more direct I think the difference between the two systems are ultimately the level of players.

I think this is imprecise. Chelsea doesn't mind not having the ball and aims for lightning fast transitions. Either from back to front, or side to side when in established attack.

The side to side idea is similar in LvGs teams, but usually carries less risk. Some of the passes the CMs (and Luiz) on Chelsea carry out are incredibly prone to errors, and quite frankly ill-suited for a team that desire ball retention.
 
Conte is a great motivator, this could even be seen at the last Euro where Italy seemed to have incredible team spirit. Personnel wise this Chelsea side isn't all that, City have a better squad probably, but none of PL teams really stand out in terms of quality of players, they all have deficiencies here or there, so it should not hold them back too much. They will be fighting for title.
 
Their performance today was one of the best I can remember for a while in the Prem. Everton barely had a shot, and some of Chelsea's goals were outstanding. Conte is proving to be a great manager.


He seems to have his players motivated whereas ours aren't

Plus theres a cast difference in the skill level of hazard, costa and Pedro to lingard, ibra and rashford
 
They absolutely destroyed Everton. It was like a PL team against a League one or two side. Absolute masterclass yesterday
 
They were absolutely incredible yesterday, best team performance in a prem game for a long time. 5-0 and gave away just one shot, none on target. Still, not sure they are the strongest team in the league, Alonso and Moses are the only two I think are average in the team though, and moses has been playing well, I still fancy city but would prefer Chelsea as the football they can play is great and hazard is absurdly good.
 
Conte is proving to be a great manager.

You mean he didn't prove it before by building a dominant Juve side?

The english arrogance astonishes me. Next you'll be all waiting for Simeone to prove himself as a coach on the mighty EPL.
 
Same players who were deemed mentally weak and useless under Jose last season?
Helps that he dropped two of the bigger disappointments from last season in Ivanovic and Fabregas. Mourinho just continued to play them.
 
They were magic yesterday, Costa and Hazard in particular. Must admit I was very envious watching them.
 
You mean he didn't prove it before by building a dominant Juve side?

The english arrogance astonishes me. Next you'll be all waiting for Simeone to prove himself as a coach on the mighty EPL.

Ehehe a bit insular our hosts, aren't they? However, Conte is very good at rebuilding but he still need to prove he can be a fine architect. He left Juve arguing they were not worth the upper cl level only for them getting to the final with Allegri the very next year. Same with Italy, he overachieved with a weak squad at the Euros but left before proving he can build on his own foundational layer and reach the next level at the Worlds. I think Chelsea will win the league this year because they are good enough and are having their pride restored, but Conte's real test will be next year CL, he has to reach the semis at least.
 
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You mean he didn't prove it before by building a dominant Juve side?

The english arrogance astonishes me. Next you'll be all waiting for Simeone to prove himself as a coach on the mighty EPL.
How petty. Chelsea wouldn't have hired him if they didn't think he was already a great manager, my point is he's proving himself in yet another league. Who knows, Simeone could come here and be utter shite.
 
It might be the Italian bias in me but I love Conte as a manager, throw back to old style Italian coaching, tactically and defensively strong. I wonder what Mou is thinking right now haha
 
I'd still be very happy with a Top4-finish. As things stand there are probably 6-7 teams that can still win it. All teams will hit a rough patch from here on. The question will be which team will allow themselves the shortest of blips. IMO the PL will be won by a team with less than 80 points.
 
I'd still be very happy with a Top4-finish. As things stand there are probably 6-7 teams that can still win it. All teams will hit a rough patch from here on. The question will be which team will allow themselves the shortest of blips. IMO the PL will be won by a team with less than 80 points.
Yes. Top 4 and the title not going to spurs, dippers or arsenal would/should be fine for every Chelsea fan.
 
I definitely wouldn't be happy with just Top 4 because that means either Arsenal or Liverpool will win it. I'd be content with City winning it but they look capable of dropping points every other week.
 
Before they hired him i remember some Italian football reporter on Twitter, plus a few others, saying he is one of the best managers in the world and they were deadly serious. He does look the mustard
 
Funny that just a few weeks ago people were talking about the possibility of him getting sacked. :D