That was a good article but a little to long

That was a good article but a little to long

Like our season

Most bloggers / journos  read supporters forums like The She End and other social media if only to see which way the wind is blowing.

On the other hand, he has more room for error. As long as he gets a European spot, it'll be considered satisfactory by most fans. He doesn't have pressure to finish at the very top.

 

Nope, you just described Arsenal. It's the exact opposite in Italy nowadays due to clubs financial strength. What the next few season holds is very different for the team finishing at the top and the rest. Each season is a do or die, hence the controversial nature of the league.

 

If not for the famous invincible year under Conte, milan was on pace to build leagues best squad with core players already in Ibra and Thiago Silva. Tevez, Pogba, Dybala, Morata, Alex Sandro have all been targeted by both clubs, as well as Milan's retarded cousin inter, but they play for Juve for the very same reason you just said it's not that important.   

 

 

Anyways I have great respect for this man, and hope everything goes to the plan for you lot next season.

Ranieri turned relegation fodder into champs elect so we'll see 

He will fulfil his destiny of being the best loser and finishing second once again. :)

I think, that DIego Simeone was the better choice.  But we will see...

I think, that DIego Simeone was the better choice. But we will see...

Simione was Mourinho Mark 2. Conte is pretty similar too but has a few different traits - a little more emphasis on attack I think.

I think, that DIego Simeone was the better choice. But we will see...

Simeone may not have been willing to leave. Would you blame him?

why do you say that?

whhhooooossssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Diego simeone will likely manage Argentina when he feels he has done enough with atletico.

It was interesting that Fabregas said on Monday that Conte doesn't want a transitional period and wants to win trophies.

I wonder how that will impact the squad and planning. I'm surprised and a little taken back by that statement. I thought we needed a rebuild, not another quick win trophies.

 

Its imperavite that we produce at least a solid title challenge next season, which will only happen if the players are told that we are going for a win.

 

These are tricky times in the PL. We cant gamble a couple of seasons for building a squad. If that fails we would have likely fallen behind spurs, arsenal and liverpool. At that point there would be no way back with purchasing ready made players as well as no big player would want to go to the 6-7 rated club without a trophy in 3 seasons.

 

The fact that Conte thinks this way is a great thing for the team.

Edited April 22, 201610 yr by Orpington_Blue

I think, that DIego Simeone was the better choice.  But we will see...

Simeone was my ideal candidate but why would he want to leave a strong stable club like Atletico Madrid and join a rabble like us.

 

Conte isn't a bad appointment so I'm more than happy with him, but I don't think we're in a position to complain about any prospective managers who were interested in joining us because we treat our managers appallingly. I'm just hoping the board backs Conte but their history suggests otherwise but we'll see what happens.

Simeone was my ideal candidate but why would he want to leave a strong stable club like Atletico Madrid and join a rabble like us.

Conte isn't a bad appointment so I'm more than happy with him, but I don't think we're in a position to complain about any prospective managers who were interested in joining us because we treat our managers appallingly. I'm just hoping the board backs Conte but their history suggests otherwise but we'll see what happens.

Simeone also declined utd role when fergie stepped down and utd were champions when he did. Instability isn't the reason we couldn't get him but he only wanted to meet and discuss after the season was over, just like with utd then ( reports according to marca) but you're right the board need to change their thinking when it comes to managers.

Edited April 22, 201610 yr by summer is coming

A good article on our struggles and Conte's road ahead

http://plainsofalmeria.co.uk/2016/04/19/the-road-ahead/

 

Hadn't seen that article - enjoyed reading it so thanks for posting ...

 

 

 

This bit in particular resonates very loudly with me:

 

In fact with 8 out of our starting 11 being picked exclusively for their defensive attributes, it really is unsurprising that it took so little to cause such a big fall. This mentality is something that has crept into our fans – we seemingly value defensive robots over actual footballers.

 

I like the idea of Conte as  a pragmatic manager who fits square pegs into square holes as well.

 

Hopefully he can come up with a formation and a way of playing that plays to the strengths of our players, and moulds us into more of an attacking threat, as well as shoring things up in defence.

 

 

Should be an interesting season in prospect !

Hadn't seen that article - enjoyed reading it so thanks for posting ...

This bit in particular resonates very loudly with me:

In fact with 8 out of our starting 11 being picked exclusively for their defensive attributes, it really is unsurprising that it took so little to cause such a big fall. This mentality is something that has crept into our fans – we seemingly value defensive robots over actual footballers.

I like the idea of Conte as a pragmatic manager who fits square pegs into square holes as well.

Hopefully he can come up with a formation and a way of playing that plays to the strengths of our players, and moulds us into more of an attacking threat, as well as shoring things up in defence.

Should be an interesting season in prospect !

Yup agree. I loved Jose but that was his biggest fault.

Im hoping that this season without european football could be a blessing in disguise, should allow conte more time between matches to drill his methods into the players as pre season will be relatively short (as at all clubs) so during the season his methods are still going to be learnt by the players, with no european football that will allow him extra training ground time and if we do as I think most hope/expect ditch the 4231 and go with a new formation then it will be needed.

 

Also with no europa cup as well it should help our chances of bouncing straight back into the champions league which is very important this coming season, personally id be happy with top 4 integrate a couple more youngsters into the squad and having the team play a more expanse game but also has a strong core, I dont think anything major needs to be done to achieve that, just a few clever signings in a few vital positions.

 

If you believe the media reports nainggolan seems like he will be targeted/signed so maybe we could line up like below potentially

 

courtous

azpi zouma jt LB

nainggolan fabregas willian/rlc

pedro costa hazard

 

*LB* not sure who, strong and tactically sound with abit of pace would be my requirements or clone dave :)

 

Not to many changes but you would bulk up the midfield whilst putting 2 work horse around fabregas to do his dirty work and hopefully get the best put of him consistently, youd have willian breaking from the midfield to help attacks but he also has the industry to get back and do his fair share of his defensive work, in a 433 youd not have a gapping hole in the middle of the park all the time and give pedro and hazard more freedom to create/score, I think that would provide a fair amount of balance to the side.

 

rlc should be used more as in the 3 man midfield and hopefully develop enough over next season to seriously put pressure on conte to pick him week in week out, the talent is there it just needs to be used and harnessed by the manager, same as a few other kids we have, id be all for solanke coming back and being used over pato/falcao, costa plays when he is available as the guy is a machine when head screwed on but you can still integrate traore and solanke around him, even in a pairing in a 442!

 

Next year is big in alot of ways we need to get on track and start to use some of our youth products in active squad roles or we will in all likelihood do as man utd did with pogba and lose a gem/s at some point, as our youth team is the best in europe some of them have to be given a chance otherwise losing our promising youngsters will become an annual thing each summer which once started (which looks like it is) will be extremely hard to stop, we have reached the edge of the cliff moment with our youth imho.

Edited May 1, 201610 yr by strong centreback

Looks like Courtous is off.

Do we have a buy-back clause for Cech?

Looks like Courtous is off.

Do we have a buy-back clause for Cech?

 

Ha, if only.

 

We should make Bego our number 1 and get someone like Valdes in as back-up. Controversial! Though I see Fraser Forster's name being bandied about as Tibo's replacement

Edited May 1, 201610 yr by Blueblur

Oblak would be the best singing we could make. Unbelievable season.

Looks like Courtous is off.

Do we have a buy-back clause for Cech?

Off? Were is he off to? Theres no way we are selling him at this point

Edited May 1, 201610 yr by Xfaxtor

Im hoping that this season without european football could be a blessing in disguise, should allow conte more time between matches to drill his methods into the players as pre season will be relatively short (as at all clubs) so during the season his methods are still going to be learnt by the players, with no european football that will allow him extra training ground time and if we do as I think most hope/expect ditch the 4231 and go with a new formation then it will be needed.

 

Also with no europa cup as well it should help our chances of bouncing straight back into the champions league which is very important this coming season, personally id be happy with top 4 integrate a couple more youngsters into the squad and having the team play a more expanse game but also has a strong core, I dont think anything major needs to be done to achieve that, just a few clever signings in a few vital positions.

 

If you believe the media reports nainggolan seems like he will be targeted/signed so maybe we could line up like below potentially

 

courtous

azpi zouma jt LB

nainggolan fabregas willian/rlc

pedro costa hazard

 

*LB* not sure who, strong and tactically sound with abit of pace would be my requirements or clone dave :)

 

Not to many changes but you would bulk up the midfield whilst putting 2 work horse around fabregas to do his dirty work and hopefully get the best put of him consistently, youd have willian breaking from the midfield to help attacks but he also has the industry to get back and do his fair share of his defensive work, in a 433 youd not have a gapping hole in the middle of the park all the time and give pedro and hazard more freedom to create/score, I think that would provide a fair amount of balance to the side.

 

rlc should be used more as in the 3 man midfield and hopefully develop enough over next season to seriously put pressure on conte to pick him week in week out, the talent is there it just needs to be used and harnessed by the manager, same as a few other kids we have, id be all for solanke coming back and being used over pato/falcao, costa plays when he is available as the guy is a machine when head screwed on but you can still integrate traore and solanke around him, even in a pairing in a 442!

 

Next year is big in alot of ways we need to get on track and start to use some of our youth products in active squad roles or we will in all likelihood do as man utd did with pogba and lose a gem/s at some point, as our youth team is the best in europe some of them have to be given a chance otherwise losing our promising youngsters will become an annual thing each summer which once started (which looks like it is) will be extremely hard to stop, we have reached the edge of the cliff moment with our youth imho.

 

edit- forgot about ake at left back!

courtous

azpi zouma jt LB

nainggolan fabregas willian/rlc

pedro costa hazard

 

 

 

I am not a huge fan of this line up. Naingolan - Fabergas - Willian, Touch tacklers but lack the physicality. If Matic is in last years form I would still get him to play alongside Fabergas else buy a new DM. Also, I would prefer that RLC gets loaned out to get more experience. I want him to get a whole season under his belt playing for a team that gives him a chance to play a lot of minutes to build his stamina. Also, JT as great as he is - he is old. We need to move on from JT. 

Edited May 3, 201610 yr by brownindian

Damn Diego Simeone is doing amazing Job with Atletico. I'm really surprised what he achieved at that club.

There is so much passion in this guy!!!!!

Yup agree. Not an easy feat in a league where Barca and Madrid buy everyone.

Problem is that Simone is tactically inflexible and can only play one style of football. I think that's why Conte got the job instead of Simone.

Problem with Simone is that he would be the Manager of Chelsea and therefor banned for most of the season.