In truth, whether the majority of fans are in favour of big spending or youth development, in our present parlous mid-table state it is immaterial, because the only preference that matters now is Conte’s and the level of disillusionment has been such that Roman can, in all probability, do no right in this situation. Backing the new boss to the hilt with cash could mean the arrival of a host of players and at the same time a mass culling of expectations in the Academy and loan sectors, whereas an insistence on wholesale youth progression stymies Conte before he even steps off the plane. A successful balance has to be found - and over the coming months that will be the toughest part of the Italian’s new job.

.    

 

Full credit for going into such depth Dorset.

I particularly enjoyed the last paragraph.  Spot on

Edited June 2, 201610 yr by Van Butsen

When asked which of the English words he has learned so far are the most important, Conte gave a further insight into his character and his expectations of his players.

"I like the verb, to fight," he said

I like him already.

When asked which of the English words he has learned so far are the most important, Conte gave a further insight into his character and his expectations of his players.

"I like the verb, to fight," he said

I like him already.

 

Well he better get the right players in to fight for him, because we have a lot of players who don't do fighting for their manager.

Id be pretty shocked to see conte play 352. It doesnt suit most of the squad and he seems to be a manager that adapts his tactics to the players he has.

I think he has played 352 for juve and Italy because of how well that unit of barzagli bonucci and chiellini have played over the years.

I think it will be 433 here tbh, and occasionally 442.

I think the pace of the game in England would make us very vulnerable playing 352, and I think it would be a disaster for conte.

Well he better get the right players in to fight for him, because we have a lot of players who don't do fighting for their manager.

Too f**king right.

That's why I think we'll see one or two senior/experienced signings this summer.

Players to lead by example and carry his message.

conte calls for italian unity at euros

 

http://www.rte.ie/sport/euro-2016/2016/0602/792938-conte/

3 at the back involves moving the ball around a lot to make angles or player number superiority. With Courtois in goal I'm not sure how much he likes to play with his feet. Remember him kicking the ball out of play quite a bit when playing diagonal passes.

Conte's interview with the BBC 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03wd1y3

Id be pretty shocked to see conte play 352. It doesnt suit most of the squad and he seems to be a manager that adapts his tactics to the players he has.

I think he has played 352 for juve and Italy because of how well that unit of barzagli bonucci and chiellini have played over the years.

I think it will be 433 here tbh, and occasionally 442.

I think the pace of the game in England would make us very vulnerable playing 352, and I think it would be a disaster for conte.

this is what i think too. i don't think our squad is cut out to play 352. we only have 2 good CB, not to mention one is nearing retirement and one is still recovering from massive injury. we also only have 1 good, yet injury prone striker. playing 352 would also mean Hazard and Pedro won't fit in anywhere

433 is the safest option

this is what i think too. i don't think our squad is cut out to play 352. we only have 2 good CB, not to mention one is nearing retirement and one is still recovering from massive injury. we also only have 1 good, yet injury prone striker. playing 352 would also mean Hazard and Pedro won't fit in anywhere

433 is the safest option

ATM I think we're more suited to that as well. If rumors come true though and there are an influx of siginings coming I think most of our players could fit in 352 somewhere.

If we sign say a ST, CB, CM and RWB we could fit a fair amount of the current squad in. Hazard could play AM, Kenedy, Willian, Baba and RWB would be good for the wingbacks. Ake, Dave and Zouma are comfortable defending wide if need be and could all play as outside CBs if we use 3. Matic, Bran and Pedro are the three who dont seem to fit anywhere.

Matic definitely cant play as the #4, Bran has shown he is no longer capable of playing wide and I dont think he's good enough on the ball to be the CB in a 3 man defense.

Some of this is in direct response to Dorset's post as well. Matic and Mikel in particular are not suited to Conte's 352 IMO. Bran as an outside CB as well since he'd be asked to cover wide areas out of posession when teams counter attack.

Edited June 3, 201610 yr by TheChelseaBlues

Spoiler alert?

Conte: Italy are Euro 2016 'outsiders'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03wyqmz

Conte: Italy lack talented young players

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03wythw

Conte has well and truly annoyed me. Berardi, zappacosta, sansone, rugani, romagnoli, benassi, donnarumma.

Italy have plenty of talented youngsters but he's chosen to pick a team of idiots. The fact that he thinks this shows that any hopes of youth bring brought through are over before they began.

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Antonio Conte wants to sign five players this summer - striker, midfielder, two defenders and a goalkeeper.

Sounds interesting, hopefully we get a few gems

I watched Italy against Scotland the other day and they didn't really impress me at (either side).

Italy won't go far I'd wager.

Every year lol. This is the exact same line that gets pushed at EVERY single Championship regarding Italy. Didnt impress during qualifiers, didnt impress during the group stages, not enough quality in the team etc etc. Yet they always show up and do well, as they also will this year

Every year lol. This is the exact same line that gets pushed at EVERY single Championship regarding Italy. Didnt impress during qualifiers, didnt impress during the group stages, not enough quality in the team etc etc. Yet they always show up and do well, as they also will this year

Erm I take it you were asleep during the last tournament?

Erm I take it you were asleep during the last tournament?

I agree with xfactor, it does happen quite a lot for Italy, they show up late and everyone writes them off  but they do generally perform.  Last tourny they beaten by the best Costa Rican team in forever and an always competitive Uruguay.

After originally wanting Italy to finish in the group stages in order to bring Conte back to Chelsea ASAP, I'm now of the view that if he can inspire this Italian team to do some great things this tournament, he may have the ear of one or two players and implore them to come with him to London for a new challenge.

I agree with xfactor, it does happen quite a lot for Italy, they show up late and everyone writes them off but they do generally perform. Last tourny they beaten by the best Costa Rican team in forever and an always competitive Uruguay.

After originally wanting Italy to finish in the group stages in order to bring Conte back to Chelsea ASAP, I'm now of the view that if he can inspire this Italian team to do some great things this tournament, he may have the ear of one or two players and implore them to come with him to London for a new challenge.

I'm not comparing this Italian team to the previous, they have been very so so for the past couple of years since that World Cup group exit.

I see nothing from them to suggest they will go far

Erm I take it you were asleep during the last tournament?

I wasnt. If not for an epic referee blunder, they would ha e advanced. Like I said, people never see anythibg impressive from Italy, yet they almost aleays do well. Their certain to reach at least the quarters imo

Everytime I watch us play it makes me more nervous about Conte being our manager going into Euros, and when we inevitably fail I then have to deal with him as Chelsea manager. Football is cruel.

Everytime I watch us play it makes me more nervous about Conte being our manager going into Euros, and when we inevitably fail I then have to deal with him as Chelsea manager. Football is cruel.

Cheer up. Every team but one fails in the end.

Everytime I watch us play it makes me more nervous about Conte being our manager going into Euros, and when we inevitably fail I then have to deal with him as Chelsea manager. Football is cruel.

 

it must be tough supporting a country that has won the world cup in your life time and a club that has won nearly everything it could have done in the same period.

Edited June 6, 201610 yr by g3.7

I know it is only rumour but we're being fairly strongly linked to players for a lot of different positions.

Could be we are going to see quite a big overhaul by Conte straight away.

The potential outgoing players interests me as much as who might be coming in.

I know it is only rumour but we're being fairly strongly linked to players for a lot of different positions.

Could be we are going to see quite a big overhaul by Conte straight away.

The potential outgoing players interests me as much as who might be coming in.

I wouldn't believe in that rumour. He will sign some players but I doubt we will sign many of them for different positions.

To me media is talking out of their ass again.

We have to wait after Euro for clues what is going on in the transfer window.

it must be tough supporting a country that has won the world cup in your life time and a club that has won nearly everything it could have done in the same period.

True, but after last season and Conte's Italy reign so far it's not been a good time to be a football fan for me. Admittedly Conte is a better club manager than international, he likes to instil a philosophy into his players that isn't possible when you see your players 6 times a year. It's just very frustrating when he overlooks exciting, talented players like berardi, bonaventura, insigne, bernadeschi and giovinco in order to play people he deems safer options such as immobile, giaccherini and parolo. I said on here before, if he thinks Italy has no talented youngsters then the future looks bleak for our youth.