Chelsea 2016/17 - Very Content

AshfordLad

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Were there any indications lately that Christensen and Kenedy (if fit) might get a chance to become challengers for Cahill's and Alonso's place? Or do you expect Chelsea to buy finished players instead?

(Edit: Oh, and I forgot that Zouma is there, too.)
Kenedy is not going to happen, he not even as good as Alonso or Ake in that position. I am hoping we are going to be looking at the likes of Rodrigues, Ghoulam for LWB.

Its very likely that we will buy a top CB for a starting role along side Luiz and Azpilicueta/Zouma with Cahill, Ake being backup. Christensen will likely become a Chelsea regular some time soon but he too might just need a more high profile loan next year.
 

Giggs86

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Who would've thought that Conte will end up being the winner at the expense of Mourinho, Pep and Klopp? What were the actual odds on that before the season started?
 

Kubalionzzale

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Who would've thought that Conte will end up being the winner at the expense of Mourinho, Pep and Klopp? What were the actual odds on that before the season started?
That was the most likely outcome for me at least.
 

JuveGER

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Apparently it's one of his friends and assistant coach from Juve. Must've been a joke between them
Yeah, it is hard to be certain without a clear look at the face, but that could be Angelo Alessio who has been Conte's assistant since Siena days and who used to be Juve midfielder aswell.

Fun fact: Conte's other assistant coach at Juventus and the Italy team, former Juve defender Massimo Carrera, is now leading the Russian league with Spartak Moscow. All three were in the same Juve squad in 1991. Must have been a good school.
 

giorno

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Where did you see that :confused: ?
Dani Alves was never a FB for barcelona. He almost never played with more than 3 true defenders. Most of the time, he played with 2.

If you watch the way they occupied the pitch, dani alves played as a midfielder
 

kouroux

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Dani Alves was never a FB for barcelona. He almost never played with more than 3 true defenders. Most of the time, he played with 2.

If you watch the way they occupied the pitch, dani alves played as a midfielder
No he didn't, he just had a more than normal license to go forward but he was still a right back first and foremost. Alba too (for their second CL win season) had a lot of freedom to attack, so they then defended with only 2 defenders ?
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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Dani Alves was never a FB for barcelona. He almost never played with more than 3 true defenders. Most of the time, he played with 2.

If you watch the way they occupied the pitch, dani alves played as a midfielder
He was a FB though. Yes, he bombed up the field a lot, but he was exclusively on that right flank.

Systematically, they did not play with 3 atb.

Their shape defensively was a classic 4 back(once they retreated from their press).
 

RooneyLegend

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Worked pretty well for pep at barcelona. Formations in the modern day are meaningless, the game's too physical, formations are fluid. It's all up to personnel. If you played a "343" with bonucci-hummels-david luiz-kimmich-vidal-kroos-marcelo-messi-suarez-neymar, you're probably gonna win the CL, don't you think?
When did it work well for Pep at barca? he lost the title the year he started experimenting with it.

i don't think so as that team will be vulnerable in midfield. That team isn't even as good as the current barca when its firing on all cylinders.
 

R.E.D.

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Remember after Tottenham game people here were saying Conte is done ?:lol:

Anyway, they are great. They are literally bullying teams. When a team plays like that they rarely lose points. congratulations for the Title.
 

Treble_Winning

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I expect Spurs to put up a good fight and push them all the way. Spurs are an under rated team. They completely outplayed and outclassed Chelsea when they played them. That is the key to beating Conte's 3-4-3 system and I expect many teams in Europe to study that game as a blueprint on how to shut Chelsea down. In that game Hazard and Costa were totally anonymous. They were nullified. Taken out of the game.

Another question is who will replace Costa at the end of the season when he inevitably leaves?

What other strikers are there who would fit into the role that Conte has prescribed for his CF?

I think Conte has shown himself to be a stubborn, dogged coach who isn't quite willing to try other ideas besides his Plan A. He also seems to have a problem with flair/creative players which explains why Fabregas has been on the bench. I can't imagine him sticking around for long unless he is given more first team football.
 

Jazz

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Congrats to all our resident Chelsea fans on the title.
Happy for clever Conte as well. I like him a lot.
 

duffer

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Congrats to all our resident Chelsea fans on the title.
Happy for clever Conte as well. I like him a lot.
Thank you!

You never know about a new coach coming in but Conte has been great. A decent start followed by a shocking September and then he reacted by totally changing things up. So many coaches just stick with their plan A regardless of results.
 

Treble_Winning

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Congrats to all our resident Chelsea fans on the title.
Happy for clever Conte as well. I like him a lot.
1) they haven't won it yet, still 14 games left to play

2) Conte is a talented young manager but I think he has some way to go before he can be considered a world class manager. I think he had a golden opportunity when he was coaching the Italian national team, but he maybe got a bit unlucky exiting the Euros in the way that he did. The Portugal team that won the competition were quite underwhelming and the title was there for the taking, with fine margins and a bit of luck. Not at all an all conquering dominant side like Germany or Spain were in previous WC/Euro tournaments. Had he won it with Italy that would have been a notch under his belt, but it goes down as a failure, and he also failed on the European stage with Juventus. Still he has potential - it would have been great to have signed him up as an assistant to Jose (similar to the Queiroz role) after his Italy stint. But sadly Chelsea got to him first.
 

Jazz

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1) they haven't won it yet, still 14 games left to play

2) Conte is a talented young manager but I think he has some way to go before he can be considered a world class manager. I think he had a golden opportunity when he was coaching the Italian national team, but he maybe got a bit unlucky exiting the Euros in the way that he did. The Portugal team that won the competition were quite underwhelming and the title was there for the taking, with fine margins and a bit of luck. Not at all an all conquering dominant side like Germany or Spain were in previous WC/Euro tournaments. Had he won it with Italy that would have been a notch under his belt, but it goes down as a failure, and he also failed on the European stage with Juventus. Still he has potential - it would have been great to have signed him up as an assistant to Jose (similar to the Queiroz role) after his Italy stint. But sadly Chelsea got to him first.
I know there are games left to play, but honestly I trust him to get the players over the line. I don't know if he's world class, but at the moment, he's getting the job done. He's also shown a willingness to adapt - so far. Honestly, I wouldn't mind having that sort of guy at United in whatever capacity:(
 

Jazz

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Thank you!

You never know about a new coach coming in but Conte has been great. A decent start followed by a shocking September and then he reacted by totally changing things up. So many coaches just stick with their plan A regardless of results.
You're welcome:lol:

Seriously, I doubt Conte will allow your players to throw it away. He's far too canny to let that happen....
By the way, can we borrow him?:D
 

Claude Makélélé

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1) they haven't won it yet, still 14 games left to play

2) Conte is a talented young manager but I think he has some way to go before he can be considered a world class manager. I think he had a golden opportunity when he was coaching the Italian national team, but he maybe got a bit unlucky exiting the Euros in the way that he did. The Portugal team that won the competition were quite underwhelming and the title was there for the taking, with fine margins and a bit of luck. Not at all an all conquering dominant side like Germany or Spain were in previous WC/Euro tournaments. Had he won it with Italy that would have been a notch under his belt, but it goes down as a failure, and he also failed on the European stage with Juventus. Still he has potential - it would have been great to have signed him up as an assistant to Jose (similar to the Queiroz role) after his Italy stint. But sadly Chelsea got to him first.
1. We are till not a good team yet. Yes, I agree. We are just 13 points above 4th, so not sure if we can qualify for Champions League at all. United also only 17 points below us and there are 14 games to play. Mighty United can take our top anytime. I am really afraid of it, honestly. We should try to widen the gap more.

2. Yes, he should. Conte should be an assistant to Jose. He may assisting him on winning matches, changing formation and treating his players/staff properly. Jose have got a promotion as moving from Chelsea to United. I am happy for him.
 

Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87

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You should invite us to your party. If you hadn't lost 3-0 against us you would have never changed your system ;)
 

Cereal Killer

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1) they haven't won it yet, still 14 games left to play

2) Conte is a talented young manager but I think he has some way to go before he can be considered a world class manager. I think he had a golden opportunity when he was coaching the Italian national team, but he maybe got a bit unlucky exiting the Euros in the way that he did. The Portugal team that won the competition were quite underwhelming and the title was there for the taking, with fine margins and a bit of luck. Not at all an all conquering dominant side like Germany or Spain were in previous WC/Euro tournaments. Had he won it with Italy that would have been a notch under his belt, but it goes down as a failure, and he also failed on the European stage with Juventus. Still he has potential - it would have been great to have signed him up as an assistant to Jose (similar to the Queiroz role) after his Italy stint. But sadly Chelsea got to him first.


The stuff of dreams, do you genuinely believe that this could have ever happened?
 

Claude Makélélé

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I know there are games left to play, but honestly I trust him to get the players over the line. I don't know if he's world class, but at the moment, he's getting the job done. He's also shown a willingness to adapt - so far. Honestly, I wouldn't mind having that sort of guy at United in whatever capacity:(
Conte will kill them all if the players at the end of the season fail to deliver what he wants. His historical records show that he is brutal and fair.
 

Stocar

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I expect Spurs to put up a good fight and push them all the way. Spurs are an under rated team. They completely outplayed and outclassed Chelsea when they played them.
That doesn't mean much. City recently thoroughly outplayed Spurs, and really should be above them on the table. Spurs are solid, but so are Chelsea, and Chelsea have Hazard and Costa. Chelsea are not dominant team, and maybe got outplayed few times, but they are stronger and more efficient than others. After yesterday it seems they are running away with the title. Top 4 is still open though, and I don't see Spurs as favorites.
 
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Supermonkey

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Conte is such a shoddy manager. He should have taken the correct managerial route for his career and been assistant to jose, the coach who took champions to 16th by December. Afterall, Conte only took a Juventus team that finished 7th (twice?) And won the league 3 times in a row with a unbeaten season and breaking the record for most points won. Of course, all 2 seasons in Europe show he is a failure in CL, going out in the quarters against a Bayern team which would win the treble and kill Barca on aggregate 7-0. He was a failure in the Euro's too, only taking Italy to the QF's with a team the national newspapers frequently described as the worst squad for generations. His lockdown of Belgium and Spain was overrated as was the shoddy defeat on penalties to the current world champions. Who doesnt beat the Germans on penalties?! He is a lucky man to have taken a Chelsea team which finished 10th last year to 12 points clear by February in a league with pep, jose and Klopp.

Think Antonio - don't start getting too big for your boots!
 

K2K

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Conte is such a shoddy manager. He should have taken the correct managerial route for his career and been assistant to jose, the coach who took champions to 16th by December. Afterall, Conte only took a Juventus team that finished 7th (twice?) And won the league 3 times in a row with a unbeaten season and breaking the record for most points won. Of course, all 2 seasons in Europe show he is a failure in CL, going out in the quarters against a Bayern team which would win the treble and kill Barca on aggregate 7-0. He was a failure in the Euro's too, only taking Italy to the QF's with a team the national newspapers frequently described as the worst squad for generations. His lockdown of Belgium and Spain was overrated as was the shoddy defeat on penalties to the current world champions. Who doesnt beat the Germans on penalties?! He is a lucky man to have taken a Chelsea team which finished 10th last year to 12 points clear by February in a league with pep, jose and Klopp.

Think Antonio - don't start getting too big for your boots!
No.

Just no.