I hope you managed to get some
In facts known ones had Chelsea 4th not 3rd, I think it should be fairly easy to dig but look mate believe what you wish, no point in debating further
Chelsea under Conte | Let's sign the next Hazard, literally.
- Thread starter Gandalf Greyhame
- Start date
Good points, though what concerns me is when we come up against a team that closes us down as we have seen this season with Spurs, Utd ,Liverpool and Arsenal in the cup. Costa cannot hold up a long ball against three CBs. With two forwards we could do this better and pull back the players closing us down. I just feel we need more options to maintain the progress of this season.
I think 3-4-3 will be too predictable next season. Interestingly with a potential Hazard and Bale swap I could see Bale being one of the two. Though doubt we will purchase an injury prone Bale.
Yeah, a 28yo injury prone player looking for 300k+ per week. Never going to happen.
James/Morata on the other hand would be great for a 3-5-2, too bad they dont fit in a 3-4-3.
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It's natural for Chelsea fan to praise Conte. What I was talking about though, was United fans here using Conte's first season success in PL as a stick to beat Mourinho as a past it despite his much better records, especially in Europe which Conte himself found none. Every time we said "It's just his first season. He needs time." because José has a track record, there're always someone quick to come in and told us "Looks at Conte.", which is a bit idiotic because to win PL in the first season is great but to be compared to the elites like Mourinho he need to show consistency in PL and Europe first. We as a United fans should know better than anyone because we ourselves used to think Wenger in 97 were all that and would dominate PL for years and years.
As brilliant as his first season and as genius a tactician as everyone think he is, didn't all the pundits think Chelsea would beat Arsenal to the Double quite easily? See, Football just doesn't work that way. Who knows what will happen next season.
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EVERY single bookie had United and City favourites by a distance. Shortest for City was around 2/1 moving to 3/1, slightly higher for United, 5/2 moving to around 7/2. Chelsea were 5/1 in the majority of places, some as high as 7 at times.
Edit : If you list 'bookies worth their salt' I'll find their odds for you.
It's incredible hindsight to look back and pretend that at the start of the season it was a case of anything other than the two Manchester clubs being favourite. Both spent big, both had 'Superstar Managers' whilst everyone thought Chelsea had to rebuild and sell half their squad.
Im finding it quite hilarious that people (not just on here) changing the goalpost's to try and discredit Conte, no doubt most of the same people wanked lyricals over the Pep vs Jose with a side order of Klopp "title race" last summer and will this. Nobody other than people with high knowledge of Conte gave us a prayer and just ignorantly/sheepishly jumped on the Pep, Jose and Klopp bandwagon and lo and behold Conte has outperformed all 3 with ease (and no, Jose getting the better of him once doesn't change that, he won a small battle in a war he spectacularly lost). Id like to know which bookie had us at better odds than United because i didn't see a single one.
Conte is every bit as good as Jose the first time.
Still a long way to go to that level. That team Jose put together was just mental, it could humiliate an awesome barca team just for fun. I would say we were cheated out of atleast one CL title during that time if not two.
Anyone claiming that Chelsea were pegged on to be second during last preseason is talking shite. It was ALWAYS City first, United second, usually arsenal third and then spurs and us fighting for 4th.
Conte deserves to be put on a high pedestrial for his efforts this season. First season in the PL and in charge of a club that were disgracefully bad last season, and he's only gone and won the title finishing with an absurd 93 points.
The season before that they finished 8 points clear on 87, and 16 of the 24 who finished that season started this one. Last season was a complete anomaly. Conte has done well but lets not prerend hes turned a bunch of also rans into the league champions.
And the season before Moyes' we won the title. He's done an incredible job this past season and the only people 'pretending' are the ones who are playing down his accomplishments.
Maybe... just maybe ... the best post iv seen on here
Good points, I am unsure about whether he deserves to much criticism for Arsenal yet to date Cup matches including Europe have been a weakness for him. I think his insistence on playing a system makes the team predictable and when coming up against good cup sides you can get found out. Funnily enough I had concerns with Arsenal as I had noticed towards the end of the season Wenger uncharacteristically goes three at the back and suddenly they start looking more dangerous.
I am unsure about Conte next season and am far from convinced we will win the EPL in consecutive seasons. He must strengthen and have the players to play different formations. We recently do not have the best record of getting our wanted signings.
At the end of the day I suppose this makes it all the more interesting nothing is guaranteed in the EPL and none with any certainty can say when an English team is going to dominate in the CL.
I didn't see United as favourites anywhere
I remember most sites and fans seeing it as a battle between the two Manchester clubs and a quick look through https://www.google.com/search?q=pre...HwDQ&start=10&sa=N&biw=1366&bih=604&gfe_rd=cr suggests the same.
I suppose you're right in that City seem to have been slight favourites ahead of United, but no-one seems to have expected United to be sixth or Chelsea first.
If you read my post it clearly states city were shorter price by about 0.2/0.3 in most bookmakers. Hence, United were second favourites.
Mourinho first time around had an open chequebook and a very deep squad. Conte doesn't have such luxury and current Chelsea side can't dominate the transfer market like it did back in 2004, in fact both Manchester clubs spend more than us.
well it seems to be than 10/3 are better odds that 3/1 which is what I've found
well it seems to be than 10/3 (chelsea) are better odds that 3/1 (United) which is what I've found on 365 sky bet, while the odds were the same on or very close on others
apologies, I was looking at next season's. no idea how they think United are level with chelsea but there you go. will look again for last season
apologies, I was looking at next season's. no idea how they think United are level with chelsea but there you go. will look again for last season
I really really hope the hazard injury kickstarts our spending, nervous that we will have a very average window :s
What is with Conte pulling a pep?
Costa said he was told he was not wanted by Conte via a text message.
You are the manager. You should have the decency to tell him in-person
Costa said he was told he was not wanted by Conte via a text message.
You are the manager. You should have the decency to tell him in-person
Costa deserves it. He is a vile and should have a taste of his own medicine.
Seriously? A manager should stoop down to the level of his players?
You must love this guy then
Okay then, because that's exactly the same thing.
According to your logic - its fine cos the player deserves it.Okay then, because that's exactly the same thing.
You should not try to justify the wrong actions of manager by using the character or actions of the player.
It's a great move by Conte, this is. He's laying down a marker in the dressing room. Terry has left and Costa behaved like a worm during a crucial part of their season. It could have derailed their season.
Binning Costa off, bringing in Lukaku (who although probably not as good is just as, if not more, productive) and acting like a proper Chelsea 'manager', not so much a head coach, puts him in a really strong position. It's the sort of thing Ferguson would do in his prime. Micro-manage the halfwits (even potential halfwits) and feck them off when the opportunity arises. Good on him.
Binning Costa off, bringing in Lukaku (who although probably not as good is just as, if not more, productive) and acting like a proper Chelsea 'manager', not so much a head coach, puts him in a really strong position. It's the sort of thing Ferguson would do in his prime. Micro-manage the halfwits (even potential halfwits) and feck them off when the opportunity arises. Good on him.
You've got to remember that we won the league without one class cb. Azpi was the best and he's a fullback. I don't think anyone will be racing to call Cahill and Luiz good enough for say, City, Tottenham or United. That shoddy defence demands an extra cb. Hopefully that is addressed and Conte has more options, but last season he had little options. Its okay demanding he have more back up plans but when they all include a defence as water tight as the Thames barrier he's hardly going to use them!
The idea that Conte sent Costa a text is ridiculous.
But he did. Costa deserves it for being so vile and almost derailing your season.
He deserves it after helping the club win 2 titles in 3 years? Regardless of his stupidity as a person he doesn't deserve that.
How did the sms go:
"Hey Costa, how are you.
I don't want you anymore.
Ciao."
"Hey Costa, how are you.
I don't want you anymore.
Ciao."
How do you know he did?
A manager doesn't have to do anything in that respect. Do you think it's manager's job to meet every player he decides to sell in person in order to let them know? If anything, it's good on Conte to inform Costa about it because he didn't have to.
A manager should have the decorum to inform in-person a player, that was not just a regular starter but a key part of the team, if and when he is no longer needed or wanted. It is what is expected of any decent manager.
Even if their relationship has deteriorated, Conte could have had some other club official convey it an appropriate form, even if it via a phone call.
Sending text messages for such is cowardly and unbecoming of a manager of his level.
If Conte really did let Costa know by text, it probably has to do with a language barrier. Or maybe he was worried that Costa would take him into a dark alley and shank him 
You're making it sound like they were married with a bunch of kids. They spent one season together.
I repeat: Conte didn't have to do anything. Most of the time players find out the club wants to sell them from their agents and such. As for unbecoming, Costa's behaved like shit plenty of times in his three years to the detriment of the team and I doubt he ever bothered to say sorry. At the end of the day it's a business decision.
Nobody has to do anything but certain things are expected of people in certain positions and/or situations, and people will be judged by their actions and/or comments. You do not have to cover your mouth when you cough in public, but not doing so makes you uncouth.
Its silly trying to justify Conte's actions using Costa as a standard. If Costa has behaved like shit, then Conte can be said to also be behaving like shit by stooping down to his level.
You're assuming you know how players are normally told things of this nature?