Are there managers known for not "playing their guys" over and over? Serious question. They're all a bit stubborn. Anyway, Roman has always wanted attractive, attacking football (or so we've been told over and over), but we need the players to do so.
Forgot to mention that while Enrique does stick to the same players, I'm pretty sure there were some problems with rotation during his time at Barcelona. Dropped Messi, Suarez, and Neymar at very curious times if I remember correctly. Basically he had a pool of players he would rotate through but never went outside that pool. Was partially blamed for the decline of La Masia over the past few years as he wasn't giving opportunities to the youth in comparison to previous coaches too. So basically par for the course when it comes to Chelsea managers I think Klopp and Pep both deserve some sort of recognition in that regard. Both are not afraid to give youth players a chance (for Pep maybe a little less so at City) and will use the full squad as needed. Of course they've both got their favorites, but I am not sure what other managers would've started playing someone like Fabian Delph at LB with someone like Danilo available on the bench. Though imo, the stubbornness is much more of a problem when it comes to tactics and is where Conte has been "found out" the most. Treating every team like they're the same and using very similar tactics match after match is just asking for trouble. You don't have to completely change a system every week (there are plenty of issues there too), but you must be willing to make small adjustments as needed
Which is odd - didn't Conte have the rep that he changed formations a lot with Juve, Italy? Granted, I don't think we have the players for that here.
Playing with wingbacks when neither are prolific is puzzling at times. Alonso does a job and Moses/Zappa are both bang on average. We have a proper fullback in Azpi and 4 in the back should be an option but we just don't see that, even when the guys who make 3 in the back tick (Luiz, Andreas) are out. Only staying with the 3 is clearly limiting.
Enrique was the guy who tried telling the world that Gomes was a much better option than Iniesta. He was so successful at poisoning the well that he actually got the Board to believe it. He tried pushing Rakitic further down the line, routinely playing him out of position in order to give opportunities to Rafinha, Gomes, Vidal, etc. How many times was he involved in trade rumors; 4 last year alone? Didn't give Sergi Roberto a chance at FB until presented with no other choice when everyone including Sergi saw the fit. Hell, I think they actually had to direct Enrique to play him there. I could go on. Barca won in spite of Enrique.
Is that from before the two recent loses? I saw a video that was before the loses around January 20th. It doesn't sway my opinion on the situation. I don't want to see him axed until we see the end of the season. If we finish strong then hopefully we continue with him.
What is the point of that post even.. none of the tension surrounding his exit has anything to do with that. He has isolated himself from the board - that is entirely his own doing. Guys been sour since June.
Conte on his job security... "After the defeat against Burnley [on the opening day of the season], people were already talking about change the coach, but that is because of this history. There's a lot of rumours about Chelsea in the press. "But it's no problem for me. I hope that this pressure doesn't harm the players, not me, because I go looking for pressure."
Lets not forget, over that same course of time we have been in transition with far too many players coming in and out to have any stability. He has been IMMENSE and is underrated IMHO.
Conte insinuating Chelsea doesn't match his ambition... he's not wrong but he's certainly ready to go after this year is over.
He could do a number with the talent at Madrid, although I don't think Ronaldo will be too interested in his methods. He's not going back to Juve, and Inter and Milan don't really spend the money he's looking for on squads. If Madrid cashier Zidane, I think he ends up at PSG and Hazard heads there. PSG will ship Neymar to Madrid (I think it was a laundry deal anyways as Barca wouldn't move him direct to there).
Loll Conte using the word “ambition”.. he is a ********ing pussy as far as tactics are concerned. Goodbye dude. No imagination whatsoever, just salty he cant spend billions
Which Conte is partially responsible for. He made his bed with Costa. Morata isn't a like for like replacement. We let good players go without like for like replacements. Everyone is responsible here, all of them.
I simply cannot blame Conte for Costa. Costa was a prick who kept wanting to leave since the time he got here - China, Atletico, wherever. Morata has had half a season and I hope will still come good. But the rest have been big let downs. Kante was the last one we bought who really moved the needle positively.
Surprisingly good article, from NY times of all places. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/sports/soccer/chelsea-manchester-city.html
Costa is Costa and that he is a loose cannon who gets results but also had his issues. Morota's been here for half a season? Give him time. It took Drogba time to get used to it. That said, this squad is more on our board than Conte. And it's been a board problem for ages. Win the league, don't update the squad. Lose the league, update the squad, and repeat.
The biggest frustration out of all this is that he's managed to make Victor Moses look competent. And of course, taking one of the worst Italy sides in recent memory as far as they went in the Euros.
But here's the thing - our talent is not that good! We started Danny Drinkwater against Citeh! He was up against a midfield of Gundogan and DeBruyne. Meanwhile, City splurged on the most expensive center back of all time in the winter window because.........sure, why not? We desperately need a good box to box player, another wide player and good right wingback (Zappacosta, lol). With those three players, could we have started with Morata and contested the midfield (say, Keita and Kante) more while using witdth? Yes. With what we have? Away at Citeh? Come on. Conte has consistently been a phenomenal manager. He was statistically brilliant at Juve with at times mediocre squads (his first year winning the league the squad was not great). He was great with Italy. He made very good players out of cast offs last year. And after a poor year when we got almost none of our first choice targets in the transfer market we're ready to declare him a pussy for playing negatively at one of the best sides the Premier League has ever seen? Give me a break.