This week’s edition of Betway’s Insider Podcast has some great insight from Gabriele Marcotti on Antonio Conte and the manager’s Chelsea plans.
After a stuttering start, Chelsea have enjoyed consistent success under Conte, but Marcotti doesn’t feel the manager will be content. That’s not to say Conte isn’t happy with Chelsea’s results, he has to be, the Italian perfectionist will want to keep the run going.
Conte requires fight, passion and intensity from his Chelsea team and whilst the players are carrying that out, Marcotti believes this isn’t what the manager envisaged from his side.
“Conte prides himself on knowing and being able to teach a bunch of different systems.
“He does feel a little bit that teams are going to figure out this 3-4-3, because this version of 3-4-3 isn’t perhaps that unpredictable, and maybe one of the reasons we saw Cesc Fabregas start instead of Matic might have had something to do with that.”
Marcotti’s insight on Conte goes back to the Italian’s time with Juventus, and the changes made to a growing team. Conte’s success at Juventus meant the board had to back him and each followed the other.
It was hugely tense during Conte’s last season in Turin, with the manager’s ambition taking over the entire club. Winning Serie A and having a good Champions League run wasn’t enough for Conte, who wanted it all, and in the end pressure on everyone involved saw the manager leave.
Already having built up some power at Chelsea, Marcotti believes Conte can use his good season to date to push for further additions.
“I think he’d like to see a striker at some point, and that may be something they address in January.”
Chelsea bought Michy Batshuayi in the summer, but the squad only has two recognised senior strikers. In Conte’s final season at Juventus he had Carlos Tevez, Fernando, Llorente, Dani Osvaldo, Sebastian Giovinco (until January) and Mirko Vucinic.
In addition there was more attacking flair in midfield than Chelsea possess, with Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal three of a very strong selection.
Juventus therefore had a less predictable 3-5-2 system, and Marcotti explains: “You can do more things when you have two strikers, moving around in different directions.”
As for Conte adding to his Chelsea squad, Marcotti says the manager’s mindset is this: “I deliver results and little by little I become more powerful, and you give me what I want.”
Listen to the full podcast, in which Betway’s Insider gives further insight on Conte’s plans and how things will evolve at Chelsea.
