Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari was asked to analyse Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system which is keeping the club on top of the Premier League table.
In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Record, the Brazilian coach mentioned similarities with system he’s already used and explained why Conte is succeeding in the current season.
“I used a system similar to the 3-4-3, a 3-5-2, with Brazil in the 2002 World Cup,” said Scolari, also known in Brazil as Felipão. “It requires two strong fullbacks in the offensive way. It also requires balanced players on the defensive axis, who have the ability to prevent fast counterattacks”.
“David Luiz fits in the system, although he prefers to play in the traditional 4-4-2, which gives him more freedom to go out with the ball. Oscar has been out of the team, but I think Conte knows he can help in a moment of need. When the system works, there is always the risk for someone not to fit in the starting team.”
Scolari signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2008. Things didn’t work out well for him, and after 20 wins, ten draws and six losses, he was sacked by Roman Abramovich.
The results weren’t that bad, but weren’t enough to keep challenging for the title in that year’s league, as Manchester United had seven points more at that point of the season.
Scolari then managed Bunyodkor, Palmeiras, Brazil, Grêmio and finally Ganghzou Evergrande, where he’s been since June 2015.
Record takes the story to highlight the fact that Antonio Conte won his last six games for Chelsea, the team having scored seventeen goals and conceding none.
