Claudio Ranieri was soon impressed by the player’s energy in training after they both joined Leicester last summer. “This player Kante, he was running so hard that I thought he must have a pack full of batteries hidden in his shorts,” the Leicester manager told The Players’ Tribune. “He never stopped running in training. I tell him, ‘One day, I’m going to see you cross the ball, and then finish the cross with a header yourself.’ He’s unbelievable.”
Will take a couple of weeks for us (or even conte for that matter) to figure out the right formation but a lot of chatter that he originally wanted to use a 4-2-4 at juventus and then Italy but that both teams fit 3-5-2 better. If we play 4-2-4 I would assume cesc doesn't play against top teams. I could see matic/Kante being a good duo in that kind of formation. Everyone keeps talking about transfer targets but I don't see anyone discussing the need for a RB. Azpi has not excelled at RB, Rahman struggled mightily last year and Ivanovic is shit. Seems to me like we need at least one more fullback unless conte thinks aina is ready for the big time
What's the best place to look for Chelsea/Premier league tickets? I'm thinking about doing a trip in the spring.
could join a local club and see if they have an outlet to get tickets. Sign up for True Blue if you do
Sign up for True Blue now if you're thinking about it (at this exchange rate it'll never be cheaper) and then go through the supporters club. Got row 12 in the shed end for the Burnley game.
Part of me still can't believe we got Kante. makelele was one of my all time favorite Chelsea players and that is exactly who Kante reminds me of. Kante might even offer a bit more going forward and at 25 I think he is just entering his prime
I assume it will be on replay so I'm going to try and watch later but any thoughts from those who watched? I saw youth player goals and had a semi
Since I fucked it up last year, here's how we're going to do team previews this year: get together and provide a team preview, then when it's fully prepared PM it to me and I'll put it in the EPL thread OP. Thanks.
It's groundhog day; all tweets from @Chelsea_HQ Antonio Conte has told Roman Abramovich he needs FIVE more signings to make #Chelsea challengers again. [Mirror] Antonio Conte laid out his demands in a stormy two-hour summit meeting with Roman Abramovich, Marina Granovskaia & Michael Emenalo. [Mirror] Conte fears he will not lead #Chelsea to the title if his squad's not drastically improved & wants new signings in ALL departments. [Mirror] The crunch hotel talks took place last Saturday night in Austria after #Chelsea’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Rapid Vienna. [Mirror] Roman Abramovich is understood to have walked away from the talks looking less than impressed, according to witnesses. [Mirror] Abramovich is ready to back Conte, with his concerns about #Chelsea missing out on the top four shared by other club officials. [Mirror] But there are also fears that it will be difficult to deliver the players Conte wants with increased competition in the market. [Mirror] Another striker and centre-back are top of #Chelsea's list of priorities. Radja Nainggolan remains a central midfield target. [Mirror]
Conte just came on like three months ago. I have a hard time thinking the two sides didn't hash this out prior to him joining.
Could be that after seeing some of the squad in training he realized we are shit. I don't think the mirror is all that reliable.
I don't believe the story since it is from the mirror but like you said it is believable. Conte may have thought players like Mikel, matic, Oscar, Ivanovic etc were a lot better than they actually are. Oscar confirmed we are playing 4-2-4 We are at a point now where our 2nd best fullback is an 18 year old kid who has never played a minute of top flight football Our best center back has absolutely no pace playing in a system that demands it. Second best centerback is the epitome of average Gary Cahill. Zouma is still hurt Our midfield consists of the ideal 2 man midfielder Kante but no one else fit for that system. Oscar MAYBE but certainly not the ghost that is cesc when we don't have the ball. If anyone can cover for him it's Kante but not even sure he can play in a one man midfield for an entire season just so cesc can make 1-2 amazing passes a game Strikers after Costa and batshuayi (assuming those are the starters) are the abysmal loic remy and an 18 year old midfielder who has been playing striker for 1 week
Anyone getting a jersey this year? I really want a Kante jersey but I hate our jerseys for a second year in a row. I think I'm going to wait until Nike takes over and buy a few next year
Game tomorrow at 1130 EST? Jesus. Probably just dvr and watch Thursday. Maybe catch the beginning Haven't been able to watch the first 2 so I am just excited to see us line up against a solid team and see how the 4-2-4 looks. Probably won't look good until n'golo Kante is one of the midfield 2 and makes it into a 4-3-4. For the record I will make Kante is 2 people comments all season.
yeah I'm about 2 hours from the Rose Bowl and not making the trip because it's an 8:30 start which means I probably won't be home until after midnight.
Not sure if our second best player hazard will be in the lineup but our best player Kante is still out from France going deep in Euro
How do you guys see hazard fitting into this new formation? Seems like a 4-4-2/4-2-4 hybrid depending on the team we are playing and/or the situation. When we were talking 4-4-2/4-4-1 a few weeks back I mentioned that I thought hazard would struggle with added defensive responsibly if a midfielder is replaced by a striker. We keep being linked with strikers and haven't really been linked with wide players so I assume either conte likes cuadrado/Moses, he feels he can build the team to cover hazard defensively or he actually sees hazard as the off striker and the morata links are really only if Costa leaves
Pogba money is stupid and I don't believe it was worth it for us to enter that race but united getting my favorite non-Chelsea player and our best manager of all time in the same summer kinda sucks
Better 2nd half, Hazard is the best player by far but sounds like Costa might be out which sucks. Lukaku?
Lukaku is an awful fit with the system we are looking to implement and our style of play. Costa isn't a perfect fit but much better than lukaku. I actually think Michy as the more advanced striker and hazard is the off striker can work. Honestly I would rather role the dice with Traore and solanke/Abraham than spend that kind of money on lukaku. He really hasn't impressed me. His stats seems misleading because he crushes the cup games/lower level competition but doesn't seem to score in big moments When mourinho took over we had a plan to dominate year 2 and didn't spend dumb. Waited on Costa. I'm ok if we don't win the title this year. Get into champions league and spend right next summer when conte knows the team better We do need to add a CB though and possibly another fullback unless conte is ready to play aina 20-30 games. Give me koulibaly and then swap 2 of oscar/matic/Mikel for another CM and I will be happy