Over the 2 seasons? I should say 3 not 2 that he did get but koulibaly, nainggolan, and Alex Sandro the 3 main ones. Then guys like llorente, candreva, alves, Danilo. There have been a few others. He also clearly didn’t want michy. He wanted kante, bakayako and morata.
Seriously though I think in a sense that is correct. Conte likes to train hard and drill the players hard. It works best playing 1 game/week or maybe 5 games/month. He won the league with a team that I would say was maybe 3rd or 4th most talented. That's an incredible achievement. That said, there is a reason why he harped on squad depth and not quality all summer. I would argue that from purely the starting XI standpoint, we improved this summer. One game winner take all with 10 days to prepare on a neutral site we have a chance to beat anyone. Unforuntately, our depth is worse than last year. The link below is 2012-13 Juventus which was conte's second season. Conte won the league and made CL quarters. I tried to copy and paste but it didnt format properly. Look at the appearances even by star players. 8 midfielders started 8 or more games in the league. 4 forwards started 10 or more games in the league. Conte's training and method of play demand a lot from the players. You cannot add 2 preseason injuries and champions league football and give him a squad smaller than last season. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012–13_Juventus_F.C._season
Is it really worse than being Arsenal? But seriously I was hopeful Conte would make a home. Appears to be more of a fling than a marriage.
He's the third longest tenured manager of Abramovich era so I think Hollywood marriage is most appropriate. My only hope is that they went on that long winning streak last year right as the rumors started that he was the next manager to go.
The one thing going for us in that regard is that we have 4 new players and lost 6-7 players off that team. Mourinho’s unduing was having the same squad. Key to combating complacency is to have new players.
We will be well on our way to the bottom of the table while Watford will be leading the league so we will have to poach in the summer
What pisses me off is that we will financially back our next manager in the transfer market next summer but didn’t offer either manager who won us the league the same opportunity.
We did have a spend this summer, but we didn't build any depth. I understand wanting to play youth, but you can't put the pressures on the manager result wise and expect us to roll out 6 youths as well. The board is the problem, and will be till A. They stop meddling B. Get back the ambition that led to finally winning the Champions League.
The board didn’t win us the champions league. That team way over performed and we were lucky as fuck to see them do that.
No, I agree but they were ambitious and did what they could to keep the club full of starting 11 talent.
looked that way a lot recently. just don't seem to have our swagger and other teams look like they are up for the fight more than we are
Cesc can’t play in a 2 man midfield twice a week but what other option does conte have? My biggest gripe is that cahill isn’t on the bench and Christensen and rudiger don’t start every game with Luiz in midfield most games.
I was just getting set to complain that Willian is an attacker and Pedro is a wingback but Pedro out wide with the great cross. Push and steal this game now!
Will anyone on Watford get a yellow for the intentional fouls on Hazard? Rudiger got a yellow for less