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Is Conte Underappreciated as a Manager

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comment by Devil (U6522)

posted on 18/12/18

He did not revolutionise the league in the same way Mourinho or Pep have done with their ideas and style - but in many areas he is on-par tactically with both managers.
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Doing him a slight disservice there. Three at the back was seen as an outdated, impractical formation which was far too easy to counter in England before Conte, and now three quarters of the PL do or have utilized it. England played it at the WC. Managers like Wenger & Mourinho who stubbornly stuck to a back 4 all their careers began using it. That's Conte's PL legacy

He represents the manager Mourinho used to be. Sees the game the same way, has many of the same flaws, he's just up to date with his methods and tactical approaches. Don't think he's underappreciated, most people see him for what he is, a top manager who'll no doubt have a magnificent career

posted on 18/12/18

Nah not for interim, if he gets the job it’ll be in the summer.

Conte no doubt had an impact on the use of the back three in the league, but teams were gradually becoming more accepting of the formation before he turned up.

Mancini, Koeman, Rodgers, Martinez and LVG all used the formation, off the top of my head. Think Pochettino did as well, definitely used it regularly the season Conte came in, which is unsurprising given he’s a student of Bielsa. Pretty sure some shiiiiiit teams were lining up with fuve at the back and parking the bus.

So I wouldn’t say he revolutionised it as such. Spurs and Chelsea playing so well with it that season regularly definitely influenced the use of it since, though.

comment by Devil (U6522)

posted on 19/12/18

True but the only manager in this country prior to Conte who wasn't ridiculed for using it was Rodgers, and even he didn't pull up any trees with it.

Conte was the first manager to introduce three at the back in the PL who truly understood how the formation works. The impression prior to Conte was it's a convenient way to combat a two man strike partnership (the Bielsa rational), Conte demonstrated how to attack properly with it specifically utilizing the outside CB's in offensive transitions. The evidence of how unprepared the league was for it is our 16/17 season, no team playing 3-4-3 with Alonso & Moses as WB's has any right to storm the league the way we did without having a tactical advantage.

posted on 19/12/18

That’s fair, though I’d suggest Pochettino understood as well seeing as Spurs were so effective under it the very same season.

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