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Antonio Conte - officially NOT the coach of THFC

braineclipse said:
So really it's two players for starting roles. Spence for the rather occasional situation where we're comfortably ahead.

With those two Bissouma has been clearly inferior to Bentancur and PEH so far this season. Conte has talked about him needing time to learn the system. Rotation easily could have cost us.

Playing Son through poor form is a decent enough option with someone as good as Son imo. I can see going the other way with that, but hardly clear cut.

Meanwhile Conte has rotated Lenglet for Davies, Perisic and Sessegnon, Kulusevski and Richarlison.

For me at least the difference between what Conte has done and what you would have wanted us rather small.

We were excellent last season when we only had a game a week. Our squad was very limited behind the starting 11. This season we've had significant injuries to Lucas, Skipp, Kulusevski, Romero, probably can count Doherty in that as well. Bissouma got his preseason cut by covid.

Going to two games a week with this squad was always an uphill struggle and we probably needed more of the new lads to settle in quickly and a bit of luck with injuries.

I think I can see at least some of the reasoning with Conte's decisions. I think they're fine.
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My only real issue with the rotation is kulu, he isn't going to the world cup so will get a rest, where as Kane and son are going and are likely to play every minute of their teams are involved in.
Yet kulu, arguably our best performing player recently has had bench time when the others haven't.
I appreciate it won't be as simple as that, but from the outside it seems odd to me.
 
I hear that Conte has said that he needs 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right...

However at the moment I think his contract expires at the end of the season...

Much as we all criticise ENIC but I can't expect them to shell out loads of cash in January if Conte hasn't signed a new contract that shows he will be here for at least 3 transfer windows...

Kane will probably sign a new contract then as well...

A decision by all parties will need to be made before January and if not i just see more strife...

COYS
 
NLS said:
I hear that Conte has said that he needs 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right...

However at the moment I think his contract expires at the end of the season...

Much as we all criticise ENIC but I can't expect them to shell out loads of cash in January if Conte hasn't signed a new contract that shows he will be here for at least 3 transfer windows...

Kane will probably sign a new contract then as well...

A decision by all parties will need to be made before January and if not i just see more strife...

COYS
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We have the option to extend by a year.
 
NLS said:
I hear that Conte has said that he needs 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right...

However at the moment I think his contract expires at the end of the season...

Much as we all criticise ENIC but I can't expect them to shell out loads of cash in January if Conte hasn't signed a new contract that shows he will be here for at least 3 transfer windows...

Kane will probably sign a new contract then as well...

A decision by all parties will need to be made before January and if not i just see more strife...

COYS
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On the other hand, Conte won’t stick around if he doesn’t feel he is being backed.
 
NLS said:
I hear that Conte has said that he needs 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right...

However at the moment I think his contract expires at the end of the season...

Much as we all criticise ENIC but I can't expect them to shell out loads of cash in January if Conte hasn't signed a new contract that shows he will be here for at least 3 transfer windows...

Kane will probably sign a new contract then as well...

A decision by all parties will need to be made before January and if not i just see more strife...

COYS
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We have a DoF, that should negate that particular worry with transfers as he should have one eye on the bigger picture with regards to medium to long term squad building and beyond whoever the current manager is.
 
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billyiddo said:
We a DoF, that should negate the worry about transfers as he should have one eye on the bigger picture with regards to medium to long term squad building and beyond whoever the current manager is.
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That's right to a point, but at the same time like we've seen with the signing of Royal and Gil you can sign decent players for one manager who doesn't really work in the next manager's system. We can make signings for the future, but you can't really expect to keep appointing coaches who play with 3 CBs and WBs or who don't want a creative CM so you are likely to keep on being left with players who wont be utilised by the next coach so there will always be some concern over transfers....
 
harr1984 said:
That's right to a point, but at the same time like we've seen with the signing of Royal and Gil you can sign decent players for one manager who doesn't really work in the next manager's system. We can make signings for the future, but you can't really expect to keep appointing coaches who play with 3 CBs and WBs or who don't want a creative CM so you are likely to keep on being left with players who wont be utilised by the next coach so there will always be some concern over transfers....
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I mean that's a problem that every club faces regardless of their particular set up wrt transfers. Edit : you would like to think that with a DoF in place there would be some joined up thinking when it comes to replacing managers, but ultimately if you value one potential manager as a standout candidate despite not fully suiting all the players it shouldn't take too much work in the market to tweak the squad to their needs, but that requires a better base level of player than we have had for a while.

I don't think either player mentioned would have had a long term future here personally, if Nuno had stayed or not - they were just poor buys/buys that did not work out, Conte has just sped things up there.
 
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billyiddo said:
I mean that's a problem that every club faces regardless of their particular set up wrt transfers. Edit : you would like to think that with a DoF in place there would be some joined up thinking when it comes to replacing managers, but ultimately if you value one potential manager as a standout candidate despite not fully suiting all the players it shouldn't take too much work in the market to tweak the squad to their needs, but that requires a better base level of player than we have had for a while.

I don't think either player mentioned would have had a long term future here personally, if Nuno had stayed or not - they were just poor buys/buys that did not work out, Conte has just sped things up there.
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Royal would suit a back 4
Gil… that’s a player that someone needs to work with for 3 months getting him fit enough for the league. then we can judge is he has got it. Right now I’m think he is just too weak on the ball and has no role at this level
 
He suits a back four more than he does the wing back position, but he would still not be good enough for a top team as you need better ability on the ball.

He's a Brazilian Wan-Bissaka.
 
billyiddo said:
He suits a back four more than he does the wonf back position, but he would still not be good enough for a top team as you need better ability on the ball
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Hmm… possibly
I’ve seen players be good successful right backs without the passing. Gary Neville said thag was his strength, being good at the basic stuff
Either way conte isn’t going to a back 4 anytime soon so we’re stuck
 
NLS said:
I hear that Conte has said that he needs 2 or 3 transfer windows to get the squad right...

However at the moment I think his contract expires at the end of the season...

Much as we all criticise ENIC but I can't expect them to shell out loads of cash in January if Conte hasn't signed a new contract that shows he will be here for at least 3 transfer windows...

Kane will probably sign a new contract then as well...

A decision by all parties will need to be made before January and if not i just see more strife...

COYS
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And yesterday he added to this by saying we will bring in important players in January. I think he will sign a new 3 year contract soon and we will continue to draw on that enic investment from a few months ago so that we are not hampered while we wait for the full benefits of the new stadium money to filter through.

We are imo on a path to acquire a squad like the below but it will take 2-3 more transfer windows to get there.

Oblak, Forster
Romero, Milenkovic
Skriniar, Dier
Bastoni, Lenglet
Hakimi, Spence
Perisic, Udogie
Bissouma, Skipp
Bentancur, Milinkovic-Savic
Kulusevski, Zaniolo
Son, Richarlison
Kane, Martinez

Every window is going to be utilised to get us closer to a squad like the above. I wonder which ones will be prioritised in January?

Maybe another top attacking talent as we have been exposed badly in this area with the injuries. Maybe a central defender as our back ups are bang average at best.

Tbh I can see it being very much a case of who is available of the right very high quality and we will move on them regardless of position. That’s what January is like and ultimately we do need around 9 new top players over the course of the next few windows with a similar number removed from the current squad.
 
AjaxDeSuperYids said:
And yesterday he added to this by saying we will bring in important players in January. I think he will sign a new 3 year contract soon and we will continue to draw on that enic investment from a few months ago so that we are not hampered while we wait for the full benefits of the new stadium money to filter through.

We are imo on a path to acquire a squad like the below but it will take 2-3 more transfer windows to get there.

Oblak, Forster
Romero, Milenkovic
Skriniar, Dier
Bastoni, Lenglet
Hakimi, Spence
Perisic, Udogie
Bissouma, Skipp
Bentancur, Milinkovic-Savic
Kulusevski, Zaniolo
Son, Richarlison
Kane, Martinez

Every window is going to be utilised to get us closer to a squad like the above. I wonder which ones will be prioritised in January?

Maybe another top attacking talent as we have been exposed badly in this area with the injuries. Maybe a central defender as our back ups are bang average at best.

Tbh I can see it being very much a case of who is available of the right very high quality and we will move on them regardless of position. That’s what January is like and ultimately we do need around 9 new top players over the course of the next few windows with a similar number removed from the current squad.
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I don't think we have or will have anything like the transfer funds to assemble a squad like the one above. I think at best we could spend £100m a year on transfers (and that is with CL football, a stadium sponsor in place and wages not running away on us)
 
AjaxDeSuperYids said:
And yesterday he added to this by saying we will bring in important players in January. I think he will sign a new 3 year contract soon and we will continue to draw on that enic investment from a few months ago so that we are not hampered while we wait for the full benefits of the new stadium money to filter through.

We are imo on a path to acquire a squad like the below but it will take 2-3 more transfer windows to get there.

Oblak, Forster
Romero, Milenkovic
Skriniar, Dier
Bastoni, Lenglet
Hakimi, Spence
Perisic, Udogie
Bissouma, Skipp
Bentancur, Milinkovic-Savic
Kulusevski, Zaniolo
Son, Richarlison
Kane, Martinez

Every window is going to be utilised to get us closer to a squad like the above. I wonder which ones will be prioritised in January?

Maybe another top attacking talent as we have been exposed badly in this area with the injuries. Maybe a central defender as our back ups are bang average at best.

Tbh I can see it being very much a case of who is available of the right very high quality and we will move on them regardless of position. That’s what January is like and ultimately we do need around 9 new top players over the course of the next few windows with a similar number removed from the current squad.
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4 hg in the squad?
 
Lilbaz said:
4 hg in the squad?
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To be fair to Ajax there are still 4 squad places to fill in the above as Udogie would still count as u21 for PL and not take up an overseas spot.
Would imagine Davies, Sessegnon and a third choice GK would take up three of the extra spots for association trained players, leaving room for another signing who counts as association trained.

Not that the above is financially feasible however. I would imagine over £300m of transfer fees alone to get the above players (not to mention some eye watering wages).
 
Maybe we could supplement the big signings with some up and coming homegrown youngsters like we used too. Our u23 and youth sides feel very lightweight and underwhelming at the minute, Especially compared to other top sides. Although Conte might clearly be focused on winning and not care about the rest right now maybe Paratici and Co could still find time to scout and poach a few wonderkids
 
Finney Is Back said:
To be fair to Ajax there are still 4 squad places to fill in the above as Udogie would still count as u21 for PL and not take up an overseas spot.
Would imagine Davies, Sessegnon and a third choice GK would take up three of the extra spots for association trained players, leaving room for another signing who counts as association trained.

Not that the above is financially feasible however. I would imagine over £300m of transfer fees alone to get the above players (not to mention some eye watering wages).
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Davies and Sessegnon are two of around 10 very average players in our squad that need to leave the club imo.

With regards the costs to build the squad I posted that will vary from what you estimate because it doesn’t have to be those players exactly but ones of that quality. I’m sure FP can get one on a free or unearth a gem or two who cost much less than some of the players in that list above.

Also do not forget that before covid we achieved world record profit levels before player trading. It will be interesting to see next months financials but also we have up to £350m to draw down from the enic investment so expect a big outlay on up to 9 new quality players over the next few windows.
 
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