Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has dropped the biggest hint yet that he will revert to using two central strikers during his first season in English football.
The Italian tactician was rewarded for complementing a 3-5-2 formation for Juventus during 2011 to 2014 as he lead the club to three successive Serie A titles.
Using the same system with the Azzurri national team at this summer’s European Championships saw them top their group ahead of Belgium and Sweden, while they also shocked holders Spain at the round of 16 stage where they more than deserved the 2-0 victory.
Conte spoke about plans for his intended tactical set-up for the new season with the Blues in an interview with ESPN Sport and admitted that he will use a formation that will benefit the players.
He said:” In my mind there is an idea about what system we’ll play. We are working about this idea. It’s important for the coach when you arrive to understand the players and to understand every single player’s strength and their weakness.
“It’s important for me to exalt my players in their strengths and to try and cover their weakness, no?
“When you work with your player, you must prepare a good coat. It’s important because I can have an idea.
“For example, at Juventus I rode with my idea to continue the 4-2-4 [with which] I won two championships with Bari and Siena. And when I arrived [at Juventus] and I saw that it was [Andrea] Pirlo and [Arturo] Vidal, I understand we can’t play in this system, so I changed to 3-5-2, 3-3-4.
“It’s important to understand this and also it’s important to have principles of the play and then you must build, create a good team with a good idea of football.
“I adapt my idea of football to my players, not adapt my players in my idea of football… It’s important because there are others players that must play. The players are the most important things in football. I adapt my idea within my players.”
To use his preferred formation next season, the Italian would need to sign at least two new defenders as he only has John Terry, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma at his disposal, although Branislav Ivanovic could deputise if needed, while the likes of Papy Djilobodji and Matt Miazga still lack experience at the highest level.
Since taking over at the helm at Stamford Bridge, Conte has bolstered his squad with the additions of Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi in a £33million deal from Marseille and also splashed the cash on N’Golo Kante to lure him away from the lure of Champions League football with Leicester City.
The Blues’ first game under Conte’s reign is a London derby against West Ham United on August 15.
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