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Two weeks since the end of the season, Chelsea still seem to be stuck in a state of limbo. There has been no further communication regarding the future of Antonio Conte, but the growing consensus is that the ever-revolving doors at Stamford Bridge will also see the feisty Italian shunted out, after just two years in charge.
Fellow countryman and Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri has been touted as the front-runner to occupy the Chelsea hot-seat come next season. The foul-mouthed chain-smoking maverick has earned great plaudits for his success in challenging Juventus' domination of the Serie A.
With a particularly attacking style of play that turned Napoli into one of Europe's most attractive sides, Sarri has paid great focus to get the best out of every player he has coached. A big feature of the Italian's tactics has been high-octane pressing with ball-playing defenders to build from the back, and short swift passing to keep possession.
If Sarri were to indeed take the Chelsea job, young players like Christensen, Ampadu, Barkley and Bakayoko could find a new level to their game, allowing the Blues to invest big in retaining Hazard and signing attackers to match the mercurial Belgian's ambitions.
Here are 3 things Chelsea fans could expect from Maurizio Sarri.
#3 Sarri ball
In part inspired by the dominant possession football of Guardiola’s Barcelona, ‘Sarri-Ball’ was played to perfection by Napoli, who combined short, quick passes aimed at drawing the opponent forward to press before they played through the lines and broke quickly up the field.
It has spurned some of the most exciting team goals seen this season, where Napoli stars showed their insane understanding of the system to play forward passes to a player under pressure who could then bounce it back to an onrushing teammate with the perfect outcome - someone on the ball, in space, facing forward.
The use of drones and video analysis to iron out flaws in preparation was made popular by the Italian during his time at Empoli. Nicknamed "Mr. 33" for once preparing 33 different set-piece routines, Sarri has been greatly praised by the legendary Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi.
"Sarri tries to interpret football in a positive manner, to be a protagonist and not to follow others. He is a genius. When I was technical director with the Italy youth teams, I always went to watch kids in Serie B, and I was already impressed by his Empoli." - Sacchi
Gifted players like Willian and Fabregas would be itching to be part of an ultra-attacking outfit that looks to score goals at will, and under Sarri's tutelage, Chelsea could be the team most capable of challenging Pep's City for the title.
Although appointing Sarri would be a marked difference from the pragmatic game-managing tactics of Mourinho and Conte, this is a risk the Blues hierarchy would consider well worth taking. And when Guardiola himself praises a manager as being one of the world's best, you have to sit up and take note.
“I have no doubts that Sarri is one of the best managers out there. He achieved something incredible with Napoli. His style of football is as good as a drink in the sun. It was great to see Napoli games. It would be a pleasure to meet him in England.” - Pep on Sarri.
#2 Back to 4-4-2 or 4-3-3
Sarri's preferred formation of 4-3-3 paid rich dividends for Napoli, as it allowed for a fluid front three with two full-backs constantly making runs down the flank, stretching opposition defences paper-thin, while keeping adequate defensive cover.
At Napoli, Insigne, Hamsik and Mertens combined brilliantly up front with Ghoulam and Hysaj providing width to the attack. Similarly, at Chelsea, Sarri will have Hazard and Willian at his disposal, and possibly even Lewandowski or Icardi.
Chelsea have more than decent quality with regards to their full-backs. Alonso and Moses have impressed one-and-all with their hard-work and consistent performances, while the talented Emerson and Zappacosta may improve greatly under the Italian coach.
A 4-3-3 formation would also suit an ageing Fabregas perfectly. What Cesc lacks in pace and physicality, he more than compensates with his passing and creativity. In a midfield three flanked by the dynamic Kante and Bakayoko, Fabregas could enjoy more time on the ball, orchestrating attacks from deep and setting up the likes of Hazard and Willian.
While pressing or defending, Sarri's teams switch quickly to a 4-4-2 with one of the wingers dropping into midfield to harry opposition players. At Chelsea, Willian's industry and tenacious nature would make him the perfect candidate for that role.
Even if the opposition do manage to bypass the aggressive press, another fluid change to 5-4-1 would ensure an overloaded defence with no space to play either in between the lines or out wide, making the team extremely difficult to break down.
#1 Goals galore for the Blues
One of Sarri's biggest success stories at Napoli was the transformation of much less fancied Belgian Dries Mertens from winger to clinical centre-forward. The result? 55 goals across two seasons from a 31 year-old who had never played in that position before. Along with Hamsik and Insigne, the trio managed 41 goals in between them this campaign, combining brilliantly and effectively, playing scintillating football all along.
The previous season saw Napoli score a whopping 126 goals across all competitions, including 77 in the Serie A. Players like Callejon and Jorginho have attracted great interest from the biggest clubs, following their superlative performances this season.
Sarri is one of the brightest up and coming managers in world football right now. If the Blues were to appoint the Italian as Conte's replacement, he would be working with Hazard and Willian. This could mean the best goal-scoring season yet for Chelsea's two most potent attacking threats, particularly for the Belgian who has never reached the 20 goal mark in the Premier League.
If Alvaro Morata were to remain at Chelsea, Sarri's arrival could be a defining moment in his career. The Spaniard is terrific in the air and has good pace, but his woeful finishing this term cost Chelsea dearly. The Italian coach's attention to detail and intense training sessions could help Morata rediscover his early Blues form, and missing out on the World Cup would give Sarri more time to work with Chelsea's record signing.
A hugely disappointing season for the Blues did end with a glimmer of hope in the form of a FA Cup win, and it is crucial that the Chelsea quickly decide on who will be leading them next season. Albeit a risky choice, Sarri's appointment could breathe life back into a tepid Chelsea team that have fallen far behind the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham.
