EPL 2016-17: Antonio Conte reveals Chelsea’s new 3-4-3 was his plan D initially

Antonio Conte
Conte said that the players have bonded very well with the 3-4-3

Former Juventus boss, Antonio Conte, has revealed that Chelsea’s current 3-4-3 system was initially something he didn’t want to use, so much that it was his plan D. The former Italy National Team boss tinkered with a lot of systems before finally settling down with the current 3-4-3 after watching his team flourish with it.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the Chelsea manager claimed that his initial idea of playing a variance of 4-2-4 didn’t seem to work as he didn’t have the players for it. However, according to him, the players have bonded very well with the 3-4-3, making him use it permanently.

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"We started the season with another system because the idea in my mind was that I wanted to play with the 4-2-4, and then we switched with 4-3-3 and we played also in the same way like last year, 4-2-3-1.

"But I noticed in some circumstances we didn't have the right balance because when you concede more goals than your opponent and even more chances to score a goal, it is never a good thing.

"For this reason, we switched to the new system of 3-4-3 and I think this is a good fit for our squad because also we have the strikers adapted for this system. I thought it would improve us offensively as well as defensively and we didn't lose our offensive situation.

"In this way we have increased it because we scored many goals and created a lot of chances to score the goals and also if you maintain the clean sheet, I think this is the right way."

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The former Siena boss then went on to reveal the qualities that a manager must possess. He claimed that a coach must be able to bring the best out of not only the team, but also each player individually.

"I think that a manager must improve his players," Conte added. "It is important to work with the team but also one-to-one to bring out the talent of the players, to improve the weaknesses and become strengthened.

"Here at Chelsea we have a lot of talent but now we are working a lot with these players and I am pleased to see the great attitude and the great will to improve, and to play for the team because when you want to win something important, it is important to be a team."

It sure seems as though Conte’s new system is a flourishing one as his side are now placed second, only a point behind Jurgen Klopp’s energetic Liverpool side.

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Edited by Staff Editor