What are your thoughts on Conte coming in for next season? How do you think he is going to set us up?
4-4-3 with Fabregas and Matic both keeping their spots, Those 2 both need something from the other midfielder than the other one doesn't provide and I think Conte will see that he is in a very similar position to where he was at Juve: he has talented midfield players but there is a missing piece, a catalyst that will not only do his own duty well but enable the other 2 to thrive.
Matic needs someone who can cover for him when he pushes out to go and aggressively challenge for the ball. Big problem with him this year is that he started by playing exactly the same as he did last year, going out of the shielding role and challenging for the ball but didn't win almost everything like he did last year. This left opponents with a basically free run at our defence, all they had to do was go through Fabregas. After that and his red card, you could see his confidence drop, he started holding back and he lost part of what made him a great player in the first place.
Fabregas needs someone else in midfield to be making movements and someone else to create. Hopefully Hazard will bring that again from the wing but his partner needs to be able to do it too, so he has the space he thrives in (perfect example today).
So put that together and what you need is a hard working, box to box midfielder, a relatively complete player. Now lots of people are saying "what about Ramires, what about Oscar?" but those people are confusing running after the ball and pressing with actual defensive work. We need someone who actually has positional sense and can effectively swap positions with Matic when he pushes out, someone who can tackle and mark a man. If that sounds familiar it's because it sounds just like the player that joined Juve shortly after Conte did, Vidal. Seems pretty likely that he will be looking for another player in that mould again. RLC provides depth, as does Mikel if he is willing to stay.
Hazard/Pedro on the left gives us our goal threat from the wing, Willian + x gives us width from the right (would not be surprised to see him enquire if we can get Cuadrado back or sign another player for this position). Behind them, Azpi on the right gives us some natural width with defensively solidity and I imagine we'll either go in for a naturally left footed fullback or give Baba another season, whichever one it is they will push up when Hazard cuts inside, allowing him to play more centrally. I think Kenedy will stay in the first team and might actually be used as a very aggressive LB if Baba doesn't work out.
Christensen will either be recalled or we will sign a new CB imo. Possibly both depending if Terry gets another year. Brana will be a squad player between CB and RB. Costa will, imo, retain his spot as no.1 if for no other reason than because our only realistic replacements for him are Cavani and Higuain, both of whom would cost an absolute ******* fortune. I actually don't think we will get anyone here, I think it will end up being Costa, Traore, Kenedy + maybe Pato.
So actually fairly small changes to the squad. Very few players we can sign with no CL football will improve us that much because our standard is already very high, it's just not organised well. I think we will spend big on a really good CM and CB, maybe get in a new fullback, maybe add some depth. Honestly, the people saying we need massive changes are being a bit over the top. We still have one of the best squads in the PL imo, they just need organisation, tactics and a missing piece or two added.
I am also excited by the prospect. I think he will take absolutely no **** but in a different way from Mourinho., Whereas with Jose it was "you will play how I want you to, and that is that" I think Conte will be willing to give everyone a chance but have absolutely no qualms about axing anyone who doesn't step up. I think he will design a system to get our key players back on song. I am looking forward to seeing people eat their words about Fabregas again next year, I think under Conte he is going to tear the league apart.
