Chelsea: Antonio Conte and Maurzio Sarri more similar than different
By Travis Tyler
Players and fans look at a managerial switch as a magic fix all. The new guy is not much different than the old. What do Chelsea gain with the transition?
Switching managers is supposed to fix all of a club’s problems. The new guy is supposed to be way different than the old guy (if things ended badly) or similar with a fresh twist (if things ended amicably). So on paper, replacing a “defensive” manager in Antonio Conte with an “attacking” manager in Maurizio Sarri should fix all of Chelsea’s problems.
Of course, the reality of that is much different. In fact, Sarri is not vastly removed from Conte. They are cut from the same clothe. Where Sarri will add freshness is not on the pitch, but behind the scenes. And that may work better than anything. A year ago, Conte was on top of the world. But something fell apart in the shadows this season. If Sarri can fix that, while keeping the rest similar, he can do well.
But it is perhaps best to look backwards before looking forward. Namely, in how Conte and Sarri grew into the game. Conte was a player and learned under many great managers and players, but his actual management experience came in the bowels of Italian football. Both he and Sarri rose from there, often stumbling their way upward through personality and philosophy.
Eventually, both were given a chance at a recently promoted Serie A team. They did well enough (relatively) to fall into their dream jobs. There, they made their names.
Tactically, there are very few differences between the two. After losing the ball, both want the first press to be aggressive. Everything after that is about forcing the opponent wide and containing them. The shape between the two is different (Conte’s 5-4-1/5-3-2 vs Sarri’s 4-5-1/4-4-2) but the execution is virtually the same.
Related Story: Chelsea: Victor Moses may have to fly solo to set the example for Nigeria
The transition is similar as well. Quick passing to break away from pressure. For Sarri, this means short and crisp passing. That was something Conte wanted as well, but he was not opposed to a long ball to have the same effect. Both want their teams to break out quickly and attack in numbers before the opponent is ready.
Their use of strikers is perhaps the most different between the two. Conte wants his striker to be a reference point for the entire squad to revolve around. Sarri likes his striker to drop in and roam around to create space for others. But that is the biggest difference between the two managers.
Where Sarri will be different is off the pitch. Both Conte and Sarri are tacticians, but different flavors of them. Conte prefers to adjust his tactics to the opponent he is facing. Sarri prefers to tweak his shape if he sees something is not working. The two like their squads to be well drilled and organized. The free flowing Napoli side that Sarri is known for is merely well rehearsed in routines.
But Sarri will work from a bottom up approach as opposed to Conte’s top down approach. Sarri coaches players to get the best out of them and if they can fit into his system, he plays them. Conte was more focused on nullifying the opponent and winning the match. Coaching the player was secondary.
Some players will find this slight change a breath of fresh air. Many will be surprised that life has changed little from the Conte days. But overall, the squad should be prepared to step into Sarri’s training. The difference will be the man himself and how he acts behind the scenes. That will make or break Sarri’s tenure.
Next: Chelsea: Eden Hazard gave Belgium the chance to liven up in second half
Expecting something radically different from Sarri is romantic but does not quite meet reality. That is perhaps a good thing. The transition to Sarri will be easier, but the shift in approach to the same result can make all the difference.