Maurizio Sarri has explained why he will not repeat Antonio Conte’s trick of overseeing a “massive upheaval” in Chelsea tactics after a defeat to Arsenal.
Chelsea were beaten 2-0 by the Gunners on Saturday, and were disappointing for large swathes of the game.
Sarri was furious with his players post-match, laying into the squad in his native Italian. Although the Mailbox thinks he should look in the mirror first.
The defeat was only Chelsea’s second in their last 15 Premier League games against Arsenal, with their 3-0 loss in September 2016 leading to then-manager Conte completely changing his approach.
The Italian switched from a four-man defence to a three-man backline halfway through that game and immediately thereafter, with the Blues lifting the Premier League title come May.
But Conte’s compatriot and replacement has courage in his convictions, and will not react to a similar defeat in the same way.
“With my team, I think it is different because Conte was using a four-man defence and changed to a three-man defence. But he was used to doing that anyway, so it wasn’t quite the same, whereas this is the football I have.
“I am a good teacher of this football. I don’t think it would be a good idea if I try to teach my players a different type of football.
“There will be some changes perhaps, but there will be no massive upheaval.”