Throughout the history of English football, managers have arrived in the Premier League and have overseen major changes to the division as a whole, not just their side, with the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho doing this previously.
The arrivals of that pair in the 1990’s and 2000’s respectively brought around major changes in the Premier League’s style during those decades and Conte’s arrival, 12 years after Mourinho last lead a revolution in English football, could see the latest era brought in.
Chelsea’s small squad has excelled this season and has never looked like failing to win the Premier League title ever since turning their campaign around in September following a poor start to the campaign, with the turning point being a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
From there, Chelsea switched to a three-man defence and have dominated the Premier League since, only enduring minor blips, and their success as seen the likes of West Ham, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and other top-sides attempt to replicate Conte’s tactics in West London.
Those sides have experienced varied success and Chelsea will face a stern test later this month when they tackle Arsenal at Wembley in the FA Cup final, as the Gunners are likely to utilise a three-man defensive line that has led to a huge upturn in form during recent months.
Whilst it may look like a case of copycat, football is built on learning from rivals and adapting tactics to make it work for you- and it’s the greatest compliment that can be paid to Antonio Conte, less than a year into his venture at Stamford Bridge.
Arsene Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal in 1996 led to a huge improvement in the Gunners form, as they became a massive powerhouse for the next decade and beyond, whilst Jose Mourinho’s first spell at Stamford Bridge led to similar- with the Blues now well established as a European giant.
Since Mourinho’s first stint with Chelsea ended though, the Blues have struggled for stability despite seeing the likes of Roberto Di Matteo, Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez all lift trophies at Stamford Bridge but Conte’s arrival could well be a new dawn in West London.
Chelsea will need to ensure they remain competitive next season as they look to become the first side to secure back-to-back Premier League trophies since Manchester United in 2009- as well as balancing their involvement in the Champions League.
English clubs have fallen spectacularly in European competitions when compared to their continental rivals and the period where the Premier League would regularly boast clubs in the final of Europe’s elite competitions are long gone- with Spanish sides now standing as the dominant force.
Conte’s arrival, however, could lead to an upturn in fortune for Chelsea and other Premier League sides, who could now kick-off a decade of success. It’s unlikely the Italian boss will be around for the entirety of this period but his impact at Stamford Bridge may well send echoes throughout history.