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Chelsea vs Arsenal: Antonio Conte brilliantly nails the 3-4-3 formation but Arsene Wenger’s team lack the discipline required to make it work

Danny Higginbotham says the Gunners need far more discipline than when they lost 4-0 at Liverpool

CHELSEA host Arsenal tomorrow,  pitting the wits of two very different managers against each other.

Chelsea’s Antonio Conte is a stickler for a plan, for organisation, for rigid structure. Everyone knows their role.

 Antonio Conte and Arsene Wenger have contrasting footballing philosophies
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Antonio Conte and Arsene Wenger have contrasting footballing philosophiesCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 Arsene Wenger will need to make sure his team show more discipline when they take on the ultra-organised Chelsea side that Antonio Conte has put together
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Arsene Wenger will need to make sure his team show more discipline when they take on the ultra-organised Chelsea side that Antonio Conte has put togetherCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

They are drilled, drilled and drilled again. I bet it can almost become  boring during training — but it works.

Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, gives Arsenal’s players freedom to express themselves. The team is more fluid, less governed, more impulsive.

You could argue Conte is more  successful  with Juventus and Chelsea.

But Wenger has the edge in their last few meetings, particularly  winning the FA Cup final last season.

For my money though, Conte is the man with the plan.

Look at Chelsea’s average player position map for last weekend’s 2-1 win at Leicester. It is incredible.

 Chile striker Alexis Sanchez is still the main man for Arsenal and must play a key role if the Gunners are to seriously threaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
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Chile striker Alexis Sanchez is still the main man for Arsenal and must play a key role if the Gunners are to seriously threaten Chelsea at Stamford BridgeCredit: Rex Features
 The difference in tactics and challenges is clearly shown by these two graphics
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The difference in tactics and challenges is clearly shown by these two graphics

Football is a fluid game, players  get dragged about chasing the ball, retrieving passes and tracking an opponent.

But even given those unpredictables, Chelsea’s formation is a perfect 3-4-2-1, even down to Alvaro Morata (No 9) being slightly in advance of Cesc  Fabregas (No 4) and Pedro (No 11), who tuck in to allow wing-backs Victor Moses (No 15) and Marcus Alonso (No 3) to keep the width.

Also look at how N’Golo Kante (No 7) and Tiemoue Bakayoko (No 14)  maintain their holding midfield positions.

This protection in front of the back three central defenders is vital in making sure they cannot be countered.

It is more important than ever to have two defensive-minded midfielders, or only one full-back forward if you are the bigger club.

 N’Golo Kante is just about the perfect anchorman for the tactics of Antonio Conte
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N’Golo Kante is just about the perfect anchorman for the tactics of Antonio ConteCredit: Reuters

This is because they are making the play and higher up the park, therefore more open to a counter-attack.

Chelsea do this brilliantly. It means they defend with five players and also attack with five players, the wing-backs plus the front three.

This rigid formation isn’t an accident — it’s all down to hard work.

Arsenal adopted 3-4-2-1 towards the end of last season as well. But starting formations are almost irrelevant if the players don’t have discipline.

Look at the graphics from their 4-0 loss at Liverpool earlier in the season.

They are 1-0 down five minutes before the break and both holding midfielders, Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey, are on the edge of the Liverpool box!

Liverpool won the ball back and broke, leaving them stranded

 Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has a decent record against Antonio Conte - but is on a terrible recent away run against Chelsea
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Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has a decent record against Antonio Conte - but is on a terrible recent away run against ChelseaCredit: AFP

They are not even the first two  midfielders to get back and try to snuff out the danger — these were Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alexis Sanchez. Sadio Mane scores to make it 2-0 to Liverpool. Game over.

Formations come and go. The 3-4-2-1 is certainly the favourite at the moment, but no one nails it like Chelsea.

If Arsenal don’t adopt the same  discipline that Conte’s team do  tomorrow, it may be like Anfield again.

 Sadio Mane punished lame Arsenal defending with the second Liverpool goal
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Sadio Mane punished lame Arsenal defending with the second Liverpool goalCredit: Getty Images - Getty


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