Arsenal: Antonio Conte Everything That Arsene Wenger Needs To Be

Chelsea’s Antonio Conte has masterminded a tactical revolution, adapting his system and focusing on defence. Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger should be taking notes.

Winning is a characteristic. It is a culture, a repeatable feat that can be learned, nurtured and developed within an individual and a group. It is something that Arsenal used to have but, after a series of underwhelming seasons, has seemingly sneaked out the back door, trophies in hand.

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In his early years in North London, Arsene Wenger was a prolific winner. Two double winning seasons, numerous FA Cups, the impossible achievement of an unbeaten season. He sculpted, managed and lead a team known as the Invincibles. And yet, his most recent decade boasts just two FA Cups and a legacy of disgruntled and enraged fans.

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That is not the winner that we came to know and love. Throughout such struggles, Wenger has been heavily criticised for his work, or lack thereof, in the transfer window, his neglect of the defensive side of the game and his stubborn loyalty to continually underperforming, underwhelming players. All are valid.

His unwavering beliefs have brought great success to this club. They have also, however, brought a great number of spurned opportunities, opportunities that do not, in the highly competitive, dog-eat-dog modern footballing world, come around often. Now, there is a new man on the block and he, along with his Italian suave, his defensive delights and his three-at-the-back evolution, is achieving much of the success that was once Wenger’s.

After Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Sunderland on Wednesday night, a win that takes them six points clear at the top of the table, having won all of their last ten, scoring 24 goals and conceding just two, Antonio Conte has the right to gloat. While the glitz and glamour of the new boys at Manchester took much of the limelight away from Chelsea’s hiring of one of Europe’s best managers, it is now they, and he, who can bask in their, and his, glory.

The Blues boast a formidable defensive unit, a ruthless striker and a touch of class from a Belgian beauty who is back to his sparkling best. It is a team that, while it does not set the heart racing, could end the title race, the race that so was highly anticipated in a turbulent and uncertain summer, by January.

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Conte has masterminded a revolution at a stagnating club. Chelsea had little youth, huge names and imposing wills. Yet, it is Conte who has harnessed their experience and their forcefulness, creating a seemingly unstoppable force. Wenger, the man who prides himself on attacking football, the free-flowing and the fluid, is being beaten by the mechanical and the disciplined, and if that ever-elusive 12-year wait is to end, then the Arsenal manager would do well peak over towards Stamford Bridge and read the instruction manual.