The Italian manager has preferred playing with three centre-backs, with two full-backs being used down the wings; the role is a new one to those players he has deployed in the position.
The manager insists that the role the likes of Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal have been performing is not difficult to understand and could even be easier to adapt to than some other positions.
“I think that we are talking about a role that is not so difficult now”, Conte said at a press conference.
“Maybe tactically it’s an easier role to understand the way to play. For sure you need to have specific characteristics, to have a good engine, to be strong physically.
“This is very important because when you have the ball and you’re in possession you become a striker, like a winger, and when we are not in possession of the ball you become a defender.”
Apart from Matt Doherty, Conte has younger players available for the role in the shape of Emerson, Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon, and he feels that with the work they have been doing, there is plenty of scope for improvement.
“I think that these players are improving.
“We are talking about young players with a lot of space for improvement and we are working with them, with Emerson, Sergio, also with Sessegnon.”
Conte is expected to enter the transfer market in the summer to sign at least one new wing-back and it has been suggested that Emerson could be sold for the right price.
