Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Yiddo1982]

I think that boat has sailed.
It is apparent we are no longer really a football club, and really have never been since the new stadium build started, one once in a lifetime where all stars aligned run to CL final excepted.

Well, the stadium build started in, what, 2016? In the 30 years preceding that, we won 3 cups. THREE

 

[rossdapep]

"We need 2-3 years to compete"

He's right but its also a good sign as he is saying that he is prepared to stay here as long as the club is doing the right things in terms of recruitment.

 

[HildoSpur]

Conte is spot on in that interview. We need many transfer Windows to make the required changes to get ourselves able to compete again. That means several years.

 

[YB123]

This summer is make or break of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

Dont disagree mate but the opportunity to get top4 now with incomings is staring us in the face.

You have to remember next season Man United will have a manager and will 100% spend.
Kroenke seems to be pumping in some money.
The likes of Villa are having a go.

Summer could be too late.

 

[Monkey boy]

Conte is spot on in that interview. We need many transfer Windows to make the required changes to get ourselves able to compete again. That means several years.

oh goody, we Spurs fans love a project……

Sorry I know that’s a little uncalled for but I’m absolutely sick and tired of being the nearly men although watching us versus Chelsea this season I think we’re now the nearly boys rather than men and little ones at that.

 

[danielneeds]

Conte is spot on in that interview. We need many transfer Windows to make the required changes to get ourselves able to compete again. That means several years.

If he really thought that he wouldn’t be here, and also he’d know that Kane would look to leave again. He’s putting pressure onLevy. But with the right signings we could be competitive next season.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

He’s saying the same thing about the quality gap in every presser every time we lose.

I think that is a good thing for a few reasons:
1) it puts pressure on Paratici and Levy each window to deliver what was discussed / promised in terms of incomings and outgoings
2) it manages our fans expectations and also the medias expectations which takes some pressure off him and the squad in the short to medium term

Also he will be well aware that whilst there is a quality gap, if we sign 5 players by start of next season that he wants that suit his system that he will be able to have us right up there challenging. I don’t think he thinks it will take years and years to get us back up there because if he did he wouldn’t have joined.

However if you listen carefully across all of his interviews , early on he said the club and himself need to remember to be patient.

He also says that for now he just focuses on the players he has and getting the most from them and rightly so because as a manager right now that is all he can do, but he will be acutely aware that our potential should go up if we get the signings right but by saying what he’s been saying it takes the pressure and expectations off when we do have say 5 new players to start next season.

All very clever from Antonio, he knows exactly what he’s doing with the media.

 

[SpursSince1980]

To put that interview into perspective... I don't think he's just talking about being top 4 team. He's talking about being good enough to challenge consistently for the title, and other major trophies. And he's right. It will take a two or three seasons to reach that level, if everyone is committed to what's needed in order to get us there.

 

[YB123]

To put that interview into perspective... I don't think he's just talking about being top 4 team. He's talking about being good enough to challenge consistently for the title, and other major trophies. And he's right. It will take a two or three seasons to reach that level, if everyone is committed to what's needed in order to get us there.

If we get in a few in Jan and get top 4 then that's jumping a couple of windows ahead where we can kick on with Champs League footy. Europa League surely sets us back. I think people are looking too far ahead with summer window. This window is huge. That squad right now struggles for top4. Get 3 or 4 in, could wrap it up.

 

[spursfan77]

To put that interview into perspective... I don't think he's just talking about being top 4 team. He's talking about being good enough to challenge consistently for the title, and other major trophies. And he's right. It will take a two or three seasons to reach that level, if everyone is committed to what's needed in order to get us there.

Is he though?

 

[JCRD]

Is he though?

I think he is. I dont think Conte is talking about competing on a one off game with Chelscum for example but actually competing for the title... Conte loves a title... his successes arent in europe... he sacrifices those pretty much for the league...

 

[Fredo]

Dont disagree mate but the opportunity to get top4 now with incomings is staring us in the face.

You have to remember next season Man United will have a manager and will 100% spend.
Kroenke seems to be pumping in some money.
The likes of Villa are having a go.

Summer could be too late.

I totally agree mate although we just focus on what we can/got to do, we definitely need at least 2 in rn, then we just go all out in the summer and hope player circumstances fall nicely into place for us

 

[Albertbarich]

Just wanted to say back him.

He is doing what is needed to take us forward

 

[SUIYHA]

I remember a game at Stamford Bridge where Tim Sherwood set us up in similar fashion to what we saw today - with Kyle Walker up at right wing, two defensive midfielders sitting deep and then Adebayor on his own up front. The game plan was to contain them for as long as we can and to try and nick a goal after they made a mistake. We got to half time at 0-0, but eventually the mistake did come - except it was made by Vertonghen, who slipped at a crucial moment and Chelsea took the lead. They then got a dodgy call from the ref to give them a penalty and send off one of our players (think it was Kaboul) and it was game over. What really stood out for me though was that when the starting lineup was queried in the post match press conference, Sherwood kept pointing to the first half performance, how it showed that it was the correct approach, and that the only reason they didn't get anything out of the game was because of two really unlucky moments (we lost 4-0 and barely had a shot).

Today Conte set us up in a similar way. I remember the joy of watching Bale and Lennon tearing down the wings together - today we had Doherty and Sessegnon. I'm sorry but that is not a serious attempt at winning a football match. You can bang on all you want about being unlucky with the disallowed goal, but the fact remains - there was a very low probability of winning away at Stamford Bridge with this set up.

People think that coming out and playing more expansively is a higher risk strategy - I actually completely disagree - I think setting up defensively and hoping to soak up pressure for 90 minutes is far higher risk, because law of averages suggests that at some point over the 90 minutes then either one of your defenders will make a mistake or one of the opposition's attackers will pull out a moment of brilliance to score. That's always the case when playing against a team with better players than you, but in this scenario you don't have the attacking players or momentum to get a goal back if things inevitably go wrong, or to keep the ball away from your goal in the first place.

In Conte's post match interview he seemed to shrug and say that we're 2-3 years' worth of signings away from being able to compete with Chelsea. I don't disagree with him on the macro level, but if he genuinely feels they're that much further ahead and that we're expected to lose then why not go for it? Try and take the game to them. If we get thrashed then so be it, they're on a different level to us, but at least we're giving ourselves a chance. Today it felt like we were playing for a 0-0, and that's not only boring as fuck but rarely works anyway.

Quiz question - last Tottenham player to score a league goal against Chelsea? Heung-Min Son, November 2018 at Wembley. Maurizio Sarri was their manager.

 

[mil1lion]

Just higlights how far away we are from the top 4 sides

Top 4? top 3 but not 4th. There's a clear gap between the top 3 and the rest though.

 

[Deleted member 29446]

Think we did alright today with the team selected. Just think Conte got it wrong (again) and then people will counter with committed players and it doesn’t matter if we play X,Y,Z players. But he deserves criticism for that game, I don’t care.
With that lineup and formation we might as well have waved the white flag from kick off - 2 players who can score out of nine.
If this way Mou or Nuno fans would have gone crazy. But AC will have a freebie because of multiple reasons and that’s fine, for now.

Now a big week coming up, let’s see if this is gonna turn into something magical or Levy will fuck up again.

Back the fucking manager!

 

[Gareth88]

Top 4? top 3 but not 4th. There's a clear gap between the top 3 and the rest though.

Yeah I could have worded it different

 

[dimiSpur]

I remember a game at Stamford Bridge where Tim Sherwood set us up in similar fashion to what we saw today - with Kyle Walker up at right wing, two defensive midfielders sitting deep and then Adebayor on his own up front. The game plan was to contain them for as long as we can and to try and nick a goal after they made a mistake. We got to half time at 0-0, but eventually the mistake did come - except it was made by Vertonghen, who slipped at a crucial moment and Chelsea took the lead. They then got a dodgy call from the ref to give them a penalty and send off one of our players (think it was Kaboul) and it was game over. What really stood out for me though was that when the starting lineup was queried in the post match press conference, Sherwood kept pointing to the first half performance, how it showed that it was the correct approach, and that the only reason they didn't get anything out of the game was because of two really unlucky moments (we lost 4-0 and barely had a shot).

Today Conte set us up in a similar way. I remember the joy of watching Bale and Lennon tearing down the wings together - today we had Doherty and Sessegnon. I'm sorry but that is not a serious attempt at winning a football match. You can bang on all you want about being unlucky with the disallowed goal, but the fact remains - there was a very low probability of winning away at Stamford Bridge with this set up.

People think that coming out and playing more expansively is a higher risk strategy - I actually completely disagree - I think setting up defensively and hoping to soak up pressure for 90 minutes is far higher risk, because law of averages suggests that at some point over the 90 minutes then either one of your defenders will make a mistake or one of the opposition's attackers will pull out a moment of brilliance to score. That's always the case when playing against a team with better players than you, but in this scenario you don't have the attacking players or momentum to get a goal back if things inevitably go wrong, or to keep the ball away from your goal in the first place.

In Conte's post match interview he seemed to shrug and say that we're 2-3 years' worth of signings away from being able to compete with Chelsea. I don't disagree with him on the macro level, but if he genuinely feels they're that much further ahead and that we're expected to lose then why not go for it? Try and take the game to them. If we get thrashed then so be it, they're on a different level to us, but at least we're giving ourselves a chance. Today it felt like we were playing for a 0-0, and that's not only boring as fuck but rarely works anyway.

Quiz question - last Tottenham player to score a league goal against Chelsea? Heung-Min Son, November 2018 at Wembley. Maurizio Sarri was their manager.

So you're saying we should have played Lennon and Bale instead of Doherty and Sessegnon?

Not sure you've noticed mate but we don't have players like that in our ranks anymore. We had Bryan and (a most likely exhausted) Moura on the bench today. It's no good just bemoaning the approach. Who would you have played today? It's not like he's leaving out Messi to play Doherty. Be realistic before you moan for no reason.

Conte at the moment is getting a tune out of what is the worst squad we've had in ages. Get real.

 

[rossdapep]

I remember a game at Stamford Bridge where Tim Sherwood set us up in similar fashion to what we saw today - with Kyle Walker up at right wing, two defensive midfielders sitting deep and then Adebayor on his own up front. The game plan was to contain them for as long as we can and to try and nick a goal after they made a mistake. We got to half time at 0-0, but eventually the mistake did come - except it was made by Vertonghen, who slipped at a crucial moment and Chelsea took the lead. They then got a dodgy call from the ref to give them a penalty and send off one of our players (think it was Kaboul) and it was game over. What really stood out for me though was that when the starting lineup was queried in the post match press conference, Sherwood kept pointing to the first half performance, how it showed that it was the correct approach, and that the only reason they didn't get anything out of the game was because of two really unlucky moments (we lost 4-0 and barely had a shot).

Today Conte set us up in a similar way. I remember the joy of watching Bale and Lennon tearing down the wings together - today we had Doherty and Sessegnon. I'm sorry but that is not a serious attempt at winning a football match. You can bang on all you want about being unlucky with the disallowed goal, but the fact remains - there was a very low probability of winning away at Stamford Bridge with this set up.

People think that coming out and playing more expansively is a higher risk strategy - I actually completely disagree - I think setting up defensively and hoping to soak up pressure for 90 minutes is far higher risk, because law of averages suggests that at some point over the 90 minutes then either one of your defenders will make a mistake or one of the opposition's attackers will pull out a moment of brilliance to score. That's always the case when playing against a team with better players than you, but in this scenario you don't have the attacking players or momentum to get a goal back if things inevitably go wrong, or to keep the ball away from your goal in the first place.

In Conte's post match interview he seemed to shrug and say that we're 2-3 years' worth of signings away from being able to compete with Chelsea. I don't disagree with him on the macro level, but if he genuinely feels they're that much further ahead and that we're expected to lose then why not go for it? Try and take the game to them. If we get thrashed then so be it, they're on a different level to us, but at least we're giving ourselves a chance. Today it felt like we were playing for a 0-0, and that's not only boring as fuck but rarely works anyway.

Quiz question - last Tottenham player to score a league goal against Chelsea? Heung-Min Son, November 2018 at Wembley. Maurizio Sarri was their manager.

Because he tried that in the second leg and we got caught out.

If he had have gone to Stamford Bridge with an attacking approach, we would have likely conceded first anyway.

Sanchez, Tanganga, Davies or Doherty - one of them would have made a mistake either in possession or in the transition. Also without Reguillon, Skipp and Emerson we lack that resolve (they are better defensively and in regards to tenacity) than their replacements.

The reason we struggle doesn't change for me.
Squad options.

 

[SUIYHA]

So you're saying we should have played Lennon and Bale instead of Doherty and Sessegnon?

Not sure you've noticed mate but we don't have players like that in our ranks anymore. We had Bryan and (a most likely exhausted) Moura on the bench today. It's no good just bemoaning the approach. Who would you have played today? It's not like he's leaving out Messi to play Doherty. Be realistic before you moan for no reason.

Conte at the moment is getting a tune out of what is the worst squad we've had in ages. Get real.

Even if Lucas was too tired to start as you say, and even if we accept that Ndombele and Alli are not going to feature again, there were still other options. Gil is raw and not ready to be a regular starter, but he'd have offered an infinitely more likely chance of creating something than today's wingers did. At the very least, if he struggles then at least he gets some experience of a big London derby and high quality opposition to reflect on. Even a tired Lucas would have likely offered more today if played on either side. But if we absolutely have to go for those two on the wings, at least make sure there's some sort of playmaking ability in the middle - but instead it seems all three of Lo Celso, Ndombele and Alli have been banished. Long term I'd agree with the approach, but until replacements have been signed we still have football matches to play and we just can't afford to be going into games like this with no creative threat in the side.

Put it this way - even in his early days when he first took over at Liverpool or Dortmund when they were an utter shambles, could you ever imagine Klopp setting up a team the way we did today?