Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[Tezza1978]

I genuinely think Peresic and Bissouma will be in our first choice starting XI either immediately or within a handful of weeks. Clearly we have strengthened the starting XI as well as adding depth, in a long season with 5 subs allowed now and a WC midway through and Champs League to play for.

 

[gibbospurs]

Dude. I'm seriously not picking on you. But you just acknowledged that two players in your starting XI are better this year than last.

So, by your own definition - Spurs improved.


But, you don't win championships or trophies with 11 players - it takes a squad, and we have unquestionably improved the squad - thus improving our chances at winning a trophy this year.

Not improved enough lol. Perisic is better than Reggie. And Bissouma is only better in the middle if paired correctly. Which as yet he hasn’t imo. Hardly tipping the premiership title race.

 

[gibbospurs]

Perisic alone improves the starting XI

But, you seem to overlook that the "Starting XI" can't start every PL match, let alone cups and CL matches. Because of the players we added this summer - our starting XI will be stronger for all the matches - by allowing rotation and competition.

If we’re rotating our best 11 with our others how is that upgrading? What a weird conclusion

 

[gibbospurs]

I genuinely think Peresic and Bissouma will be in our first choice starting XI either immediately or within a handful of weeks. Clearly we have strengthened the starting XI as well as adding depth, in a long season with 5 subs allowed now and a WC midway through and Champs League to play for.

100%. But it’s hardly pushing the boat out for competing for the premiership. I’ve got carried away and bet a Liverpool fan mate we will be above them. But if you actually look at it without spurs glasses on.
we’ve swapped keepers to home grown. We look to be losing reggie for Perisic. (?). We’re covering lcb which should of already been in place. But losing tangala and rodon. Desperate need to upgrade rwb. But have the same 2 starters that were clearly not good enough. But sign a kid who is apparently a club signing. Bissouma I rate big time, but not if he’s playing with holberg. Richarlison is a good signing but we’ve lost bergs who he wouldn’t play. Moura is Moura. Legend for the semifinal but is brainless tbh. Our signings just feel like we are covering the outgoings of winks, locelso, dombele, reggie and obviously Bergs.

 

[yusrisafri]

“Emerson is good”???

Yup. That really spoilt it.

 

[Nerine]

This bloody starting line up vs depth thing.
By default, if you improve the starting line up you also improve the depth.

I.e. the player that is displaced (that was playing (well) regularly) is now the bench option.

 

[spurmin]

Hakimi was available , wanted to come and in our price range? Must’ve missed that info

Just because he was available doesn’t mean he would sign a contract with us. Maybe he was sounded out. Who knows? You cannot just pluck a player out from his current team and say come and play for Tottenham, for him to say OK I’ll get my coat.
I don’t know for a fact but I think signing a player is a complicated process, especially where there is not an endless pot of money involved.

 

[Jgplk1]

We've no doubt improved the starting 11. Perisic and Bissouma are upgrades, but it definitely is about the squad, which has 100% been improved.

Last season if it was nil nil or 1-1 at 60 mins, I had very little faith in anyone other than Moura to come on and do anything. Now our bench looks strong, we have players who can come on and change a game, or more than 2 midfielders, so we can change formations if Conte wants to.

And we're still not finished. By all accounts we're still after 2 more players.

 

[bubble07]

Priasing everyone then just saying Emerson is good wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement of him

 

[Graham Minshall]

100%. But it’s hardly pushing the boat out for competing for the premiership. I’ve got carried away and bet a Liverpool fan mate we will be above them. But if you actually look at it without spurs glasses on.
we’ve swapped keepers to home grown. We look to be losing reggie for Perisic. (?). We’re covering lcb which should of already been in place. But losing tangala and rodon. Desperate need to upgrade rwb. But have the same 2 starters that were clearly not good enough. But sign a kid who is apparently a club signing. Bissouma I rate big time, but not if he’s playing with holberg. Richarlison is a good signing but we’ve lost bergs who he wouldn’t play. Moura is Moura. Legend for the semifinal but is brainless tbh. Our signings just feel like we are covering the outgoings of winks, locelso, dombele, reggie and obviously Bergs.

It’s good to read a post that’s so positive!

 

[bubble07]

Koulibally was the one that got away I feel. Don't get why we wasn't interested in him before Chelsea got their shit together

 

[Aphex]

There's no doubt our squad is stronger, but I do feel we haven't improved the first 11 sufficiently this summer.

Bissouma is a CM rotation option, but we don't know yet if he will improve the first 11, particuarly if Conte ends up keeping PEH in the side and dropping Bentancur, I don't see how a PEH Bissouma midfield is stronger than a PEH Bentancur one....

The only unquestionable first 11 signing which improves us has been Perisic.

Yes our bench is a lot stronger now which is great but I do share the concern that on paper our first 11 going into the new season will still have potentially any one of Davies, Sanchez, Doherty, Emerson and PEH starting.

We haven't improved at RWB, there has been no top CB brought in.

Lenglet may prove an upgrade at LCB but he's only on loan for a year with no buy option.

I look at the side that started yestersday and I don't see that it's been strengthened sufficiently. I know it was probably a fitness /availability decision but it's so disappointing to see Sanchez still starting a game at CB, Doherty and Emerson at RWB, PEH in the middle.

This isn't being overly negative, it's just providing a bit of balance to what has been the majority of fans saying (me included) what a truiphant window it's been. Yes our squad is stronger, but our first 11 IMO hasn't improved all that much at all.

 

[Singaspur]

Dude. I'm seriously not picking on you. But you just acknowledged that two players in your starting XI are better this year than last.

So, by your own definition - Spurs improved.


But, you don't win championships or trophies with 11 players - it takes a squad, and we have unquestionably improved the squad - thus improving our chances at winning a trophy this year.

Yup. In addition, we have hugely improved the pool of 'best 16' who may get on the pitch in any game.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

There's no doubt our squad is stronger, but I do feel we haven't improved the first 11 sufficiently this summer.

Bissouma is a CM rotation option, but we don't know yet if he will improve the first 11, particuarly if Conte ends up keeping PEH in the side and dropping Bentancur, I don't see how a PEH Bissouma midfield is stronger than a PEH Bentancur one....

The only unquestionable first 11 signing which improves us has been Perisic.

Yes our bench is a lot stronger now which is great but I do share the concern that on paper our first 11 going into the new season will still have potentially any one of Davies, Sanchez, Doherty, Emerson and PEH starting.

We haven't improved at RWB, there has been no top CB brought in.

Lenglet may prove an upgrade at LCB but he's only on loan for a year with no buy option.

I look at the side that started yestersday and I don't see that it's been strengthened sufficiently. I know it was probably a fitness /availability decision but it's so disappointing to see Sanchez still starting a game at CB, Doherty and Emerson at RWB, PEH in the middle.

This isn't being overly negative, it's just providing a bit of balance to what has been the majority of fans saying (me included) what a truiphant window it's been. Yes our squad is stronger, but our first 11 IMO hasn't improved all that much at all.

Yea can’t really argue with that at all.

I think whilst the window so far has been solid, some of our fans have got a little carried away because they’re simply not used to us making early signings and having a plan and acting like a big club. We’ve added 2 good players who once up to speed will improve our first XI in Bissouma and Perisic but if we don’t make that big CB signing and another top quality attacking option then I think tbh we are still a little bit off where we need to be especially as you say given we still have some weaknesses like Doherty and PEH who whilst being solid functional players are not really near the level of say Liverpool and City if that is where we are aspiring to be.

Conte seems fairly happy so far with our business and knows it’s a process and will take time. I think he’ll be happy if he sees us starting to really close the gap in the league and have the squad capable of going deep and within a chance of winning the cups.

We are kind of like where Mercedes are in F1, we are moving towards the front but are still some strong ‘upgrades’ away from being able to truly consistently compete.

Imo we are still short in terms of needing to add/upgrade:
1. Another quality attacking option such as Zaniolo as we only have 5 options for the front 6 and Lucas one of those options is relatively ineffective most games.

2. Top top quality CB. Romero is quality but Dier and Davies are not quite where we need them to be if you compare them to say VVD or Dias or Koulibaly etc, Lenglet looks like an astute short term move at LCB but a Bastoni or Gravadoil etc would transform our defence

3. Creative CM such as Maddison. Many of us agree we really lack this type of player.

4. RWB upgrade. This one won’t happen this window as our budget isn’t endless and Doherty still needs time to get back up to match sharpeness and if/when he does he can be a top top class RWB and knows how to play that role but his ceiling and top form will not match the quality of Perisic on the other side so I feel this will always be a slight weakness for us, Emerson isn’t a RWB nor is Lucas and seems it’ll take ages for conte to trust Spence.

I’m sure conte knows all this.

Recent ITK a little demoralising that we will leave it if we can’t find a top class CB, that should’ve been won of our top top targets so will be disappointing if we can’t get one over the line regardless of the other solid 6 signings.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

3. Creative CM such as Maddison. Many of us agree we really lack this type of player.

Maddison would not start as a CM for Conte - does not have enough industry.

And, simply because "many agree" does not mean that "many are right"...

Last year - from February 1 to the end of the season (i.e. after Deki and Bentancur arrived) we scored 2.4 goals per game. That was second in the league to Man City. Conte's system produces goals without having to carry a "Creative" player who lacks in the defensive aspect of play.

A creative player by himself - does not unlock defenses. Its takes teamwork to unlock defenses - and if Conte is spending the majority of time training on his preferred system, then the team will not be drilled on more creative/individual play. We are not City or Liverpool. Adding a creative player won't transform us into a possession based team.

 

[Darth Vega]

There's no doubt our squad is stronger, but I do feel we haven't improved the first 11 sufficiently this summer.

Bissouma is a CM rotation option, but we don't know yet if he will improve the first 11, particuarly if Conte ends up keeping PEH in the side and dropping Bentancur, I don't see how a PEH Bissouma midfield is stronger than a PEH Bentancur one....

The only unquestionable first 11 signing which improves us has been Perisic.

Yes our bench is a lot stronger now which is great but I do share the concern that on paper our first 11 going into the new season will still have potentially any one of Davies, Sanchez, Doherty, Emerson and PEH starting.

We haven't improved at RWB, there has been no top CB brought in.

Lenglet may prove an upgrade at LCB but he's only on loan for a year with no buy option.

I look at the side that started yestersday and I don't see that it's been strengthened sufficiently. I know it was probably a fitness /availability decision but it's so disappointing to see Sanchez still starting a game at CB, Doherty and Emerson at RWB, PEH in the middle.

This isn't being overly negative, it's just providing a bit of balance to what has been the majority of fans saying (me included) what a truiphant window it's been. Yes our squad is stronger, but our first 11 IMO hasn't improved all that much at all.

I'd argue that's because there are several areas that didn't need improving. If we look at what our starting XI was towards the back end of last season, the players in bold were where we were all in near-unanimous agreement we needed upgrades.

Lloris
Romero Dier Davies
Doherty/Emerson Sessegnon
Bentancur Hojbjerg
Kulusevski Son
Kane

Of the unbolded, I think the only one you could realistically dispute is Dier but Conte has already said he thinks he can be one of the best in the world - and this isn't a manager who gives out even modest praise without good reason - so whatever we think about him, Conte rates him.

From the bolded, Perisic is a clear upgrade on Sessegnon and Bissouma will over time prove to be our best midfielder so long as he picks up where he left off at Brighton (no reason to believe this won't be the case) which leaves question marks over Lenglet and Spence who we need to see more of before we can fully say if they were good investments.

The biggest improvement we've made, as you acknowledge, is in the squad overall.

This would probably have been our bench last season if we were ever at full-strength:

Gollini, Sanchez, Rodon, Emerson, Reguilon, Skipp, Winks, Lucas, Bergwijn

...and this is what it could be next season at full strength:

Forster, Sanchez, new CB, Spence, Sessegnon, Skipp, Hojbjerg, new CAM, Richarlison

It's an upgrade in almost every position and I didn't even have room to include Davies, Emerson or Lucas. Obviously I'm assuming we're going to sign another couple of players here but given we know we're still actively looking I think it's reasonable to give Paratici the benefit of the doubt.

I don't want to belabour the point, but you said yourself that the team maybe doesn't look that good on paper which I do understand to an extent. Go look at Conte's back five in the 16/17 season where he beat us to the league and tell me if you'd have picked any of Cahill, Azpilicueta or David Luiz over Vertonghen, Alderweireld or even Dier, or Moses and Alonso over Walker and Rose, or Matic over either Dembele or Wanyama, or Diego Costa over Kane. Their XI wasn't us good as ours on paper but where they were stronger was their bench - both in their players and staff.

We're not going to win the league this season but I'd argue that, of every elite manager in world football, Conte is the one who has proven time and time again that he can polish a turd beyond all recognition. You then factor in a full pre-season where last year there was none and the fact that we're not giving teams a 10 game headstart this time around and there's every reason to be optimistic.

Sorry for the long post

 

[Aphex]

 

[JCRD]

There's no doubt our squad is stronger, but I do feel we haven't improved the first 11 sufficiently this summer.

Bissouma is a CM rotation option, but we don't know yet if he will improve the first 11, particuarly if Conte ends up keeping PEH in the side and dropping Bentancur, I don't see how a PEH Bissouma midfield is stronger than a PEH Bentancur one....

The only unquestionable first 11 signing which improves us has been Perisic.

Yes our bench is a lot stronger now which is great but I do share the concern that on paper our first 11 going into the new season will still have potentially any one of Davies, Sanchez, Doherty, Emerson and PEH starting.

We haven't improved at RWB, there has been no top CB brought in.

Lenglet may prove an upgrade at LCB but he's only on loan for a year with no buy option.

I look at the side that started yestersday and I don't see that it's been strengthened sufficiently. I know it was probably a fitness /availability decision but it's so disappointing to see Sanchez still starting a game at CB, Doherty and Emerson at RWB, PEH in the middle.

This isn't being overly negative, it's just providing a bit of balance to what has been the majority of fans saying (me included) what a truiphant window it's been. Yes our squad is stronger, but our first 11 IMO hasn't improved all that much at all.

Its been a good window but not a triumphant one. We have two if not three areas still not sorted in my view. It was always going to be difficult getting everything sorted in one or two windows... the squad overhaul was a three or four window job so im ok with it. I think next summer we will get those three or four additions to truly elevate the squad.

As for the first 11 thing, we have strengthened the squad which I think was always the key task and by adding to the squad, we have solid rotation options in a few of the areas.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

IMO Conte has openly admitted he expects to be challenging for the title (or at least competitive at the top end). And by all accounts he is happy with our transfers as we signed most of our first choice targets. So with this in mind, the fact Conte is one of the top 3 managers in the world, we have one of the best front threes in Europe, I really can’t see us finishing below third. In fact I’m could see us sneaking second…

 

[newbie]

Koulibally was the one that got away I feel. Don't get why we wasn't interested in him before Chelsea got their shit together

we don't have infinite money we still need to be smart, the transfer window is not done and for the first time, we will be starting the season stronger than the last season, dont forget we also signed players in Jan, so our starting line up will have 4-5 different players from the start of last season.

Not to mention Kane is back!