Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[g_harry]

I always felt our problem under peak Poch was that bar 15 to 16 players the rest of the squad was nowhere near the standard required to even provide cover, never mind challenge which ultimately led to the squad creaking under a heavy fixture load. Then predictably, when some of those top players left or declined they were either replaced with worse players or no players at all.

Bang on, first 11 was brilliant but bench was really terrible. Poch would be mad to come back under that snake Levy.

 

[Dakes]

I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve supporting both Tottenham and England. Fucking pathetic draining Existence ?

It's a step up from supporting Tottenham and Bafana Bafana. Count your blessings!

 

[carpediem1906]

While we are on the topic of having staff explain themselves at the club why doesn’t conte come out and explain why he sticks with a broken formation and refuses to adapt

He did and does.
Patience. Trust the process. Need right fit players. Takes more than 1 transfer window, he actually said 3-4 windows.
He even cites example of Pep and Klopp and Arteta given time, and tools, to then be able to challenge.
He has never said that we are capable of challenging.
Against Chelsea, he said that after losing 3 matches against them last season, this year it will be good to benchmark our progress against them. We were arguably lucky (but resilient) to come back 2-2. (before all our injury woes and GPV/WC sitch)
Chelsea, for example, having sacked their manager and going for the flavour of the month, is now 10th in the table.
Klopp and Liverpool had to grapple with loss of Mane and an ageing midfield and injuries this season, is now behind us.

If you are a betting man, would you bet that they will finish above us, come end of season?

 

[neogenisis]

Mate.
I mean this with the utmost respect.

You’re really not getting it, it’s not about Conte/Poch/Mourinho or whoever the manager is.
We could get Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough’s love child and it still wouldn’t matter.

The problem is DANIEL LEVY!!!

Conte is acting and talking on the fans behalf, we need Conte to win this battle for the sake of the club.
It’s a bigger battle than the style play here, it’s politics.

If Conte leaves and Levy wins it’ll remain the same until these 1990’s acting owners are ousted.

Conte needs to win this battle.

Fuck does he, he doesnt give a single shit about our club. Tottenham Hotspur needs to win this battle, if Conte gets us there then great. But Conte in his mind is here doing us a favour.

 

[sidford]

I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve supporting both Tottenham and England. Fucking pathetic draining Existence ?

Try spurs and Ireland and come back to me

 

[Shanks]

Well conte definitely kicked in the hornets nest.

absolute shambles of a club ?

 

[Johnny J]

Antonio Conte unhappy at being left alone as the public face of Spurs

Antonio Conte has said it is difficult if he is the only member of the Spurs hierachy speaking publicly

www.theguardian.com

The key quote from Conte:

“Here, you [the media] speak always about the mentality, but you don’t consider other aspects. If it’s only about the mentality, we can solve the situation because the mentality of this team is really strong. Believe me. If you reduce it only to mentality, it’s a poor consideration.”

In other word, the quality of the squad isn't good enough. Which is obviously true.

 

[Spursfan1414]

Like Arsenal and City do? They have been drilled at this for YEARS before it becomes 2nd nature.

As much as Conte's way is rigid, we saw glimpses of it last season when we had Bentacur and Deki combining and suddenly the front 3 are through.

Rem Conte's very non subtle dig at Pep about "counter attacking", with an Instagram post of our goal against City with all players having had a touch, that's Conte ball at its prime, with players who are fully fit and confident.

For whatever reason, this season, Lloris and Dier have had so many errors, and we have had so many injuries to key first XI players - Bentacur, Kulusevski, Romero, Richarlison (depth), Bissouma (depth) - misfiring and injured Son (missing the Liverpool game in which he always shone) - and these meant that Conte-ball couldnt be fully effective.

Take our most recent game, first 10 mins of 1st half and first 15 mins of 2nd half against Arsenal. Things would have been so different if Sessegnon did better with his first 2 opportunities to cross on the left, and he finished that one-two with Kane. Sess could also arguably have been tighter to Saka for their opener, to deflect for a corner instead of towards goal (but it's Hugo's mistake all day long) + Deki had a few shots / crosses unfinished, Son had 1 glorious chance and Kane had one shot and one header, all saved by MOTM Ramsdale.

We had 17 shots, of which 7 were on target. They had 14 shots, of which 5 were on target - on a typical Conte day, we would have scored 2 or 3, and conceded none or 1.

I really don't think it is tactics or formation that is our problem at the moment. Yes they dominated the ball, but did they really carve our midfield apart? I thought Sarr did well, considering. When they had possession, they did not really hurt us. The 3 key moments that were their best chances were Hugo miskicking, Hugo OG, Hugo punting the ball upfield aimlessly leaving Sess n our players out of shape.

Our right side (without Emerson) did not really test them at all in the first half. Deki first match back, had to cut him some slack.

If you say it's energy or motivation or (lack of) confidence or morale, I'd acquiesce that Conte isn't doing enough to instigate improvements. Being a leader at work myself, and having had such a weird 2022 affecting performances, I have to also be realistic and not idealistic (and not compare to our competitors perform) and cut myself / my staff some slack. The amount of disruptions (injuries, deaths, WC), annoying press cons and my guess, frustrating convos with Levy n Board are not helping Conte to be at 100% for sure.

Arteta insisted to his players to trust the process - I laughed when watching Arse's All or Nothing - but you can see that they have built upon the same formation, same tactics for years and he did not change tack or path even when they kept losing and when the players' heads went down.

Why are we asking Conte to change while we praise Arsenal and Arteta for trusting the process?

We need to, LEVY n co needs to TRUST the Conte process too.

Wait for tide to shift. For it will.

Heck, make the blardy tide shift by injecting players fit to immediately impact - much like Deki n Rodrigo last winter - and the upturn will be in sight.

You don’t need to be drilled for years. Mourinho did it as soon as he arrived. Conte made a much bigger shift mid-season when he arrived. What makes you think this? I’m baffled.

We had 1 player missing against Arsenal. 1. Injuries are no excuse, we’re shit regardless of who’s available.

And youre really grasping at straws with the NLD. Yeah we were the better team, just, for about 5-10 minutes. That’s normal in a derby. After that they were much better at 0-0. They were much better at 1-0. At 2-0 they took their foot off the gas, like we’ve seen teams do against us all season. They let us back into the match and we still couldn’t do anything.

I don’t know how you can deny it’s a tactics problem when we get played off the park every week regardless of who we have fit or who we’re playing.

Conte needs to change because no manager is going to get through 4 years of this level of performance on the hope it’ll improve later. Arteta got time because every season Arsenal improved, even if they fell short. Conte is taking us backwards at 50mph.

 

[Cochise]

I can't help but think that in spite of all the choices to stick or twist both in terms of coach and system that we don't have the players to complete any one system. After doing some reading tonight (articles linked by an earlier poster) i'll try to regurgitate some of it for those that didn't want to. Of great importantance within the articles was player awareness within a structure. This isn't just unique to Conte, all coaches will require a level of mental capacity from their players, but for arguments sake I'll make it about Conte now.

On the defensive side we have this concept that Conte has levels to his defensive strategy. Our players are both responsible for opposing players and zones of the pitch and knowing when to switch between them is key. This I think is what irks me about the two man midfield argument. We do not have less players on the pitch, but the way in which our players perform leave whoever is in the central midfield looking so very alone. There is meant to be more support coming from the players behind them as well as the wide forwards in both tracking runners and shutting off passing lanes. I've noticed arguments between the centre backs and midfielders on who is responsible for what more than once recently.

This also translates to the attack. Even if we ignore the elephant in the room that is the lack of productivity from the wing backs there are still (what I think) glaring errors in our buildup. Again, the wide CBs are meant to offer more than they do and having Hojbjerg and sometimes the other CM also drop in leaves us with 5 Spurs players being marked by 2-3 opponents. There is meant to be more risk to that central group than we see. I think Davies being replaced is actually a hole in the plan as he was more than happy to become the extra man in midfield when Hojbjerg dropped.

I do think a 352 would be better, even with less than stellar wingbacks. I think we have the players for that sort of three man midfield and the movement from deeper positions might yield more goals than the current three man attack that can't work in limited half spaces.

As for other coaches coming in, im unconvinced anything changes without time and money. We lack central creativity in our squad and none of the current CMs are incredibly press resistant. That rules out the press resistant, possession oriented coaches. Counter pressing, counter attacking or playing long balls to quick strong forwards might yield more results, but Kane is not that type of #9, nor do I think he and Son are going to be running through any walls for any large amount of time.

TLDR: Love or hate Conte, we need new players. I actually think that whilst he does need very specific players, they won't be earth shatteringly expensive. They just need to be good at the specific jobs he has in mind. On the other hand, switching coaches soon will probably cost more as quality creative players, press resistant dictators and high output wing forwards are very expensive acquisitions. Obviously developing youth options would be cheaper, but we won't find all of them.

 

[carpediem1906]

Every word spiky Conte said on supporter criticism, tactics and Daniel Levy

Here's every single word Antonio Conte said ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League match at Manchester City on Thursday evening

www.football.london

Conte lays it out plainly.

For us as fans to also try to remember its not just about us and our tactics, sometimes we also have to remember that (i) our players are humans (ii) the opponents can play

 

[only1waddle]

Like Arsenal and City do? They have been drilled at this for YEARS before it becomes 2nd nature.

As much as Conte's way is rigid, we saw glimpses of it last season when we had Bentacur and Deki combining and suddenly the front 3 are through.

Rem Conte's very non subtle dig at Pep about "counter attacking", with an Instagram post of our goal against City with all players having had a touch, that's Conte ball at its prime, with players who are fully fit and confident.

For whatever reason, this season, Lloris and Dier have had so many errors, and we have had so many injuries to key first XI players - Bentacur, Kulusevski, Romero, Richarlison (depth), Bissouma (depth) - misfiring and injured Son (missing the Liverpool game in which he always shone) - and these meant that Conte-ball couldnt be fully effective.

Take our most recent game, first 10 mins of 1st half and first 15 mins of 2nd half against Arsenal. Things would have been so different if Sessegnon did better with his first 2 opportunities to cross on the left, and he finished that one-two with Kane. Sess could also arguably have been tighter to Saka for their opener, to deflect for a corner instead of towards goal (but it's Hugo's mistake all day long) + Deki had a few shots / crosses unfinished, Son had 1 glorious chance and Kane had one shot and one header, all saved by MOTM Ramsdale.

We had 17 shots, of which 7 were on target. They had 14 shots, of which 5 were on target - on a typical Conte day, we would have scored 2 or 3, and conceded none or 1.

I really don't think it is tactics or formation that is our problem at the moment. Yes they dominated the ball, but did they really carve our midfield apart? I thought Sarr did well, considering. When they had possession, they did not really hurt us. The 3 key moments that were their best chances were Hugo miskicking, Hugo OG, Hugo punting the ball upfield aimlessly leaving Sess n our players out of shape.

Our right side (without Emerson) did not really test them at all in the first half. Deki first match back, had to cut him some slack.

If you say it's energy or motivation or (lack of) confidence or morale, I'd acquiesce that Conte isn't doing enough to instigate improvements. Being a leader at work myself, and having had such a weird 2022 affecting performances, I have to also be realistic and not idealistic (and not compare to our competitors perform) and cut myself / my staff some slack. The amount of disruptions (injuries, deaths, WC), annoying press cons and my guess, frustrating convos with Levy n Board are not helping Conte to be at 100% for sure.

Arteta insisted to his players to trust the process - I laughed when watching Arse's All or Nothing - but you can see that they have built upon the same formation, same tactics for years and he did not change tack or path even when they kept losing and when the players' heads went down.

Why are we asking Conte to change while we praise Arsenal and Arteta for trusting the process?

We need to, LEVY n co needs to TRUST the Conte process too.

Wait for tide to shift. For it will.

Heck, make the blardy tide shift by injecting players fit to immediately impact - much like Deki n Rodrigo last winter - and the upturn will be in sight.

Fans were actually moaning Arteta's football was boring and pragmatic, no creativity... some of this sounds familiar..

“So when you combine dressing-room personality issues with a sort of dour, conservative approach to football, with results that weren’t being improved by that conservatism or pragmatism, and then some head-scratching transfers…”

The prosecution rests its case.

This was not, at the time, a minority view.

“The football we were playing was absolutely dire,” says US-based fan Carter Speary. “He was picking Willian over Nicolas Pepe; Thomas Partey, Arteta’s big signing, looked like a total flop. There was no creativity at all in the team and it was easy to think, ‘I know he’s in the twilight of his career, but Ozil is getting paid to sit at home and play Fortnite, so why not use him?’.”

 

[carpediem1906]

Antonio Conte unhappy at being left alone as the public face of Spurs

Antonio Conte has said it is difficult if he is the only member of the Spurs hierachy speaking publicly

www.theguardian.com

The key quote from Conte:

In other word, the quality of the squad isn't good enough. Which is obviously true.

The journalists are asking the same questions every press con.
About his contract extension, about mentality etc.
How do you expect a leader to say we are not good enough in public and then have to face them in private?
On this aspect of protecting his players, Conte will always have my respect.
He will not, unlike Mourinho, throw his players under the bus.

 

[WiganSpur]

Antonio Conte unhappy at being left alone as the public face of Spurs

Antonio Conte has said it is difficult if he is the only member of the Spurs hierachy speaking publicly

www.theguardian.com

The key quote from Conte:

In other word, the quality of the squad isn't good enough. Which is obviously true.

And when someone as experienced as Conte says the mentality is strong, then you know it must be. I still think the players believe in him 100%, they're just as frustrated as us that he's not being given the jigsaw pieces he needs to complete the puzzle.

 

[Trent Crimm]

Yes the squad are currently underperforming for Conte, but the crux of the issue is that you don’t sign a manager like conte unless you are going to back him. It was clear to us all that our back line needed the most work but we haven’t pushed through to make that happen.

I won’t judge Conte fully until we have given him the players he wants.

the fact he hasn’t walked tells you he wants to do it for the club and the fans. Anger should go at Levy not Conte as the squad issues have been here since Pochettino

I think the reason he hasn’t walked is due to his comp being higher if we get rid. High pain threshold.

it’s quite clear he’s not arsed anymore, for prob good and not so good reasons.

bit bored of his “in England and not in Italy Schtick as well. He’s well aware of the differences. Nobody forced him to take 15m a year ..,

When he goes we / I will still be here. I get your points Ac but don’t cry like a baby.

 

[only1waddle]

Bang on, first 11 was brilliant but bench was really terrible. Poch would be mad to come back under that snake Levy.

Indeed, as a case in point, after finishing 3rd to Leicester we bought Wanyama for £14m but also spunked £60m on Sissoko, Janssen and N'Koudou..

 

[djhotspur]

Every word spiky Conte said on supporter criticism, tactics and Daniel Levy

Here's every single word Antonio Conte said ahead of Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League match at Manchester City on Thursday evening

www.football.london

Conte lays it out plainly.

For us as fans to also try to remember its not just about us and our tactics, sometimes we also have to remember that (i) our players are humans (ii) the opponents can play

Yup and the backlash after a defeat against arsenal is pretty nuts. Arsenal are flying high at the top of the league, it’s not like they are in and around us and we lost.

 

[Harrier]

From what i've read, one that doesn't play Emerson

I wouldn’t be at all surprised for another manager to get a tune out of Emerson if he’s played as a right back rather than a wing back.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised for another manager to get a tune out of Emerson if he’s played as a right back rather than a wing back.

Yeah he was great under nuno.

Oh wait, he wasn’t. He’s just another one of our below average players who will get another chance with another manager.

 

[thebenjamin]

I'm tired Robbie

 

[Harrier]

It's short termism once again simple as that.

I’d argue Conte is short termism given his track record of jumping ship!