Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[JCRD]

Think the club need to start taking that kind of approach when it comes to moving players on. We have far too many players who don't turn up far too often during a season. They can have good games which hoodwinks people into believing they've turned the corner etc but you'll see plenty of non performances/stinkers from them during a season to.

Dier, Davies, Hojbjerg, Sanchez, Doherty, Sessegnon, Moura, Bergwijn and now maybe even Reguilon (not even going to bother to include Royal and Winks)......can anyone hand on heart see us build a successful team with any of those as first team regulars. Keep some for the squad by all means, but as it stands, I don't think any of those can be relied upon to consistently perform during a season.

We are in and around the top four but with Newcastle's new found wealth and if Man Utd get it right under Ten Hag, we could quite easily drop off if we don't replace those players with some that are up to the job.

You can take that line with those crucial areas that are critical to your system which are wing backs in the main. We are decent at the back with the three we have and even Sanchez but perhaps one more would be good to add to that.

You cant have 25 world class players but you need to have top quality in those crucial cogs. Look at Liverpool. they dont have 25 world class players but they went out and got the two very critical players that are needed for Klopps system and then got the likes of Matip to play alongside. We need to do the same. No compromises for the key areas

Watching players like Emerson and even Sess and one or two others is not a pleasant experience. Its actually enouhg to get you to switch off.

 

[ultimateloner]

Defending deep and in an organized manner is the bread and butter of any team against a better side. We do the same thing, so this should be expected. I don't think Conte's quote above offered more insight than what we already know.
In yday's game Kane and Son played too deeply too frequenlty, to link-up play. This happened alot and shouldn't when the opposition team is on the back-foot. This tells me that the CMs aren't doing a good enough job of moving the ball around.
Add to this that our flank-attackers can't beat a man, so they need a ball played behind the defenders to run onto.
We need the likes of Hojberg and Ben to take on more creative responsibilities.

 

[Metalhead]

Your right and if you listened to Eriksen and Frank after yesterdays game, they said that they prepared all week for this game based on how Conte sets up. This will be a common theme going forward, as teams have seen the likes of Brentford, Brighton, Wolves, Southampton etc, successfully nullify his tactics and set up..

It's been a recurring theme over the last few seasons - obviously Jose tried different approaches but since the latter stages of Poch, we have too often been pedestrian and therefore I guess that the answer to an extent is personnel and having someone who can unlock defences.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

To be honest, we are not blessed with quality passers of the ball in this team. Only ones who seem to have the ability to play a first time pass seem to be Kane and Bentancur imo.

Likes of Hojbjerg, Son, Moura, Bergwijn etc might get the odd one right but generally their passing is average to poor.

If everyone can see how bad our passing is then what the hell does he do on the training pitch.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

Defending deep and in an organized manner is the bread and butter of any team against a better side. We do the same thing, so this should be expected. I don't think Conte's quote above offered more insight than what we already know.
In yday's game Kane and Son played too deeply too frequenlty, to link-up play. This happened alot and shouldn't when the opposition team is on the back-foot. This tells me that the CMs aren't doing a good enough job of moving the ball around.
Add to this that our flank-attackers can't beat a man, so they need a ball played behind the defenders to run onto.
We need the likes of Hojberg and Ben to take on more creative responsibilities.

In fairness Hojberg has been going forward a lot more in the last few games but he just doesn't seem to have any real creative flair and his final pass is really piss poor.

 

[SuperPav10]

Defending deep and in an organized manner is the bread and butter of any team against a better side. We do the same thing, so this should be expected. I don't think Conte's quote above offered more insight than what we already know.
In yday's game Kane and Son played too deeply too frequenlty, to link-up play. This happened alot and shouldn't when the opposition team is on the back-foot. This tells me that the CMs aren't doing a good enough job of moving the ball around.
Add to this that our flank-attackers can't beat a man, so they need a ball played behind the defenders to run onto.
We need the likes of Hojberg and Ben to take on more creative responsibilities.

No problem with Son / Kane dropping deep to get the ball if something's happening ahead of them. It never is. The only way to break down a team defending deep is to occupy their defenders / holding midfielders in different and surprising ways. We're awful at that.

Didn't once see PEH or Bentancur break the lines yesterday. Or, against Brighton.

Kane dropping deep is fine if he has runners off him, which leave their defenders confused on who to track; Kane or the runner. What happens all too often is that Kane drops, and the defender can safely watch him knowing there's no threat in behind.

This is where Lucas can be effective. At least he has the ability to pick up the ball and run at the heart of a defence from deep, forcing defence and midfielders to commit in order to stop him. This then opens up space for Kane or Son or Kulu.

3-5-2 may be fun.

If the midfield two are just gonna sit centrally and not commit themselves, then I'd try Bergy up top with Kane for a few games, with Lucas, Son and Kulu roaming behind them.

I won't hold my breath, though.

 

[Joely]

If everyone can see how bad our passing is then what the hell does he do on the training pitch.

Not sure Conte can extract too much more out of this group on the training pitch to be honest. At some point, can only go do so much with players who either lack the quality or are simply not suited to the system you want to setup with. Arriving mid season is always difficult but after 5-6 months he'll know who is up to it and who isn't.

Klopp arrived at Liverpool midseason and they had their ups and down but he was quite ruthless in identifying and getting rid of players he didn't think were up to his way of playing. Believe Conte is cut from a similar cloth and already washed his hands of the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso and suspect more will be heading that way in the summer.

 

[Russ1201]

This club and this squad in particular have not turned up in so many must win games over the years that my first thought is not to blame the manager who hasn't even had a summer window.

This bunch of players have serious mental strength issues and i don't think any manager could sort it out.
Only way things will change will be a huge clear out that i sadly doubt but we will see.

 

[shelfboy68]

This bunch of players have serious mental strength issues and i don't think any manager could sort it out.
Only way things will change will be a huge clear out that i sadly doubt but we will see.

I think you have to include Harry in that as he struggles to turn up in the big games as well.

 

[gibbospurs]

Disagree, as we don’t have a creative CM, the wingbacks are absolutely crucial in linking play, driving us forwards and creating attacking opportunities, Doherty was doing this brilliantly from RWB and then when he was switched to LWB he still got a goal and an assist.

Emerson on the other hand cannot pass 5 yards, cannot beat his man, doesn’t link play and doesn’t drive us forwards, it’s actually a massive massive issue having Doherty out given the way we play.

I’d look at starting bergwijn in the inside forward position and moving Kulu to wingback or if we have to persist with Emerson then we could switch to 3-5-2 to get more of the ball and put Kulu as a n.o 10 behind Son and Kane.

Carry on as we are and we will continue to have the same issues I’m afraid.

I agree about the importance of wing backs. My point is Conte has been here for what? 18 games. But Doherty was still rubbish up until 5/6 games ago.

 

[gibbospurs]

This from Conte pretty much sums up our issues

"In the last two games we've struggled offensively because we've found two teams that are very good defensively. Without the ball these two teams defended very deep, with the whole team, with all their players. When you find this type of situation you need to create the space, also to have players to beat their man in one vs one, to create the superiority,"

Our wingbacks just don't have the ability to beat the oppo one v one. Royal is a write off, Regi lacks the physicality to take on a player and is too easy to snuff out, Doherty is better running into space. Sessegnon showed at Fulham he can take on players but he just looks so tentative, as though he is more worried about breaking down again. They all pretty much need space to impact the game and that makes them useless in games like the last two.

If Conte does hang around, don't think he'll be too fussed if all 4 were shown the door.

Tbf I think the breaking down issue also lays In the midfield set up. Both midfielders yesterday were terrible. Neither have a cutting edge pass. Stick Eriksen in there and we are a different team. Issue is, Conte won’t.

 

[danielneeds]

There’s a clear way to play against us, and teams will do this till the end of the season. With our 343, teams completely out man us in CM, forcing us to use the wing backs to attack and penetrate. Problem is our wing backs are by far the weakest part of our team.

We struggle to even keep meaningful possession unless our opposition choose to sit back in a low block. Our wing backs are like black holes.

It’s incredibly frustrating to watch. We could have played our last two games for 3 hours each and not scored.

The thing is teams were doing similar when we were playing a four under Nuno and Jose. It’s not a formation thing, it’s a personnel one. If they take away Kane and Son we don’t have the skill out wide or the brains in midfield to create openings.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

I agree about the importance of wing backs. My point is Conte has been here for what? 18 games. But Doherty was still rubbish up until 5/6 games ago.

Doherty was barely playing until 5/6 games ago and 2nd to that it took a few months for the whole team to adapt to the formation and tactics. Once they have its then down to the individual players to show their quality, unfortunately until we replace a good 5-6 of that starting XI yesterday we will continue to have games where we are toothless as we have some seriously weak links at times:
Davies & Dier - not elite defenders or ball players
PEH - under pressure his poor technique and lack of agility is obvious
Royal - offers nothing, can’t beat a man, can’t pass 5 yards and makes tons of fouls killing our momentum
Reggi&Sess- not the required level for LWB
Lucas - not the quality of impact sub we require to change a game
Lack of back -up striker to Kane so we can go 2 up top and change the dynamic of a game
Lack of an eriksen type creative CM player who we were crying out for yesterday to break teams down who sit deep.

Until we rectify a lot of these positions this summer then we will remain inconsistent.

As for the remainder of this season I really think either we need to switch to 3-5-2 when teams sit deep and we can’t break them down and-or we stop playing Royal and give Kulu/Lucas/Bergwijn a go there and/or 2 of those 3 rotate during a game from RWB to inside RAM/n.o10

We should be dominating the ball more against the likes of Brentford and pinning them back but due to the wing backs offering nothing 1v1 and no creative CM we struggle to create chances.

Im hopeful Conte can work it out but I think right now Arsenal are clear favourites for 4th again.

 

[punkisback]

This from Conte pretty much sums up our issues

"In the last two games we've struggled offensively because we've found two teams that are very good defensively. Without the ball these two teams defended very deep, with the whole team, with all their players. When you find this type of situation you need to create the space, also to have players to beat their man in one vs one, to create the superiority,"

Our wingbacks just don't have the ability to beat the oppo one v one. Royal is a write off, Regi lacks the physicality to take on a player and is too easy to snuff out, Doherty is better running into space. Sessegnon showed at Fulham he can take on players but he just looks so tentative, as though he is more worried about breaking down again. They all pretty much need space to impact the game and that makes them useless in games like the last two.

If Conte does hang around, don't think he'll be too fussed if all 4 were shown the door.

The way to this is 433. Allow Moura and Deki to both play. The we don’t rely on defenders to create for us.

 

[Thewobbler]

I hate these rumours about conte possibly leaving coming out now. I just don't understand the appeal of him going to manage PSG unless he just wants to add the french league title to his achievements and a lot more money to his bank balance.

 

[Styopa]

Pep and Klopp seem to be happy enough and have been in charge for 5 years. So it seems success brings contentment and stability.

I think Pep's is a special case. He's managing the richest club in the richest and arguably most competitive league in world football. I can't think of any other club right now who could offer him that.

I agree about Klopp though. I've mentioned before that I think Klopp's Liverpool is a model we should be seeking to emulate.

 

[ralphs bald spot]

This bunch of players have serious mental strength issues and i don't think any manager could sort it out.
Only way things will change will be a huge clear out that i sadly doubt but we will see.

its an easy cop out about mental strength it means nothing the side has changed over the last few years - there are areas in the side which aren't good enough the midfield and the wide areas are poor and have been for a while - until you improve them you will get performances like the last two - we are so reliant on Kane largely because he is world class player but we haven't got any other guile in the side if you stop Kane you stop Tottenham and people were up in arms when that was said the other week but its so bloody true

 

[ralphs bald spot]

I would say yesterday and last week Conte needs to take a chance - do something different the wing backs were poor why not go 4 at the back get some attacking width he said he needed someone to go past people he has Moura and Bergwijn on the bench surely he had to give it a go

 

[RuskyM]

it isn't mental strength that meant we've not had a shot on target for two games. it's a combination of stubborn management and poor squad construction. when you've got a headache you buy paracetamol, you don't go to a shaman to sort out your chakras.

 

[glacierSpurs]

I hate these rumours about conte possibly leaving coming out now. I just don't understand the appeal of him going to manage PSG unless he just wants to add the french league title to his achievements and a lot more money to his bank balance.

It is always the case. Poch was suddenly linked with United when we needed to concentrate at the final stretch too in one of the seasons. News of Walker requesting to leave before the season ended. Kane's stupid interview with Neville. All came on the final crucial run of games.

The media is obviously drumming up something to destabilise the club. There is really no doubt about it. We were flying for 5-6 winning run and suddenly all came crashing down despite the scums losing points and the team don't even both to turn up. I am not surprised if our players are whispering amongst themselves the same rumours. It doesn't make sense suddenly a bunch of them are not buying into Conte's set up unless they have internal doubts about him staying or not. Afterall this bunch of players is no stranger to changing of coaching staffs, and if they are hearing something not being the same again comes the new season, they will just down tools and only pick up on the new coaching team again. Rinse and repeat the fucking evil cycle. And this is what I really hate about our players.

That is why I so wish Conte can give assurance to the players, as well as giving a finger to the media in the next presser shutting down all the rumours. I really don't think he is keen to manage PSG. Even if so, he can shut it now and still leave for PSG comes the season ends - nobody will give a fuck he's mincing on his words. Just end this season nicely FFS.