Ex-Manager watch: Antonio Conte

[parj]

Who were the CB"s that Conte wanted and were willing to come but the club failed to get over the line?

This. A former manager only wanted certain targets and was blasted by many on here, yet for Conte, it's ok.

 

[parj]

I don't get this sort of argument.

Do you really think that's it's acceptable for our club to have not been able to identify one single centre back over two windows?
We may have been unable to get Bastoni or Skriniar but I don't believe there wasn't at least one decent option available.
What are we paying our DoF and scouting department for?

The problem isn't necessarily the DoF. It's Mr "that's a club signing". Unless it's a Conte target, he won't play them and just keep them a club signing, so how do you go and find someone else? It will be a waste of money.

 

[McFlash]

Either Conte decided they were better than all available alternatives (in which case he must rate them somewhat) or the club are so negligent that over the course of three separate windows they were unable to find upgrades for first team
players who (according to much of SC) are barely even Premier League level let alone top four or title winning quality.

I'd find the second option easier to believe than the first but really, who knows.
I think it's pretty obvious to everyone that our defenders just aren't good enough, so I don't understand how either Conte or the club can't see it.

 

[thebenjamin]

If we bring in a high-press manager we have to get rid of Kane and Son as they can't press, and our entire back line (bar Romero), as they don't have the pace to play a high line (bar maybe Romero). And keepers need to go as useless with their feet. We may obviously be looking to do most of this anyway, but if we were to get rid of Conte and bring in a high press manager this season, the result would be a monumental car crash.

 

[McFlash]

This. A former manager only wanted certain targets and was blasted by many on here, yet for Conte, it's ok.

It's not as simple as that though.
Signing nobody is never a good thing, a squad need to be kept fresh.

Also, we don't have any information to suggest that Conte has been saying "it's him or nobody", in fact, we have had information to say that he's been more lenient with his demands than was expected.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

If we bring in a high-press manager we have to get rid of Kane and Son as they can't press, and our entire back line (bar Romero), as they don't have the pace to play a high line (bar maybe Romero). And keepers need to go as useless with their feet. We may obviously be looking to do most of this anyway, but if we were to get rid of Conte and bring in a high press manager this season, the result would be a monumental car crash.

one won't stay and one is finished anyway and our back line apart from Romero needs replacement regardless of how we play

 

[McFlash]

The problem isn't necessarily the DoF. It's Mr "that's a club signing". Unless it's a Conte target, he won't play them and just keep them a club signing, so how do you go and find someone else? It will be a waste of money.

A lot of this is supposition.

 

[Scot-Spur]

How? 3 of them have basically the same roles as they had then, Davinson plays less and Lucas role is massively reduced. Dier and Davies plays more because it's obvious Conte really likes them.

Is this a serious comment? I can’t tell.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

I'd find the second option easier to believe than the first but really, who knows.
I think it's pretty obvious to everyone that our defenders just aren't good enough, so I don't understand how either Conte or the club can't see it.

I think everyone sees it.

I suspect, but obviously don't know, that the sticking point has been the price tag for replacements. Everyone laughed when Liverpool signed VVD, as paying too much, but the reality is top CBs cost a premium, and if you want one, you have to expect to pay more.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Dier and Davies plays more because it's obvious Conte really likes them.

"obvious" seems like its stretched to its maximum in this sentence.

 

[McFlash]

I think everyone sees it.

I suspect, but obviously don't know, that the sticking point has been the price tag for replacements. Everyone laughed when Liverpool signed VVD, as paying too much, but the reality is top CBs cost a premium, and if you want one, you have to expect to pay more.

And that's why I'm shitting it about our need for a new keeper.
Gone are the days when you could pick a decent keeper up cheap, long gone, yet I wonder if levy has realised that.

 

[Scot-Spur]

"obvious" seems like its stretched to its maximum in this sentence.

I mean saying he likes them is a big stretch. I mean if you are choosing between bad or not so bad

 

[spursfan77]

Didn't speak to the players after the game, apparently.....

Probably wise

 

[spursfan77]

It's because the league has changed, players cost more and nobody is buying DL's bullshit, they've all got DOF's and sporting directors, club structures and bringing in value players, some of those teams will flip flop with recruitment but they don't need our cast offs to move up the table.
The more we buy players that don't fit, the more it highlights our lack of plan or structure.
For a control freak like Levy you'd think a set philosophy/formation would be perfect, buy players that suit etc, but he can't resist a bargain or value player, or having an agents ear regardless of where that player fits, and he can't relinquish control to a sporting department either, it's a vicious circle and won't improve.

Great post. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there.

 

[rossdapep]

It's because the league has changed, players cost more and nobody is buying DL's bullshit, they've all got DOF's and sporting directors, club structures and bringing in value players, some of those teams will flip flop with recruitment but they don't need our cast offs to move up the table.
The more we buy players that don't fit, the more it highlights our lack of plan or structure.
For a control freak like Levy you'd think a set philosophy/formation would be perfect, buy players that suit etc, but he can't resist a bargain or value player, or having an agents ear regardless of where that player fits, and he can't relinquish control to a sporting department either, it's a vicious circle and won't improve.

Yeah excellent post!

 

[rossdapep]

It's because the league has changed, players cost more and nobody is buying DL's bullshit, they've all got DOF's and sporting directors, club structures and bringing in value players, some of those teams will flip flop with recruitment but they don't need our cast offs to move up the table.
The more we buy players that don't fit, the more it highlights our lack of plan or structure.
For a control freak like Levy you'd think a set philosophy/formation would be perfect, buy players that suit etc, but he can't resist a bargain or value player, or having an agents ear regardless of where that player fits, and he can't relinquish control to a sporting department either, it's a vicious circle and won't improve.

I think its also way you are seeing us yo yo a little.

One minute we look like we can fight for a title, next we look like falling out the top 6, next scraping 4th then back to fighting for 5th.

There isn't any consistency in the decisions. Whether its players or coaches.

Conte is a winner and his style is more rigid.

The we have technical players like Gil or young prospects like Spence.

Until everything is aligned from top to bottom, we wont see consistency or gradual improvement.

If Paratici goes we will have to go through a huge change again.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Injuries or not, Conte doesn’t do himself any favours with his negative tactics.

This is why everything becomes more doom & gloom, because there’s simply no structure to our play.

 

[DiVaio]

Does he really like them? Or is it just that they're all he has?

Whether you rate/like them or not, there is plenty to suggest he rates them. And I'm struggling to find any reasons to suggest otherwise.
6th and 4th most used players for Conte at Spurs. Praises them on press conferences(iirc even said he doesn't need new centre backs before january). Davies got new contract, Dier will probably get new contract soon. Rodon left, it's 3rd window and we still had 0 links from reliable sources with someone to really replace Eric.
The treatment of Dele, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Winks and Reguilon by Conte and forcing them out of club here shows that he isn't using players when he doesn't like them. Or somehow Levy accepted massive loss on players that were more liked by fanbase/were more expensive/were from academy/got longer contracts but he didn't allow it for Dier and Davies for some reason? Or when he decided at Inter that Skriniar can't play high line so he used likes of Ranocchia and D'Ambrosio ahead of him even when they are much worse than him, or Gagliardini and Valero ahead of Eriksen? Pretty sure something similar also happened at his previous clubs.

 

[defoes5]

With Bentancur out for the rest of the season I seriously think we should go to a back 4 otherwise we’ll get passed through the midfield all season long. Something like

Foster/Lloris
Emerson Romero Sanchez Peresic.
Hojbjerg Sarr
Kulusevski Kane Son
Richy

think sanchez is our best option as a Romero partner, don’t think dier is best in a back two. And I think we need to drop Kane back a bit to make the most of Richy as there’s definitely some quality we’re missing out on in there. Obviously when biss is back he’ll replace Sarr. And tbh, I wouldn’t be against Emerson starting over porro in a back 4, think he’s better suited tonit and porro will need time to adapt.

 

[sidford]

He'll leave in the summer where both sides can try and protect reputation. Conte will say he's going home because of the very tough year he's had (which would have a huge amount of truth) and Levy can portray it that Conte wasn't another failed appointment who was sacked & he's left because of personal circumstances. Can already see how this will be the narrative.
The truth is it was another poor appointment by Levy as Conte is not compatible with Levy for a load of different reasons