With the game against Burnley postponed due to snow, there has been extra time for Tottenham Hotspur’s latest manager to work with his new players after a calamitous defeat to NS Mura in the Europa Conference League on November 25 provided stark evidence of the huge job ahead. On Thursday, December 2, there are reasons why Antonio Conte needs the Tottenham response to be a positive one at home to Brentford.
Antonio Conte Needs Tottenham Response to Be Positive
Decisions
The game against Mura should have been one that led to Conte having some tough decisions over who to select for the next one but ended up making it clear to him that his fringe players are far from knocking on the door to start games in the Premier League with many feeling the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Winks may have already kicked their last ball for the club.
The line-up initially announced for the postponed match against Burnley saw a surprise inclusion from the Italian with Davinson Sanchez starting at the back despite his poor performance against Mura where he was at fault for both goals against a team that didn’t even exist the last time Spurs won a trophy in 2008. The news that Cristian Romero will be out through injury until next year gives Conte another dilemma and it seems likely he will play Eric Dier and Ben Davies in a back three with Emerson Royal and Sergio Reguilon at wing-back.
Conte has favoured Oliver Skipp so far and there is little to suggest that will change for the visit of Brentford with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg alongside him. Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min will start up front with Lucas Moura likely to complete an attacking three but the fact is that Conte doesn’t have many options when it comes to those who will make the bench, something he needs to rectify in January and next summer if he is to achieve success.
No Magician
Conte did not hold back in his post-match press conference following defeat in Slovenia and explained that he cannot be expected to work magic just yet: “I must be honest and tell you that after three-and-a-half weeks, I am starting to understand the situation. I can tell you that the situation is not simple. Someone (might) think that a new coach arrives and Conte won in the past and then I am a magician. But the only magic I can do is to work.”
That work is going to be hard work for the Italian used to quick success and he will be expecting to see a strong response against Brentford who would go level on points with Spurs with a victory.
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