Antonio Conte has become the new coach of Tottenham Hotspur. It is only a matter of time to formalize the Italian as a replacement for the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo earlier this week. In their official statement, The Lilywhites wrote that. “Today the club announces that Nuno and the staff consisting of Ian Cathro, Rui Barbosa and Antonio Dias have been relieved of duty.”
It’s a shame for Nuno and his team. Only four months to deal with Harry Kane and his friends, they have to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the next period. Meanwhile, from a different direction, Spurs immediately prepared the red carpet for Conte. Rumors have immediately surfaced regarding Conte’s arrival to North London. Previously, a number of information that could be held true said the club’s management would not take long to announce an agreement with Conte.
Journalist from Italy, Fabrizio Romano has been chirping on his Twitter account since Tuesday. The journalist revealed a lot of information, including contracts. “Antonio Conte to Tottenham, confirmed. Conte’s contract is until June 2023 and will be signed on Tuesday.”
Fabrizio said Conte and Spurs had reached an agreement. The verbal agreement that has been reached only needs to be transferred to the contract. This is in line with British media coverage of a dinner between Conte and club president, Daniel Philip Levy. A few hours later everything became clear.
Why was Nuno kicked out? This question is not difficult to answer if you look at the final results of every Spurs game under his control. The humiliating 0-3 defeat to Manchester United in front of their own supporters on Saturday became the climax. The peak of the Spurs performance that never improved.
Not surprisingly, after reaping minor results in the 10th week of the English Premier League, it was not difficult for Levy to get club management support to fire the Portuguese coach. Spurs appearance looks not spur. There is no penetration and it’s like a loss of passion. Spurs have no energy. Only able to release one shot on target.
In the last two hours and 16 minutes under Nuno, Spurs’ shots on target were minimal. Spurs are in 19th place among the Premier League contestants in terms of the number of shots on goal. Bad attacks are made worse by how to defend yourself from the opponent’s attacks. Statistics noted, an additional three goals conceded at the weekend put Spurs in the fifth position below the team that became the opponent’s goal barn.
It turns out Conte is a figure that has been targeted by Spurs. Fabrizio Romano opens further cards. Spurs managing director Fabrio Paratici has actually been trying to persuade Conte since June 2021. However, that effort has only paid off this time. Why did Conte finally want to be signed by Spurs? One of them Conte is not tied to any club. Was it just because he wanted not to be called unemployed Conte would accept an offer from a club he once turned down?
Of course there are other things that pushed Conte back to England. Conte has experienced the atmosphere of the most intense competition in the world when he was in charge of Chelsea from 1 July 2016 to 13 July 2018. Antonio Conte lifts the 2016/2017 Premier League trophy in his first season at Chelsea. What made Conte special at that time? Don’t be asked what achievements Conte has made with the Blues. The 2016/2017 English Premier League champions have collected 93 points, the result of 30 wins, three draws and only five defeats.
At that time Chelsea thwarted the hopes of Spurs, which was handled by Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs then finished in second place with a difference of seven points. Far away from Manchester City and Liverpool in third and fourth positions, each able to gain 78 and 76 points.
The experience of managing an English club with good results along with a positive track record that continues to be inscribed until his return to Italy in the last few seasons makes Spurs can’t help but turn away from him. The Serie A title before he left Inter Milan increasingly tempting Spurs. Important questions then arise. Is it in the hands of Conte, Spurs will be strong again? Spurs have now lost four and drawn one of 10 matches in the Premier League.
Spurs, who are in the middle of the board, at number nine, have been handled by a famous coach in Jose Mourinho. However, Mourinho only lasted two years. Mou’s performance was not enough to convince the club to wait until the third year which is predicted to be the harvest period of the work. Instead of competing in the Champions League and being at the top of the Premier League, Spurs stumbled in the Europa League and were knocked out of the elite ranks of the Premier League.
After 86 games with 45 wins, 17 draws and 24 defeats, Mou was sacked. Sadly, the dismissal happened before Spurs’ match in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City. Is Mourinho really not the right person for Spurs? Can the Portuguese man not transmit the winning mentality that was carved out with Real Madrid and Chelsea? Or is there something more fundamental in the team that keeps whoever the coach is from achieving?
This last question is like a mystery Conte must solve. Conte’s presence is expected to bring Spurs back to a positive path. To get to that stage, Conte must also prepare the right strategy. At least we can see what Conte will do to the team. First, reflecting on the performances of the teams that have been handled, Conte will make major changes in the Spurs body.
Tactics and style of play will follow his specialty. Active in attack but strong in defense. You can check how many times the Inter goal conceded during Conte. And vice versa what he did with his attack line. Second, Conte successfully orbited Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez on the right trajectory. Slick rotation plus their ability to take part in the defense.
As a result, the combination of Lukaku and Lautaro produced 41 goals. The number of goals is far more than those produced by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in the 2020/2021 Premier League season. What if Kane and Son were polished by Conte? Before that Conte must be able to convince Kane to stay.
Third, not only up front, Conte’s touch is very much needed in the defense sector. Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal, two talented players who have not yet developed to their full potential. Conte’s presence is very much needed to inject enthusiasm and flow tactical ideas so that their work in guarding the defense is more effective and successful.
Fourth, Conte’s presence is expected to bring fresh air to return Spurs to their natural state. Conte is a figure who is considered to be able to find the Spurs “DNA” that had been lost. A basic character that attacks attractively but is effective on the one hand. Defend solidly on the other side.
ASL
