In a season where Antonio Conte and Spurs were meant to build on the progress made, they gave away a two-goal lead against Southampton. Conte’s post-match press conference revealed that the dismal 3-3 draw at Saint Mary’s was the final straw for him. But who is truly to blame for everything that has gone wrong this season?
On Saturday, Conte opened up to the media about pretty much everything. Of course, we’ve seen it before. Conte has a history of expressing himself to the media while managing Juventus, Inter Milan, Chelsea, and Italy. We got a taste of what was to come when he questioned whether he was the appropriate guy for the position following the 1-0 loss to Burnley in February last year. He subsequently stated that his remarks were intended to push the players, but Saturday felt more personal.
The main question is what the club’s hierarchy thinks of his remarks. Conte has repeatedly told reporters that he has been open and honest with the board about what has to be done for the team to achieve the next significant step. On Saturday, he made it clear that he is frustrated that his players frequently appear to get a free pass when it comes to media criticism, but questioning their commitment could be a dangerous game, despite the fact that many Spurs fans believe there are players at the club who are simply not good enough.
Conte can point to injury issues as a contributing factor to what has gone wrong this season. Hugo Lloris’ and, more importantly, Rodrigo Bentancur’s serious injuries haven’t helped, but every manager has to deal with players being out. He can also point out that last season’s Golden Boot winner, Heung-min Son, has only scored six goals this season. Harry Kane will always score goals, but Conte understands that a successful team cannot rely on just one crucial player, no matter how excellent he is. Any assessment of Conte’s own performance this season must admit that it has been a very difficult campaign for him personally. He had gallbladder surgery and lost three close buddies.
Spurs manager Antonio Conte is a big supporter of Daniel Levy. His name was referenced throughout his speech at the employee Christmas celebration. That was all so happy, but it seems like a long time ago. Conte has always shown a dislike for long contracts, and the board agreed that they would negotiate an extension during this season, which promised so much. Spurs were the third favorite for the title last summer, and they deserved it after such a promising finish to the season – three wins in a row, including a 3-0 victory over Arsenal. Levy has every right to be excited about the upcoming season knowing he has one of the most recognized and successful coaches in the league.
Of course, Levy and the board have been chastised for their transfer spending and policy, but they would argue that they have supported Conte. Richarlison joined from Everton for a large fee, Yves Bissouma was a significant player at Brighton, and Conte wanted Ivan Perisic, but the most effective addition from last summer has been backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Despite all of the money invested, the defense appears to be dreadfully deficient in quality, and when first-choice center-back targets were unavailable last summer, Clement Lenglet was brought in on loan and has failed to impress.
Just when Spurs fans thought they’d have a pleasant two weeks free over the international break, it’s all gone wrong. The club that was known for its glory game is back in the blame game. It’s hard to believe the Spurs were seconds away from going into the break third in the Premier League, but poor game management and a dubious penalty changed everything.
Many fans now believe that finishing in the top four will not be enough to compensate for a disappointing and disheartening season. You don’t get a trophy for finishing fourth, and last month’s FA Cup defeat at Sheffield United was one of the season’s defining 90 minutes. Some Tottenham Hotspur fans believe Conte was correct to speak out on Saturday. His criticism of the players and the board, they say, was long overdue. Many fans, though, believe Conte is paid too much to accept responsibility, change formation, and get more out of the group.
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