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Antonio Conte - officially NOT the coach of THFC

FatBloke said:
The question of how to define control is an interesting one. I used to play an online football management game, Hattrick, where winning midfield won you 90% of your matches. I’ve heard that the algorithm has been changed since those days, thankfully. In the ‘00s, perhaps that was largely true – while there were counter-attacking sides, they weren’t really controlling games.

Going back to the ‘90s, before the back-pass rule came in, some sides (cough, Arsenal, cough) would actually control games with their defence, passing balls between CBs and GK until the opposition got bored enough to give them space to build an attack instead.

The great Italian club sides have, it seems to me, always controlled the game in between defence and midfield, playing catenaccio until there was an attacking opportunity. MUCH riskier now that you can’t just knock it back to the keeper with impunity.

The likes of Fergie’s late ‘90s ManU side and Guardiola’s Barcelona, on the other hand, controlled the game higher up the pitch, relying on excellent short-passing midfielders. I like to think that Poch’s Spurs were in that school, with Eriksen and Dembele controlling games from attacking midfield.

So where does Conte’s Spurs control the game? Can they be said to exert control at all, or is it just reaction to what the opponent does?

I’d say that we do control the game, but with the centre of control being just in front of our back line – and based on allowing opponents the ball in non-dangerous areas. The illusion of control or a deeper level entirely?

Now I’m getting overly tossy though, so I’ll stop there. Time for a coffee!
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With Conte we exert a degree of control because as you say we are reasonably happy to let the opposition have the ball in the middle 3rd area at which we then become quite aggressive. It's fairly obvious we play for the quick transitions both from the goals we do score but also the attacks that fail because of a miscontrol or a poor pass at some point in the build up. I also contrast it to how we played under Jose which was ostensibly the same idea but which was applied in a much more passive manner.


I'd personally love to have a bit more active co trled possession in midfield but that's a personal bias. I've always preferred 433 as a system even in the 442 days due to seeing the Netherlands play that way when I was young and it just making sense to me tactically.

However Conte is not going to play that which is fine. I do though think his system could better implemented with better players in the midfield. I remember his Chelsea side taking more care with the ball, as did his Juve and Inter sides. So there is a level of improvement that can be affected there.

I don't care for possession for possession's sake. The mistake many make is thinking of the great Pep Barcelona side and thinking they just kept the ball for the sake of it. They were always looking for the killer pass but if it wasn't on they kept it moving and kept on probing until the space was available. A lot of sides who have taken on the so called "tiki taka' mantra just don't have the quality of player to play those killer passed so instead they just pass the ball around the back and midfield aimlessly. I have 0 interest in playing that way. If you don't have a Xavi, Toure, Keita, Iniesta and importantly a Messi it just doesn't work.


Quick play is what works for Tottenham that was the case under Redknapp, that was the case under Poch and that is the case under Conte. We just need players who are better at playing quickly and under pressure. Players with better vision and importantly execution. That's what will help alleviate the pressure in matches like the Chelsea one.

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Kandi1977 said:
All this "Spurs don't have control in the middle of the pitch" is just macaronic. Games are not won in the middle of the pitch.
We're very very good where it actually matters, which is at both ends of the pitch. That's were games are decided, not in the centre circle. Use the centre circle for it's best purpose; to let the opponent to take kick offs after you've scored.
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Wrt the bolded bit are you honestly saying you were happy when our midfield starters were Winks and Sissoko?
Are you honestly saying the best teams don't end to have the best and most dominant midfields?
 
glorygloryeze said:
Wrt the bolded bit are you honestly saying you were happy when our midfield starters were Winks and Sissoko?
Are you honestly saying the best teams don't end to have the best and most dominant midfields?
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Why did you say those names. I come out in hives when I think about that trash panda pairing. [emoji28][emoji1787]


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Bedfordspurs said:
It’s actually a lot simpler than the experts wanna make it
Attack us and we will hold you at arms length until we can hurt you
Don’t attack us as we will have our better players pick you off
The team do just enough as that is all you need in reality
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will take more games before many will be convinced that we can do this consistently.
in many games it feels like we're going to conceded early and have had to claw our way back into games.
could be all perceptions and emotions spooking objectivity... but its so easy (and fun) to get caught up in the flow.
 
Bishop said:
I don't care for possession for possession's sake. The mistake many make is thinking of the great Pep Barcelona side and thinking they just kept the ball for the sake of it. They were always looking for the killer pass but if it wasn't on they kept it moving and kept on probing until the space was available. A lot of sides who have taken on the so called "tiki taka' mantra just don't have the quality of player to play those killer passed so instead they just pass the ball around the back and midfield aimlessly. I have 0 interest in playing that way. If you don't have a Xavi, Toure, Keita, Iniesta and importantly a Messi it just doesn't work.

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Sorry for cutting you post down but i wanted to highlight the above, as i think its spot on.
 
Football365 really is the 2022 version of Ceefax club call

https://www.football365.com/news/co...t-new-contract-wont-wait-forever-deadline-set


Antonio Conte is reportedly ‘in no rush’ to sign a new contract at Tottenham Hotspur and he has ‘postponed meetings’ with the club’s hierarchy.

Spurs were going through a troublesome time when Conte took over towards the end of last year.

Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Jose Mourinho before the 2021/22 campaign but the ex-Wolves boss only lasted a couple of months.
Tottenham’s fortunes drastically improved under Conte as against all odds, he helped them finish fourth last season.

The Italian made it clear after being appointed that he needed to be backed so he can sufficiently strengthen his squad. Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur joined them in January and they have spent over £100m on new signings this summer.

This has helped them make an excellent start to the new campaign as they are unbeaten in the Premier League in seven games.

Conte’s long-term future remains in doubt though as his current contract is due to expire in 2023.

‘Spurs insider’ John Wenham moved to calm the club’s supporters earlier this month, suggesting that they will “sort out” Conte’s new deal “around January”:
“There is the huge issue that, as time goes on, will become more pressing,” Wenham told Football Insider.

“That is that Harry Kane’s contract is set to expire in 2024. Nothing signed as yet and it doesn’t seem like talks are ongoing either.

“For now it has all gone quiet but I suspect that will pick up media-wise in January because there will only be 18 months remaining.

“Then you have Conte’s contract which expires at the end of this season. Conte and Tottenham both have the option to extend that by another year.

“I’m sure Tottenham will want that sorted out around January so they know what direction there are going in. I expect those things will pick up in the next couple of months but there are worth noting now because they are issues that are going to pop up.

“Make no mistake about that. Eric Dier also has a contract that expires in 2024 but I expect that to be quicker to sort out compared to some of the others.
“He is very, very happy at the club and it seems his England recall is because of Conte’s work with him. He is very happy at the moment.”

Conte has been linked with a move to Juventus in recent days and it is now being reported that he is not rushing to sign a new contract.

Tuttosport (via Football Italia) are reporting that the manager has even ‘postponed meetings’ with the club’s board as he is currently focused on matters on the pitch.

But it is stated that Tottenham ‘won’t wait forever’ and they have set a deadline of January for an extension to be settled.
 
metalgear said:
will take more games before many will be convinced that we can do this consistently.
in many games it feels like we're going to conceded early and have had to claw our way back into games.
could be all perceptions and emotions spooking objectivity... but its so easy (and fun) to get caught up in the flow.
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CAn be perceptions of course but the fact we’re on a huge unbeaten run in the league and have our equal best start isn’t a perception

people get caught up in possession equals control. It’s one of the few sports where it still sits there as a key “measure”

What il also add is if you score against us we have the capability to knock you for six

we remind me of Floyd Mayweather in his heyday.
 
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glorygloryeze said:
Wrt the bolded bit are you honestly saying you were happy when our midfield starters were Winks and Sissoko?
Are you honestly saying the best teams don't end to have the best and most dominant midfields?
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If you want to know why games aren’t won in the middle…. That pair got us to the CL final
We have had many better pairings achive much less
 
We attack when we want to
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Bedfordspurs said:
CAn be perceptions of course but the fact we’re on a huge unbeaten run in the league and have our equal best start isn’t a perception

people get caught up in possession equals control. It’s one of the few sports where it still sits there as a key “measure”

What il also add is if you score against us we have the capability to knock you for six

we remind me of Floyd Mayweather in his heyday.
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perceptions is right. diligently watching arsenal and Emirates Marketing Project games often doesn't help too. they play nice football and win convincingly.
 
Lilbaz said:
Managers who get their teams playing well keep their jobs. That can run out though.
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Not really
Managers can be flavours of the month too, and a LOT depends on the owners and how motivated they are
Arteta could have been sacked 2 years ago… but their owners don’t really care as long as the club has a high value. They realised pumping some money in may help and they are now one of the biggest spenders in Europe, protecting their investment.
now they have buy in from their fans they can all “trust the process” even if it leads to nothing
Other good coaches can achieve things but fall foul of owners (Tuchel being an example)
We’re in a good place right now.. it won’t continue forever which we know so we have to maximise what we have
 
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