Antonio Conte’s transfer dilemma eased as rallying call pays off in Crystal Palace win

Conte rages with UEFA decision as Tottenham exit Conference League

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One month ago, a frozen and frazzled Antonio Conte decried “I am not a magician”. Well, he has certainly been working some magic on this Tottenham Hotspur side.

The Italian may not be able to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but he has retrieved Harry Kane’s goalscoring instinct and some desperately needed solidity from absolute nowhere. Crystal Palace began the team with furious intensity and precision, yet their promising beginning was destroyed amidst a haze of Sao Paolo magic and Walthamstow punch.

Emerson Royal triggered a counterattack by freeing his fellow Brazilian compatriot Lucas Moura down the right-hand side, and the former Paris Saint-Germain star found the lurking England Captain, who swept home through the hands of Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Three minutes later, the same terrifying trio combined again, this time Kane was the instigator who freed Emerson down the right-hand side, and the former Barcelona star floated a wonderful cross onto the on-rushing Lucas, who rose high and headed into the back of the net.

The victory was all but assured on the stroke of half-time, not by Tottenham however, but by Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha, who got himself a second yellow card when needlessly shoved Davinson Sanchez, leaving Jon Moss with no choice but to give him his marching orders. Moura created the third goal in the 74th minute, by swinging in a sumptuous low cross for Son-Heung Min to tap home. 

When the score was 0-0 and the teams were still 11vs11, Tottenham played like a team who had consumed one too many Turkey sandwiches before the contest. Their passing was slow, laborious, and Palace looked the more likely to find the net.

However, Conte’s title winning sides only need one gust of energy to strike a ruthless counterpunch to get themselves in front. Conte’s anticipated reversion to his favoured back three has injected reassurance and solidity to a Tottenham side who were so firmly derided under Nuno Espirito-Santo.

Emerson’s summer arrival from Barcelona triggered Santo’s first collapse in North London, a hideous run of three consecutive defeats and nine goals conceded accompanied his debut at the club.

While things did not improve for the Brazilian as the weeks progressed, Spurs’ downfall was also connected to the form of former England international Eric Dier, as well as a fledgling midfield. Yet Conte’s overhaul of the formation and introduction of an addition defender in the back line has isolated their greatest strengths and ensured their weaknesses are protected.

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Emerson’s strengths lie in his ability to maraud forward and link up with Lucas and Kane in the final third, while Dier’s new central position within the back three means he is free to win headers and carry the ball forward.

“Eric Dier can become one of the best players in the world in that position” Conte said after Tottenham’s 2-2 draw against Liverpool. “He has a great space for improvement but we are talking about a really good player, strong physically with a good personality and good technically because he was a midfielder.

“This role is perfect for him. He has to continue this way because he can become one of the best central defenders.” Whispers of a major Spurs overhaul in the January transfer window accompanied Conte’s arrival into the club.

Yet, the addition of a manager whose impeccable ability to meticulously assess the weaknesses of a side and enhance the capabilities in a short space of time can shift the fortunes of a side more effectively than ten consecutive transfer windows.

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However, Conte would have likely turned down Daniel Levy’s advances once again if he was not afforded transfer assurances. But the initial areas of weakness identified by the footballing world before his arrival may no longer need addressing.

Commitment and hard work on the training ground, accompanied with a small number of new signings tends to be all Conte needs to build a side who can compete for the top titles.

Summer reports from the Sun claimed Dier was one of several names of the chopping block at Spurs, yet the only list he will likely find himself on is Conte’s starting elevens.

Conte’s delirious celebrations on the side-lines alongside his often fiery demeanour off the pitch has often resulted in his man-management skills being forgotten about.

And if his previous glowing words for Dier are anything to go by, then the England international’s future in North London is as assured and solid as his recent displays at the heart of Conte’s revolution.

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