Tottenham Hotspur are surging under Antonio Conte

EARLIER this month, Antonio Conte admitted that the Tottenham job represents the biggest challenge of his managerial career.

The 52-year-old has won titles with Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan, as well as spending time in charge of Italian national team. But he feels the combination of the state of the squad he inherited from Nuno Espirito Santo in November and the expectations in north London means the kind of instant success he has enjoyed elsewhere is unlikely with Spurs.

“The club, in the last years, has been slipping,” he said. “If I compare Tottenham to when I was in Chelsea, Tottenham was very, very competitive, was a really, really strong team.

“And I think that to lose important players or someone became old and then to have a change of generation, I think Tottenham now is paying a bit of this.

“Now we have to create, to start again. To think that we have to create a solid base and then to build. Because if we don’t have a solid base, it’s impossible to build something important.”

Yet, just over a month into his reign at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the improvements the new boss has inspired are already evident.

In the four Premier League games Conte has overseen, Spurs remain unbeaten. A draw away to Everton in his first match at the helm has been followed by three successive victories, over Leeds United, Brentford and Norwich City. They have risen from ninth to fifth, just two points behind fourth-placed West Ham and with a game in hand.

Admittedly, the level of opposition has afforded a soft start to the Conte era and tougher tests will follow. It is impressive, though, how quickly he has stamped his mark on his new charges, given how the club were floundering under his predecessor, who had only been appointed in June.

Tactically, Conte has introduced the 3-4-3 shape with which he won the Premier League while at Chelsea. But it is as much a philosophical shift as a tactical one that has turned the Tottenham tide under the Italian: Spurs are becoming less reliant on Harry Kane.

Antonio Conte’s Spurs get their third straight win in the Premier League 📈 pic.twitter.com/5vc2FiKfLI

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 5, 2021

Kane has endured a slow start to the season. After finishing the previous campaign topping both the goal-scoring and assists charts, he has notched just once in each category in league play so far this term.

While previously, Kane’s lack of scoring form would have had direct and dire ramifications for Tottenham’s attacking output, Conte has instead emboldened Lucas Moura and Son Heung-min, the wide forwards who are operating either side of the England captain in the new-look Spurs system.

This was in evidence perfectly in last weekend’s win 3-0 over Norwich. Moura opened the scoring with a stunning effort, which was assisted by Son. It was the Brazilian’s first strike of the season, but he has looked revitalised and comfortable with an increased responsibility since Conte’s arrival.

Then the South Korean was on hand to ensure all three points were secured by scoring the game’s final goal with 13 minutes to play. It was Son’s sixth goal of the season, to add to his two assists, meaning he has had a direct hand in 50 per cent of Tottenham’s league goals in 2021-22.

Last season, Kane was responsible – as either scorer or creator – for 54 per cent of Spurs’ goals. This term, it’s just 13 per cent.

As well as being less reliant on Kane, Tottenham have also been less reliant on the ball under Conte. Their recent run of wins has been achieved with relative comfort despite 43, 47 and 41 per cent shares of possession, respectively, exhibiting off-ball organisation and ruthless efficiency when on the ball.

In addition to replicating the formation that proved so successful for him at Stamford Bridge, Conte has repeated another of his Chelsea tricks at Spurs, with defender Ben Davies the unlikely beneficiary.

While in charge of the Blues, Conte’s use of a three-man backline not only shored up his side’s rear guard but also served to aid the attack. David Luiz, the middle centre-back, would often carry the ball forward to instigate attacking moves. Cesar Azpilicueta, on the right of the three, was employed to provide a reliable supply of dangerous crosses from a narrow, advanced position, registering 10 Premier League assists in two seasons under the Italian tactician.

Davies’ left-footed delivery could prove equally potent for Spurs. The Welshman, who has spent most of his career as either a full-back or wing-back, has been reimagined of late as a left-sided centre-half, and Conte has released the former Swansea City man to roam forward to augment the attack. Last weekend, this resulted in his first assist of the season, crossing for fellow defender Davinson Sanchez to head home against Norwich.

Conte is right to caution that success at Spurs might come slower than in his previous posts. But the early signs point towards as bright a beginning in keeping with the Italian’s gilded reputation.