Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte gives reasons behind changes in his team in 1-1 draw vs Southampton

Antonio Conte has conveyed the reasons for the rotations he made against Southampton as Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 on the day. Spurs had the opportunity to take advantage of the red card given to Mohammed Salisu early on in the game but failed in doing so.

James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring for the Saints just before the half-hour mark as they dominated the first half. Tottenham tied the game through Harry Kane’s penalty after Son Heung-Min had won them the spot-kick. Salisu got his second yellow for another failed challenge and was given the marching orders.

Speaking in the post-match press conference (h/t Football.London), Conte has explained his decision to play Dele Alli in a different role and how it was necessary to keep the squad fresh during the congested fixture list. He added that matters were made worse by the Covid situation, and he had to take appropriate actions.

“He [Alli] played like a midfielder, like a number eight, we started to play with Winks in front of the defensive line, on the left, Hojbjerg, on the right Dele. Today I decided to make three rotations after the game against Crystal Palace. Davies for Tanganga, Winksy for Skipp and Dele for Lucas. Don’t forget we faced the Covid and many many players were affected with the Covid. I had to try to manage the situation in the best possible way. I decided on these three rotations, that’s all.”

Necessary changes

The changes made to the squad could have had an impact on the team not being at their best, as we have seen in recent games. At the same time, it could also be a result of what happened this month and the congested schedule that followed it. As such, we must manage the game time not to run the players into the ground as the season is still long.

We have some breathing room up ahead before our next few matches, and we should focus on the recovery to get back to our best. Spurs still have pending games that need to be played next year, and this performance vs the Saints can be an example of how things could be when that time comes.

We still had a bulk of our main squad in the starting lineup, and we should have won the match regardless of the minor rotations. The team was solid to an extent and should have rightfully got the three points if not for some dubious calls by the referee. However, it was noticeable how some could not keep up their intensity throughout the game.

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The negative effects of the virus outbreak on the squad will hopefully dissipate completely with time, giving the Italian coach the license to take decisions without any restrictions. We will travel to face Watford on Saturday, and we will have some ample time to regain fitness. The team needs to be back on the winning track to keep putting pressure on the competitors for getting into the top four come May.

And with the January transfer window fast approaching, it wouldn’t be a shabby idea to bring in a few top-quality players as well, especially in defence. Squad rotations is a part and parcel of English football, which is why the depth in the squad can, at times, matter even more than the strength of the best possible XI.