Antonio Conte wants Tottenham Hotspur to show their mean streak in order to evolve
Antonio Conte has demanded that Tottenham Hotspur should become “nasty” and draw “blood” from their opponents to reach the next level. He was asked whether instructions were given to the players about committing “tactical fouls”, as noticed during the match against Manchester City.
There have been several times in the past when Tottenham was considered to be “too soft” for their own benefit. That was especially the case under Nuno Espirito Santo, as the team looked nowhere near “nitty-gritty” enough to deal with the intensity of the opposition. Mauricio Pochettino also wanted Spurs to practise “dark arts” to boost their chances.
Speaking in an interview (h/t Football.London), Conte has expressed that the North London side need to take every possible step to gain an advantage over their opponents. He wants to instil the “winning mentality” into the squad and has added that the players have so far taken well to the instructions.
“Yes, you said it well because a strong team has to become nasty. During the game, you have to feel the blood of your opponent. We’re talking about the mentality aspect, about the right mentality, the winning mentality. For sure, this aspect that we’re working on, we need time and patience, but I’m happy because I know with our players, when I tell them something, what I say goes into their heads and doesn’t go in one ear and out the other.”
More to follow?
One could argue that practising the “dark arts” does not suit the integrity of the sport, but that is simply not the case. There are different ways to play football, and top teams explore every single method to gain an edge over their competitors.
Pep Guardiola’s side is one of the most noticeable teams who employ these tactics as they leave large amounts of space behind their defence. Hence, giving them a taste of their own medicine was great on our part, showcasing one of the key improvements under the Spurs boss.
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We would certainly need to do more of the same moving forward to bring in the success that has eluded us for quite a long time. Since our qualification for the Champions League is still up in the air, we must make drastic changes to beat off the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United.
It will be interesting to see our development in utilising the “dark arts” moving forward. Whether that will cause an effect this season itself or not remains to be seen in the months to come. As long as we bend the rules and not break them, it should be just fine.
