Journo clarifies Djed Spence situation after Tottenham Hotspur drop him from squad against Chelsea

Antonio Conte picked a rather predictable starting XI for Tottenham Hotspur against Chelsea in their London derby today.

The Italian manager has named an unchanged side that beat Southampton 4-1 last weekend. Fans would have been wondering if the experienced Ivan Perisic would replace Ryan Sessegnon on the left flank and if Yves Bissouma would start the game.

However, Conte has decided to stick with the winning formula and understandably. No point in changing the starting XI if no player has given you a reason to take him out.

One big, glaring absence from the matchday squad is that of new signing Djed Spence. Signed from Middlesbrough for a fee that could reach £20million, the young English full-back is expected to compete with Emerson Royal for a place in the starting XI.

He, however, is not even on the bench while the Brazilian defender starts the game. Matt Doherty is on the bench in case the former Inter Milan manager would want to switch things around mid-game.

According to Alasdair Gold of Football.London, Spence has travelled with the squad but is left out of the picture due to tactical reasons. There seems to be no hint of an injury or fitness-related issue as of now.

Conte’s treatment of Spence has been, in all honesty, a little odd. He claimed that Spence was a signing by the club once the deal was official.

Then, in a post-match interview after the loss against Roma last month, Conte asked Spence, along with a couple of other players, to improve their game even though he did not play a single minute in that match.

And now, Spence has travelled with the squad but will play no part in the London derby. Perhaps, he is a signing for the future but let us hope he does not turn out to be a signing we regret.

More Tottenham News:

• Tottenham Hotspur told only Yves Bissouma will be regular under Antonio Conte out of all summer signings
• William Gallas tips Tottenham Hotspur to win the Premier League title, makes ridiculous Liverpool claim
• Injury News: Chelsea rule out Marcos Alonso and Matteo Kovacic for Tottenham Hotspur tie

There will be chances for him to impress. He must be patient and on his toes to pounce on them.