Tottenham vs Everton analysis: What we learned from Antonio Conte’s first Premier League game at Spurs
Everton 0 Tottenham 0
GOODISON PARK — One of the many myths about Antonio Conte’s managerial capabilities is that he is the fiery second coming of Jose Mourinho, in that his football is unattractive and arduous, rather than pleasing on the eye.
His approach is not exactly swashbuckling, but the goals do flow. His Inter Milan side were the top goalscorers en route to their first Serie A title in 11 years last season, while Conte’s Chelsea team plundered 85 on their way to their last Premier League crown in 2016-17.
It is just everything in moderation for Conte. His players can attack in great number, as long as it is within his rigid system.
Such discipline can reap rewards at both ends as, after the chaos of the Europa Conference League in midweek, the curtailed, determined defensive side to Conteball bore fruit in a cauldron-like Goodison Park atmosphere, even if the attack once again flattered to deceive.
“Goodison is not an easy place to come, especially after an intense week for the players,” Conte said after the stalemate. “I’m happy.
“We made many mistakes with the final pass, but today I have seen the heart from my players, the willingness to sacrifice. Today we did not concede a goal, and that is a good start to improve. We are learning to be stable.”
As the first half swung between the dull and the dire – the frustration among an expectant Everton crowd palpable, given the run their side had been on, under a manager nobody really wanted – the histrionics of Conte kept everyone entertained.
For his return to the Premier League, Conte brought out all the hits: the leaning-back bellow of inaudible noises, pointing out each pass in advance, cajoling his players through every counter-attack. He was, as always, breathless to watch.
Conte, in the little time he has had with his players, has already implemented his customary three at the back system, with those extra few days following their porous display against Vitesse Arnhem helping him solidify Spurs’ foundations. Everton were made to work hard for every opening as they were frustrated time and again.
After a turgid first half, the chances of much in the way of goalmouth action in the second period seemed as likely as the fourth official’s attempts to keep Conte in his technical area paying off.
However, somebody poured water on the hot coals as the temperature in Goodison increased tenfold, with VAR at the centre of everything. Richarlison went down as he nudged the ball past Hugo Lloris on the hour, prompting referee Chris Kavanagh to point to the penalty spot. Kavanagh was then asked to have another look on the pitchside monitor, before overturning the decision, deeming Lloris to have got a hand on the ball first.
Lloris appeared to take Richarlison down in the box (Photo: Getty)
“If that is in the middle of the pitch, it is a foul – so if it is in the box, it has to be a foul too,” Benitez said. “If you give the penalty, nobody would be complaining. Lloris touched him.”
To almost send the mercury bursting out of the top of the thermometer, a replay of the incident was shown on the big screen, uniting the Toffees in the feeling they had certainly been robbed.
It was backs to the wall for Spurs as Goodison rocked, but as Everton lacked that required quality in the final third, Spurs almost stole the win late on when Giovani Lo Celso was denied by a post.
Marc Perry had one final VAR intervention in stoppage time, to further reinforce his banning order on Merseyside, asking Kavanagh to have another look at Mason Holgate’s challenge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, convincing the on-field official to change his yellow card to red.
There were boos at the end, but not for Benitez this time. A spirited point will have pleased both managers. A fourth league defeat in a row could have led to Benitez becoming the next Premier League manager flung on the bonfire, while Conte needed some restoration of law and order after the Vitesse anarchy.
There is a long, long way to go in Conte’s attempts to turn things around at Spurs. The attack needs more than a fine-tune – they have failed to register a shot on target in consecutive Premier League games for the first time since 2003-04, when such data became available, but the early signs are the Italian is already doing his utmost to calm the chaos further back.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2YrejGf
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