Conte's toughest test to recharge predictable Spurs

Saturday's goalless draw at Brentford left Tottenham two points behind Arsenal in top four race

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane (centre) with an attempt at goal during the Premier League match at the Brentford Community Stadium, London. Picture: Adam Davy/PA Wire 

ANTONIO CONTE is widely acknowledged as a world-class coach, but the next three weeks will determine whether he has the skillkset to pull off one of the biggest challenges in English football – to take Tottenham back to the top table.

Conte rightly pointed to the huge improvement he has overseen at the club since succeeding Nuno Espirito Santo last November, when Spurs were floundering in mid-table and playing dull, directionless football.

With the exception of one or two blips, this Tottenham side look more like the team Mauricio Pochettino moulded into a fearsome attacking outfit that challenged for the Premier League title and were 90 minutes away from being European Champions.

Spurs are knocking on the door of the top four after a strong run of results since the turn of the year, but Saturday's goalless draw at Brentford, following their home defeat by Brighton a week earlier, mean that familiar doubts have resurfaced, particularly in their failure to score or get many shots on goal over the course of 180 minutes against modest opposition.

Conte says he spent the past week on the training ground working out ways to break down stubborn defences, but there was little to show for it on Saturday, as Brentford did the sort of solid job on them that Brighton had done previously. “Last week, after the game against Brighton, we worked on this aspect in training to try to find a way forward with 10 players behind the ball.

“It is a consequence when you score many goals, you start to become a dangerous team and the opponent pays more attention.” 

Perhaps Spurs are too predictable and need to be able to change gear, or vary their approach at times. Certainly the patient build-up from the back allows opponents to regroup and defend in depth, as both Brighton and Brentford did superbly.

When Thomas Frank was asked about Tottenham's predictability he admitted: “In some ways it is easier to prepare for, but on the other hand it is not easy to stop. In recent weeks Tottenham were the highest scoring team and scored goals for fun. If you get too open, or they score the first goal, that changes the dynamic. When you know their clear patterns, you can prepare the best way to stop it. And when it works, like it did for us today, then it is fantastic.” 

Pochettino's side had the finishing prowess of Harry Kane and Heung Min Son, but also the clever movement of Dele Alli and most of all the creativity of Christian Eriksen, who is now wearing the red and white of Brentford after Frank gave his fellow Dane a second chance.

Having orchestrated Brentford's win at Chelsea recently, and been instrumental in their Premier League survival, Eriksen demonstrated once again that he is one of the best creative midfielders in the business.

Spurs – and other, bigger sides – are crying out for his creativity and his arrangement with Brentford only runs for another few weeks. Frank was asked again if he thinks Eriksen will be a Brentford player next season, and responded: “Good question! I'm very confident, and very hopeful, but that will be a decision for the end of the season.

“I'll do what I can, but it's down to Christian – there are pros and cons and it is his decision. I hope he makes it the best choice for him and his family, and I hope it is us.” 

In the meantime, Conte has to find a way to get his side scoring again. They face Leicester at home next week, before a daunting visit to Liverpool and then what may turn out to be a pivotal home game against Arsenal, who leapfrogged them into fourth place by beating Manchester United on Saturday and are now two points ahead.

Conte is pleased that Tottenham are better defensively, although that sentiment would have been dented if Ivan Toney had found the net instead of the woodwork twice, but Spurs will need to show more going forward than they have managed in the past two games if they are to secure a top four finish.

“Don't forget that in November Tottenham were in big trouble,” added Conte.

“Now we have five games to go and the possibility to stay in this race for fourth place, which means the players have improved a lot and we are doing a great job.

“But we have to know in this last month, if we gave 120 per cent maybe it's not enough, we have to try to increase and go 150 per cent to try to reach this target.” 

BRENTFORD:  Raya 7; Roerslev 7, Jansson 7, Sorensen 6; Ghoddos 6 (Wissa 78) Janelt7, Eriksen 8, Jensen 6 (Da Silva 78), Henry 6; Mbeumo 6, Toney 7.

TOTTENHAM: Lloris 7; Romero 7, Dier 7, Davies 6; Emerson Royal 5 (Lucas Moura 86), Hjobjerg 7, Bentancur 7, Sessegnon 5 (Sanchez 74); Kulusevski 6, Kane 7, Son 6.

Ref: Martin Atkinson 4/10