Antonio Conte has revealed that Matt Doherty and Oliver Skipp will hopefully both be in contention for more minutes after the international break this month.
Both players proved to be important assets for the Italian last season, but their campaigns were cut short by serious respective injuries. As such, neither has featured regularly under Conte so far this season, despite eight games being played already.
Emerson Royal has been the first-choice right-wing-back, starting all eight games, while Conte has preferred his tried-and-tested midfield duo of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Conte has claimed that Doherty is improving a lot and will likely play two games with his country during the international break, while reminding people that Skipp is an important player who will build his physical condition over the coming weeks.
He said (Football London): “I can explain because I like to be honest, not only with you but first of all my players.
“In this first part of seven games, don’t forget we had players like Matthew that had serious injury and I said in the past he is struggling a bit to come back as the player I knew last season.
“For sure now he is improving a lot and for now it is the international break, he will have two games with the national team and he will come back and I will have the possibility to have another player with rotation.
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“It is the same with Skippy because in this period, Skippy had a serious injury. He played his last game in January, maybe December.
“Don’t forget Skippy. He is very reliable, he’s a prospect but I can count on him. He’s an important player. In the next few games, he can have a better physical condition and I can count on him also.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
Oliver Skipp and Matt Doherty will be really important players once they build their fitness this season. Spurs need fresh legs in the centre of the park, and desperately need competition for Emerson Royal at right-wing-back. The stronger the squad is, the stronger the results on the pitch will be, and Conte knows that.
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