Tottenham Hotspur secured another three points in the Premier League this afternoon with a well-deserved 2-1 win over Fulham.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from the match:
Changes for Conte
Conte decided to make five changes from the mid-week draw against West Ham, something we have rarely seen from the Italian. Clement Lenglet and Cristian Romero came into defence, with Ryan Sessegnon at LWB. Rodrigo Bentancur returned to midfield and Richarlison replaced Kulusevski on the right. This is the clearest indication yet of Conte’s improved strength in depth this season.
Tactics at the back
Romero and Lenglet coming in was a clear game plan from Conte today to place more emphasis on passing out from the back, which Spurs struggled with against West Ham. Dier pushed higher up the pitch to occupy Fulham attackers, while also offering a pass into midfield, giving Lenglet and Romero more time on the ball to pick a pass. As a result, Tottenham found it much much easier to transition from defence to attack. A great game plan for low block teams.
Kane taken off early
Something we have rarely seen from any manager since Kane burst onto the scene, Conte chose to take his talisman off early today. I’m a big fan of this and have been calling for it for a long time. If Spurs are 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go, back the team and protect Kane from needless injuries and fatigue. Another show of strength in depth.
Bentancur masterclass
How good was this man today? My Man of the Match. He dictates Tottenham’s tempo from start to finish and that’s what Spurs were missing against West Ham. He always moves into space to offer an option. He always finds the right pass. He always stays cool under pressure. He transitions Spurs from defence to attack. He gets stuck into the challenges. And he even knows when to opt for the dark arts. Such an underrated Premier League player.
Hojbjerg critics
Oh look, once again he proves them wrong. Hojbjerg is class and Tottenham’s Mr. Consistent. Watch football if you disagree. That is all.
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