How Conte’s tactics could change things instantly at Spurs – tactical analysis

Tottenham have just introduced their fourth manager in the matter of three years Antonio Conte and while the Italian’s style if very distinguished and recognizable, his future tactics at Spurs are a highly anticipated topic.

The London team have struggled to get back to their best form after Mauricio Pochettino left in 2019 and neither José Mourinho, Ryan Mason nor Nuno Espírito Santo have managed to enhance their strategy to the Pochettino levels.

Santo was the last one to try, coming in in the summer, but with his team being highly inefficient in attack and vulnerable defensively, the Portuguese was sacked and immediately replaced by Conte.

The team currently sit ninth in the Premier League with one of the worst displays in attack, scoring only nine goals in 10 games and having an unsatisfying defensive record of 16 conceded goals.

Spurs also participate in the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League where things don’t look much better. They currently sit third in their group with only four points, while Vitesse and Stade Rennais are fighting for the leading spot.

They are lacking explosiveness in attack with their talisman Harry Kane being out of form and lacking motivation after a failed exit in the summer. They don’t have defensive stability either, being vulnerable on a counter and failing to defend against set-pieces.

Conte didn’t find the team in their best shape and his first task would be improving the discipline and achieving consistent performance. This tactical analysis will explain how he could transform Tottenham tactically in an effort to increase their efficiency.

How could Spurs look in a back-three?

It is expected that the Italian manager will try to transform Spurs tactics starting from the back. Implementing his back three strategy, though, might not be that easy as he might face some deficiencies in certain positions.

Conte didn’t hesitate to experiment and set the team up in a 3-4-3 formation in his first game in charge against Vitesse in the Conference League. His three-man defensive line consisted of Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Eric Dier. But are these players the best option for his strategy?

The Italian usually requires his centre backs to be confident on the ball and with strong spatial awareness. Not only they should be able to bypass the opposing pressing structures, but they also need to confidently circulate the ball at the back and combine with the goalkeeper in efforts to retain possession and open the passing lanes. They should be able to advance the ball and move into a more advanced position when in possession, pushing the opposition in their own half.

That is something that both Dier and Romero have experience in and could build on. They both have a high pass completion rates and are often responsible for delivering the ball further. It is expected that Romero would be most beneficial for the team, due to his experience in a similar set-up with Atalanta last season. The Argentine is used to playing in a back three and knows how to split his responsibilities in and out of possession.

Employing Dier, Romero and Japhet Tanganga next to each other could grow into a solid foundation. They might be able to achieve balance as the additional defensive support from the wing-backs will give them better coverge at the back, but with they would also be able to get the ball out into more advanced positions. Tanganga’s dribbling abilities and passing often find him advancing on the flank, which could be beneficial for their build-up from the back. His movement could also allow the right wing-back more freedom to move forward. There is a downside of using him, though, as he is unstable when it comes to direct defensive actions and often fails in his duels.

In terms of defensive coverage, Conte usually heavily relies on press intensity and on his teams to recover the ball in their own half. He likes to have players with different skillsets in his backline so they can balance off each other out of possession. Their positional awareness is very important as well as their measured actions in direct challenges. Romero excels in his defensive duels as he is constantly trying to win the ball back and not let the opposition closer to the goal. That has resulted in averaging 11.04 defensive duels per 90 with 84.75% success rate.

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