The manager of Tottenham Hotspur, Antonio Conte has admitted that it might be impossible for the club to make the Premier League top four based on the club’s current form.
The Italian tactician who has been able to revitalize the club within four months has heightened the expectations of the club’s fans due to his managerial pedigree. Currently, the fans are expecting nothing but a top-four finish from him and his team. But Antonio Conte wants them to think otherwise.
Antonio Conte started doubting Tottenham Hotspur’s capacity to make it to the top four after recording three successive defeats in the league.
Recall that on January 23, Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-0 against Chelsea. On February 9, Tottenham Hotspur lost 2-3 at home against Southampton.
On Sunday, February 13, Antonio Conte was expected to find a way to make his team bounce back from the losing streak but it was not to be. Wolverhampton Wanderers visited Tottenham Hotspur stadium and ran away with a 2-0 victory.
Antonio Conte and his boys are in a tough top-four race
Tottenham Hotspur’s unexpected defeat at the hands of Wolves on Sunday has pushed coach Antonio Conte and his boys from the 7th spot to the 8th spot on the Premier League table. They now have 36 points in 22 games, five points away from 4th placed West Ham United.
As it stands, the top-four race has been thrown wide open. Five teams, from 4th place to 8th place, have the potential of making it to the spot.
For instance, 7th placed Wolves have 37 points in 23 games, 6th placed Arsenal have 39 points in 22 games, 5th placed Manchester United have 40 points in 24 games, while 4th placed West Ham United have 41 points in 25 games. Any of these teams that keep winning their league games for the rest of the season stand a very bright chance to break into the top four.
Hence, the race is not for the teams that are not consistent like the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. The inconsistency of Spurs has forced coach Conte to start doubting his team.
Below is the reason Conte thinks Tottenham Hotspur might not make it to the top four.
Coach Antonio Conte has cited the three successive defeats his team suffered at the hands of Chelsea, Southampton, and Wolves as the reason why it might be impossible for Tottenham Hotspur to make it to the top four.
“When you lose two games at home and against Chelsea – for a team that want to qualify for the Champions League, it’s impossible to happen,” the Italian tactician told Sky Sports.
“We know we have to fight to build something important with the situation but it’s important to know the situation. Maybe our fans shouldn’t be disappointed with the defeat – instead, they should try and push us and stay behind us. The players need to find the right atmosphere and feel no pressure about a target that at this moment you can’t reach. I’ve been saying this since my arrival.”
Also, during the post-match press conference on Sunday, the coach urged the fans and other stakeholders at the club to be realistic and patient.
“We need to be realistic and together”, he said. “Also with our fans. The fans need to understand to have patience, to wait to rebuild again to a situation they were used to in the past. Now the situation has changed, not only with me but with the other coaches.
“We are working hard with the players and there is a great commitment but it’s not enough if we want to be competitive. We have to wait. Step-by-step. And it’s important to be realistic and very clear.”
Antonio Conte: "For me it's very difficult to talk about fourth place, because I am used to play for other targets."pic.twitter.com/84YwVWLEDQ
— The Spurs Web ⚪️ (@thespursweb) February 13, 2022
On the assessment of his team against Wolves, Conte added: “To describe the defeat is difficult. It was one of the best games we’ve played – we created lots of chances to score.
“We had the possession but it’s also difficult to explain how we started by conceding two goals – it’s difficult to comment on the two goals we conceded. It’s not easy when you start the game in this way. Until the end, we pushed and tried to score. We created chances. But we are talking about another defeat. We will continue to work and we have to struggle every time we play to get three points. The environment is used to playing for fourth place and Champions League but now I think everybody has to realize something has changed compared to the past.
“We have to know this. I’m doing everything to improve the situation. The environment has to understand our position at this moment.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s next Premier League game is against Manchester City. The league game is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, February 19. The kick-off time is 18:30.
