Antonio Conte's suggestion to football.london that Tottenham Hotspur do not require a new centre-back next month has surprised some of the club's fans.
Spurs' defence looked shaky once again on Boxing Day as they conceded the first goal for the ninth consecutive match in all competitions - six in a row in the Premier League. They went 2-0 down at Brentford this time before fighting back once again this season to draw 2-2 with Thomas Frank's men.
Tottenham are without World Cup winner Cristian Romero, who is due to return to training on Tuesday after his exploits in Qatar with Argentina, but the north London club are yet to convince at the back this season. However, when football.london asked Conte whether he would like to sign a new centre-back in the January transfer window, the head coach did not seem to be keen.
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"No, about the defenders, I think now we’ve have recovered also Japhet Tanganga. It was his first game this season. He struggled a lot with his knee. You know now that he needs a bit of time to grow into the game, but I’m pleased for him to play a game today," said the Italian.
"Then at central defender I think we are good. We have to continue to work, to work. Cuti Romero comes back tomorrow in the training session. I repeat in one side I am a bit disappointed this season because we have conceded many goals. In the other side I think that we are scoring many goals, creating chances and to attack with many players."
Conte has previously said that he wants new arrivals next month and this could be a tactic to ensure clubs to not put up the price tags on potential centre-back options or simply a way to prevent demoralising his current defenders, but it was a statement that was not wanted many of the supporters wanted to hear after another disappointing display at the back.
The Spurs boss does want to find a solution though to his team's first half woes as quickly as possible.
"I think for the people that today watched the game, but this is the not the first time they watched Tottenham, it was another exciting game. In one side, I have to be happy for the way, for the reaction, for the way we played in the second half of the game, but not only the way we scored two goals, but the energy, the desire, the intensity that we played. When you play in this way for sure you create a lot of problems for your opponent," he told football.london.
"In this side I’m happy. In the other side, this is nine games in a row that we conceded the first goal. This is not positive because understand we have great character, understand that we have a great reaction, understand that we believe in ourselves but at the same time it's important to be stable for a team that wants to try to stay in a good position in the table.
"To concede for many games the first goal or also two goals, we have to make good reflections and try to find the solution. For me this is the first time that happened this type of situation, to concede the first goal nine times in a row the first goal (laughs) to your opponent, but at the same time it’s the first time to have this fantastic reaction of these players."
He added: "They showed great character, great desire, but we have to put these from the start. In our mind it was so, we wanted to start in this way. Then we conceded a goal and then we conceded another goal from a set piece.
"Against a team that I want to underline also is not an easy game. Brentford, don’t forget they have beaten this season important teams like City, United, Chelsea they drew at home but maybe they deserve much more. It’s not easy to play against Brentford because we are talking about a physical team.
"When you go to press them they play a long ball and Toney is really good to keep the ball and to play with the every striker. Every set piece in every zone of the pitch they put this ball into the box.
"They are physically strong and not an easy game. I want to underline this, but at the end, we could win and it's ok."
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