Eric Dier says Antonio Conte has urged Tottenham’s centre-backs to “break the lines and be aggressive”, highlighting teammate Cristian Romero as the perfect example.
Spurs kept their top four hopes on track with a vital victory over rivals West Ham on Sunday, running out 3-1 winners at the London Stadium.
Dier and Romero have both been exception under Conte following their returns from injury, highlighting the importance of their absences in the early part of the Italian’s reign.
Romero’s display against the Hammers was particularly impressive as he helped stifle Michail Antonio en route to a crucial three points.
“That’s what the manager wants in the centre-backs, especially on the sides, but from all three of us – to break the lines and be aggressive,” Dier said.
“We are playing a back five but it is rarely a back five, someone is always trying to break the lines for us to be more proactive and more aggressive and allow us to press up the pitch. Cuti [Romero], one of his best qualities is that he is very aggressive and he reads the game very well.”
Harry Kane and Heung-min Son were the difference as Spurs returned to within three points of fourth-placed Arsenal and secured back-to-back wins for the first time since Boxing Day.
Kurt Zouma turned Kane’s cross his own net under pressure from Son, and the England captain set up fine finishes from the South Korean either side of half-time.
The victory finally ended the win-loss-win-loss cycle that has cost Spurs valuable ground in the race for Champions League qualification.
“I can’t hide that [our inconsistency] has been weighing on my mind, it has been weighing on all of our minds and to end that [cycle] now before the international break is really important for us,” Dier said.
