When Antonio Conte's Tottenham side return to Premier League football at the beginning of April, they will have just nine games remaining. Spurs currently sit fifth in the table, three points behind Arsenal, who do have a game in hand.
The Lilywhites have gone into the break on the back of a 3-1 victory against West Ham, after a solid display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs seemed to have found their momentum again, but will have to wait until after the break to see if they can extend that winning run further.
After the victory over David Moyes' side, Conte was asked about his thoughts on the break. "Honestly it’s a pity to have the international break in this moment because in this moment we are in good form, in a good moment about the results, the performance," the Italian admitted. "I know very well there is an international break and with the players that have to go with the national team we will see them after nine days, ten days but with the others we prepared two different situations of rest.
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"Before two days to rest and then to work and then other two days to rest and start work again. But for sure we want to try to exploit this period for those not going with their international team to try to continue to improve on the technical and tactical aspect."
There is still work to be done for Tottenham in their top four race and when league action returns they still have to play Arsenal and Liverpool. Their chances of gaining a spot in the Champions League for next season will require those around them to drop points but all Conte can do is focus on his side finishing the season in the strongest possible position.
With Premier League action now on hold and the international break beginning, football.london takes a look at what the Italian needs to do during this period.
Getting injured players fit
As with every team, Conte is still struggling with a number of his players out injured. Tottenham revealed last week that Japhet Tanganga would be ruled out for the rest of the season after he had to undergo surgery on his knee, the injury that had already kept him out of action for a while.
The situation regarding Ryan Sessegnon and Oliver Skipp, who have both also been out for a time with injuries, appears more positive, however. Although there is no definitive return date for either 21-year-old, the Italian did provide an update on their absences and potential return.
"About Skippy, I hope to have him after the international break. His pain it seems is getting better and better," he explained when speaking to the media on Friday. "It’s difficult to answer now. We’ll have two weeks to see this improvement and make him ready for the game against Newcastle.
"About Ryan, we’re waiting four weeks to have another scan and then if everything is OK he’ll restart training sessions with us." Although it is still a bit of a waiting game for both players, there are some positive signs from Conte's admission.
There will be hope that the two-week break can give these injured players that extra bit of time to try and get fit ready for the remaining nine Premier League games of the season.
Working with those who aren't on international duty
This international break won't leave Conte with as many players to work with as the November one did...ones without injury that is. Lucas Moura, Emerson Royal and Eric Dier are amongst those who will remain in the capital during the break.
Dier has been one of Tottenham's most consistent defenders this season and it was a shock to some, when he wasn't called up to Gareth Southgate's England squad, which the Italian also spoke about last week. "Honestly I hope for the player to receive this call up. He’s working very hard and in this moment he’s one of the best defenders in the league. He has also big space to improve his performance and his quality and to become a stronger and stronger player."
There is likely to be disappointment for some of those who haven't been called up to play for their country, but it does give them a chance to continue working with Conte. For those who have been getting regular game time, it's a chance to solidify the work they have already been putting in and continue to get advice on how to improve from the 52-year-old.
For those who haven't been getting match minutes, it's an even more vital opportunity for them to get some extra time to work with their manager, whilst many of their teammates are away. It allows them time to perhaps improve on the aspects of their game that have been letting them down and try and earn themselves some time on the pitch when league action returns.
Hope his players on international duty don't get injured
Conte has already been without a number of his key players so far this season and is still without some. The last thing the Italian will need is yet more injuries in the final couple of months of the season.
Cristian Romero was out for a good few months with the injury he picked up on the November international duty. Giovani Lo Celso also picked up an injury for Argentina during the same international break.
Romero has produced some solid displays in recent matches, with his aggression helping him create a solid back line alongside Dier and Ben Davies. The 23-year-old has been making an impact at both ends of the field, with 45 clearances and 39 tackles in the league and a goal at the AMEX Stadium last week.
The Italian will be hoping all of his players can stay fit whilst on duty with their country. Spurs are still struggling with a lack of quality in the depth of their squad in certain areas of the pitch and any injuries to key players will not help this. Conte can't do anything to prevent his players from picking up knocks, so will just have to keep his fingers crossed for their return ahead of the Newcastle game.
Preparing for the final stretch
The key thing for the Tottenham boss to do with the players who are still in the capital and for when his other squad members return, is to prepare them for the final nine Premier League games of the season. The Lilywhites are still very much in the battle for a spot inside the top four but the final stretch is crucial.
Spurs need to focus on their own form and get a string of wins together, whilst hoping the teams around them can drop points to achieve their hope of a Champions League place next season. On paper, Tottenham have some very winnable games in the final couple of months of the season, especially compared with the likes of Arsenal. However, if Spurs can't get maximum points from a number of their upcoming fixtures, those top four hopes will soon slip away.
As Conte mentioned, the players who are staying in the capital will get a couple of days rest before the hard work resumes. All Conte can now do is work with those he has available to him, hope his injured players recover in the next couple of weeks and hope his squad members who have gone off on international duty return without any knocks, all in preparation for the final games of the season.
