It perhaps speaks to the levels set and demanded by Antonio Conte that Tottenham have made their best start to a Premier League season without fully getting out of the blocks.
The coming days could provide the spark to really launch their season but Spurs have still been able to set records. A fairly routine 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday was Tottenham’s 10th home win in a row under Conte and gave Spurs 23 points from their opening 10 matches this season, their best start to a league campaign since 1963.
Like Harry Kane winning and then converting a second-half penalty to give Tottenham the lead, Spurs are getting the job done and the striker’s record of now scoring in five Premier League games in a row for the first time is also slightly going under the radar.
Added to Tottenham sitting top of their Champions League group through four matches and there is certainly enough evidence to suggest that Conte is getting just about everything right at Spurs at the moment. Victory over Sporting Lisbon next Wednesday would secure their place in the last 16, while strengthening the “fortress” that Conte has urged Spurs fans to build in north London.
“For us, it has to be difficult to play in our stadium,” was Conte’s message after Tottenham moved level with Manchester City in their pursuit of Arsenal. The Italian was talking about the visiting team, of course, drawing parallels to the experience of facing both Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurth away from home in Europe this season, but there are also times his words could apply to Spurs as well.
Tottenham’s run of victories at home can be illustrated by a continuous block of green but in reality, over the course of the run, there have been many spells where they struggled to assert their authority and should have been behind. Everton were always second best on Saturday but Frank Lampard’s approach was designed to limit Spurs. “We restricted them,” was Lampard’s assessment
Everton were two chances away from leading, too, and had either Demarai Gray and Amadou Onana taken their opportunities on the counter-attack Tottenham would have been faced with an uncomfortable second half. "We were very competitive in the game, in the way we played, and on another day if we take our chances, I think it looks different,” Lampard said.
There was never the same sense of jeopardy in the second half for Spurs, though. Conte’s side started well and picked up their intensity again in the period of play leading to Kane’s penalty. After three matches, and three wins, this week, Spurs have struck in moments with the instincts and mentality of title challengers that Conte is trying to create. Conte was delighted with his side’s effort and energy levels but a lack of rotation means he is also playing a dangerous game.
Conte is relying on his generals to get through Tottenham’s relentless schedule but the crunch will now come with Richarlison’s injury adding to the fitness concerns over Dejan Kulusevski. Spurs won three times last week with six outfield players – Eric Dier, Cristian Romero, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Son Heung-min and Kane – starting every game and it is surely unsustainable at this level, and ahead of the World Cup where all will play a key part.
For now, it is those players who are dragging Spurs through, as illustrated by Bentancur and Hojbjerg both making advanced runs from midfield in the 86th minute against Everton and combining to seal victory. They had been released by the addition of Yves Bissouma, who is now set to start at Old Trafford against Manchester United on Wednesday if Kulusevski is unable to return.
Bissouma and a switch to 3-5-2 brought a balance that had been missing prior to Richarlison’s injury. Conte’s decision to change systems by adding a third midfielder, rather than replacing the Brazilian with a third forward, changed the game and until then, Spurs had appeared blunt and a touch predictable.
Their left side had been the source of most of their danger with Ivan Perisic and Son, but it was another game where the South Korean’s threat towards goal was limited. It has now been eight fixtures in which Son and Perisic have started together where last season’s golden boot winner has not scored.
It is why Tottenham head to Old Trafford still with problems to solve despite their winning run. For as much as 10 home wins in a row is a respectable record and a further sign of progress under Conte, Spurs have gone about their business by beating the teams they have been expected to beat.
It has been on the road, in their defeat at Arsenal, salvaging a draw at Chelsea and being held by West Ham where they have been unable to produce the statement victory that would add excitement to their record start. Conte’s Spurs should finish above Manchester United again this season but proving that at Old Trafford is the test. It comes as injuries make their grind that bit harder, for a Spurs side whose resolve in pushing on will be tested in the coming days.
