Jekyll and Tottenham
This was a match that showcased the good, bad and downright ugly side of Tottenham Hotspur.
It was another game in which they went behind - the eighth match in a row - and defended horribly to concede three goals, but somehow they once again stuck together to show remarkable character and prise a dramatic 4-3 victory from the jaws of defeat.
It's that Jekyll and Hyde nature of Spurs that means that despite a half season's worth of unimpressive displays, they somehow find themselves fourth in the Premier League table, clear by some distance, and just three points behind second-placed Manchester City. They also qualified for the Champions League last 16 as the top team in their group.
READ MORE: Tottenham player ratings vs Leeds: Bentancur, Kulusevski and Davies shine, Emerson and Dier poor
They are achievements that don't seem to entirely reflect what the Tottenham fans have witnessed, yet they do provide a strong building block for what comes after the break as Spurs have the capacity to improve, unlike some of those around them who may have already hit top gear.
This final game of the first section of the season showcased their strengths and their weaknesses and it was not a game Antonio Conte enjoyed, even if he knew the end result was something for the Spurs fans inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to enjoy before the long World Cup break.
"I think this type of game made many, many, many people very happy because if you're in the stadium to watch a game like this, 4-3, I think attractive football. You want to see this type of game every time because it's fun, but you know that if I have to see the positive aspect for sure my players showed me in this period great character," he told football.london.
"Maybe in a lot of games we were losing and then we came back. For this reason, I think the positive things are that we showed great character, great desire and great will not to give up and to believe, to believe in the win. I try every day to transfer this concept that we have to start the game and then until the end we need to fight and see what happened. Never give up, this is our mantra. This is the positive side.
"Negative side, to concede three goals is never good. A team that wants to be competitive, to concede three goals is never positive. For this reason, if you want to reach a good result you need to find stability."
He added: "In this last period we never showed stability. I can think that the last period was really tough for everybody, for all the clubs, to play 13 games in 43 days was really tough, because it was impossible to work on the [training] pitch on the tactical aspect.
"One day to recover and then the next day to prepare the game. For sure when you don't work on that tactical aspect you are going to lose something, especially defensively we lost, we lost a lot I think.
"But there is the positive aspect that we finished this period after a big effort in the next round Champions League, we finished first in our group, and then to stay in the top four in the Premier League is always good news, especially for us.
"It means that the effort was really big and at the same time I have to be really pleased with the commitment and behaviour of my players and honestly I have to consider everything and for this reason I think that we did a really good job in the first half of the season."
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium reflected the chaotic nature of this game. A great roar to start the match, boos at half-time, the uncomfortable to watch moment when Emerson Royal's departure received a big cheer and then the euphoria when Rodrigo Bentancur found not only a third equaliser for Spurs but a well-crafted winner.
The quality of Tottenham's fourth goal amid the chaos showed exactly what they can be when they put their mind to it, but beforehand their defence showed just how much work needs to be done for Conte to be truly happy.
Desperate Davies, Dier defending and that Emerson moment
The extremes of Tottenham's performance were encapsulated by the individual displays of the defenders.
On the plus side there was Ben Davies. For all the talk of players having the imminent World Cup in the forefront of their mind and subconsciously pulling out of tackles, you might have thought that the 29-year-old Welshman would have one eye on not missing his country's first appearance at the global competition in 64 years.
That could not be further from the truth. Davies gave everything for Spurs in his final game before heading off to Qatar, launching into challenges and playing with a burning intensity and aggression.
He was the best Tottenham defender on the pitch by a distance and it was fitting that he should score the second equaliser with a well-struck low shot that bounced in off a combination of goalkeeper and defender. It was one of those goals where a case could have been made for an own goal due to the ricocheting nature of the Leeds players' contribution but it was given as a deserved goal for Davies.
The Wales international also played a smart cross-field ball to Matt Doherty which led to Spurs' third goal and Davies was impressive going forward, one early move showcasing a couple of surging one-twos between him and the attackers, and great control, before he teed up the unmarked Emerson Royal for a big chance that the Brazilian blazed over.
Emerson had a tough day in front of a frustrated crowd. As blunt as it sounds, the Tottenham fans have made it clear they want to see anyone but the 23-year-old in the right wing-back role. Emerson's enthusiasm and energy are unquestioned, but his suitability for the role in a Conte system with his attacking limitations is often questioned.
Matt Doherty seems to have fallen back out of favour with inconsistent displays and Djed Spence is not yet trusted by Conte, dismissed as one for the future despite a promising cameo in the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest. Both are more suited to playing the Conte wing-back role, but for one reason or another, Conte just seems to feel more secure with Emerson.
The Brazilian makes good runs off the ball, which is why he was there to scuff a shot into the turf and at the keeper early on from Dejan Kulusevski's pass and then to blaze over the bar from Davies' ball following a fine flowing Spurs move.
That latter miss brought huge groans from all corners of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the scrutiny was always hanging over him. Each misplaced pass received similar audible frustrated moans, including one dreadful attempt to play a cross-field ball to Ivan Perisic, which instead was hooked into the centre of the pitch for Leeds to counter-attack.
Earlier Emerson had been caught ball watching and out of position as Crysencio Summerville found a bus-lane worth of space to run through between the wing-back and Eric Dier to fire past Hugo Lloris.
Emerson did have positive contributions to make, with a couple of passes forward to Kulusevski and it was his quick throw that led to Tottenham's second goal which Davies fired home after Kane's shot from Kulusevski's pass was blocked.
The Spurs fans just wanted someone else down the right. When Spence warmed up down the touchline early in the second half he got one of the biggest ovations of the game.
An even bigger one came though on 57 minutes as a huge booming cheer came from the crowd as it was announced that Emerson would be coming off for Doherty. It made for an uncomfortable watch as the Brazilian walked off amid the cheers and his manager, the coaching staff and many of his team-mates put their hands on his head as he trudged by.
Doherty did make a difference though and it was his dangerous cross that was headed into the path of Bentancur for the third equaliser and he had made a similar run to the Uruguayan for the winning strike.
Another player who had a tough day at the office was Eric Dier. Ever since the centre-back got back in the England squad so his performances have grown shakier, almost as if he no longer had a point to prove. With that in mind it was somewhat apt that with his confirmed inclusion in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad so Dier had another iffy display.
Having played almost every minute of the 13 matches in 43 days pile-up, Dier looked leggy and mentally tired. He was swept past for Leeds' first goal and then played Rodrigo onside for their second. On both occasions he spent the aftermath complaining at everyone around him and flinging his arms around in frustration rather than acknowledging any role he might have had in the goals.
Conte's admission that Spurs have not had enough time to undertake tactical training on the pitch due to the constraints of the constant games appears to have affected Dier the most. One of the most consistent players under Conte last season and at the start of this campaign, he has recently returned to his more error-prone displays of the previous more recent seasons.
Perhaps the World Cup will provide Dier with a rest initially, then a change of scenery and hopefully a confidence boost to spark him back to life at Spurs when he returns.
A word also on Davinson Sanchez, who came off the bench for the solid Clement Lenglet before the hour mark.
The fans were surprised by the substitution and even more so after Rodrigo swept past the Colombian to send a precise shot into the bottom corner.
However Sanchez was very good after that, making some crunching, well-timed challenges in both halves and then, not known for his attacking play, the big centre-back was eager to help the front men and played a terrific incisive ball to Kane, directed by Kulusevski, that started the sweeping move for the winning goal.
January duo set the standard
Antonio Conte was delighted with his refreshed attacking options as he was finally able to name Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison in his front three with Harry Kane again.
Richarlison brought his trademark energy and battling while Kulusevski once again showed why Tottenham miss him so much when he's not available.
The 22-year-old was involved in the second and fourth goals, grabbing an assist for the latter which made it 19 goal involvements in 27 Premier League matches (13 assists and six goals).
Kulusevski set up other chances with his movement and dribbling and was put through himself by a quick Kane throw for a chance that Illan Meslier saved.
He also had another vocal involvement in Spurs' winning goal as he yelled at Sanchez exactly where to play his pass because he could see what could happen.
"First of all I was screaming at Patron Sanchez, I was screaming a lot. I was screaming 'Harry, Harry, Harry' because I knew that if Harry got the ball then I was all alone and that's exactly what happened," he said to SpursPlay.
"So I saw the whole situation before it happened. Then my first touch was very good and then I prayed to God that Rodrigo would score and he did. So it was joy and a lot of work. So much happiness because we worked hard for this."
Kulusevski has not looked like a player who has been out with a hamstring injury for a month, providing assists in both of his Premier League games since returning.
"I don't think people understand how it is to be out. It's so hard, you want to help your team and make a difference, but you can't help your team," he said. "So I always try to do the little things right, like sleep well, eat well so when I'm ready I can perform and I cannot look rusty. I've felt very good when I've come back these two games so I'm happy and I'm on the right road."
He added: "I get energy every time I get past my man. I felt that I had so much space today I have to make a difference. There were many chances where I felt we had to score, I could get more assists or I can shoot one more time, but you have to learn, you have to improve. The good thing is that I'm creating a lot and I can bring a lot more goals and assists also."
Kulusevski believes that he and the team can only get better in the second half of the campaign.
"It's so important to win the last game because tomorrow you have a flight, you go where you want and all the flight you think about the game but now you can be calm because you know you did your job," he said.
"Honestly I think we can play much better. For the second half [of the season], we have to improve. I think the talent is there. We just have to bring everyone together because we have a big season now, a big second half.
"I have to rest for sure because although I was injured it was like I was playing every day, because I was under so much pressure from everybody to come back, me included so now I have to rest and get fit, completely fit and then I will love to have time to work. Now we have time to work on my weaknesses."
His former Juventus team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur and fellow January arrival this year only continues to get better and better under Conte.
The 25-year-old three-time Serie A winner, known as Lolo among his team-mates, has added new layers to his game under the Italian. He has now scored five goals for Tottenham in 39 appearances, which is more than he managed in his previous 247 appearances for Juventus and Boca Juniors.
Not known as an attacking player in Italy, Bentancur has 10 goal involvements from his 31 Premier League games with four goals and six assists. He's Tottenham's second-top goalscorer this season along with Son Heung-min.
Conte has been pushing both Bentancur and Hojbjerg hard in training because he believes both can continue to improve themselves enough to take their place among the best midfielders in the game. He also wants them both to take on more of a leadership role within his Spurs team because of the important engine room nature of their jobs.
After the game, Kulusevski called Bentancur "one of the most underrated players in the world".
Ben Davies said of him: "He's top class. I think he's put in some really excellent performances for us. He carries the ball, breaks the play up and he's added goals to his game as well so it's performance after performance, week in, week out and the boys are really happy for him."
The numbers behind the Uruguayan's game against Leeds were impressive with a 100% shot accuracy, 100% dribble success, he won possession 11 times, took the ball into the final third seven times, won four duels, had two shots and scored from both, made two interceptions and one clearance.
Bentancur will head to the World Cup and he's likely to catch the eye in Qatar. He's become so important to Tottenham that Conte will be watching every Uruguay game with bated breath, hoping he does not befall an injury.
The midfielder will miss the first game back at Brentford on Boxing Day because he received his fifth yellow card of the season on Saturday, bringing with it a one-match suspension. Spurs will miss him a lot on their return to action.
Harry Kane's underrated contribution
Harry Kane's goals will always be the first thing people look at and that's understandable when you've netted 12 of them in 15 Premier League matches this season.
His latest strike was another clinical effort, taking down a Meslier punch with aplomb, turning and rifling his shot into the net. The 29-year-old continues to edge closer to the all-time Tottenham goalscoring record, moving on to 261 goals and is now just five away from equalling the late, great Jimmy Greaves.
It's not just the goals though as Kane has played more minutes than any other Spurs player with 1,937 this season, starting every single one of the team's 22 games this season.
He's been tired but he's still tried to carry Spurs along on his shoulders and on the whole he's done that. His goals have carried them through when Richarlison, Kulusevski, Lucas and Son have all been out injured.
Kane was involved in three of the four goals against Leeds and Conte could not praise his contribution this season enough after Saturday's latest goal and victory.
"I have to be honest and I think in this period, especially the last 13 games, Harry played a really important role," said the Spurs boss. "If we finish this period in the top four and to have qualification for the next round of the Champions League, we have to place a lot on Harry because in this period we had many injuries but injuries up front.
"We lost Kulusevski and he only played this game. Then we lost Richarlison and without Lucas Moura from the start was difficult. Sonny also struggled a bit at the start of the season.
"I think Harry honestly deserves great praise because he is always an important player, but in this period I think a lot of weight was on his shoulders and he played in a fantastic way. Now he is arriving to play the World Cup with great enthusiasm, in a good physical condition and in my opinion he is mentally stronger than before.
"I see a player that is ready and I see in his eyes the desire to be a protagonist in the best competition in the world in the World Cup."
He added: "I’m talking about what I’m seeing in my period. Before I knew Harry from watching him because we played sometimes against him, but to be his coach and to see the way he has decided that he has to improve himself is really important.
"On my side, I try with every single player, I don't care if you are talking about Harvey White, I try to push every single player to try to become better, but also it's happening with Harry. I think Harry, we are talking about a really world-class striker. He can continue to improve and to become stronger and stronger. I think so.
"Now he’s arriving at this World Cup in the best physical condition and also mental condition. I think he feels a lot of responsibility because he’s the captain of England. I consider England to be one of the best teams in the world, one of the candidates to have an important tournament.
"For this reason, I know he wants to play an amazing tournament. I wish for him the best and for England because Italy is not playing in the World Cup and for this reason I can become a supporter of England!"
The nation's hopes will rest on the England captain. He is as crucial to the country as he is to Spurs and there is also the sub-plot of another slice of history on offer as he chases down Wayne Rooney's record as England's record goalscorer. His 51 goals so far are just two short of Rooney and in almost half the appearances.
Conte believes Kane is ready to take the World Cup by storm. He fired his way to the Golden Boot the last time around in 2018, led England to the final of the Euros last year and he's got the experience and the ability to carry his country on his shoulders once again along with Spurs.
The break and what comes next
Back at Tottenham and the break in the season has come at the right time for Conte, the players and the club to regroup and make the best decisions for the final push ahead.
Conte is flying back home to Italy to be with his wife Elisabetta and daughter Vittoria, making up for lost family time after missing celebrating the latter's 15th birthday in person this week due to Tottenham's fixture schedule.
The Italian needs to recharge after this frantic schedule and he can step back and look at what he has achieved at Spurs so far and what he can improve on before returning for a meeting with chairman Daniel Levy and managing director of football Fabio Paratici to evaluate the season so far and what is needed in the January transfer window to push on rather than falling away in the second half of the season.
This Tottenham side are not what Conte wants yet but he continues to point to, and rightly so, their fourth place position in the Premier League table and their progress to the Champions League last 16 as group winners.
Despite the criticism of Spurs' football at times, they have scored 31 goals in the Premier League this season - more than all but Manchester City and Arsenal - and only once before have Tottenham scored more at this stage of the season in the competition.
It is a Premier League table that is ripe for the north London club to exploit, with Liverpool and Chelsea seven and eight points behind them respectively and Manchester United six behind with two games in hand but so inconsistent.
Conte has said since he arrived in November last year that Tottenham's best chance of finishing in the top four was when one of the big boys with their financial might falls out of those spots. Last season it was Manchester United and this time around there are plenty of candidates Spurs can take advantage of.
However, Conte is very aware that those same clubs will spend in January in an attempt to fix their problems and of those teams overperforming, there is pressure on the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle to continue what they are doing.
Tottenham need to match their exploits in the last January transfer window. If they can bring in two more players of the quality and ready-made nature of Kulusevski and Bentancur then Conte's job will become a lot easier.
When football.london put that to the Spurs head coach he seemed in full agreement and sent a clear message about what is needed.
"You know very well that if you want to be competitive and if you want to be really considered a title contender, or considered a team to win a trophy, you need players with great quality," he said.
"You see the example of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea and these teams are really strong. Strong squad with a great quality.
"For this reason, when I speak with you and I tell you that after only one year, don't forget that we were playing in the Conference League after we finished seventh, it means that you need a process. You need time. You need patience, you need the transfer market to improve the, squad, the quality of your squad. Today you have seen the difference to have Kulusevski and Richarlison rather than not.
"It's important for me the coach also to work with these players. If you see the improvement of Rodrigo and the improvement of Hojbjerg. In my opinion, I see huge improvement.
"You have to match this. To improve the players but you need time to improve the quality of you if you want to fight for something important in the Premier League or the Champions League. The quality of the players is really important."
Spurs need a quality centre-back added and they need another creative attacking midfielder to provide an alternative to Kulusevski. Both could come in as replacements for Japhet Tanganga and Bryan Gil, who need regular football through potential loans.
Then any further opportunities to upgrade must be taken and a decision needs to be taken over the right wing-back situation. If Djed Spence is not going to get game time then he needs to get a Premier League loan move to continue to develop, but that in itself leaves Conte back at the drawing board with the two right wing-backs most did not expect to be the same options he woul have at the start of this season.
Spurs have the spirit - the constant comebacks this season have proved that with more points won from losing positions than any other team in the league - but they need the quality to stop the constant need to have to come from behind.
The togetherness is there. Ben Davies was desperate to get back to the dressing room to spend time with his team-mates as he did his club interview after the game.
"There is a sense of togetherness in there, having come back from a tough position more than once. That brings you together and we really did stick together today," said the Welshman.
There is something to be build on at the north London outfit and a backed Conte with his Tottenham machine having the right working parts would be a dangerous combination for the Premier League.
Tottenham will wait anxiously for their World Cup stars as they return at different times and there is now a free week to prepare ahead of the Brentford match, following the Carabao Cup exit.
Those remaining non-World Cup players will have some time off before training at Hotspur Way during the break as well as playing up to three friendly matches behind closed doors. The late decision to have international friendlies for some countries not at the World Cup has not gone down well with Conte.
He had wanted to take the players abroad for warm-weather training but his relatively late request for that made it a difficult task to book somewhere to a similar standard as the state-of-the-art Hotspur Way.
The Italian is renowned for his instinctive decision-making rather than the meticulous heavily planned methods of others. That can lead to players finding out upcoming training times and plans later than they have under previous regimes as Conte moves like a force of nature.
Conte first said to the media he was unsure what Spurs would do during the long-known World Cup break as it was a new experience for everyone, only to last month come out publicly to say he wanted to take the remaining players abroad.
That late decision made things difficult to organise and while some clubs have decided to train in the Middle East so their World Cup stars can integrate quickly back into the squad, Spurs will remain in England.
There is an irony to it all as Mauricio Pochettino used to yearn for this exact situation, once admitting that he was rather spend quality time on the Hotspur Way pitches than travel around the world for pre-season tours.
How Conte uses this period, along with Paratici's work in the transfer market, will decide whether the head coach meets his targets for the second half of the season.
"We have to be pleased because to stay in the top four and to reach the next round of the Champions League is a big achievement for us. If you compare this period with one year ago. Then you know in the second part of the season will be really tough. We don't know what will happen in the World Cup," he said.
"Fingers crossed for my players and the injuries. The injuries affected us [in this part] a lot and the performance of the team. We lost points. The injuries were up front, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Moura and Sonny and when that happened, the injuries were in only one area of the squad. That makes it more difficult.
"My hope is to have all the players available for the second part of the season. Then we'll see. For sure there is a great desire to continue to improve our path. The Champions League is a tournament in which anything can happen. It's important to arrive in the best physical condition with all the players.
"In the past it happened for Tottenham to reach the final because especially with this short tournament anything can happen. To win the Premier League, the winner in the end is always the one who best, the team deserves to win across 38 games.
"In a short competition we'll try to do our best in the Champions League. We know our opponent is an important opponent but we know the game will be balanced. Then to improve. We want to try to improve on the points we got last season and to do better. These are our targets."
Spurs have built strong foundations for the second half of the season without really impressing. If they can step up a gear with their work on and off the pitch in the next six weeks then Conte's targets could not only be realised but exceeded.
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