Tottenham Hotspur didn’t perform well in the first leg of their EFL Cup tie, losing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to Chelsea. Despite The Blues having their issues regarding Romelu Lukaku and manager Thomas Tuchel, they yielded a positive result.
If Spurs hope to challenge clubs like Chelsea and the upper-echelon of Premier League clubs like Manchester City and Liverpool, Ashley Cole states that chairman Daniel Levy and Spurs need to open the checkbook.
On Sky Sports (via Daily Mail), Cole stated that the north London club needs to give manager Antonio Conte what he needs if they want him to deliver the success the Italian tactician had at Inter Milan and Chelsea.
“Individually, they [Tottenham] are behind Chelsea,” Cole said. “Conte hopes for patience and time. Every manager wants that, and I totally agree that if Tottenham fans and Tottenham as a club want to see the best Antonio Conte, you have got to give him a chance.”
“We saw at Inter, and at Chelsea, when he is given what he needs, he can produce. Whether he can do it at Tottenham, I don’t know, but he needs time because the level I feel is not at the level of Chelsea, let alone Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal… not there yet.”
The January window is now open, and although it’s more difficult during this month to get deals done due to the short amount of time.
Nonetheless, they have to make a move or two to help him at least fight for a top-four spot, considering Conte has put them in that position following the slow start.
Maybe an overdose?
I was concerned by Conte’s remarks as he stared waffling about a long project and having patience when all the fans know what needs to be done and who is culpable for the continuing mess we are in. Many of our problems go back to the eighteen month period when Levy failed to sign any new players, an event unheard of in top class modern European football. Like many others at the time, I remarked that this would leave us out of top four contention and that it would take us longer to rebuild and be competitive as well as being more expensive in the long run. Now we are seeing that because Levy’s lengthy track record of bungling in the transfer market, in order to deflect criticism, he has appointed Paratici whose signings so far look very dubious. Pape Sarr is not pulling out any trees for Metz, Gollini is awful, we were sold a pup by Barcelona in Emerson Royal which takes some doing considering Barcelona’s idiocies in the transfer market and there are rumours that Gil might go back to Spain on loan. As usual, we did not address the real deficiencies in the team, a left sided CD, a decent right back, an attacking midfielder and a decent back up for Kane, something that has not been addressed for over five years. Two things that spring to mind. Firstly, there is not a manager on God’s earth who will ever succeed at our club whilst Levy is in charge. Secondly, Chelsea FC owe Abramovich £1.5 billion and now have the highest wage bill in the PL. Whether you approve of this or Man City’s spending or even Utd’s which is ultimately unsuccessful, they are clubs that are trying to win titles and cups. If you contrast this with the Tottenham model which is a property development company which exists only to enrich it’s owners and where football matters are of secondary importance, I know where I stand.
You know Paratici was in place when we signed the utterly useless Emerson Royal. Either he’s crap at his job or Levy intervened and “pointed” him towards the cheap RB instead of somebody good. I’m leaning towards the latter as it’s in Levy’s MO.
Daniel should be in LOTR as he’s a goblin who loves gold.
The more you have to polish a turd ..the closer it gets to crumbling..
Only a month? Perhaps an elephant tranquiliser would be more appropriate.
The full stop belongs after ..way ..mate.
Depends who we get in and who we ship out.
I have no doubt the clowns will still be in the squad and someone decent will be sold to raise funds if we are to buy anyone this window .
Absolute sh%tstorm….
By the summer Conte will have 6 months left on his contract . That will be Levy’s excuse for not backing him.
Getting completely and utterly rinsed.
Kinda right but look at Everton. Benitez has been dealt the same hand as Conte but seems to have taken drastic action with two singings already. I find it hard to believe that we cant do the same? Enough with dragging our heals and get deals sorted if they are there to be done.
I think even Conte knows that January is not the month to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.
If we get 1-2 quality players in and ship a couple out then it will have been hugely successful.
However, if he’s not properly backed in the summer I think there will be trouble.
A tranquiliser that will keep Levy out of the way for a month would be an excellent start.
Everybody knows what needs to happen at Spurs,except the bloke holding the pursestrings.Until that situation is resolved then it’s rinse and repeat.
Conte is a football man and Levy isn’t and it norhing happens of any note this January then he will walk.When is the meeting between Conte,Levy and Paratici going to take 0lace?Is Levy even aware of the month now?He’s the invisible man currently and that is unacceptably.But then everything he does at spurs is unacceptable from a footballing aspect.Just go.