The gaffer was extremely measured after the game, in extreme contrast to the wild scenes on the pitch, just minutes beforehand.
We are in good position but be very difficult to stay there – if possibilities in transfer window to improve it will be very important…
Antonio Conte
That said, Conte remains interested in this winter window and adding numerically to his squad. Which, without reading between the lines at all, suggests that he is keen to fill what he clearly sees as currently vacant slots.
I take a view that time is up for characters like Dele Alli, who appear incapable of buying a Premier League game under any manager.
Aside from the fact, Antonio is a grown-up, and a professional person, I take comfort from the manager not letting one game go to his head. Steven Bergwjin’s moments of magic were insanely good, but this squad needs a tonne of work doing to it.
I also feel Conte was calling out levy. Told me everything that we were completely on top throughout the game, but fell behind twice through awful defending. Tanganga is not a center back, the boy is a liability in that area, Davies will be a decent backup to a good left sided Center back, and Sanchez will be part of a rotating 4 center halves with Romero, Dier and one other. I actually think Sanchez has improved a lot under Conte. Imagine if we had an ‘Erikson’ type in there, playing in front of the midfield/behind the strikers, and defo another center forward. Not a lot to ask i feel, especially to back such a world class manager. In my humble opinion, i think Conte will give it two transfer windows, this current one and then the summer. If Levy is not forthcoming then i don’t think he will hang around. Conte has already stated that he thinks it’s difficult to get the players he wants in the January window
Not Skipp, Hodjberg or Winks.
We need more goals or the top four will be touch and go. Can some of our midfielders or wingers weigh in with ten plus goals?
The result was amazing but the performance showed the same issues in defence, midfield and our dependence on Kane. A back three of Davies, Sanchez and Tanganga is shockingly poor and our right wing back position is still below the level required. Our midfield is to defensive minded and we still lack a world class playmaker there, We are still lacking another quality goalscorer. A 5 minute cameo from Bergwijn does not convince me that he is suddenly the answer. Let’s see how he performs against Chelsea. The worry as always is once again the sluggish approach to Contes first transfer window indicating that even with Paratici and Conte, Levy is still making all the decisions and slowing everything up demonstrating that nothing has changed behind the scenes. There remains still little desire within RNIC to invest in the football squad and it is still a question of player sales funding new players. It’s just a rotation of funds with no investment funding which has been the pattern for the last two plus decades in which we have one league cup win as a mark of our success as a football club
I pressed the imaginary like button on this one.
Royal leads to a remit of buying players for 3 years time like Gil and the then potential Poch return.
But the manager changed since then and his cycle is being in a position to win things in 18 months.
Does Levy back that change, at them moment it’s a resounding NO based on recruitment of players this window.
I think it was an excellent result and the way in which we won was also very important. This reminded me of the attitude we had under Poch. Scoring late goals to win games is a tremendous habit to get into.
We have Dier and Romero to return but still need some reinforcements. Defensively we are still very suspect.
It would be nice in Levy saw the value of getting players in as early as possible but i fear any deals that our done, if any will be completed on the last day. Yawn…
The fact that Doherty now already looks a better option than Royal is pretty damning stuff. With the exception of Romero (who’s constantly injured) can someone explain what business Paratici has done that has improved anything yet? I guess if he played a role in Conte coming that’s something at least!
Agreed, an experienced central defender is crucial. Basically, in typical Levy style, Super Jan was never replaced. His attempt to fob everyone off with Rodon and Tanganga has failed. So we have a Toby replacement in Romero, now we need another Jan. These things take years under Levy, all cheaper ‘options’ must be exhausted first… Prick.
Although it was a good result and a great finale, I don’t think this game changes very much. The only question it raises for me is whether we should still consider selling Steve Bergwjin after that performance. I know one swallow doesn’t make a summer but did he show enough to retain him? Emerson is awful and Barca must be looking at his sale as the best bit of business they have done in a long time, considering their transfer business has been appalling for many years. Doherty played well but we can do better than him and he is one paced. I doubt that Tanganga will ever be a first team regular and so the position remains the same that we need to shift dead wood and recruit in obvious areas. The jury must be out on Paratici’s selections so far.
Place a horses head in Levy’s bed, maybe that will get his attention.
We need that 2nd “proper striker”, with the way Kanes game is and Contes style.
Conte was calling out Levy. Add to the squad with Conte picks and he will get 4th (at least).
For Conte it’s not about transfer values it’s about the who, because he know if he gets the right player he increases their value.
My takeaways: We need at least one more good CB, Sanchez and Tanganga aren’t good enough. Doherty is a better RB than Royal; the latter is just awful and actually the former played ok when he came on. Increasingly I see Kane as a no. 10; his preference to come deeper and play sublime defence splitting passes has been increasingly evident this season. Overall it was pleasing to see us play aggressively and more positive football last night. But, definitely, reinforcements are needed with some offloading of deadwood.