Animated Conte sideshow livens up dull main event
NO TIME TO SIT STILL FOR SPURS BOSS
AT one point, Antonio Conte had sashayed so far down the touchline he was closer to the Gwladys Street stand than his technical area.
In fact, Conte never sat down. Of course, that has long been his trademark but even by his own animated standards, this was an all-action sideshow.
Until a couple of second-half rucks over VAR decisions, it was probably more interesting than the main event – a clash that showed the Italian coach the extent of his Tottenham challenge.
For the second Premier League game in succession, Spurs failed to register a shot on target.
Although that statistic is a little harsh on substitute Giovani Lo Celso after his late curler hit a post flush in the face.
That was as close as Spurs – who were a shade superior in a forgettable contest – came to taking all three points from Conte’s first game back in the Premier League.
Sergio Reguilon wasted a firsthalf opportunity but the lack of clear-cut chances for both teams was stark.And the lack of clear-cut chances for Harry Kane was stark, too – this performance being a one-game summary of his season.
Regularly dropping deep to get involved, spraying passes around as though he were Glenn Hoddle, linking up quite cutely on occasions, buying the odd foul, getting in the referee’s ear, but carrying very little goal threat. Is that not his day job?
He stays on one Premier League goal for the campaign.
Getting Kane back to his prolific best will be a blindingly obvious priority for Conte.
There is plenty more for the manager to work on and, if his long-term remit is to have Spurs going toe-to-toe with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table, it is going to take longer than the 18 months his initial contract runs for.
At least they showed defensive improvement, albeit against an Everton team lacking belief.
Hugo Lloris had little to do, other than when Richarlison raced clear in the second half. The goalkeeper insisted he had laid a glove on the ball before causing Richarlison to fall.
But Chris Kavanagh initially disagreed and awarded a penalty.
Jonathan Moss, the VAR official, suggested Kavanagh jog to the monitor and have another look and we all know the standard ending to that scenario.
Just as we knew what would happen when Kavanagh repeated the journey late on after booking substitute Mason Holgate for a horrible challenge on PierreEmile Hojbjerg – the upgrade to a red card being inevitable for the Everton defender.
Spurs had only a few minutes to take advantage of their numerical superiority and did not look like doing so, just as they did not really look like scoring against a team that has been as fragile as Everton in recent weeks.
But Conte seemed pleased enough, even though he must know there is a lot of hard work ahead.
And it is just as well the former Chelsea boss is like he is because, on this evidence, he will not have much time to sit down.
EVERTON (4-4-2): Pickford 6; Coleman 7, Godfrey 6, Keane 7, Digne 6; Gordon 7, Delph 8 (Davies 60, 6), Allan 7 (Holgate 82), Townsend 6; Richarlison 6, Gray 6 (Gbamin 90). Sent off: Holgate 90.
TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris 6; Romero 7, Dier 6, Davies 6; Royal 7, Skipp 7, Hojbjerg 8, Reguilon 7 (Doherty 71); Moura 6 (Lo Celso 71), Son 6 (Ndombele 85), Kane 6.