RICH VEIN OF FORM IS NEEDED Conte expects his men to give their all ‘Clean slate’ for his stars including Dele Alli
EVERTON striker Richarlison insists he can take the strain of scoring goals for the Toffees while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is sidelined by injury.
Calvert-Lewin is still fighting to overcome the muscle problem that has kept him out of Rafa Benitez’s team since August after starting the campaign with three goals in the opening three games.
Benitez’s side go into this afternoon’s clash at home to Tottenham on the back of three successive defeats – and Richarlison has been playing in a more central role.
He said: “Centre-forward is my original position in football since I was a kid and I feel comfortable playing as a striker.
“Of course Dominic is sorely missed, he’s a great player and it would be great to have him on the pitch too.
“But I like that responsibility. It’s not something new for me.
“So I will try to perform in the best possible way. I hope to score goals and help our team get back to winning ways, which is the most important thing right now.”
Richarlison has scored twice this season while new signing Salomon Rondon is yet to open his Toffees account.
Benitez has been hampered by a crippling injury list and Richarlison, who has also had his own fitness problems, has called on Everton’s squad to develop a siege mentality ahead of a period of games that will define their season.
He said: “It’s hard to lose so many important players at the same time. I was out for over 40 days myself and only came back recently.
“But we know that it could happen in any team. Now is an important moment in the season, in which we will have a string of difficult games and we need our group to be united and strong.”
Richarlison added: “Salomon is a great player and will help us a lot in the future.
“I believe that over the next few games he will have the chance to evolve.”
■ by HARRY PRATT
ANTONIO CONTE expects maximum dedication from Tottenham’s players – 24/7.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Well, okay, the Italian is happy for Harry Kane and Co to switch off from the day/ night job when they hit the sack but, other than that, he is demanding unwavering commitment.
To the North Londoners’ cause, obviously – and, specifically, a burning desire to be the very best player possible.
Do that and Conte promises he will take them to the top. This is the area where the former Italy, Chelsea and Juventus manager comes into his own as an authentic, modern-day super coach.
The new Spurs boss, whose side travel to Everton today, said: “Every single player must think, ‘I wake up at the start of the day to improve myself.’
“And, for sure, he has to do this from the start of the morning until the end when he goes to sleep.
“You have to think, ‘I am a professional and I must find the way to improve myself,’ especially if you have the talent.
“It’s a pity when you see a good player that is not exploiting 100 per cent their possibility, their capacity. The work of the coach is only this – to try to push every single player to ask of themselves their best – 100 per cent.”
Sounds a simple recipe but his two sacked predecessors in the Spurs hot-seat, Jose Mourinho and Nuno Espirito Santo might beg to differ after failing miserably.
However, Conte is confident he can unlock the undoubted potential lurking inside a squad that reached the Champions League Final in June 2019 – whether that is getting Kane back among the goals, Tanguy Ndombele dictating and creating or Dele Alli somewhere close to his long-forgotten best.
Asked what makes him tick on the training ground and touchline to such stunning effect, Conte added: “I think maybe my best bit as a coach is to improve the player.
“I think this is the thing I am good at and do very well. It’s important the players have a willingness to do this, otherwise it is very difficult for me and my staff.
“In Tottenham, we have a lot of space for improvement. My job is to improve every single player. If I do, it means that the team will go up to another level.
“They must show me they deserve a chance to play. The door is open for every single player. Then I must give them that chance.”
Conte definitely extracted the best out of Paul Pogba at Juventus and, most recently, from Romelu Lukaku at Inter Milan.
While misfiring Kane is a solvable conundrum, halting Alli’s rapid decline is way more complex.
Conte vividly recalls the fallen England ace causing his Chelsea title-winners all manner of problems – way back in 2017.
The ex-Juve midfielder, 52, said: “I especially remember one game against Tottenham when we lost after 13 wins in a row.
“Dele scored twice. But this is the past. Now there is a present.”