CAN’T COUNT OUT CONTE
We have to suffer to win points, says man who gives Spurs a true fighting spirit
ANTONIO CONTE said it was important for Tottenham ‘to suffer’ for victory – as Davinson Sanchez’s injurytime winner proved.
The Italian breathed a sigh of relief at the final whistle as the big Colombian nodded home a free-kick in the 96th minute – heaping yet more pressure on beleaguered Hornets chief Claudio Ranieri.
The defender rose highest to meet Heung-min Son’s free-kick, ending an afternoon of dogged resistance from the hosts.
That made it eight games unbeaten for Conte (right) since stepping into the hot seat in north London. It has taken him out on his own among his peers, setting a new benchmark.
But this narrow victory went right to the wire as Ranieri’s bunch of desperados had
‘‘
grown into the game and had decent claims for a share of the spoils. We do need to
Conte said: “It was improve. We
important to get three need to work
points. We know we on this and
have to suffer to get playing every
them. three days is
“We’re building a not easy. I
team and we want to was delighted
be competitive in the with the
future – but we have commitment
to be competitive this season as well. It is important for us to be humble, to fight and to suffer. We do need to improve. We need to work on this and playing every three days is not easy.
“I was delighted with the commitment. We have shown solidity.”
Before kick-off, Conte warned it would take more than one transfer window to turn his new club into challengers for the top four.
That evaluation looked spot on for the vast majority of a game in which the hosts attempted to stem the flow of goals that has undermined their season so far by conceding space and retreating backwards.
For the record, it is now 28 games since their last shut-out in the Premier League.
The opening 45 minutes was like the morning after the night before. It was like being presented with leftovers from the takeaway for breakfast.
Spurs were stodgy, one-paced and despite an overwhelming – and embarrassing – amount of the ball couldn’t fashion much with it.
Over on the right flank Emerson Royal was almost being presented with crossing opportunities with the same sort of regularity that he might be during a training drill.
But time after time the young Brazilian found a yellow shirt. It
looked as though Spurs would eventually grind down the Hornets. But the introduction of Joao Pedro for the ineffective Emmanuel Dennis at half-time – Ranieri said the Nigerian wasn’t feeling 100 percent before the start – changed the complexion of the game.
Josh King called Hugo Lloris into action with a super save from a curling shot and claims for a penalty when Pedro appeared to be upended 10 minutes from time by the Spurs keeper were waved away by referee Rob Jones and backed up by VAR.
Son had come closest with a flicked finish that Daniel Bachmann did well to save.
But Watford’s keeper had no chance in the final seconds when the South Korean whipped in a wicked centre.
Sanchez rose highest, beating
Ranieri’s defenders to the ball for his second goal of the campaign.
It leaves Spurs two points behind rivals Arsenal with two games in hand.
A Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea this week will undoubtedly give Conte and the watching world greater insight as to how much work he needs to undertake.
For the home side, Ranieri (below) refused to round on the match official.
This was Watford’s 10th defeat under his charge but the performance may quell suggestions that he is about to be replaced.
He said: “What a pity they scored!
“I didn’t think we would concede a goal from a header and in the last minute... but our fans should be proud.
“The performance was much better. We had good moments from Pedro and from King.
“We are alive and we will survive.”