Paul Merson thinks Antonio Conte’s mood is starting to change on Tottenham’s touchline, as he told Sky Sports (15/01/22 at 2:05 pm).
The outspoken Sky pundit shared how, during Tottenham’s last game – their defeat to Chelsea – Conte looked ‘disinterested’ with the body language of ‘what a waste of time’.
Spurs were due to play Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday, but the game was postponed because their neighbours were unable to field a team.
As a result, Conte and his players lost the chance to lift the mood around the place after getting knocked out of the League Cup by Chelsea.
The January transfer window is open and Spurs haven’t made any significant movements, in terms of incoming or outgoings.
Merson didn’t expect them to make noises this month, but he thinks ‘three or four’ players are needed in the summer.
“Oh, yeah, I could see that along the way (Conte leaving if he doesn’t get what he wants),” said Merson. “The one thing, when Conte was at Chelsea, he was enthusiastic.
“When he first came into Tottenham. He is up and down the touchline when they score. The other day, he was sitting there with his arm folded and he was like ‘this is a waste of time’.
“He needs players. The gulf over the two legs was absolutely embarrassing – He seemed disinterested, Conte. Like ‘we can’t win’.
“But Tottenham might look back on that result, even though they are playing against one of their arch enemies and they got well beat over the two legs, that might be the catalyst for them to go and buy three or four players in the summer.”
Conte has made it clear that he understands what has been spelt out to him by those in Tottenham’s boardroom.
Going by the club’s lack of transfer activity this month, it seems as though they won’t make any serious moves in January, unless they sell someone for big bucks.
But it seems as though everything is pointing towards the club making moves in the summer.
The relationship between the Spurs board and the club’s fans isn’t a popular one, but if Conte is backed in the summer, then that will quickly change because it will allow him to work his magic.
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