Conte calls on Spurs to show more cunning
Antonio Conte has said his Tottenham side still lacks the experience and wit to manage matches under high pressure, and reiterated that it will take time to turn the club into challengers.
The Spurs went down 2-0 at Manchester United on Wednesday in a one-sided game, leaving a frustrated Conte who claimed they always struggle in games when “the level is high”.
Ahead of today’s game, the head coach insisted he was happy with his players’ “engagement” at Old Trafford, but said they miss the game management of many of their Premier League rivals.
“In the big games, when the level is high, the pressure is high,” said Conte.
“Playing at Old Trafford is not easy, not easy. A lot of noise, great atmosphere, the fans are pushing a lot.
“For this reason, the step we need to take is [is] try to deal with this pressure as well.
“Experience is very important in these situations. Sometimes when you suffer, you put the ball outside the stadium. So you can breathe.
“Or if you have an injury, you stay [down]. I see a lot of teams in England who understand the moment when they are suffering. One player stops, wasting time. During this period you breathe. Your mind becomes clear again. This is experience.
“The team that is used to winning, they have everything and experience is also important. You can’t buy experience. You can only improve by playing, playing, playing, facing situations and finding solutions.
“If you’re in a lot of trouble, you have to understand that it might not be the right time to keep playing from behind. Go up, with a long ball, fight for the second ball.
“These are the kinds of situations where we can improve, and we’re working on these aspects. In my opinion it’s very, very, very important to have experienced players.”