The most famous recent meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool arrived in the Champions League final in 2019. Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners, but the fact they shared football’s biggest club stage speaks volumes. Or at least it should. But Tottenham manager Antonio Conte isn’t listening to the voices of glories past.
On Sunday evening the Italian welcomed Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He did so with undue reverence, naming a remarkably defensive 5-3-2 system that was reactive even by his standards. To do this at home is one thing, to do it against a Liverpool side that haven’t won away all season is quite another. Shouldn’t a team who have just reached the Champions League knockout round have more ambition against a side that has flattered to deceive this season?
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The galling element of this was not just the fact Conte had set up not to lose, but that he had done so without a clear plan on how to win. Ivan Perisic was named as the replacement for the injured Heung-min Son up front, partnering Harry Kane. The Croatia international was a fierce wing presence in his day and does have previous as a second striker. But at 33 years old he has evolved into a consummate wing back and it showed on Sunday.
This is not to say Perisic himself played badly. The former Inter Milan man worked tirelessly at a pace several of his younger peers struggled with, and was a constant irritant to Trent Alexander-Arnold in particular. But, as is to be expected for a lifelong winger-turned-wing back, his best work came out wide.
The one time he did drift effectively in the centre was the sort of moment that epitomised Conte’s cautious selection. Kane broke into the right channel and floated a pinpoint cross to Perisic, whose header was tipped onto the post by Alisson. It was Tottenham’s best chance of the first half, but one cannot help but wonder if a role-reversal would have resulted in a goal.
Had Perisic started in his usual wing-back berth ahead of the ineffectual Emerson Royal, Kane would likely not have been required in a wide-right position. Instead he could have been on the end of a whipped ball from the Croatian and the scoreline would have looked very different.
It’s not like Conte did not have options to name a more traditional forward alongside Kane. Lucas Moura was on the bench and even the creative genius of Dejan Kulusevski would have allowed the Italian to name Perisic in a more effective role. But instead, two dynamic attacking players sat on the bench while Conte named a rote, solid but uninspiring eleven.
The problem with focusing on keeping the opposition to nil is that it only takes one moment of brilliance or an individual error to implode your efforts. Spurs suffered both fates in the first half. Darwin Nunez’s superb control of an Andy Robertson pass allowed him to play in Mo Salah for a classy first. Then a long ball from Alisson tied Eric Dier in knots, with Salah seizing upon his poor header to lift the ball over Lloris. All of a sudden, a team set up expressly to keep the score down was 2-0 behind.
As is often the case with this current Spurs iteration, they were a far better side after going behind. The introduction of Matt Doherty gave Spurs added width at wing back, which led to their goal. Moura and Kulusevski’s introduction had Liverpool on the back foot and all of a sudden, Klopp’s side were trying to hold on to the final whistle.
But what if Conte had been braver. What if, against an out-of-form side and while playing at home, he had been brave enough to start Moura up top? To sacrifice either Yves Bissouma or Pierre Emile Hojbjerg for the creative influence of Kulusevski? To have allowed Perisic or even Doherty to start at wing back, offering greater width and penetration? Any one of these changes would have likely improved Spurs’ turgid first half display.
Conte is bullish and unlikely to change for anyone. But you do wonder what the ceiling is for a Spurs team their manager doesn’t seem to trust. Even against a Liverpool side at their lowest ebb for two seasons, the handbrake remained firmly on. It is worrying that the absence of Son seems to be enough for Conte to engage ultra-defensive mode. The former Italy coach has turned Tottenham back into a Champions League side under his watchful eye. But if he doesn’t get a little bit braver, they aren’t going any further than that.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
