The probabilities of Tottenham returning to the Champions League subsequent season are beginning to look a bit slimmer after the staff threw away a two-goal lead at last-place Southampton on Saturday.
The probabilities of Antonio Conte returning to teach the staff subsequent season are trying even slimmer after the Italian tore into his gamers for being “egocentric” and slammed the membership for not having a successful mentality.
After James Ward Prowse’s injury-time penalty earned Southampton a 3-3 draw within the Premier League, a despondent Conte responded by questioning his gamers’ perspective and accused them of not taking part in as a collective.
“I’m not used to see one of these scenario,” Conte mentioned. “I see lots of egocentric gamers. And I don’t see a staff.”
Conte turned referred to as a serial winner after main each Juventus and Inter Milan to the Serie A title and Chelsea to the Premier League crown. However he’s set to complete a second season at Tottenham and not using a trophy after the staff went out of the Champions League and FA Cup just lately. And he may even see the staff miss out on a Champions League spot as its grip on fourth place is more and more shaky.
Tottenham has not gained a trophy in any competitors for the reason that 2008 League Cup and Conte — in feedback that can solely gasoline hypothesis that he needs to go away the membership — accused the Tottenham gamers and hierarchy of being content material with that.
“I see egocentric gamers, I see gamers that don’t need to assist one another and don’t put their coronary heart (in),” Conte instructed his post-game information convention. “Why? As a result of they’re used to it right here, they’re used to it. They don’t play for one thing necessary, yeah. They don’t need to play below strain, they don’t need to play below stress. It’s straightforward on this approach. Tottenham’s story is that this. Twenty years there’s the (identical) proprietor they usually by no means gained one thing.”
Tottenham would have provisionally climbed above Manchester United into third with a win, however is now simply two factors forward of fifth-place Newcastle, which has performed two fewer video games.
Tottenham had taken a 3-1 lead after Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic netted their first targets for the membership and Harry Kane scored his twenty third of the marketing campaign.
Southampton had solely scored twice in its earlier 5 league appearances however the hosts confirmed the identical struggle that noticed them just lately take factors off Chelsea and Manchester United to come back again and increase their survival hopes.
Ward-Prowse’s late penalty, after Pape Sarr had fouled Ainsley Maitland-Niles within the space, added to second-half efforts by Che Adams and Theo Walcott to earn Saints some extent.
For Southampton, the purpose may show essential in an ever-tightening battle to keep away from relegation. The membership remained backside of the standings, however solely 4 factors separate it from Crystal Palace in twelfth place.