Season Preview 2022-23: Tottenham – Antonio Conte Looks To Revive A Resurgent Spurs

Last Season Review

The 2021/22 Premier League season was filled with off-field issues and on-field inconsistencies for Tottenham.

The season began with the exhausting Harry Kane saga and his apparently inevitable move to Manchester City which didn’t contrive to happen after being in talks all summer. At the start of last season, Spurs appointed Nuno Esperito Santo to replace interim boss Ryan Mason who was appointed to take charge after the dismissal of Jose Mourinho.

The season started brilliantly with four wins in their first four Premier League games. However, their form soon declined, and Nuno could not handle the pressure. In November, Tottenham pulled the trigger on the former Wolves manager and announced the arrival of Antonio Conte.

It took the Spurs players some time to get used to Conte’s intensity, but once they picked up form, Tottenham were a completely different side. They were defensively robust and effective in the wide areas, and the front line began firing on all cylinders.

Antonio Conte’s January signings were also excellent. Kulusevski and Bentancur were both signed in January, and everyone doubted the pair as they were new to the Premier League.

However, Conte’s decision to sign them was an astute one as Tottenham finished the season strongly with both players contributing effectively. They took points off Manchester City and Liverpool and defeated Arsenal in a huge game to finish in the top four.

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Tottenham’s Transfer Window

Tottenham have arguably been the most efficient club in the transfer window this season. The players they have brought in are perfectly suited to Antonio Conte’s style, and a couple of them are proven Premier League quality.

The signing that shows the quality of their recruitment is Bissouma from Brighton. The 25-year-old is an exceptional midfielder and has been constantly improving every season. He was one of Liverpool’s primary targets as a replacement for Wijnaldum, but the Reds were not too keen on the player, and Tottenham swooped to sign him.

Bissouma is a box-to-box midfielder and possesses a very complete skill set. He is great at breaking up play and is an excellent ball carrier. His work rate is immense, and he perfectly suits Conte’s style.

The other big signing is Richarlison from Everton. The majority of Spurs’ attacking play has always been thrust on the shoulders of Kane and Son, while the rest of the team have never consistently delivered higher up the pitch.

Adding Richarlison to Son, Kane and Kulusevski provides Antonio Conte with a brilliant set of attackers going into the new season. The guile and creativity are with Kane and Kulusevski, while Richarlison and Son will provide the tireless work rate in and out of possession.

Clement Lenglet and Ivan Perisic are also massive signings. Lenglet is a left-footed center-back, and is known for his distribution, ability to read the game, and is also effective aerially. His skill set is perfect for a back-three system as it allows Tottenham to start attacks from either side using the passing range of Lenglet and Romero.

Ivan Perisic is a typical Antonio Conte player. Tireless work rate, never dying spirit, and an all round quality footballer as well. Having worked together before, they both know what to expect from each other. Perisic is an aggressive winger/wing-back with quality deliveries in his locker.

Fraser Forster is another player who brings a lot of Premier League experience to the squad. Lloris will be the first choice, but Forster is a great backup keeper to have.

Tottenham’s Predicted Starting Eleven Next Season

Here’s how Spurs could line up next season.

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Expectations For Next Season

The pressure of winning a trophy is growing on Tottenham every season. They built a brilliant team under Pochettino but failed to win any silverware. However, this team under Conte has players with a killer instinct, and the Italian is a proven winner who demands very high standards from his players.

Of course, the expectations won’t be to win the Premier League or the Champions League, but reaching the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the UCL & finishing in the top four would be good enough for Spurs fans.

With the players they have brought in and the manager they have, a title challenge is not an over-optimistic target. Of course, winning the league might be a rather premature expectation for this side, but they certainly have the ability and tools to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City.

Winning any piece of silverware would be a massive success for Tottenham. An FA Cup or a League Cup triumph would be massive for the club and would be a perfect way to get this team going for the exciting Conte era ahead.