Tottenham Hotspur Stadium resembles a train platform of an airport terminal. It’s difficult to keep track of who’s coming, who’s going, where have people been, and most importantly – who is going to stay. Italian coach Antonio Conte arrived in November but is still getting to terms with what is going on at the club. The activity during the January transfer window made him reflect on Spurs’ strategy in the market – or perhaps the lack of it.Conte: “We have to pay more attention in the market to sign players. It becomes of fundamental importance”. ⚪️ #THFC“Kulusevski – good player, very young and great talent. He can play No 9 or No 10 but also has the potential to play wing-back. Good quality”, via @CDEccleshare pic.twitter.com/qu2rowdRKu— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 4, 2022 He said that they made big mistakes they really cannot afford to repeat. The club offloaded four high-profile players on transfer deadline day. Club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele, who cost $74 million in 2019, returned to Lyon on loan. His fellow midfielder Giovani Lo Celso headed to Villarreal for the rest of the season. Spain winger Bryan Gil, who only signed for Spurs in July, went to Valencia on loan and Dele Alli signed for Everton on an initial free transfer.So many departures of players who have only recently arrived suggest that something hadn’t been done well in the past.”It was strange because it means something went wrong in the past. It was strange, I repeat in January to send three first-team players on loan and sell another. It means maybe in the past you have to see what you did. And maybe to understand that there were some mistakes in the past.””Dele needed to have another experience, I want to thank him for the time we worked together.” 👏Antonio Conte with a good luck message for Dele Alli as he discusses Tottenham’s new signings 👇 pic.twitter.com/jMhniLCgMK— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 4, 2022 He used the arrival of Gil as an example of a misjudged signing, saying the 20-year-old, although talented, did not fit the profile of a Premier League player.”In this moment, for sure this league is very tough. This league is different. If you compare this league with other leagues, you play another sport here. For this reason, when you go to sign a new player, you have to consider many aspects.”Spurs were able to bring in Juventus pair Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur at the end of the transfer window and Conte said they would improve his squad.FA CUPFourth Round Friday23.00: (1.35) Man.Utd. (5.30) Middlesbrou. (8.00)Saturday15.30: (14.0) Kidderminster (6.75) West Ham (1.20)15.30: (1.10) Chelsea (11.0) Plymouth (19.0)18.00: (2.00) Stoke (3.40) Wigan (3.90)18.00: (1.70) Wolverhampton (3.70) Norwich (5.20)18.00: (1.15) Man.City (8.50) Fulham (15.0)18.00: (3.40) Peterborough (3.40) QPR (2.15)18.00: (1.58) Southampton (4.00) Coventry (6.00)18.00: (1.17) Crystal Palace (7.50) Hartlepool (16.0)18.00: (1.75) Huddersfield (3.50) Barnsley (5.10)18.00: (2.10) Everton (3.45) Brentford (3.50)20.30: (3.50) Cambridge (3.45) Luton (2.10)23.00: (1.95) Tottenham (3.40) Brighton (4.10)Sunday15.00: (1.15) Liverpool (7.75) Cardiff (18.0)19.00: (4.10) Nott.Forest (3.50) Leicester (1.92)21.30: (1.28) Bournemouth (5.50) Boreham Wood (11.0)***odds are subject of change
