Can Spurs compete even with jaded Kane and Son?

Following the arrival of Antonio Conte, Tottenham managed to find their way in the Premier League after a stuttering start resulted in the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo. Under Conte, Spurs averaged two points per game from their 28 matches and were able to beat out Arsenal for fourth place in the Premier League to secure Champions League football for next season.

It was a major boost for the club, providing a platform to attract a host of new players to rebuild the team in the image of Conte. However, the key men in the final third remain Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, who will carry the fortunes of Spurs in the Premier League and Champions League. Tottenham are backed in the Paddy Power football odds at 14/1 to win the Premier League for the first time next season.

Conte’s magic

Conte has worked wonders at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan in the past, so there is plenty of hope that Spurs could compete with Manchester City and Liverpool for the crown, especially as Inter were able to end Juventus’ dominance thanks to his efforts, as reported by Sky Sports at the time. Kane and Son are as good as their counterparts at both clubs, while Conte should provide the defensive resilience that is required to win titles to make the difference at the back.

If the Italian had been in charge over the course of the season, Spurs would have placed above Chelsea in third place, but would still have been comfortably off the pace of City at the top and Liverpool in second. The challenge for Conte is to bridge the gap, although it will be easier said than done, especially this season.

Extra workload

The World Cup will cause a halt in the campaign between November and December, with a number of Tottenham players likely to participate in the tournament. Kane more than most will be desperate to make an impact. At the age of 29, he is at the peak of his powers and having led England to a semi-final last time out and a defeat in the final of Euro 2020, he and his teammates will be determined to go all the way. Given the struggles of other attackers, the onus will be on Kane to perform, which was covered in detail by Planet Sport. Son is also a leader for South Korea and will also be looking to make his mark in the tournament, having failed to progress beyond the group stage at the 2018 World Cup.

Kane appeared to be tired in England’s Nations League matches in June, and will not have much time to rest before the start of the campaign. With the additional duties of a World Cup, as well as the pressure and the strain of the tournament, Conte and Spurs may have to prepare themselves to see a lethargic Kane around Christmas time and beyond.

Due to his importance to the club, it will be a severe test of Conte’s management skills to squeeze out victories and performance at that crux time in the campaign. Although Tottenham appear to be on an upward trajectory with Conte on the sideline, he will have to earn his money with his two stars destined for a heavy workload for both club and country in the 22/23 season.