Antonio Conte has revealed that his intention was to change his formation against AC Milan and introduce Arnaut Danjuma with Tottenham chasing a goal. Going into the Champions League Round of 16 second leg tie trailing 1-0, Spurs needed a response on home soil in order to keep their European ambitions alive.
Unable to test Mike Maignan in the AC Milan goal in the first 45 minutes, it wasn't until midway through the second half when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg forced the Frenchman into his first real save. Having introduced Pedro Porro and Richarlison, Conte has admitted that his idea was to go all attack in a 4-2-4 formation before Cristian Romero's red card scuppered his Danjuma plan.
"Yeah about Arnaut, for sure I am sorry. I am sorry for him because he arrived in the transfer market in January and the club wanted to sign on loan this player," said Conte in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Nottingham Forest game. "For sure he has good characteristics, good quality and maybe he has not specific characteristics to be a No.10. Maybe he is more a second striker or a winger, but for sure I am appreciating a lot his desire, his will in every training [session].
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"Against Milan, if we don't have that red card to Romero, he was coming to try to play with a 4-2-4. I have to try to find always the best solution."
Romero's dismissal did result in Conte making one final change, with Davinson Sanchez taking his teammate's place at the back after replacing Dejan Kulusevski. It was a substitution that didn't go well with supporters as boos could be heard around the ground.
Asked by football.london about the substitution, Conte outlined why he made that change even though it was an unwelcome one with many given Tottenham needed to score.
"But we had three strikers," explained the Italian. "We continue to stay with three strikers. Sonny, Kane and Richarlison and then we put Pedro Porro and we played with a 3-4-3 usually and without one player we played a 3-3-3 or 3-2-4 but do you think that if you win the game only because you play with a striker?
"You have to find in every moment to risk but at the same time don't lose the balance if you want to keep one chance and then we had the chance, but then I repeat if you think in that moment we can play with four strikers? We can do 2-2-4 against Milan and the counter-attack and the space?
"But I repeat that I think I do my job and everyone has to do their job. (Chuckles) I think I have a career behind of me and the experience to try to make the best decision and then I repeat you can accept or not, but the reality is that we risk to score to draw but also if you score one goal, you go to play 30 minutes with four strikers no?
"I repeat this is okay but the fans, I understand the fans, but I am the coach, I have to always try to find the best solution for the team and at that time it was the best solution."
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