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Emma de Duve

Richarlison problem can be solved by Antonio Conte at Tottenham as transfer success continues

Tottenham have now welcomed five new players to their squad ahead of their pre-season matches, which start in South Korea. A handful of Antonio Conte's team haven't made the trip, and newest arrival Clement Lenglet is one of them, as he doesn't have the correct documentation to travel to Korea.

That means that the newest addition who did travel is Richarlison. The former Everton attacker made the move to N17 in a £60million deal.

The Brazilian adds quality to the Spurs side and is a versatile addition who can play across the front three. However, one issue that has been higlighted is his lack of discipline.

READ MORE: Tottenham confirm South Korea pre-season tour squad as six first-team players left out

Richarlison is a player that will always give 100 per cent, but his aggression has sometimes been criticised. The Brazilian and Cristian Romero put in some tough challenges against one another when Spurs played Everton last season, and this quality of him as a player, has been pointed out as a potential problem.

"Richarlison is probably the one signing that surprised me from Conte because of his discipline issues, and the player can blow hot and cold. He always gives it his all, and that's something Conte will want and nurture, but you never quite know what he's going to do," Alan Smith said, speaking on behalf of 888.

"He goes to ground too easily, and that can be a distraction though he's hardly alone in that across the Premier League. It's a bit of a gamble, and maybe it's a case of the coach thinking he can make him a bit different to what he was at Everton," the ex-Arsenal man added.

As Smith alludes to, Conte may believe he can made a difference to Richarlison with the player in his team. Putting in tough challenges and being aggressive isn't a bad thing, seen with Romero last season.

However, the new arrival just needs to ensure he keeps a cool head and does stay disciplined on the pitch. This is something Gianluigi Buffon pointed out is exactly what the Tottenham boss can ensure.

"Conte is the boss of the dressing room. He is a coach who believes in discipline and rules," Buffon explained. "There is a very strict code of conduct as to how players should behave on the field and off the field. Conte has very clear ideas about behaviour, respect, being on time for training, and no phones during certain times.

"He doesn't do it to show he is the boss, he just wants everybody as focused as he is. He is a man who commands respect, but players want to respect him, they see how hard he works."

Conte is known as a regimented manager with tough methods of coaching, but this has helped him find success at multiple clubs. In 2017, he spoke about his discipline tactics.

"As a player, I was very lucky to have so many good managers in my career. I remember the first two at Lecce: Eugenio Fascetti and Carlo Mazzone. They were very important for me and my growth," he admitted.

"They used the carrot and the stick with me. I brought this type of management with me to use with my players. Sometimes you must use the stick, and sometimes you must use the carrot.

"I prefer to use the carrots! But sometimes, it's a necessity to be strong. When someone makes a mistake, it's right to underline this type of situation and find the best solution to avoid the same mistake in the future," Conte added.

Fast forward five years and the 52-year-old is still using these methods, as he explained after Tottenham's defeat to Middlesbrough in the FA Cup last season.

"I have to try the right way at the individual moment. After Burnley, I used the stick, and we won!" he said.

"After Leeds, the carrot we lost. I repeat: the coach has to try to find always the best solution, not because you're upset, frustrated and disappointed. At every moment, the situation has to be very clear."

Some may see this quality in Richarlison as a downfall, especially rival sides. However, as long as the Brazilian is willing to learn and take on advice from Conte, he is likely to be very disciplined at Tottenham and instead could become a real danger to opposing sides.

Alan Smith was speaking on behalf of 888. Head to 888 now to play a range of exciting and entertaining games.

READ NEXT:

What happened when Richarlison met Cristian Romero for the first time as a Tottenham player

Every word Richarlison said on Tottenham offer, why he might cry, trophies and Ancelotti message

Tottenham news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates and rumours from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

What Yves Bissouma and Richarlison did before Tottenham pre-season with Antonio Conte

Full Tottenham Premier League fixture list for 2022/23

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