Tottenham Hotspur are finally beginning to look like the side they are supposed to be under Antonio Conte and the Italian’s remarkable management skills, leadership and tactics are paying off as Spurs have re-entered the top four for the first time since September.
A number of players in the side have turned a huge corner in the second half of the campaign, with the likes of Cristian Romero, Matt Doherty and Harry Kane all rediscovering their form and excelling under the 52-year-old.
But another player on that list is Eric Dier, who has “really impressed” and been described as a “leader” by former Liverpool captain and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher for his solidity in Tottenham ’s back three.
Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of Tottenham’s 5-1 victory over Newcastle on Sunday, Carragher said: “I’ve been really impressed with him. There’s no doubt that since he’s come in, Antonio Conte, he’s placed him in the middle of that back three and you look at the record with and without him, he’s definitely a leader in this team and I definitely think this back three suits him rather than playing in a back four.”
Since recovering from a thigh injury which kept him out of three of Tottenham’s four games against Leicester, Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves between January 19-February 13, Dier has started all of Spurs’ following eight Premier League matches.
And that began with the remarkable 3-2 victory away to Manchester City on February 19, in which Spurs have won six of those eight fixtures to reignite their top four hopes, which they eventually moved into following their latest result on Sunday.
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Dier has formed part of a settled back three alongside Romero and Ben Davies, with the trio keeping three clean sheets in that recent run of games and has been credited for his leadership in the side, with Spurs looking like a dominant force in all areas of the pitch.
The 28-year-old has racked up over 300 appearances for Spurs, proving his versatility by playing as a holding midfielder, centre back and even right back during his time at the club, but it looks as though he has finally found his home in a back three in Conte’s new 3-4-2-1 formation.
Dier has had his fair share of critics during his time at the club but, since a revival under Conte, he looks to have silenced those following a recent run of games in which he has been a standout in the side of late, of which he can thank the Italian for.
It has appeared that the former Sporting Lisbon youngster has become a favourite under Conte and is much better suited to playing in a back three rather than a back four, which was adopted by former manager Nuno Espirito Santo at the beginning of the season, and looks much more comfortable in defence.
But Dier is just another example of a player who has found a new lease of life under Conte, and full credit must once again go to the Spurs manager for sticking with his new preferred system and enabling his players to excel as a result.
Following Arsenal ’s surprise defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday, Spurs now have every chance of finishing in the top four and Dier’s leadership and solidity at the back will prove crucial if they are to have any chance of achieving Champions League football next season.
