Spurs got past the West Ham United test beating the Hammers 3-1 on Sunday but according to Antonio Conte, the international break could spoil their party.
Tottenham have gotten within three points of Arsenal after beating West Ham United but the international break seems to have come at the wrong time since it has the potential to break their rhythm. For a team who are badly in need of a good run of matches, this pause could be a stumbling block.
The Spurs boss said to the BBC: “I am very delighted not only for the three points but for the performance.
“Today we played really, really well. We dominated the game from the start until the end. I enjoyed seeing my team play football. Now I repeat we have to continue to work and we are seeing the improvement every week.
“It’s a pity it is the international break now because we are in great form and are playing really well. But at the same time, we now have to rest.
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“I think that my team is improving in many aspects. In the last period, despite so many defeats, the performance have been good. To be a strong team you have to be stable.”
West Ham out of the top-four race but can Spurs catch up with Arsenal?
The loss was a major blow for West Ham United’s hopes for a top-four finish because they have now slipped to the seventh spot and they are six points behind Arsenal having played two more games. It’s safe to say that unless the other contenders start performing really badly, we don’t see West Ham getting back into the race anymore.
Spurs though will be really buoyant and we agree that the international break will be a speed breaker for them since they now face some not-so-big teams. After the break, they take on Newcastle, then Aston Villa and then Brighton and to be honest, we expect Tottenham to win all three matches.
The break might just prove to be a hindrance for Conte’s team, especially since they have been really inconsistent this season.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will use this break to rest their players and this is a major boost since Mikel Arteta is working with a very thin squad. The Arsenal has already complained about fixture congestions so this break will help the Gunners more as opposed to their North London rivals.
West Ham should now aim for a Europa League spot as it looks like a battle between Arsenal and Spurs for the fourth spot on the table. Man United are still in the mix but one more loss and they too will fall down the pecking order.
