I think we could live with that if we could do it with any regularity. Instead, as we know, we usually give the other team a goal or 2 headstart, and then Conteball is useless. This clean sheet is very welcome, and I hope the win provides some positivity going in to the cup game next.
I want to ask what's your opinion of Conte going forward. His style of play has been Conservative this season not that High scoring counter approach last season. Has he been found out or was he trying to get to Europe after Espirito had spurs lower in the race whereas now he can afford to sit back and still be in the race given he began a full season with Spurs. Is counter attack football a limited style of football that isn't sustainable in every match only in a few where you counter the opposition style esp if they are an offensive side? Last, who would you prefer to take up the job should he leave? A proven coach or an up and coming one like us? I think Silva from Fulham would be good. EPL proven and should be solid with a better squads.
I will give him the benefit of the doubt as he has yet to complete a full season in charge at the club. Plus he made it very clear at the end of last season that this was a work in progress and I totally agree. At the minute, Conte doesn't have the complete package to play his style of football consistently. You can see what he is trying to do, but there are missing pieces. It is very simple - he will wait to see if our chairman gets him the type of players he wants, or he will walk. If the board were to sack him, Pochettino would be the most likely replacement, but you would still have the same problem - an insufficient squad and the same board which keeps making the same mistakes when it comes to the football side of the operations. Remember all the Arsenal folk who wanted Arteta out? How he didn't know what he was doing? Similar thing with Klopp at Liverpool at the beginning.
Arteta was new and learning on job. Klopp was a matter of time until he got it right. But I see your point. Time tells the difference.
Interesting tactical tweak: in the first half, Royal kept popping up in the middle of the park, which actually gave us an extra outlet to maintain attacks (and Fulham didn't bother marking him, probably wondering what the hell he was doing there). Perisic also played on the right mostly, which gave Son more room on the left. Is this Conte actually making adjustments?