Tottenham’s most telling improvements since Antonio Conte took charge

Conte’s by-the-numbers influence

Conte doesn’t need numbers to showcase the considerable influence he’s had on the club, but they certainly help emphasize the point.

Tottenham rank in the top five of all but one of the stats showcased in Sky’s feature. Most impressive, and the two numbers that correlate directly to indicating Spurs progress, are distance covered and goals allowed. Tottenham conceded 1.6 goals per game during Nuno’s 10 games in charge, ranking 14th in the league. Since Conte took over, Spurs are the best defensive side in the top flight, allowing just 0.5 goals per game.

The stat everyone is talking about is distance covered. Nuno’s Tottenham ran the least of any team in the Premier League,100 kilometres on average per match, a woefully embarrassing stat that indicated the collective’s unwillingness to put in the hard yards.

Cue Conte’s fierce arrival on the scene. Substantially improving overall fitness and intensity across the squad was Conte’s first order of business. What transpired on the training ground when Conte stepped onto the scene was a gruelling baptism of fire for his comparatively unfit squad.

Tottenham now run the most of any top flight team, covering an average of 114 km per match. It’s the most fundamental, yet instrumental of turnarounds Conte has orchestrated. The squad clearly needed a coach of Conte’s unforgiving nature and venerable stature to come in and violently shake things up.

Now that the honeymoon period is over, it will be interesting to see what transpires in the coming weeks and months under Conte’s disciplined, relentless approach. If the players are steadfast in their commitment to Conte’s vision, Spurs’ progression will be as unabating as Conte’s two-a-day training sessions.