Kane was annoyed by home supporters for most of the game and, in a hushed performance, registered fewer passes and touches than any of the Spurs’ outfield starters.
Conte is confident in Harry Kane
Antonio Conte has said he has “zero doubt” about Harry Kane’s mentality as he left his FIFA World Cup failure behind him to score in Tottenham’s draw against Brentford. Just 15 days after his decisive missed penalty in England’s quarter-final defeat with France, he surfaced with a bullet header to ignite Tottenham’s second-half comeback in their 2-2 draw. Kane was annoyed by home supporters for most of the game and, in a hushed performance, registered fewer passes and touches than any of the Spurs’ outfield starters. But he still held his record for scoring in every Boxing Day game he played – moving up to 10 celebratory goals and ahead of previous Premier League record holder Robbie Fowler.
The fans are trying to create a problem
“I do not doubt Harry’s quality, his mentality, how he approaches every game, every practice,” said Conte. “He must have faced a strange situation. He played an excellent World Cup but then missed the decisive penalty in the quarter-finals. Football is like that – you can have positive or negative moments, but if you are strong mentally, a top player and a player at a high level, and there’s a negative point that you have to put in one way, I think Harry did it. Today he played for Tottenham, not England. It’s normal; the fans are trying to create a problem, but only because he played for Tottenham against Brentford. In Italy, you don’t know what’s going on! When the players are in the national team, they can be the best and then when they start in the league; the fans try to disrupt them.”
“Just because the player is an opponent who can harm your team. Nothing personal.”
The Spurs are conceding the first goal in nine games in a row
Tottenham’s latest comeback result, their eighth so far this season in all competitions, was only possible after conceding the opening goal for the ninth consecutive game. The head coach looked at the positives and negatives but was left perplexed by a situation he had never faced before. “To concede the first goal or two goals for many games, we have to think about it to try to find a solution. This is the first time this type of situation has happened. But at the same time, this is the first time all these great reactions too. They showed great character and great desire, but we should try to do it from the very beginning.”
“On the one hand, I should be happy about the reaction and how we played in the second half of the match. But not only because we scored two goals but the energy, desire and intensity you played with. When you play like this, you create many problems for your opponent. On the other hand, it’s nine games in a row we conceded the first goal. It’s not positive. We understand that we have a great character and a great reaction; we believe in ourselves, but at the same time, it is important to be stable for a squad that wants to try to stay in a good position in the table.