Conte admits Yves Bissouma is a ‘step behind’ Hojbjerg, Bentancur, and Skipp

Antonio Conte has claimed that Yves Bissouma still has work to do to get accustomed to his role in Tottenham’s system.

Of the six players that Spurs signed this summer (excluding Destiny Udogie, who returned to Udinese on loan), Bissouma was seen by many as one of the few who would strengthen the club’s starting eleven rather than just the squad.

However, the former Brighton man had to make do with appearances from the bench until Tottenham’s clash against West Ham on Wednesday, when an injury to Rodrigo Bentancur forced Conte to turn to his new signing.

The Mali international did not put in the most convincing of performances in his first start for the club but Conte insisted that he was pleased with what he saw from the 26-year-old at the London Stadium.

However, the Tottenham head coach admitted that Bissouma is ‘a step behind’ the other three midfielders at his disposal since they all worked under him last season.

When asked about Bissouma, Conte told Football.London: “He needs to work, go totally into our idea of football. He’s a step behind Bentancur and Hojbjerg.

“The same for Skipp working with me all of last season. I’m pleased with what I’ve seen during the game and we are talking about player with good skills and strong physically, good engine.”

Spurs Web Opinion

I thought Bissouma looked a little nervous on Wednesday, which was not surprising, given that it was his first start for us and a big London Derby.

In Conte’s system, the midfielders are required to do functional things consistently, while the former Brighton man is a little more unpredictable and thrives when given freedom.

So, he will need some time to get used to the system but I have no doubts that he will prove to be a very useful player for us over the course of the season.

The post Conte admits Yves Bissouma is a ‘step behind’ Hojbjerg, Bentancur, and Skipp appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.