3 big lessons Antonio Conte learned about Tottenham in his first match

1. Investment is needed at centre back

Romero’s red card put Tottenham in a terrible position in the second half. The good news is that otherwise, he’s perfectly suited for Conte’s aggressive system. The Italian manager will need to work to scale back the Argentine’s aggressiveness, but that’s a challenge Conte will embrace.

The more subtle deficiencies of both Eric Dier and Ben Davies will be more troubling for their new manager. Dier is big and strong but was once again soundly beaten for the set-piece goal that brought Vitesse back into the match. It’s difficult to see him retaining his place in Conte’s starting XI unless his form improves dramatically in very short order.

Conte’s decision to give Davies a chance to play as the left-sided centre back in his back three should not have surprised anyone. The Welshman plays that role for his country and playing as a centre back helps make up for Davies’ lack of pace. The problem is that he lacks the size or passing range to really thrive for Conte at the back.

That’s why Tottenham will need to bring their wallets to the January transfer window to find a new centre back for Conte to rely on. It’s possible that a fringe player like Davinson Sanchez or Joe Rodon can help the situation, but neither is going to convince Conte that a big purchase isn’t required.

Spurs want a backup striker but they need a starting centre back. That’s where the most money will be spent in January.