Antonio Conte must axe Spurs liability Japhet Tanganga vs Chelsea | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur remain unbeaten under manager Antonio Conte in the league since his arrival in November but a tough test presents itself in the form of his former club Chelsea this afternoon.

The Blues got the better of Spurs over their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final in recent weeks, winning 3-0 on aggregate and truth be told, the north Londoners barely had a scratch at the Champions of Europe.

Although, they have floundered in the top-flight, winning just one of their last seven outings and that run includes a defeat to title-holders Manchester City and draws to Liverpool, Wolves and Brighton.

Conte will be facing a number of selection decisions heading into kick-off but if one thing has become apparent, then it’s that Japhet Tanganga is just not good enough to be starting regularly in the Premier League.

Is Tanganga good enough for Spurs?

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NO!

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In both games against Chelsea, he struggled and was absolutely bullied by the attacking prowess of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, among others.

“As bad a 45-minute performance as any under the last four managers. Emerson, Tanganga and Sanchez particularly abysmal,” tweeted Press Association journalist Jonathan Veal during the first leg.

He was at fault for two goals across the two legs with untimely errors and then during Spurs’ midweek clash with Leicester City, the ball cannoned in off him as he was woefully out of position when goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had it well covered.

Tanganga further highlighted his inexperience earlier in the campaign when he saw red against Crystal Palace – “It’s a lack of experience and rush of blood. He’ll get over it but it cost them today,” claimed BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand during the game (via the Daily Mail).

He was even at fault for Morecambe’s goal in the FA Cup third round, losing his man inside the penalty area, which is not only a worrying sign against a League One outfit but it also has been a recurring theme of his.

There are two factors that make the decision a little easier for Conte.

It’s believed that Eric Dier will be available for the clash following his injury, and he’s a crucial part of his backline, often dictating play from the back, whilst reports have linked Tanganga with a switch to AC Milan before next Monday’s deadline, so there’s a chance he doesn’t even see out the season here.

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If that’s the case, then it would be pretty pointless to see him start in a game of this calibre. Spurs are truly in the race for the top four as they sit just two points behind Manchester United, with three games spare (including this one).

Across both matches with Chelsea, Tanganga failed to register above a 6.48 rating, which is well below his seasonal average in the league of 6.60, as per WhoScored. That only goes to show just how poor he’s been against top-quality opposition.

As such, Conte must be ruthless and axe the struggling 22-year-old youth product. The £13.5m-rated liability is just not good enough for the big time yet and should have no place in the starting XI with Dier back in the frame this afternoon.