Antonio Conte’s high flying Tottenham Hotspur side travel to the midlands on Sunday to face newly promoted Nottingham Forest.

Conte spoke to the media on Friday ahead of his side's fourth game of the season, where they will be hoping to continue their unbeaten record of two wins and one draw to London rivals Chelsea. 

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The Italian confirmed Cristian Romero and Oliver Skipp will miss Sunday’s clash, though he did say the duo are expected back in full training with the team early next week.

On wingers Lucas Moura and Bryan Gil, Conte said: “I need to check a couple situations. Today, they didn’t have the training session with us, but we have tomorrow to make the right decision for both players.”

Lucas has made two late substitute appearances in games against Southampton and Chelsea, while Gil has not featured at all.

Latest on ins and outs 

With less than a week to go in the transfer window, Conte was sure to give nothing away whether the club are still looking for more options. 

The Italian has signed seven players in the window so far, with some outgoings now expected. 

Conte said: “If the right players go out, we need players to come.”

Full back Sergio Reguilon and midfielder Harry Winks have been frozen out of the picture, with the latter reportedly in talks to move to Sampdoria on a season-long loan deal.

When asked about Reguilon and Winks, Conte said: “There are players that are in the plan, and other players that we want to try and give the possibility to play more regularly. We are trying to find the best solution for both the club, and the squad, but also for the players.”

He continued: “You know very well, the club know very well, the importance for me to have a squad with a couple of players in every role. For sure, we want to make happy, every single player but at the same time, we have to make the right evaluation for our club and for our team. We will see what happens.”

Earlier this summer, Spurs’ ownership ENIC Sports Inc agreed a capital increase of up to £150 million for Conte to spend in the transfer window. 

Since then, Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, Richarlison and Djed Spence have all joined the club.

New season, Different Son

Having failed to find the net in the opening three games of the new season, Conte was asked of whether he is worried of forward Heung-Min Son’s current form.

On the Korea international, Conte said: “We are talking about a really important player for me and for the club, and for sure, I think Sonny in the last three games, he has the chances to score but there is a moment where you are a bit unlucky.

“I think there is no problem with Sonny for his performances because the attitude and commitment is always very high. I’m happy with his performances and I don’t see any problem with him. I repeat, he is for me, a very important player.”

Son scored 23 times last season, and his manager believes once he finds his first of the current campaign, the 30-year-old’s confidence will allow him to hit similar levels to last season. 

Road to Istanbul

With the Champions League group stage draw having taken place on Thursday, Spurs were placed in Group D, where they will face last season’s Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt, Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon and Olympique Marseille. 

Before this season, the north London club had failed to qualify for the competition since the 2019/20 season, and Conte is very much looking forward to facing Europe’s elite.

He said: “You know very well, we are talking about the most important and most difficult competition in Europe, maybe in the world. You find the best teams in the world in this competition.

“[In] our group, I see balance. For sure, our target is to try to go to the next round. This has to be clear. We gained the possibility to play this important competition and we want to enjoy.”

Conte himself hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in European competitions lately. The Italian’s Inter Milan side were knocked out of the Champions League in back-to-back seasons, having dropped down into the Europa League in 2019/20, before losing in the final to Sevilla.

The season so far

There is often a lot said of how Conte sets his teams out to play.

The 53-year-old’s teams are regularly called pragmatic and not the way modern football should be played however, Conte is delighted with his teams’ performances so far.

He said: “We started the season very well. We are working well. We know our strength and weakness and we are trying to improve on this aspect. We have to continue to work and to know, now we have seven points and the last season with these three teams [Southampton, Chelsea and Wolves], we lost.

“We want to try to keep to improve always in every aspect. I have seen a lot of positive things for sure, if we were the team of last season, we wouldn’t win. Now this team is becoming resilient and is learning to suffer. I think if you want to become competitive, you have to improve this situation. Against Wolverhampton, it’s the first time we didn’t concede a goal.”

Conte’s pre-season drills are some of the most brutal in world football.

On the Lilywhites’ tour of South Korea, the Italian demanded his squad to run 42 pitch-long runs after a two-hour training session, with Harry Kane having to vomit once done, and Heung-Min Son collapsing to the ground.

Conte’s gruelling regime seems to be paying off, as Spurs will be hunting for their fourth win in five this Sunday at the City Ground.