IAN LADYMAN: Man United were mocked for missing Antonio Conte, but he doesn’t suit the club anyway

Over there was a time when we had to laugh at Manchester United for their refusal to consider a transfer for Antonio Conte, but I’m not sure if that’s an option now.

Under Erik ten Hag, United still have a long way to go. For example, they still have a lot to prove when things go wrong. The memories of those ten goals at Brentford and Manchester City cannot just be erased.

But there is a sense of calm thoroughness about what Ten Hag is doing at Old Trafford and it is something United have needed for so long.

Even amid the narcissistic chaos that Cristiano Ronaldo has wrought, United’s new manager has somehow managed not to add unnecessarily to the drama. This involves craftsmanship, great courage and confidence.

At Tottenham under Conte it is different. The Italian is a great watch. His team has made progress under him. But there is always noise around Conte’s management and his rhetoric churns and spins with the regularity of a washing machine cycle.

With January not so far away – at least not on his mind – Conte has already pressed play on his favorite topic, the need for new players. A dramatic outburst against VAR’s alleged injustices after last Wednesday’s Champions League match briefly interrupted the flow on that subject, but we can be sure he will soon return to his favorite theme.

The heart of the matter at Conte is simple. He doesn’t seem very interested in managing, coaching and developing for the long term. He forever looks like a man in a hurry, someone who wants to show up, win and then, sooner rather than later, move on to the next challenge.

In his ideal world, maybe Conte would arrive at a club to get a tailor-made set of players already fit for purpose. But where does that happen in the modern game? PSG? Real Madrid? Could be.

Conte is very good at what he does. Getting to the top four with the Spurs last season was quite an achievement. If he gets Tottenham past Marseille on Tuesday and into the last sixteen of the Champions League, that’s another one.

Despite all the musings from some about his playing style, Tottenham are third in the Premier League, ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and indeed United.

But that doesn’t mean he would have worked at Old Trafford. After four layoffs and a strange interim appointment – Ralf Rangnick – since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson, United need a long-term strategy, vision and trajectory like perhaps no other club in the Premier League.

Conte would never be fit for that. United remain progressive under Ten Hag, but there will certainly be setbacks. The Dutchman’s team lacks depth. The Ronaldo saga, meanwhile, will continue into January and maybe even beyond.

So there is always a loud enough noise around Manchester United. The last thing the club needs is a coach to add to that, a manager who is constantly looking for the next contract, the next confrontation or even the next opportunity elsewhere.

Conte gave Tottenham the sharp jolt they needed and they have already gotten the better of it. But United needed something completely different.

Last winter’s briefing was that Conte’s leadership style would not suit United’s players. That felt like something other than the main reason for their disinterest in him, and it certainly feels that way now.

Super League founders struggle in Europe

So three founders of the proposed Super League failed to make it to the Champions League group stage. There’s plenty of fun in that.

But the fact that Barcelona, ​​Juventus and Atletico Madrid can expect to be ushered into the Europa League immediately if the third-placed teams serve again shows how skewed our game has already become in favor of the establishment.

Failure is failure. It should not be delivered with a parachute attached.

Ings’ heartwarming mascot act

Sometimes it’s the little things that tell you the most. And so to Aston Villa and Danny Ings.

Ings was paired up with young mascot Riley Regan before Villa’s home game against Brentford and was told the nine-year-old suffered from autism and ADHD and would wear hearing protectors to help block out the noise from the crowd.

So when Ings and Riley ran away at Villa Park, the former Southampton and Liverpool forward also wore a pair. Ings takes shape for such acts of empathy and it was one of the images of the season so far.

Potter the architect of his own demise

When I saw Brighton walk across Chelsea so spectacularly, Graham Potter’s fingerprints were everywhere. For good, bad and indifferent.

One of Brighton’s best players was goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Early in his time at Brighton, Potter removed established keeper Matt Ryan from his team and let Sanchez slip in. It was a brave decision that he has successfully repeated at Chelsea, where Kepa Arrizabalaga now plays for former first-choice Edouard Mendy .

Brighton’s other key figure on Saturday was Belgian Leandro Trossard, a player who has been played all over the pitch by Potter – including at fullback – to flourish now that he has been restored to his favorite role up front by new manager Roberto de zerbi. Trossard was high in the Premier League last season with eight goals and he already has seven this time.

Which brings us to the real point of contention here, Raheem Sterling.

Bought by Chelsea on the word of Thomas Tuchel in the summer to lead the club’s attack, it felt a bit far-fetched as scoring goals doesn’t always come naturally to Sterling.

Nevertheless, he seems lost as a fullback as Potter tries to find a system that consistently works for him and he was arguably Chelsea’s least effective player at the Amex.

Potter is a fine coach who didn’t deserve to be booed on his return to Sussex on Saturday. That was pretty embarrassing.

But even the best managers can sometimes think too much and this feels like one of those situations. Sterling turns 28 next month and trying to reinvent him now seems futile.

Just in time, Gareth Southgate has a number of options in mind as a backup for Harry Kane in Qatar.

Callum Wilson? Dominic Calvert-Lewin? Marcus Rashford?

In a 26-man squad there may be room for two out of three. For me it’s Wilson on form and Rashford on experience.