Borussia Dortmund may have done Spurs a huge favour

[Ausp]

Though Pochettino may have admitted he made a mistake with his team rotation, the mistake really came down to his underestimating of Dortmund and overestimating of the ability of his squad players.

Read the full article at Beyond 90 Minutes

 

[N17Jack]

No shit Sherlock

 

[Ausp]

No shit Sherlock

Many believe that Poch fielded a weakened team to escape the Europa. Your "No shit Sherlock" comes hard done.

 

[Spurger King]

Taking Pochettino's comments at face value is a bit idiotic. We threw those games, so the 'lesson' was already learned before a ball was kicked in anger.

 

[Locotoro]

Taking Pochettino's comments at face value is a bit idiotic. We threw those games, so the 'lesson' was already learned before a ball was kicked in anger.

I'm not sure Poch is the type to throw a game by sacrificing the Europa League when we are still 5 points down in the league.

Yes you put out a weakened team but I think he anticipated that we could have defeated thrn

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

I'm not sure Poch is the type to throw a game by sacrificing the Europa League when we are still 5 points down in the league.

Yes you put out a weakened team but I think he anticipated that we could have defeated thrn

More likely scenario for me is that he'd planned a two-pronged attack on a CL spot and the Europa and was able to juggle more or less equally until, to his and everyone else's surprise, we find ourselves in a title challenge. Think that's when he picked his priority and compromised the Europa, which could be called throwing it, albeit with a hope that the squad might prove deep enough.

 

[Maske2g]

More likely scenario for me is that he'd planned a two-pronged attack on a CL spot and the Europa and was able to juggle more or less equally until, to his and everyone else's surprise, we find ourselves in a title challenge. Think that's when he picked his priority and compromised the Europa, which could be called throwing it, albeit with a hope that the squad might prove deep enough.

100% correct. Goalposts moved.

 

[guiltyparty]

More likely scenario for me is that he'd planned a two-pronged attack on a CL spot and the Europa and was able to juggle more or less equally until, to his and everyone else's surprise, we find ourselves in a title challenge. Think that's when he picked his priority and compromised the Europa, which could be called throwing it, albeit with a hope that the squad might prove deep enough.

This. The idea that we 'threw' the Europa is a little absurd and comes across as excuse-making. We prioritised the league, sure, but Poch clearly thought he had a plan that could get us through and it didn't work out. You don't bring on your best players in second half of the first leg, and pick a stronger side in that second leg, if you're 'throwing' a tie

 

[JimmyG2]

Is 'prioritized' the new 'thrown'?.
Strategic decisions to focus on where the money and the prestige lie.
Levy couldn't object as he left us short.
Seems to be paying off.
I'm not sure our full squad would have beaten Borussia Dortmund anyway.
Good side who are 2/3 years ahead of us developmentally

 

[Bilko]

Think we met Dortmund at a time they're playing particularly well(living in Germany I watch them often ).
Don't worry -we'll stuff 'em next year if we meet them in champions league - like Fiorintino -a year can be a long time in football when you've got a manager like Poch

 

[minesadouble]

The article itself reads like it's been through google translate. The first sentence is a sign of things to come and it gets worse. If the content itself is simplistic and cliche-ridden, at least it could be written elegantly. But no. These websites just multiply like horny rabbits .....

 

[Japhet]

I don't think mistakes were necessarily made. What was obvious was the lack of cover in key areas which we all knew anyway. We were given to believe that the squad was adequate but it clearly wasn't enough to push for the League and the EL. I don't suppose anyone foresaw those circumstances but Dortmund would have most likely turned over our first choice XI anyway.

 

[sebo_sek]

And let's not forget that by letting his "second string" play one of the toughest teams in Europe at the moment must have done them a world of good. It could also be argued that he wanted to see "how far off we are" from the continent's elite.
I did not lose a second's sleep over the BD game, and nor did Poch, I suspect. A learnig curve, nothing more.
We are not a top tier team yet. But we will get there. Being top tier in England will suffice this year.

 

[olliec]

I'm not sure Poch is the type to throw a game by sacrificing the Europa League when we are still 5 points down in the league.

Yes you put out a weakened team but I think he anticipated that we could have defeated thrn

With Carroll and Mason in the centre of our midfield against one of the best teams in Europe? Poch wanted us out because of the weekend fatigue we suffer after at the tail end of the season. Priority to secure top 4 and anything else is a bonus. I mean he left Dier at home when there is nothing wrong with him.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

I loved the way Eddie Howe said about us what we said about Dortmund, especially about learning from us and emulating the way we played.

We are on the way to becoming a very special team and it's still early days.

 

[bigspurs]

I'm not sure Poch is the type to throw a game by sacrificing the Europa League when we are still 5 points down in the league.

Yes you put out a weakened team but I think he anticipated that we could have defeated thrn

No offence intended, but this is a bit naive really.

 

[Locotoro]

I loved the way Eddie Howe said about us what we said about Dortmund, especially about learning from us and emulating the way we played.

We are on the way to becoming a very special team and it's still early days.

I agree totally and I also think that we could learn from Dortmund in the way that Bournemouth have/are learning from us.

Dortmund are still a top level team and we are not at their level at this moment

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

We have a squad and as many players as possible need to be used
I strongly believe if you play a certain squad in a certain competition you shouldn't suddenly change it because it got more glamorous.

We all know it wasn't a mistake. He just stuck to using that competition to use those players. And we all know it was and is 2nd to the league.

 

[Locotoro]

No offence intended, but this is a bit naive really.

No offence taken.

But I do think the domestic view of European trophies like the Europa League (or its predecessors) is very different to how its viewed on the continent and I don't think we give it enough value.

Whilst Poch may have prioritized the league, i don't agree that he was indifferent to the EL result and put out a straw team. I think he was hopeful we could get a respectable result and bring them back to the Lane in contention. But after the first leg it was already over and I do think he underestimated Dortmund

 

[Lufti]

More likely scenario for me is that he'd planned a two-pronged attack on a CL spot and the Europa and was able to juggle more or less equally until, to his and everyone else's surprise, we find ourselves in a title challenge. Think that's when he picked his priority and compromised the Europa, which could be called throwing it, albeit with a hope that the squad might prove deep enough.

I agree with this but at the same time, I do believe that he wasn't expecting us to be beaten so badly by Dortmund in the first leg and would have played a strong team in the second had we not lost 3-0. An away goal or a 2-0 loss and we'd have gone for it in the second leg imo