The Mauricio Pochettino thread

[fishhhandaricecake]

Yep. I don't buy that view and I cringe at the so called ec pros and pundits that string out that line.

Competition not cover. Its a squad game.

Exactly what Pep said after their game, “we played good, we can play better but the guys know there is competition, Sterling must play good or Marhez will play and Marhez must play good to move Sterling out the team, it is the same in all positions which is why our performance levels haven’t dropped after winning the league”

While we may not have Man.City riches luxuary, we do have competition in pretty much all positions but we can and still need to improve. Below is in my opinion our best 22:

Lloris
Gazzaniga

Aurier
Trippier

Toby
Jan
Sanchez
Foyth

Rose *improve/replace as always injured and heads gone etc
Davies

Dembele *improve/replace as can’t play enough games consistently due to injuries
Dier
Winks
Wanyama

Eriksen
Alli
Son
Lucas
Lamela
Sissoko

Kane
Llorente * improve as Kane needs some competition and he needs a class striker who can play with him or more importantly play instead of him when hes injured or need a rest, Llorente is a great pro but I feel that if we had a really decent back up striker they’d get many more minutes than Llorente as Kane is often in need of a rest.

 

[Gassin's finest]

https://www.football365.com/news/premier-league-winner-and-losers-mourinho-pochettino

Winners

Mauricio Pochettino
A majestic performance, probably the best this season by any team not called Manchester City. You don’t need me to tell you that Tottenham are operating on a different financial plane to Pep Guardiola’s side. But when Tottenham click, only City have a higher ceiling of single-game performance. You can read 16 Conclusions here.

With apologies to both the Tottenham supporters who shudder to think of the prospect and Manchester United fans who must feel awfully glum, it is impossible not to point out the contrasts between Pochettino and Jose Mourinho, not least because one is the apparent favourite to replace the other.

Tottenham and Manchester United both had difficult summers, and both managers must feel slightly let down by their superiors. But after a total lack of investment, with the stadium issue rumbling on longer than he was promised and with a squad already running on empty in August, Pochettino has produced the best start to a season in Tottenham’s Premier League history.

Spurs look well-drilled in training, and approach every game with a distinct plan. Pochettino has improved the players he inherited. Tottenham’s key attacking players (Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen) have suffered from injuries and fatigue but continue to make the best of the situation and produce moments of brilliance even when backs are against the wall. They also enter games against top-four rivals and attempt to impose their own system onto their opponents rather than passively waiting to see what happens. Right now, Pochettino is everything that Mourinho isn’t. It is his and Tottenham’s performance level that paints Mourinho in the worst light.

There were significant doubts as to whether Pochettino could keep Tottenham in the top four at a time when overcoming financial disparity has never been harder. Three months into the season, those doubts are decreasing even though the new stadium is still under construction and may well not be ready until next season.

And therein lies the difference between Mourinho and Pochettino in 2018. One is a manager who upsells problems as a method of self-preservation, but is only succeeding in isolating himself in the process. The other understands and unhappily accepts the roadblocks, but understands the need too to ignore them in pursuit of the greater good. On Saturday, we saw Pochettino at his peak and Mourinho at his miserable worst.

 

[dtxspurs]

I am sure he would happily leave Bournemouth for a CL team but not if it meant losing his England place because he hardly ever got to play.

He's only played what one game for England, so its hardly like he has a locked down spot there currently.

Counterpoint would be how good could he look in a more limited role if he got to play with our attacking midfield group feeding him chances..

 

[allatsea]

He's only played what one game for England, so its hardly like he has a locked down spot there currently.

Counterpoint would be how good could he look in a more limited role if he got to play with our attacking midfield group feeding him chances..

So you think he will happily risk loosing his England spot by joining Spurs and hardly ever playing ?

 

[DJS]

Good to see Poch smiling and looking much happier at the moment.

 

[Lukasz]

Perhaps he got promised a hefty war-chest for the January window.

 

[dtxspurs]

So you think he will happily risk loosing his England spot by joining Spurs and hardly ever playing ?

Like I said, he's only played for England once so it's not like he has a locked down place.

I mean his competition behind Kane is who exactly? Sturridge (a backup), Rashford (a backup), Vardy (old), Welbeck (a backup).

 

[Shadydan]

Let the Callum Wilson thing go, it's not happening.

 

[Shadydan]

Didn't know this, interesting.

 

[dricha1]

Good to see Poch smiling and looking much happier at the moment.

MoPo has his MoJo back!....and it’s a good thing!

 

[DCSPUR]

Must be a nightmare for an opposition manager setting up against us. I have absolutely no idea game to game what line up or formation we will play. That’s changed massively from first 2 seasons where it was such a rigid 4231.

Poch deserves massive credit for his tactical shifts not just in this game but all season....of course many fans, including some who should know better, have been bashing his tinkering while suggesting players form etc. is suffering as a consequence. Balls to that.

 

[Lilbaz]

 

[luptic]

I wouldnt swap him for Pep or Klopp dipped in sugar.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Such a great little interview, i especially love the pitchside, fresh-out-the-dugout format.

 

[Lilbaz]

Such a great little interview, i especially love the pitchside, fresh-out-the-dugout format.

Fresh is the word. Doesn't look like he's been though a massively stressful experience, looks like he's having a laugh with friends.

 

[HW61]

I think we’re pretty unified in the opinion that Poch is a great manager and we’re lucky to have him. If ever we needed a reminder as to why, just look at what he’s done to Sissoko. While Siss takes plenty of credit, how on earth has this turnaround happened. It’s just a conveyor belt of relentless talent improvement. Just love Poch!!!

 

[Shadydan]

This man makes me so proud to support Spurs.

 

[BPR_U16]

I think we’re pretty unified in the opinion that Poch is a great manager and we’re lucky to have him. If ever we needed a reminder as to why, just look at what he’s done to Sissoko. While Siss takes plenty of credit, how on earth has this turnaround happened. It’s just a conveyor belt of relentless talent improvement. Just love Poch!!!

Don't think it's just Poch though - it's the team he has built around him
Its why the piece with Perez was so good last week. Showed the respect he has for Poch and how thats reciprocated.

 

[N17 Kebab]

such a genuine warm fellow - must be a pleasure for players to be led by him

 

[HW61]

such a genuine warm fellow - must be a pleasure for players to be led by him

That’s just the word - warm. I’ve only met him once, literally November last year. However I had 10 minutes, just him and me. To him I would’ve have been someone of no consequence to his future. Yet he was so engaged. He looks straight into your eyes. He seemed very selfless, warm and genuine. Think he asked more questions than I did. Very unusual for someone in the public eye. It was me that closed the conversation not him. I didn’t want to cramp his style.