Tottenham Hotspur’s backward trajectory is now a crisis for the North London club. Whilst there were signs of spirit at Anfield against Liverpool, Tottenham look a team far from capable of challenging the top four under Mauricio Pochettino, let alone challenging for the League title.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Backward Trajectory Under Mauricio Pochettino Shows No Signs of Abating
Backward Trajectory Continues
Tottenham took the lead after just 47 seconds at Anfield. It shocked Anfield and shocked Spurs fans who were less than happy with the starting line up. Over the years, Mauricio Pochettino has said he picks the best team to win each game. After an awful start to the Premier League season and being knocked out of the League Cup to League Two opposition, the manager has made numerous changes each game his team faces. The changes today point to a manager who has stopped believing in his own vision.
When Confidence is Low, Why Make Things Worse?
Christian Eriksen, Danny Rose, Serge Aurier, Toby Alderweireld: players who have been at the heart of the Mauricio Pochettino revolution at Spurs. A revolution that gradually became an evolution as the Argentine nurtured young players and built a togetherness throughout the club. That togetherness has gone.
The current malaise is not current. Tottenham failed to sign any players for two transfer windows. Last season saw an incredible run to the Champions League Final and another top four finish. Yet, Spurs, ahead of the defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, had not won away from home since January 2019. Players heading toward the end of contracts no longer wanted to play for the club. Mauricio Pochettino would never have stood for players not wanting to play for the club. So why now is he allowing them to get away with it?
Team Selections and Substitutions No Longer Make Sense
When Tottenham beat Red Star Belgrade on earlier this month in the Champions League, players shone. Erik Lamela, Tanguy Ndombele, Ben Davies and Davinson Sanchez showed effort and application and produced flowing football. Whilst not a game against stellar opposition, there were signs of players still playing for the manager.
Cue Anfield, and some of those players must have felt they had been kicked in the teeth. Davies was dropped for Rose, Ndombele was benched in favour of Eriksen. Lamela had an injury, whilst Sanchez did keep his place.
The return to the starting line up of Eriksen was the strangest of the four changes. He’s a player who has refused to sign a new contract and despite not refusing to play for the club, he has downed tools. Aurier is a liability while Rose is out of form, out of fitness and out of desire.
Tottenham and Mauricio Pochettino Must Drop Excuses and Act in January to Stop Backward Trajectory
Due to the magic that Mauricio Pochettino has worked with little funds, it is hard to criticise the manager. Yet now, Spurs ARE in a crisis. It may be seen as an overreaction but the run of form in the last ten months has been woeful. If it had been in one season then Tottenham would be looking at welcoming Championship sides to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The club talk about how Spurs cannot be compared to other clubs. That no longer sits as a valid point. The reason that Liverpool are looking for titles is because they have developed and built on the core squad. The manager has been backed. It could be argued that Pochettino has been backed this summer but it’s far from what was needed.
The team selection and fact that Eriksen remained in the pitch for 87 minutes suggests that player power has taken over at Tottenham. Why else would the Dane be picked based on his recent performances?
If Tottenham really want to start a new chapter and with Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, things have to change. Playing players who have been letting you down is not the example to set those on the fringes of the team. Pochettino let the fans down with his team selection at Anfield. Worst of all, he let down the players who in midweek had shown that they really do care.
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