Mauricio Pochettino was not a happy man after Tottenham’s 2-1 defeat to Monaco.
The Argentine slammed the team’s defending during his press conference, with both goals conceded having been avoidable.
Also on the agenda were Harry Kane’s form, the difficulties of playing at Wembley and the decision to play Dele Alli in central midfield.
On the latter, Pochettino was unusually candid, doing what few football managers ever have the guts to do, by actually admitting that he made a mistake.
Watch the full press conference below.
Did anyone actually notice how bad Christian erricksen was last night the club gives him a pay rise and he puts in a performance like that.. hope it’s not a sign off things too come…..
Eriksen has been bad for a couple of years now. Well not so much bad, but the rest of the team have progressed and surpassed him while he just remains stale. He is no longer the central point of creativity because people realise he lacks the ability to spot runners and play defensive splitting passes.
Just as bad though is Lamela. The only player in the history of football to give the ball away more than Lamela, is Adebayor. On top of that Lamela is terrible at tackling and constantly fouls. Hopefullly we’ll sell them both in the next 12 months
I think everyone needs to calm down a bit! We lost the game because of two defensive mistakes and thats a fact. As for Kane he needs a rest its that simple! The guy has played way to much over the last two years! We will come back from this and qualify but the boys must take there frustration out on sunderland first this weekend.
Played too much? Are you fuk’ing kidding me!
I go to the gym 5 times a week. Kids play football every weekend, after a 5 days at school sitting on bad chairs, doing sports during PE and after school. and you’re telling me the people who get paid £100,000 a week have played too much?
Get serious! If he is tired then he needs to look at the rest of his weekly schedule. Playing 90 minutes of football twice a week is nothing. AND THATS A FACT!
Such a dickish comment. Kane goes to the gym 7 days a week and plays 2 ELITE level games of football on top.
You wouldn’t last an hour mate.
Pochettino’s mistake was to not start with Dembele in the 2 and Ali in the the 3 of the 4-2-3-1 formation. That probably would have prevented the 2 goals Monaco scored in the 1st half.
What makes you think this, Pochettino has already admitted that it was a mistake to move Dele, the contributution from Dembele seemed to me like he did not want to be there. Personally I think that you get your opinion from the pundits and not from experience.
And your opinion that a professional footballer playing in front of 85k people at Wembley in the Champions League ‘didn’t want to be there’ is eminently more sensible?
Eriksen yet again and again let’s us down needs to be dropped body language , goes missing and shows no passion or fight has the occassional good game but for most is a passenger
week after week Eriksen constantly lets us down, he pulls out of any tackle, does not press his man, has zero pace on the counter and has completely stopped creating chances for our team apart from the stoke game .. Yet he seems to always escape criticism from fans and players like Lamela / Son get hammered, well at least they try and play with passion !
Eriksen is essentially a passenger that they other players are carrying every game, Get him out of our team and replace him with the pace and power of Sissoko or Wanyama, add Dembele (who we need to build the team around) to that trio and nobody is getting through our midfield.
Last night was a massive disappointment, we cannot start Eriksen until he sorts his form out especially on a pitch as big as wembley where he has no chance of covering the space, He has been poor for 18 months now, we should have upgraded on him in the summer and not reward him with a new contract. I hope his form returns but I fear this is as good as he will get which is not good enough for where we aim to be.
Poor finishing cost us the match. We should have been 3-2 up at halftime and scored two more in the second half. The second Monaco goal could have been blocked if the defender had reacted quickly.
Breaking News : Eriksen has a twin brother! However he obviously cannot play the beautiful game. Last night the truth was revealed as he played the first half and part of the second. They somehow swapped briefly while that “Is it or isn’t it a penalty” fracas kicked off in the second half.
i think sissko needs his playing time to put the guy on in the 80th min is not enough I was a Wembley and I can say he showed a real spark of play and as well dembele was good on his first game back them two together and the new signing of Geoge Kevin n is the pace I’m looking forward to seeing chin up its not over yet and the draw between cska Moscow was the only thing I think that give us a good chance of getting though the stage providing we pick up are play COYS
I have been worried by Eriksen’s form & commitment for quite a while. He had his best game in ages against Stoke, I thought we’d got him back! A spell on the bench might cure him. Nobody so far has mentioned Vertonghen, he was at fault for the first goal by allowing Silva inside, and I have been concerned about his form at times too. I would like to see Wimmer given another go if he’s still alive!? Anybody know what is happening with him?
Some of the comments here bagging Eriksen are ludicrous. Nearly every game he runs more km’s than any other Spurs player (check the official stats if doubt it). His preferred role is number 10 but he runs his arse off in a wide role when asked to…Yes, like the rest of the team, he was poor against Monaco. Both he and Walker are to blame for poor marking at a throw in and allowing the ball to be crossed for the 2nd goal. But to suggest Eriksen is a weak link is a joke. He has class that is permanent.
Will Kane start on Saturday chaps?
Also will Rose be back for the game? Davies is no Rose is he?!
Gotta agree tho that Eriksen has been shocking, a shadow of his former self. Need dembele back to provide Kane with goals. Kyle walker has been out standout player this season so far.