When Mauricio Pochettino took Tottenham Hotspur within a whisker of the Premier League title last season, many hailed him as a genius; the implementer of an electric playing style, one of the few managers in the top flight able to get the best out of young, English talent and capable of making a somewhat modest Spurs side perform far beyond the sum of its parts.
Some deemed the 44-year-old destined to don one of the dugouts on either side of the El Clasico divide at some point in his career and although such a scenario is still by no means out of the question, there’s no doubt the Argentine’s stock has plummeted since Chelsea ended Spurs’ title bid with an unforgettable 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in May.
The Lilywhites came from the Bridge disappointed again on Saturday, compounding what has been a largely underwhelming season in north London. Indeed, Spurs are now seven points off the division’s summit, four points off a top four spot, eliminated from both the EFL Cup and the Champions League and amid a run of just one win in ten across all competitions.
Whilst there have been mitigating factors, most notably injuries to key players and the awkwardness in hosting European nights at Wembley Stadium, it’s hard to overlook Pochettino’s errors along the way. FootballFanCast take a look at THREE fatal flaws he’s shown this season.
Rotating
Tottenham’s summer transfer policy is best described as filler over thriller. Indeed, whilst Victor Wanyama has been issued a regular berth in the starting XI, the rest of Spurs’ additions were purchased to bolster the squad and the bench as the north London club embarked upon their first Champions League campaign since the days of Harry Redknapp.
But that’s created more problems than solutions for Pochettino, even in spite of Tottenham’s injury problems this season. Although he’s shown a willingness to rotate and use those brought in during the summer, choosing the right players for the right fixtures has proved a challenge for the South American, with last week’s 2-1 defeat to Monaco being the predominant example.
Jan Vertonghen and Kyle Walker were surprisingly benched for a game that sealed Spurs’ Champions League fate, leaving them with a second-string backline lacking Premier League, let alone European, experience. That duly told as Eric Dier gave away an early penalty and the Lilywhites conceded twice more to exit Europe in unceremonious fashion.
Of course, apologists will argue he rested key players with the London derby at Stamford Bridge in mind, but Spurs lost to Chelsea as well. Perhaps they would have taken something from an incredibly disappointing week if Pochettino had balanced his starting XIs better across both fixtures.
Champions League
Something we’ve already touched upon – Pochettino clearly has a lot to learn when it comes to the Champions League, with Spurs losing three of their five Group Stage fixtures under the Argentine this season.
As already alluded to in regards to rotation, all of the Spurs gaffer’s selections for their Champions League outings have been questionable – suggesting he’s not given the competition the same importance as the English top flight.
But there remains a common theme of Spurs struggling to perform, particularly at Wembley where they’re yet to pick up a win and have scored just one goal in 180 minutes, whilst conceding three.
Success in the Champions League, especially for British clubs, requires an expert tactician in the dugout. Whilst Pochettino has created an impressive playing style and eye-catching philosophy at White Hart Lane, he’s struggled to tailor it around specific opponents in Europe this season.
That being said, it’s often forgotten Poch is just 44 years of age. Much like players, managers need time to develop and the Argentine will surely learn from his mistakes.
No effective Plan B
In some ways a continuation of the last point, Tottenham worryingly lack an effective plan B, something that has become increasingly evident amid their recent run of poor form.
Spurs have used more than one formation this season, namely 3-4-3 and 4-4-2 in addition to their habitual 4-2-3-1, but they’ve been largely forced changes due to injuries such as the North London derby, when the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Moussa Sissoko and Dele Alli were all sidelined and the Tottenham boss implemented a back three.
Pochettino has been reluctant to deviate from his tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 but after using the system since first arriving in the Premier League in 2013 with Southampton, it’s becoming a little too predictable.
At the same time, when the Argentine has attempted to experiment, it’s simply not worked out and a lack of natural pace and width throughout the squad, despite the summer arrivals, is costing him dearly.
When the high-pressing 4-2-3-1 set-up that led them to Champions League qualification last season has worked, Spurs have picked up the right results. But during the instances in which it hasn’t, Poch has failed to provide the necessary alternatives to get his side over the line.
