Mauricio Pochettino: Tottenham Win Was Very Important to Feel Free
Tottenham have been winning games lately, but Mauricio Pochettino claims that a win in the Champions League can make his squad play more freely than they have shown previously.
Every win is important but more so for Tottenham after losing their Champions League opener to AS Monaco two weeks ago.
With Spurs sitting in last place of Group E prior to Tuesday night’s match, beating CSKA Moscow on the road would give them four points and second or third place depending on the outcome of Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen’s game.
Because Monaco and Bayer drew, coupled with Spurs’ win, Mauricio Pochettino’s side now sit in second place. Last night’s win can now see the North London club build some momentum heading into matchday three when Tottenham travel to Germany and face a German side who will be desperate to claim all three points.
Pochettino will be happy with the final result which was a win, though a slim victory even after dominating CSKA Moscow in shots and possession won’t mean much after a single goal was scored.
Still, the Argentine manager notes that winning was important because it can now see his side play more freely than what they have shown in the first two Champions League games.
“The victory is very important for us,” Mauricio Pochettino said (via Spurs’ official site). “It was the first victory in the Champions League and it’s always important to get the first to feel more free and try to do what we know to do – to play football, feel free and try to win games.”
Against Monaco, Pochettino said that their loss wasn’t because they lacked experience. Which is true, because Monaco’s goals came off of two lucky breaks.
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Last night against CSKA, Spurs won with a key substitution by bringing in Georges-Kévin N’Koudou who continued to attack Moscow’s defense after a back and forth game with lots of running to start a counterattack or defend it.
Tired legs meant that N’Koudou’s pace would easily work in Pochettino’s favor. And by the 71st minute Tottenham found the back of the net for the game’s only goal. A win and three points later, Spurs are now riding a four-match winning streak so they’ve hit their stride.
“I’m very pleased, the performance was good, the game was tough, it’s always difficult to play in Moscow but I think we fully deserved the victory,” Pochettino continued.
“We were patient because they are very well organised and it was difficult to penetrate them but we had the possession and managed the game in the way that we wanted to play.”
“Maybe we had a lack of being clinical like on another day but I think it’s always difficult to play in the Champions League and in the end the victory is important for us.”
A 71st minute goal was cutting things very close for Spurs but like Mauricio Pochettino said, the stakes are much higher in the Champions League. Finishing will always be a work in progress though it is worrying that Tottenham must scratch and claw to earn a win on most occasions.
Next: Tottenham Player Ratings: Away at CSKA
With matchday three in the Champions League happening on October 18 for Spurs, they will have enough time to hopefully get Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Mousa Dembélé and Moussa Sissoko back from injuries.
The month of October and November are stacked with huge matches in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League. Obviously it’s important to have a full squad to help rotate which will be key to competing on all fronts.
At the very least, Spurs have shown that they can compete and get results when they’re missing key players.