Mauricio Pochettino Praises Tottenham’s Effort versus Man City
A total team effort by Tottenham saw them claim an impressive and dominating 2-0 win over league leaders Manchester City.
After the final whistle blew and Tottenham won 2-0 over Manchester City, Mauricio Pochettino’s side is now the last remaining unbeaten team in the Premier League.
Getting a big win over Pep Guardiola, one that could be seen as a statement win this early in the season in October, could propel Spurs as title contenders alongside other teams vying to win the top-flight division.
So what exactly was Pochettino’s plan that worked in his side’s favor over Man City? It was simply playing to his team’s strength and that was the high-press.
“It was very clear, to be the protagonist, to play, to press high – and our performance was fantastic,” the Argentine manager explained after his players dominated the Citizens offensively and defensively.
From the opening seconds to the final minutes of stoppage time, Spurs continued to attack Man City head-on. While they would let up a bit during the second half, they never once stopped taking their chances if they prevented themselves.
They just become more cerebral. More time on the ball to to chew up the clock and hold onto their lead. Man City found a bit more success to pull one back, but Tottenham’s shape from their striker to the backline was very disciplined.
Every player was perfectly spaced out and not leaving enough gaps for Pep Guardiola’s side to expose, other than a quick counter if Spurs lost possession in transition.
Overall, it was a masterful display of offense and defense combining to stop the Citizens from advancing and delivering two knockout blows to keep them at bay.
“The performance was perfect,” Mauricio Pochettino continued. “I think it’s an unbelievable victory that we enjoyed a lot.”
“The effort from the team was unbelievable and it was an incredible atmosphere at White Hart Lane again, the fans were fantastic. It was a very excited game, I enjoyed it a lot.”
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For 90 minutes, Spurs showed what they can do when they’re in form. And for the past five matches, they’ve been one of the top teams in the league while playing in all competitions this season.
A critical assessment by Pochettino following their 2-1 loss to AS Monaco in the Champions League may have been the spark that Tottenham needed.
Aggression and passion were apparently missing after returning to Europe’s elite club competition back in mid-September.
In recent weeks though, they have regained those two traits and Mauricio Pochettino wants his squad to continue playing the way they have.
“This is the passion we need to show in every game. That’s why I spoke after Monaco about being aggressive and showing passion on the pitch. We need to play like that.”
“You can win or lose, but we need to play like that. It’s a good example to follow in this way and to be consistent in the future.”
With a win over Premier League title favorites, Manchester City, and the international break now in effect, Pochettino stressed that Spurs won’t get carried away after being one point behind the Citizens to start the month of October.
“Yes, now it’s time to analyse, time to rest. It was a fantastic victory. It’s only early in the season and we need to be consistent in the future.”
Next: Hugo Lloris: Winning Will Boost Tottenham's Confidence
When Spurs return, they’ll face West Bromwich Albion who are currently ninth in the league table. The last time Tottenham visited The Hawthorne, they left shell-shocked after drawing 1-1.
That result — with a combination of Dele Alli and Mousa Dembélé suffering bans, plus a winless streak to end the season — saw Spurs slip to third. No doubt Spurs will be looking for revenge against the Baggies once the international break is over.