Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino: We Need to Analyze and Learn
Even though Tottenham are eliminated from the Champions League, this is a major learning experience for this young team that can only help them the next time they return.
Tottenham crashing out of the Champions League yesterday was a wake-up call, in the sense that this young team — and coaching staff — are not yet ready for the bright lights of Champions League football.
In due time, Spurs will be able to compete against the best of the best. But along the way, a lot of growing pains will happen.
First, they must consistently secure a Champions League spot. Once Spurs get that done, they must produce on the pitch. And throughout their five matches so far, they only looked good on a few occasions.
Right now, one reason why Spurs were eliminated is because of a lack of experience.
In the Premier League, this group of players have been playing together for a year or two. Some players have been with Tottenham longer. Some joined the year Mauricio Pochettino was named manager. Some, a year or two after he came in.
But in terms of Champions League football, this squad, a majority of players, are all experiencing this competition for the first time. Some have experienced this tournament with other clubs, but that alone wasn’t enough.
Spurs clearly stood out prior to the Champions League starting and it stood that way for the past three months, since September.
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So it was no surprise that things would be difficult. Though at the same time, Spurs had a pretty manageable group once their draw was announced.
AS Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen would be tough opponents, whereas CSKA Moscow could be tricky but beatable. However only picking up four points in five matches is not good.
Not getting results when it mattered the most, especially at home on two separate occasions, along with their lack of experience in the Champions League did this team in.
Therefore, Pochettino has claimed that his side will look back at their time in Europe as a big positive. A step forward despite a disappointing campaign. Spurs will analyze and learn from this.
“At this level, you cannot concede the way we conceded,” Mauricio Pochettino said (via Spurs’ official site). “You pay, because it’s the Champions League, the toughest competition in the world with the Premier League.”
“We conceded chances and you will always pay in this competition. You need to be focused and to compete in the best way.”
“To analyse the game now is not right because we’re out of the Champions League. Last season or the season before we always rotated in the Europa League and this season, it’s exciting to be in the Champions League but difficult to rotate and that’s the difference we need to analyse and to learn.”
“It’s the first experience for us [coaching staff] and most of the players in the Champions League and it’s completely different. That is our challenge.”
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A somber exit will need to quickly change as Spurs must face Chelsea this Saturday. But even though they have been eliminated from the Champions League, Spurs are still in contention for a Europa League spot.
Their time in Europe isn’t exactly over, but some more work needs to be done in order to remain in Europe’s secondary elite club competition.
“I’m disappointed for the fans, disappointed for the players, it’s a bad situation because the expectation was to go to the next round of the Champions League but now we need to be focused against Chelsea and then try to win against CSKA to try to go to the Europa League.”