Pochettino: Southampton Will Prove a Tough Challenge for Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino is hoping that his team can maintain the performance levels they’ve shown throughout December when they travel to the south coast to take on Southampton on Wednesday.

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s clash at St. Mary’s Stadium against Southampton, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino knows that his team will be in for a tough game.

Both sides will be coming off of a 10-day layoff after last playing on December 18, so there could be some rust in the early going of this fixture.

During Spurs’ extended break, Pochettino said that he and his coaching staff prepared the players on different aspects of their game. The usual stuff that each team practices leading up to a match.

But besides the daily routine of training sessions, players were able to spend time with their families and loved ones on Christmas. To help ease the mind and relax the body.

Essentially, Tottenham players — just like Southampton players — got in enough practice prior to Christmas before heading back out to the training facility to get ready for a big match-up.

“It’s a break that we’ve used to try to work to improve different aspects of our team but all the teams are in the same position in the end,” Mauricio Pochettino said (via Spurs’ official website).

“I think it’s been a good opportunity to be calm, be relaxed and spend time with our families on December 25.”

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On discussing a specific plan to beat the Saints, the Argentine manager is looking for his players to maintain the performance they exhibited against Burnley. That being a dominating effort, offensively speaking. Wherein Spurs attempted 30 shots, even if nine were only on target.

“We know that the game will be tough. Southampton are playing very well, they beat Bournemouth in their last game and it will be difficult.”

“We will try to keep our performance, be clinical and try to win the game because that is our challenge but in the same way we know that it will be tough because Southampton have very good players.”

Ryan Wrenn wrote about two players that Spurs must monitor throughout tomorrow’s match and that is Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal in his opposition scouting report.

Southampton’s two wingers are the direct and pacey types who attack continuously. Not only can they create a few chances for themselves (five total goals between the two; goals and assists), but they are dangerous when it comes to their crosses.

In Wrenn’s article, the Saints have produced the most crosses in the Premier League, connecting on 6.1 crosses per match. Just behind Swansea City and Crystal Palace to be the third most accurate crossing team.

For this reason alone, it’s understandable that Mauricio Pochettino has said that their road fixture against Southampton will be tough to deal with because they have very good players.

Also, as Ryan Wrenn pointed out in his scouting report yesterday, despite the many chances the Saints have created, they have only scored 17 goals. So, by having the league’s second best defense, Spurs shouldn’t be challenged much directly unless it’s a cross coming into the box.

Next: Tottenham Need a Layered Defense Against Southampton

Along with Nathan Redmond, Sofiane Boufal and both full-backs: Cédric Soares and Ryan Bertrand who will likely push forward on overlapping runs, Mauricio Pochettino is wary of Jay Rodriguez who scored a brace against Bournemouth last Sunday.

Injuries have hurt Rodriguez for about two years, but if his performance against the Cherries is any indication, he is looking to return to his 2013-14 form where he tallied 17 goals in Pochettino’s first and only season as Saints’ manager.

“I’m very happy [for him]. I sent him a text, I was very happy to see him enjoy [his football] on the pitch again.” Pochettino said in his press conference four days ago.

“Now we will suffer because he will be our enemy and our opponent but I am very happy that he is back and recovering his level because not only is he a top player, he’s a top person too.”