Tottenham can take lessons from their last trip to Belgium

Back in October of 2015, Tottenham traveled to the continent confident that they could secure a win against lowly opponents from Belgium’s Jupiler League. They were mistaken.

It was the third match of the Europa League group stage. Tottenham had already secured a win over Azerbaijani side Qarabag and a draw away at Monaco. A win against Anderlecht would create a comfortable cushion on top of the group table.

Only Anderlecht weren’t so eager to grant Tottenham that win. Taking a page from Mauricio Pochettino’s own playbook, they harassed and stubbornly defended. When they reclaimed possession, they shot forward with stunning speed.

Though Christian Eriksen would score the opening goal, Anderlecht managed to peg two back and win 2-1. It was a devastating result that was in part made possible by Tottenham’s own hubris.

Tottenham quickly learned their lesson and responded in the reverse fixture two weeks later. Pochettino’s team would go on to win the group and progress on to the Europa League knockout rounds.

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Now, over a year later, Tottenham again find themselves booked for a night in Belgium. The opponent this time is Gent, and the stakes could be said to be even higher.

Though Gent finished third — just five points behind Anderlecht — last season, their 2016/17 isn’t going quite as well. Coming into Tottenham’s visit on Thursday they sit eight after 26 matches played.

They also lack even the modest star power of Anderlecht. The team that beat Tottenham last season featured several internationals along with extremely promising youngsters like Youri Tielemans. Gent, by comparison, hardly features a recognizable name.

Those might appear to be reasons for Tottenham to feel justifiably confident ahead of the two-legged tie. With a match against Fulham this weekend and the Premier Leauge resuming next, Pochettino might even feel free to rotate his squad.

Such confidence is easily punished however. For all the glamor they lack, Gent could pose a genuine challenge to Tottenham over two games.

Take the fact that Gent, despite residing in mid-table, have the third best defensive record in Belgium’s top flight. They have conceded a mere 25 goals in 26 games. Only a middling attack keeps them from competing with Anderlecht, who have conceded one more goal so far this term.

With injuries continuing to plague the squad, Pochettino should be worried about the possibility of a draw on Thursday, or even a narrow loss. That would trip Tottenham of the away goal advantage and mean that they would have to fight hard when Gent visit Wembley a week later.

As we spoke about yesterday, there’s an easy way to ensure a good result on Thursday. Pochettino should, and likely will, name the strongest XI available to him.

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Part of the problem at Anderlecht last season was that Pochettino fielded a mixed bag of regular starters and benchwarmers. Clinton Njie, for instance, led the line as a striker while Harry Kane sat on the bench. Experimentation doesn’t have as much of a place in relatively limited tournaments like the Europa League.

It will also take some mental fortitude on the part of the players themselves. They were visibly overconfident in the opening stages of the match against Anderlecht. Especially after the loss to Liverpool over the weekend, the players need to see the benefits — on and off the field — of a positive result on Thursday.

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