Tottenham Face Two Choices Against Fulham

Mauricio Pochettino has a tricky decision to make ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Fulham for the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.

At its core, it’s question of whether or not Tottenham should take the FA Cup seriously.

If they do, then Pochettino can pick from plenty of options to give Fulham a fight and come away with a win.

If they don’t, Pochettino could choose from from an assortment of kids and benchwarmers, giving them invaluable minutes while resting his regular starters.

There are plenty of direct advantages to either options. In the first, of course, Tottenham increase their chances of progressing onto the competition’s quarter-finals. In the second, Tottenham’s best are held back for the coming week’s contests in the Europa League and Premier League.

Taking a wider view of the situation Spurs currently find themselves in, and one option clearly begins to stand out.

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Over the last week, Pochettino’s squad has suffered through some set-backs. The first came in the 2-0 loss to Liverpool that, truth be told, was far more disheartening than the scoreline suggests. Down key men and stuttering in attack, not before this season have Tottenham looked so disjointed.

It was such a body blow to this squad that, even with about the strongest team possible, they again fell to defeat against Gent in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 32 on Thursday.

That match and Sunday’s against Fulham were supposed to be chances at redemption. Two weeks off from the Premier League and matches against teams from lesser leagues. What more could Pochettino hope for in the midst of a slump?

If the Gent result made anything clear it was that what is holding Spurs back is as much mental as physical. These players aren’t pushing as hard as they did just weeks ago when the title seemed in reach.

Perhaps it’s the ignominious drop out from the Champions League. Perhaps it’s the rolling injuries that expose gaping hopes in a squad that was supposed to be deepened in the previous summer. Whatever the reason, Pochettino’s task at Fulham is to remind his players what they are fighting for.

A win, surely, would be a good reminder of that. It would come against a side from the Championship though, and it might be difficult to convince even the less experienced players that that means as much as a Premier League or Champions League win.

To make the match meaningful it must be fought without Tottenham’s typical starters. Pochettino can’t run the risk of the likes of Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld becoming jaded. He needs to rest them for the fights ahead, yes, but he also needs to ease the burden on their shoulders while simultaneously reminding them that they aren’t the only options in the squad.

Next: Mauricio Pochettino Confident Tottenham Can Turns Things Around

Pochettino is famously averse to all but the most basic rotation, choosing to field key players again and again while bench options go unused. The match against Fulham provides a perfect opportunity to break with that pattern.

Check back for our lineup predictor and discussion about which players could fill out an adventurous Tottenham squad.