Tottenham need different mentality against Sheffield United

Tottenham will need to approach tomorrow’s Premier League match against Sheffield United with a more encouraged and assured mentality to change the mood at the club. 

Spurs probably won’t play a more desperate team this season. Sheffield United is reeling at the foot of the table, amassing just five points in 18 matches. The Blades finally won their first match of the campaign on Tuesday, beating Newcastle 1-0. That was after enduring the longest winless streak in Premier League history, a run spanning 186 days.

With that in mind, Sunday’s match represents a potentially thorny proposition for Tottenham. The encounter is about so much more than the result for Jose Mourinho’s men. While a tight, nervy win represents the same number of points as a dominant blowout, the two contrasting performances bear great importance for a Tottenham team lacking killer instinct.

Spurs must dominate the ball, the tempo and every other facet of the match, including the score line. It’s imperative for Spurs to prove their superiority at every level. And for that to transpire, Tottenham must play loose, free and unrestricted, three characteristics Jose Mourinho teams rarely espouse.

Tomorrow offers Spurs a chance to provide their supporters with a much-needed forceful display of dominance. However, if Tottenham aren’t careful they’ll find themselves in exactly the same position once again, holding on to the narrowest of leads with dear life.

That scenario, no matter the level of desperation Sheffield United play with, is unacceptable. Sheffield United are a Championship side playing in the Premier League.

There is no doubt this Sheffield United team will be relegated, so it’s incumbent upon Spurs to show unequivocally what disparity exists between the two sides. Sheffield United will feel an uptick in confidence after beating 10-man Newcastle on Tuesday, making it even more important for Spurs to kill the match early.

Let’s see if Jose has finally learned from a number of previous blown one-goal leads and finally unshackles his talented offensive Spurs side. Make no mistake, tomorrow’s performance is as, if not more, important than the final result.