Mauricio Pochettino has now likened playing at Wembley to an away match and admitted that we do not feel at home at the national stadium according to an article by ESPN
The article says Pochettino and his players have repeatedly spoken about making Wembley “feel like home” but, after just three wins from seven Premier League matches there, Pochettino has now conceded that this season’s home games feel more like away days.
“The feeling is much better when you play away from home than at Wembley. Because you feel that when you play at Wembley, you are playing away from home too sometimes. That is the reality,” Pochettino told a news conference ahead of Tuesday’s match at Leicester City.
The article adds that we are playing our home games at Wembley this season while our new stadium is being built, a stadium where we have secured landmark wins over Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool and Real but where we have struggled against the Premier League’s lesser clubs — drawing with West Brom, Swansea and Burnley.
It adds how have already dropped nine points at Wembley, compared to just four in the whole of last season at White Hart Lane, and Pochettino said West Brom’s staff had told him they were inspired to play at the 90,000-seater stadium following Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
“So far we’ve got better results away from home than at home,” he said. “We’ve struggled to play against teams like Burnley, West Bromwich or Swansea. Yes, that is our reality and that is our capacity, as a team, to beat opponents that play so much deeper.
He added: “Of course, when the game is more competitive, it’s true that we build space — the space that we need to create chances. Yes, so far that is the reality.
“We were after the game [on Saturday] with the West Brom staff. They said there is motivation to play for a team like West Brom at Wembley. That is an extra charge we need to compete against. Of course, it is a big motivation for opponents to play at Wembley. We need to use it in a positive way.”
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The article adds how our next two matches are away from home, starting at the King Power Stadium in Leicester tonight , where we won 6-1 in May thanks to four goals from Harry Kane.
It adds that Harry, who has scored eight goals in five league meetings with the Foxes, scored his 30th league goal of 2017 against West Brom and needs just seven more in eight matches to beat Alan Shearer’s record for Premier League goals in a calendar year(36, set in 1995)
“Alan will be upset, eh?” Pochettino said. “For me, Harry has the capacity to score goals. His mentality and determination are his real skills. He has a lot of skills but his mentality and determination are among the best qualities that he has. I hope and wish for him and the team that he will score nine more goals [in 2017]. It will be fantastic for him, and for the team.”
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