Tottenham slumped to their third successive defeat this evening, losing 2-1 to Inter Milan in the Champions League at the San Siro.
After weathering early pressure, Tottenham grew into the game and looked vastly more impressive that their recent Premier League outings against Watford and Liverpool.
Christian Eriksen gave the visitors a much-deserved goal on 53 minutes, his deflected effort just looping in above the helpless Handanovic.
85 minutes in and Spurs had the game under complete control, with Inter offering very little in the form of a reply. The Mario Icardi did something spectacular.
The Argentinian saw the ball fall to him on the edge of the box, where he volleyed in with venom past a diving Michel Vorm. A goal out of nothing to snatch the win from Spurs.
But Milan weren’t content on stopping there, seven minutes later, after winning the first header from a corner, Inter stole all three points after Vecino nodded home.
Heart break for Tottenham.
Pochettino had this to say in his post match interview: “I think the performance was good from the team. I think we in the end the result should be different. Everyone would agree with me.
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“Of course when we conceded after 86 minutes everything was different. The game was so open after that. I am happy with the performance but unhappy with the result. We did not take the chances and kill off the game. When you are in a bad period you need to work double as hard.
“I think it was cruel. I think the team deserved more. I think that was our best performance of the season so far. We need to bounce back and that is the only way.
“Until 86, 87 minutes, the game was under control. The problem is we didn’t kill the game. We created big chances but we didn’t take them. Look at Saturday it was the same, we conceded twice and scored and then the penalty which should have been for Son.”
Poch went on to claim that the situation was completely different from last year: “The circumstances we were playing in is very different. I told you the circumstances are different in pre-season. That is not an excuse, it is only a reality. We need to improve. We came from a negative period.”
One journalist asked if Pochettino regretted leaving Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier at home: “Why? They were on the pitch against Liverpool and Watford. They are easy targets. We need to talk about football. You force me to say something that is not good. You disrespect the players who were here today. You can blame me on my selection of the starting XI but please don’t disrespect the players on the pitch.”
Finally, Poch on whether he is nervous about the Tottenham slump: “No, not nervous. I understand football. After 46 years, loving this game, I understand that some tough periods can arrive. I told you after Man United ‘be careful, be careful’ and this tough period arrived.
“It is my responsibility to change this dynamic. We are going to show that this team is in the same way as it was in the past, winning games. I see that the team is coming back. We showed great personality against Inter Milan in the San Siro. Unlucky in the end that we didn’t get the result we deserved to win.”
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