The 4-2 defeat to Arsenal was a weak and gutless performance from the Spurs contingent today, but we would like to concentrate on a performance off the pitch.
Mauricio Pochettino was class against Chelsea and Inter Milan this week, getting the games tactically spot on both times.
However, perhaps after two fine performances, he was due a shocker. He is often guilty of leaving any tactical substitutions too late in a match, waiting beyond the 70th minute.
The first issue raised eyebrows came before the first whistle was even blown, with Toby Alderweireld named on the bench.
This strangely left a defence of a tired Ben Davies, an unfit Jan Vertonghen, an inexperienced Juan Foyth, and the defensive liability that is Serge Aurier.
The back four didn’t fill me with confidence from the get go, especially as Arsenal got on the front foot from the very start.
The creativity of Harry Winks was also left on the bench, but then again the physical aspect of Sissoko and Dier was enough to blow away Chelsea last weekend.
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Spurs managed to get stuck in during the latter stages of the first half, and grabbed two goals in two minutes to turn the game around.
What Spurs needed after this was to get their foot stuck in and to bully Arsenal out’ of the game, but instead they tired.
We can’t blame them for that, as three big games in a week would be tough on any team, but the players weren’t rotated when they should have been.
Dele Alli, Harry Kane, and Moussa Sissoko were visibly struggling after playing so many minutes this week, yet Poch decided to hold off on the subs.
By the time Winks, Moura and Rose were finally introduced, Arsenal had made three subs and had taken the lead in the game too.
Too little, too late. Pochettino simply waited too long and Spurs paid the price.
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