SOMETHING isn’t quite right with Mauricio Pochettino. Something has been eating away at the Argentine for some time, going back to last season when he said he harboured the “worst feeling” of his time at Tottenham Hotspur. And to the time before the Champions League final when he uttered not once, but twice that he might leave the club.
This season was meant to be the start of something new for Spurs and Pochettino, though. Promises over transfers were made, the chaos over the redevelopment of White Hart Lane was finally in the rearview mirror and a comprehensive squad overhaul was expected. And yet just weeks into the new campaign and Pochettino still seems uneasy.
Sunday’s home defeat to Newcastle United was undoubtedly a poor result, but the 47-year-old was in a peculiar mood afterwards. “You need not only quality players to create a very strong team, but also dynamic and bonding,” Pochettino, slumped in his seat, attempted to reason. “At the moment, that is very far from what we expect. We know this can unsettle the group, but we know in 10 days and things will be clear.”
Boss Mauricio Pochettino:
"Of course [we missed Christian Eriksen). I talk before that when you lose the game always the player that no play was the best.”
“I accept that. With Christian, we win and without him, we lose. I accept that this situation is like this."#THFC #COYS pic.twitter.com/MQh4yMdmDF
— Ricky Sacks (@RickSpur) August 25, 2019
This certainly isn’t the first time this summer that Pochettino has attributed his darkened mood to the transfer window. He has bristled a number of times when asked to comment on the future of a number of his players and did so again when the current speculation of Christian Eriksen was mentioned on Sunday.
Over £100 million was spent on the signing of Jack Clarke, Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Ryan Sessegnon, but Pochettino clearly wanted more. Indeed, he has been left short in some key areas, most notably at right-back where no replacement was signed for Kieran Trippier who was allowed to leave for Atletico Madrid.
But Pochettino must start taking some of the blame for Tottenham’s problems. If his squad, which has largely remained consistent for the past two to three years, is lacking in unity and commitment, why is that so? There’s only so many times Pochettino can use the transfer window to excuse his own shortcomings.
If this Spurs squad, which has been strengthened over the summer, was good enough to finish fourth in the Premier League table and make the final of the Champions League last season, why is Pochettino so irked by what he has this season? It’s not as if his rivals have stolen a march on Tottenham over the summer.
Mauricio Pochettino is asked if Christian Eriksen has played his last game for Tottenham…
And his answer is far from convincing pic.twitter.com/JpdulUk8UP
— Goal (@goal) August 26, 2019
Even if Pochettino views this summer as a missed opportunity, there’s a reason to believe he’s not entirely blameless. There has been more than one account of Pochettino’s fussiness when it comes to the signing of players. Of course, it’s to be applauded that the Argentine knows what he wants, but his demands often verge on excessive. This summer, for instance, Spurs were reportedly offered Youri Tielemens, a player who would have significantly strengthened their midfield. Pochettino, however, apparently turned down the chance to sign the Belgian, with Tielemens instead making the permanent move to Leicester City.
It’s possible that Pochettino is making more of Spurs’ current problems than is necessary and many issues experienced early on this season have come from decisions made by the Argentine. Why, for instance, has Jan Vertonghen, arguably the best defender at the club, sat out the first three league games? And why wasn’t the mistake of omitting Eriksen for the season opener against Aston Villa corrected for Sunday’s clash with Newcastle? The Dane couldn’t save Tottenham for a second time off the bench.
Spurs are doing so much right. Their infrastructure has given them a platform to compete at the top level, Daniel Levy remains one of the shrewdest boardroom operators in the game, their squad is one of the strongest in the Premier League and the new White Hart Lane is arguably the finest sporting arena in Europe.
While Spurs found themselves with their nose press against the window of the elite a few years ago, now they are established at the top of the Premier League. Tottenham are close to becoming the club they always wanted to be. Pochettino should perhaps remind himself of this and not be so quick to deflect blame when he is not exactly blameless himself.
