LONDON (AFP) - Mauricio Pochettino said Tottenham played with their hearts rather than their heads as they blew a chance to put pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool with a shock 3-1 home defeat to Wolves on Saturday (Dec 29).
A run of five straight league victories combined with a mini-collapse from Manchester City had left Spurs in second place in the table, six points behind Liverpool going into the weekend matches.
But Tottenham - who had scored 11 goals in their previous two festive fixtures - will be bitterly disappointed they did not make it six wins out of six after Harry Kane put them in front during a first half they dominated.
The second half was a different story as Spurs became increasingly ragged and the visitors were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude with goals from Willy Boly, Raul Jimenez and substitute Helder Costa.
"I think the game was under control in the first half," said Pochettino.
"Maybe it was easier than we expected in the first half to dominate the game and to play so easy. They played so deep, chasing us. We didn't concede one chance.
"But in the second half I think we started to feel maybe the game was over and when you start to feel the game is over it's tough to play in the way you play.
Â
"You start to decide in the wrong way, you start to play too many long balls and to play more with your heart than your head. We started to spend a lot of energy.
"It's not enough to play 60, 70 minutes," he added. "You need to play your best for 95 minutes. Like today we dropped energy and focus and in the last 20 minutes we conceded three goals.
SPURS EXERT CONTROL
The first few minutes of the match were scrappy as both teams looked for rhythm but Spurs gradually exerted control, Christian Eriksen and the returning Dele Alli probing for openings around the edge of the box.
Spurs were rewarded for their dominance midway through the first half when the in-form Son Heung-min fed Kane, who marauded forward down the right.
Just before he reached the edge of the Wolves box he checked back onto his left foot and hit an unstoppable shot into the far corner past the despairing Rui Patricio.
But despite their clear superiority, Tottenham were unable to earn vital breathing space and the game remained on a knife-edge as the second half got under way.
The dangerous Adama Traore was substituted by Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo with just over half an hour to go but the visitors were seeing more of the ball and the Spurs fans became increasingly edgy as the game wore on.
Wolves, urged on by a sizeable travelling support, disrupted Tottenham's smooth passing game, denying their creative players time on the ball and they pulled level in the 72nd minute when Boly rose powerfully to head home a corner from substitute Joao Moutinho.
Spurs huffed and puffed but could not recapture their rhythm and Kane was booked for diving but it was Wolves who scored again when Jimenez rolled the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.
They killed the game the game four minutes later after Spurs were caught in possession and Costa was put through and converted easily.
Nuno, whose side climbed to seventh in the table, said he was proud of the character his team showed, first to stay in the match and then to take the game to their illustrious opponents in the second half.
"I think what we had today was two different halves," he said. "In the first half Tottenham had possession of the ball and controlled the game.
"It was important for us to stay in the game... In the second half, we tried to go for the game and play. It was a very good performance."
Jose Mourinho rules himself out of Benfica job Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has ruled himself out of the vacant job at Benfica, saying he has no intention of coaching in his native Portugal for the time being.
José Mourinho breaks cover to rule himself out of Benfica
Cardiff 'shocked' by Sala pilot report. By. Cardiff claim they are shocked by a report that the pilot in the plane crash that killed Emiliano Sala was not qualified to fly at night.
Cardiff 'shocked' amid reports Sala's pilot was not qualified
Feb 08, 2019 · Ole Gunnar Solskjær wants Manchester United to be a Champions League force again within two years.. The Norwegian's side can return to the top four for the first time since the opening weekend
Tim Visser aiming for European glory at his future home as
Football: Norwich promoted to Premier League after three-year absence LONDON (AFP) - Norwich City secured promotion to the English Premier League after a three-year absence with a 2-1 win at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (April 27).
'Young, hungry' Norwich City back in Premier League after
From Madrid - Jurgen Klopp has vowed that winning the Champions League on Saturday night "is only the start" for Liverpool, and that his young team be looking to win more trophies in the years to
Klopp warns Europe: 'This is only the start for Liverpool
Serie A champions Juventus have dismissed reports they are set to make Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola their new head coach, with sporting director Fabio Paratici calling the entire news
Pep Guardiola categorically denies Juventus manager links
(Reuters) - Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud wants to move back to France when his contract expires at the end of the season after growing frustrated by a lack of playing time under manager Maurizio Sarri. Giroud has not started a Premier League game for Chelsea since the club signed Argentina international striker Gonzalo Higuain in January.
Chelsea's Giroud Seeks France Return To Boost Game Time
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted his side cannot meet the heights of Manchester City's football, but they may still deny them the title. We do it our way, says Klopp after another late
Football: We do it our way, says Klopp after another late
In 2003, Adidas filed a lawsuit in a British court challenging Fitness World Trading's use of a two-stripe motif similar to Adidas's three stripes. The court ruled that despite the simplicity of the mark, Fitness World 's use was infringing because the public could establish a link between that use and Adidas's mark.
Hugo Lloris believes that Tottenham Hotspur will face the most in-form team in the Premier League when they go up against Liverpool at Anfield. The North London outfit travel to Merseyside on the
Hugo Lloris fears Tottenham may have to WIN Champions League
Alternatively, he may opt to use Lichtsteiner as the right-sided centre-back - as was the case at Old Trafford - to plug the gap until the likes of Koscielny, Mavropanos and Nacho Monreal return
Arsenal news: Should the Gunners make a move for Kurt Zouma?
Feb 12, 2019 · Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup winning goalkeeper, has died aged 81. A statement released by his family via one of his former clubs Stoke City said: "It is with great sadness that we
Gordon Banks dies: tributes paid to England World Cup-winning
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen