Spurs must learn to play smarter: Lloris
HUGO Lloris believes Tottenham need to compromise on Mauricio Pochettino’s high-pressing principles to avoid the risk of squandering leads late in games.
The Spurs goalkeeper says his side must be cleverer when protecting leads and not simply play ‘one way’.
Pochettino’s side conceded two late goals at Wolves on Saturday as they endured a tense end to their 3-2 win despite having led 3-0 after 61 minutes.
Now, ahead of Tuesday’s mustwin Champions League game at home to PSV Eindhoven, Lloris has challenged his team-mates to be smarter.
“We play in one way and it demands a lot of energy and concentration,” said the Frenchman.
“We are always in control of the ball and we always try to press the opponent.
“Whatever is the score we try to play the same way — if it is 0-0, 3-0 or 1-0 down.
“But in this type of play we have to be more clever with the ball and without the ball. We need to learn.
“It is not the first time this has happened in the Champions League and in the League that the opponent created chances in the last minutes of the game.
“It is something we need to improve.
“The big thing is to win but to look at the long-term, you need one way to play and the philosophy is not only to put 11 players on the pitch and play football.
“We have shown in the last few years that Tottenham have a way of playing and we try to respect the plan but I think there are a lot of things to learn.
“It is the responsibility of the players. Of course the manager has his expectations and so do the staff and they try to give us the main tools and then it is about our emotions, our feelings.
“If we have to play a different way, we have to play a different way.
“On Saturday we could have managed the game in another way. At 3-0, you do not have to press. It is about communications, feelings and is more up to the players.”
Tottenham will host PSV at their temporary home of Wembley and Lloris has dismissed fears over the state of a pitch damaged badly by NFL matches.
“It has been nearly a year-anda-half since we started playing away from home,” he said.
“We have to deal with that. It is not an easy period for Tottenham players or fans but we deserve credit.
“We managed quite well last season and Wembley is not our home.
“It is worse when there are American football games a few days before but we need to accept that and we cannot complain.”