Spurs ready to win ugly when beautiful Barcelona arrive
QUITE how bad the outlook is will become clearer this week. Tottenham may have some big names back by the time Barcelona arrive in town.
But whether Christian Eriksen and Hugo Lloris are available for what should prove a pivotal night in the Champions League is not really the point.
More serious is the fact that it is the start of October and Mauricio Pochettino is still uneasy about the fitness of his players.
Even if Spurs’ walking wounded can return at Wembley on Wednesday, they will not be in prime shape to face the La Liga champions.
Tottenham’s muscle problems are becoming ever more frequent, Jan Vertonghen the latest to ‘feel something’ at Huddersfield. It was his hamstring, the same issue that could keep Dele Alli out for some time.
That the list of injury concerns is largely muscle related lends credence to the idea that the players are fatigued.
Pochettino has had limited options this season, picking up results while constantly tinkering with the system. It is to his and the players’ credit that they sit in the top four.
They ground out another win on Saturday, a Harry Kane double seeing off David Wagner’s struggling Huddersfield.
The Spurs boss spoke about needing a squad of ‘24 or 25 ready to play’ while claiming the authorities ‘don’t care’ about players’ welfare. Presumably that was aimed at UEFA given that England’s games last month contributed to Alli’s issues.
Even without injuries, however, Pochettino would not have his desired number of players after a summer in which no new faces arrived.
The case of Jack Grealish typifies Spurs’ transfer strategy as they tried to pray on the financial turmoil at Aston Villa. Daniel Levy haggled and haggled, chipping millions off a deal that Villa really needed to happen. What he did not account for was owner Tony Xia selling up. Villa were no longer under pressure to raise cash and Grealish has now signed a new contract.
You can laud Levy all you like for keeping hold of Spurs’ key players, tying the majority down to new contracts, but refusing to move forward is going backwards.
How far back they have fallen will become clearer this week. Barcelona are winless in three league games after Saturday’s draw with Athletic Bilbao but their focus this season is on knocking Real Madrid off their continental perch.
Pochettino said: ‘You know when Barcelona play in the Champions League it’s completely different. They are going to be so motivated to play against us at Wembley.’
Danny Rose added: ‘Everybody wants to be involved. At the moment we are winning ugly and waiting for the performance.
‘The manager has said there is nothing you can do to stop Messi. He won’t want us to go out there being scared of him. It’s an experience we should all want to enjoy. It’s a massive game. We have to win.’
After their late capitulation to Inter Milan in the first group game, Tottenham’s tired players need a result.
Kane has started every league game; Lucas Moura every game in all competitions other than at the San Siro; Eriksen all of them until his abdominal problem after Brighton last week.
Lloris might take the gloves should he recover from a thigh injury, although thirdchoice goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga made two fine saves at Huddersfield.
‘I don’t know, we have to see how Hugo is,’ said the 26-year-old Argentine. Asked about his countryman Messi, Gazzaniga replied: ‘I used to watch him from a young age.
‘He’s a hero for me. He represents the country around the world. He can do anything.’
Pity the same cannot be said for Pochettino, who looks like a man with his hands tied so tightly he must be worried about muscle cramps.