My men will be tougher this season
MAURICIO Pochettino has warned Liverpool not to underestimate how far his own team have developed in the 10 months since Jurgen Klopp arrived in the Premier League.
Tottenham were only eighth in the league when Liverpool came and chased them down at White Hart Lane in the goalless draw that marked the start of the German’s reign.
Much has been made of how far the Reds have moved on since then, but Spurs boss Pochettino feels his own side – while not vastly different in make-up – have all moved on dramatically as individual players.
“Sometimes people don’t realise how important last season was,” he said. “To be involved in the title race and to try to win the Premier League, many things happened that meant we improved a lot and learnt a lot throughout the season.
“Now we will be tougher than last season when we try to challenge again.”
Eric Dier missed that last clash on October 17, 2015 – serving a suspension after five bookings in the first eight games of the season as he came to terms with a new role as a holding midfielder.
He has been booked only five times in 31 games since then.
His absence meant Dele Alli made only his fifth Premier League start, as a defensive midfielder. Danny Rose, who would establish himself as England’s best left-back, played only his second game of the season having fallen to second fiddle at the club behind Ben Davies.
Kyle Walker, too, was bouncing back from the disappointment of failing to get selected for the most recent England squad, only joining up as a result of injury. He went on to become arguably England’s best player in France last summer.
And “£30m flop” Erik Lamela was picked just once in the opening five games last season but has since become a Spurs regular who is expected to sign a new contract next month.
Harry Kane finished that Liverpool game as a goal-shy striker trying to prove he was not just a one-season wonder.
“It is true, we have more experience,” said Pochettino. “Last season everybody had big expectations but also big question marks about how we’d develop our squad and team.
“It was very hard work to improve and develop our style of play because it was not only a collective thing, but individual lessons had to be learned.”
Victor Wanyama’s arrival in the summer has boosted that holding midfield area and the signing of Vincent Janssen has finally eased the responsibility for goals on Kane.
Pochettino is still looking to inject some pace from the transfer market, with Spurs in talks over a move for Wilfried Zaha, but overall the Argentinian is content with the team that will come face-to-face with Klopp again tomorrow. But not complacent.
“I’m happy with the way we’ve grown up,” he said. “But I am still concerned that we can improve more. It’s never enough. If you run 12km in a game, you can go further in the next. You can always play better and do better.”
‘We have learnt so much’