Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TARGET PRACTICE
Cahill warns Spurs: You’re now a big name in Europe and all the top teams will be out to bring you down
GARY CAHILL has warned Spurs the pressure is on as they step up in class in Greece this week.
The Crystal Palace defender lifted the Champions League trophy as a Chelsea player with victory over Bayern Munich in the 2012 Final.
Tottenham – who kick off their group stage at Olympiakos on Wednesday – came within touching distance of victory last season, only to be beaten by Liverpool.
Cahill reckons Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be battling increased expectations this time around – as well as their opponents.
“The expectation level rises,” he said. “You are seen as a bigger club and you will want to challenge again – not just for the Champions League but for the Premier League and the cups.
“That’s what it is like at all big clubs. I’m sure the manager, players and fans expect to be challenging.
“When you get to the Champions League final there is an expectation that you will do it again.
But it’s not that easy. It is a long competition and you cannot look too far ahead.”
Having been there, done that and sported the T-shirt, Cahill knows what he is talking about. After joining Chelsea from Bolton in 2011 he also clinched two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, the League Cup, and two Europa Leagues – including last season’s.
He is well versed in the importance of resetting the dial and refusing to rest on the laurels of the past season.
“It is a clean slate because it is a new year and you all start again at the same level,” he said.
“Having had the experience of getting to the final last year Spurs will know they are capable of going all the way again.
“But it is such a hard competition and it is difficult at the start to look that far ahead. It is also a dangerous thing to do.”
Cahill reckons Palace’s nightmare at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was a one-off, with his side outclassed by their London rivals.
For the Eagles’ sake it is to be hoped he is right. Man-of-the-match Son Heung-min revelled in the freedom of the park. And Serge Aurier, enjoying a rare start, had so much space down the right he could have applied for planning permission.
Roy Hodgson’s side were never in it and will need to bounce back at home to Wolves next Sunday.
“I can only speak about the time since I’ve been here and that performance was out of character from the way we played previously,” said Cahill.
“We didn’t do the basics, like being in the right position to cover gaps. We left so many gaps and spaces all over the pitch, which against a team like them is not ideal at all.
“So we know what things we have to address and work on, but it was out of character, our shape and the way we got it wrong in the first half.
“Hopefully it was a blip, but it was a reminder there is still work to be done.”