POCH SALUTES ALLI THE GREAT
Spurs boss claims Dele is unique
DELE ALLI turns 21 tomorrow with Mauricio Pochettino claiming he is already one of the greats.
The England star set the ball rolling with a belter which opened the floodgates against Watford and kept Spurs right in the title hunt.
Eric Dier then added a goal of his own and Son Heung-min scored twice as the Hornets were blown away.
But it was Alli who got the plaudits afterwards. He now has 10 goals and four assists since the turn of the year.
Massive
And he’s now been involved in 40 Premier League goals, as many as Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham combined at the same age.
Pochettino said: “Wow. That’s unbelievable, no? But he’s a great. First of all, a great kid, I think he’s a lovely, lovely person and then he is a great player.
“He is so young he can improve a lot, he can learn a lot, his potential is massive. But every day he’s improving and every day he gets more mature.
“He’s improving in his skills but in his character as well, he’s special. He’s a bit different to all the players that play now at his age. He’s so experienced.
“His energy, his character, his quality. I think he is a unique player. Today, his age and with his stats, if not the best, he’s one of the best young players in Europe for sure.”
Alli has his critics and question marks remain about his temperament after his awful red card tackle on Gent’s Brecht Dejaegere in February.
But Pochettino said: “I remember always after a game many people criticised me, kill me, kill him. Time has shown we are right to support him, to give love, because he is so young.
“This character is perfect. When you are winning and you feel that to lose on the pitch is like losing your life, that is all we want in a player.
“He is young and he needs to improve but he needs love. To improve, it’s not about to punch him or to punish him. And I am so happy for him because yes I always knew the relationship from day one was tough.
“It was friendly, lovely, but tough too because it’s like when you have your son, you love him, but sometimes you have to be tough.”
Spurs are now the only team to have three different players in double figures for goals this season and didn’t miss Harry Kane, who came on as a sub.
Kieran Trippier said: “There is quality through the squad and when Harry is not playing we have lots of lads who can score goals.”
Knock
Trippier, who was outstanding, left the Lane with a signed Heurelho Gomes shirt but reckons the Watford keeper is sick of the sight of him.
He added: “We are next-door neighbours so I asked him if I could have his shirt.
“I get on really well with him and we chat a lot. But the next time I knock to ask if I can borrow a cup of milk he might slam the door in my face.”
Hornets striker Troy Deeney, who was left out of the starting line-up due to fatigue, was so angry he refused to speak afterwards. But under-fire Watford boss Walter Mazzarri said: “It was a simple physical-condition decision. All the players who do not start, they are not happy.
“These are my decisions and the players need to respect these decisions and when they go on the pitch give everything they’ve got.” 7; Trippier 7, TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris 6; Dier Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 7, Davies 8 (Onomah 88), 7, Dembele 6 (Sissoko 75); SON 61, 6). Alli 7, Eriksen 6; Janssen 4 (Kane Lopez. Subs: Walker, Nkoudou, Wimmer, League, UP NEXT: Bournemouth (h) Premier Saturday. Janmaat 5, WATFORD (4-3-3): Gomes 5; 5; Amrabat 5 Cathcart 5, Mariappa 5, Holebas 59, 5), (Deeney 70), Doucoure 5 (Zuniga 5 (Kabasele 84), CLEVERLEY 6; Niang 5, Okaka Mason, Success 5. Subs: Capoue, Pantilimon, Eleftheriou. League, UP NEXT: Swansea (h), Premier Saturday. Referee: Anthony Taylor 8. scored the only YOUR TURN: Which defender in their 1-0 home goal of his Spurs career so far win against Watford last season?