POCH: WE’RE VAR TOO SOFT Boss angry as Spurs’ dismal away form goes on
build-up by Heung-min Son, who had strayed just a few millimetres beyond the last defender.
That gave Leicester a fillip and Ricardo Pereira levelled before James Maddison’s lovely right-foot drive from outside the area as the game entered its final moments.
Pochettino
(right) said: “I’m not blaming
VAR for this. At
2- 0, the game would be different.
VAR decided it.
“We all accept the system. Maybe it was (offside, maybe it wasn’t – but I trust the referees.
“I need to analyse the game in a different way. The performance was good. For 83 minutes, we were the best team on the pitch.
“It changed in the last seven minutes. We controlled the game, but, if you are asking me why we didn’t win, we need to be more consistent. We need to show a b e t t e r performance.
“And we need to find a solution awa y fr om home.”
That assessment is tough on Leicester, who would have fully earned a point before Maddison’s late goal.
The hosts had what appeared to be a legitimate strike ruled out by the offside officials long before Kane struck the opener. Maddison’s corner was cleared to the opposite flank where Youri Tielemans fired goalwards. Paulo Gazzaniga – deputising due to Hugo Lloris being present at the birth of his third child – spilled and Wilfred Ndidi forced the ball home.
It looked for all the world as though Leicester had drawn first blood, but three players were standing offside.
Leicester paid for that when Kane, despite being shoved in the back by Caglar Soyuncu, somehow retained the presence of mind to squeeze the ball past Kasper Schmeichel as he prepared to hit the turf.
It stayed that way until VAR intervened over Aurier.
Five minutes later, Portugal
Tottenham are without a win in their last full- back Pereira arrived to sidefoot Jamie Vardy’s cross into the net.
Leicester then delivered the killer blow when substitute Hamza Choudhury seized upon a headed clearance, squaring for Maddison, who fired home from the edge of the box.
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers said: “It was a brilliant effort against a top-class side that, four months ago, was in the Champions League final.
“We started with good intensity and we were a wee bit unfortunate to be a goal behind.
“We adapted the system and the players coped with everything the game threw at them.
“Of course, from Mauricio’s nine away games in the Premier League (W0 D2 L7) – they last had a longer winless away run between April and December 2006 (10). LEICESTER TOTTENHAM 7 ............. Shots on Target ........... 4 6 ............. Shots off Target........... 6 3 ...............Blocked Shots .............1 8 .....................Corners................... 2 16 .......................Fouls ....................13 3 .....................Offsides .................. 3 1 ..................Yellow Cards .............. 2 0 ...................Red Cards ................0 75.3..... Passing Success %... 81.6 57 .................Duels Won ............. 56 50.4 ....... Duel Success % ..... 49.6 21 .....................Tackles ..................17 61.9.......... Tackles Won %...... 70.6 44.3 ......... Possession %........55.7 44.4 ...... Territorial Adv %.... 55.6 381 .............Total Passes ......... 489 19 ...............Total Crosses ............21 154 ............... Lost Balls ............. 165 72 ................Recoveries...............61 46.2 ........1st Half Poss oss %...... %. .....53.8 53.8 42.5 ...... 2nd Half Poss oss %. .....57.5 perspective, if it went to 2-0, you’d be happier than if it stayed at 1-0.
“But we have spoken a number of times about how you react.
“You have to retain etain your focus and we responded. onded.
“We’re not getting ing carried away – we’ve had a tough start – but I’m pleased with the focus.”