Spurs are finally feeling at home but Pochettino won’t stop anyone going
AFTER a contentious week dominated by headlines about stadium delays, all Spurs needed were some home comforts. The increasingly cosy surroundings of Wembley duly provided them — even Harry Kane scored.
In football terms, it could be a blessing if Mauricio Pochettino’s side spend the bulk of this season at their adopted home as opposed to the new White Hart Lane.
They are on an upward curve beneath the arch and have lost only once there in the league since their opening game a year ago.
Much attention centred on Spurs’ failure to sign anyone in the summer transfer window before Pochettino’s side triumphed over Newcastle.
The Argentine has said players not in his team are free to leave and he will not bow to pressure to play them.
A five-minute monologue from Pochettino dominated the postmatch press conference after he was asked whether Toby Alderweireld, who played 90 minutes, will stay at the club.
Speculation over the the Belgium defender’s future is rife as he is thought to be free to leave Spurs along with Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele.
Pochettino said: ‘I am so open if players want to leave, but if they are going to be here I want all commitment. If not, we can find a solution.
‘I am so tired to talk about if some players aren’t happy or some players want to leave.’
Perhaps another media storm can serve as motivation ahead of next Monday’s trip to Manchester United, for Eric Dier admitted this week that he and his team-mates would like to ‘shut up’ those making noise on the outside.
They did that here thanks to goals from Lucas Moura and England pair Kieran Trippier and Kane, who netted for the first time in August after 14 matches without a goal.
Moura opened the scoring just before the break, curling in via the inside of the post.
Aleksandar Mitrovic stooped inside the six-yard area to head home from Ryan Sessegnon’s somewhat fortunate pull-back to level things up.
Trippier put Spurs ahead on 74 minutes with a free-kick before Kane found the bottom corner three minutes later. Ah, home, sweet, temporary home.