Spurs’ woes all in the mind, coach declares

TOTTENHAM Hotspur have a mental problem, not a Wembley problem, Mauricio Pochettino said after their hoodoo at their temporary home struck again against Burnley.

Spurs could not hold onto Dele Alli’s 49th-minute opener in Sunday’s game, with Chris Wood’s injury-time strike earning visitors Burnley a 1-1 Premier League draw.

Tottenham have won just twice at the national stadium in 12 attempts since 2007 and have not claimed victory there so far this season while White Hart Lane is being redeveloped.

Yet Pochettino said their new surroundings had played no part in their poor start.

“I agree we can’t have moments like this if we want to challenge for the title. We need to work hard to try to be more strong, because that is a mental problem that we need to fix,” Pochettino said.

“We need to improve and increase our mental levels and become more strong.”

Spurs have lost eight of the last 11 games they have played at Wembley and were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in their first match there this season, but Pochettino refuses to entertain talk of a jinx.

“It has nothing to do with Wembley. It’s not a Wembley problem,” the Spurs manager said.

“In football if you’re not concentrated and focused, sometimes when you’re tired maybe a little bit and you’re not 100%, you concede or give the opponent the possibility to score.

“That is how it was today [Sunday] and how it was against Chelsea. That was the key.”

Harry Kane missed a catalogue of chances, meaning he is still waiting for his first goal of the season.

“I feel sorry for him because he had the opportunities to score and always a striker needs a bit of luck,” Pochettino said. “But I am sure Harry will start to score as soon as possible.”

Pochettino believes Tottenham will add new signings before the transfer window shuts this week, having only brought in Davinson Sanchez, who made a late debut against Burnley, and back-up goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga so far.

This was an impressive performance from Burnley, who frustrated Spurs for long periods on the back of their opening-day victory at Chelsea. – AFP