What next? Where next?
Who next? The question ardent Spurs fans would be asking themselves as the
Seagulls ruthlessly plucked away at them. After a week of utter humiliation,
Pochettino faces his most arduous task as he seeks to identify the bogeys that
knocked the usually vibrant Spurs team into a tailspin.
A seemingly successful
season last season papered over what was a seemingly normal 2019 for Spurs as
they blinded the world with their moxie but unfortunately, the statistics
revealed the malaise that has been hidden. Since the turn of the year, Spurs
have played forty-one (41) games in all competitions which have produced 19
wins, 7 draws and 17 defeats while scoring sixty-nine (69) goals and conceding
fifty-four (54) in return.
So, what has gone wrong
and what can be done? For starters, Pochettino has to be the man to solve this
puzzle as he has been all year long. it is not an understatement to say his
coaching has saved Spurs all year hence giving him the boot will be doing the
team more harm than good. His 2019 has been dogged by rumors that centered
around Real Madrid while managing a team without signings and absence of key
players at points in the season. Despite all these near catastrophes, he
managed to lead Spurs into the group stage of the Champions League. All these
setbacks and strenuous circumstances led Poch to channel his inner innovator as
he navigated successfully to the Champions League Final.
The start of
the season has been a nightmare that has culminated with humiliations at
the hands of Bayern and Brighton, as well as the loss of Club captain Hugo
Lloris for an extended period. This international break and season will require
some more soul searching as he seeks to realign and push towards a major title
for Spurs.
Pochettino has to come up with a
tactic or system that will confound the Premier League. A system that will
maximize the full potential of the players at his disposal. It doesn't
necessarily have to be a new formation, just a slight tweak in his existing
one. Similar to the one that made Kieran Trippier a focal point in the offense and later
creating an “Air Raid” style offense that bypassed the midfield altogether.
Also, he must find a way to incorporate the threat of Lucas Moura into his
side as he has shown he holds the key to a shift in system.
Upgrading
the current personnel by signing new players or promoting from the youth set-up
to gradually phase out the old guard in defense, and midfield while planning
the future of the attack. Included in this should be the sale of
under performers and players with uncertain futures. The likes of Eriksen,
Alderweireld and Aurier should have their futures sorted out as soon as the
January window as two of them reach the end of their contracts.
Making a splash in the transfer window
by making a marquee signing as seen in the pursuit of Dybala
should
rejuvenate the side and give Spurs a fear factor among clubs in the Premier
League and Europe.
He
seems to have the board on his side but not the players and that might be a
problem. Getting to the players can make this transitional period bearable for
the coach, players and the fans. Not to say there is a problem but a gradual
unrest has been seeping into the club especially among the senior players and
this can lead to a full-blown mutiny and jeopardize the club.
As a football purist, it is
disheartening to see one of the game's brilliant minds in a sorry state but it
is time the board and the players drag the downhearted yet genius figure of
Pochettino for some time as he tinkers and get his team back at a cruising
altitude.
