Mauricio Pochettino has described dropping Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier for Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Inter as ‘technical decisions’.
The defensive pair started Spurs’ defeats to Watford and Liverpool, fuelling speculation they were being punished for their performances, but Pochettino made it clear that was not the case.
“We still have out Hugo Lloris, Dele Alli and Moussa Sissoko,” the Coach said at a Press conference for Tuesday’s Champions League opener at San Siro.
Mauricio Pochettino has described dropping Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier for Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Inter as ‘technical decisions’.
The defensive pair started Spurs’ defeats to Watford and Liverpool, fuelling speculation they were being punished for their performances, but Pochettino made it clear that was not the case.
“We still have out Hugo Lloris, Dele Alli and Moussa Sissoko,” the Coach said at a Press conference for Tuesday’s Champions League opener at San Siro.
“They are in London. They are on the list with players like Foyth and Nkoudou. Then a technical decision in London – Toby Alderweireld and Kieran Trippier.
“It’s a technical decision. You can look it up in the dictionary. Tactical? That is on the pitch, although guess you could say this is tactical off of the pitch.
“Yyou are clever enough to understand that this is my fifth season and I never punish players.
“The plan is to leave them there and use different players tomorrow. There’s nothing in behind it. Only that we’re playing with different players.
“I’m not concerned. The reason is not tired or not tired, can rest or not rest. It’s a collective problem, not only one player.
“I think Harry [Kane] is an easy target when he doesn’t score it. He has done a lot for the team in the last four years. It’s easy to blame Harry.
“It’s an easy judgement, to analyse and talk. Maybe I am so boring to repeat – the perception and reality.
“Maybe some clubs have a good balance, for us the perception and reality are too far away.
“I don’t think we’re realistic contenders in any single competition. That is my view. If we show the same face we did against Watford, so difficult.
“If we show the same face as Liverpool, so difficult. If we show the face from some bits of Old Trafford, then maybe yes.
“We need to keep our feet on the grass. The last two defeats have been so good as a wake-up call.
“In the end no name is more important than another. The most important is the collective. Everyone is available to give their best.
“Of course we need to try to give our best. We have ahead of a lot of games. We came from difficult circumstances with the World Cup.
“We have a plan to give different players a rest in all competitions.”