Mauricio Pochettino has advised Tottenham’s players to ignore Arsenal and pay heed to the words of Britney Spears and will.i.am as his team chase Champions League qualification this season.
Spurs, who finished fifth last season, are fourth in the Premier League. Pochettino was asked whether ending the campaign in that position would be considered a success even if the club’s north London rivals win the title, and responded by quoting from the American pop duo’s 2013 hit ‘Scream and Shout’.
“It’s like what Britney Spears and will.i.am sing: ‘Everybody in the club, all eyes on us, all eyes on us,’” said the Tottenham manager in what should not be construed as a snub to the venerable rockney two-piece combo Chas & Dave. “Because it’s not important what Arsenal do. For me it’s important to assess our seasons and how we can compare with us, not how we compare with another team. If we finish in the top four it will be because we have improved on last season. I was confident [before the start of the season] and I am still confident with the squad that we have.”
Spurs have suffered only two league defeats and will seek to extend their good form when they host Norwich City on Boxing Day. Pochettino has almost a full squad from which to choose his team, as only the midfielder Alex Pritchard and forward Clinton Njie are injured. The Argentinian has rotated personnel relatively little this season but is confident that his young team can continue producing high-intensity performances throughout the busy festive period.
“I think we work very hard to avoid them feeling tired,” said Pochettino. “Sometimes you never know – in eight or nine months a lot of things can happen. We always try to assess them and take a decision. Today it is not a decision to rest them because they are fresh.”
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