Mauricio Pochettino will continue to pick strong lineups in Tottenham Hotspur’s remaining three Europa League group phase ties. The club’s qualification hopes could go to the wire after Thursday’s 2-1 defeat at Anderlecht and a challenging programme looms.
The manager is acutely aware that Tottenham must travel to Baku in Azerbaijan to face Qarabag for the penultimate fixture only three days before the home Premier League game against Chelsea on 29 November. The next tie – the return with Anderlecht at White Hart Lane on 5 November – comes three days after the home match against Aston Villa and three days before the derby at Arsenal.
Pochettino said last April that participation in the Europa League “affects your domestic league” and he was frustrated by the timing of his team’s last-32, second-leg tie at Fiorentina last February, which came three days before the Capital One Cup final against Chelsea. He felt that it was a factor in the defeat by Chelsea.
Pochettino is working with a 24-man squad – 13 of whom are aged 24 or under – plus a few academy youngsters, and there have been questions over whether it has the depth and experience to cope with a campaign at home and in the Europa League. But Pochettino has picked strong teams so far and he intends to keep doing so.
“I will put a strong squad or team out in every game,” he said. “We analyse the players to see who is fit. The fixture congestion is unlucky and it is like last season when we played the Capital One Cup final. We played West Ham, Fiorentina and Chelsea in one week. We stayed an extra night in Florence.”
Pochettino was infuriated by the manner of his team’s defeat against Anderlecht, when they lost their focus and their way after an early goal and a bright start. He has demanded to see improvement at Bournemouth on Sunday, when he will also be hoping for a result in another sport.
The Argentinian is a massive rugby fan and has followed his country’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, in which they will face Australia shortly after the full-time whistle at Bournemouth. Pochettino attended their quarter-final win over Ireland in Cardiff last Sunday.
“It was fantastic,” Pochettino said. “I think we are flying back to London after the game at Bournemouth so it will be difficult for me to see the rugby on the plane. But I am sure Argentina have the possibility to win.
“It will be difficult for me to avoid the score because my wife and kid will be watching and will be keeping in touch with me by phone. It is impossible for them to keep the information from me.
“I’ve always enjoyed rugby because in Argentina it is like a religion. I remember Hugo Porta when I was a boy. I could never have been a rugby player. I am not brave enough, like them. Yes, I was a defender but, when you watch rugby, you realise it is a very difficult sport and you need to be very, very, very brave.”
