- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Tottenham Re-Establish Their Title Credentials with Impressive Win over Man City
- Updated: October 2, 2016
WHITE HART LANE, London — Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino made his way into the post-match press conference area wearing a different top to the sweater-shirt combination he had on earlier.
The thought crossed the mind if jubilant dressing-room celebrations for his side’s impressive 2-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City had required the change of clothing. The more casual training top might have signified a soaking like ex-boss Harry Redknapp received in 2010 after his side beat the same opponents to secure Champions League qualification.
A more likely explanation was presented when he motioned about the heat in the room—after a tense afternoon spent urging and cajoling his team from the sidelines, he probably just needed to freshen up. Pochettino will hope such pragmatic, less-fanciful thinking will extend to discussion of Tottenham re-establishing their title credentials, too.
Tottenham remain the only unbeaten team in the @premierleague! #TOTMCI pic.twitter.com/Uaj17yFXDC
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) October 2, 2016
If the north Londoners can continue producing the kind of performance that left them as the Premier League’s only unbeaten side, just a point shy of their table-topping defeated foes, he may have to prepare for the opposite.
Two days earlier, Pochettino had been keen not to put any more pressure on his team than was required. The questions about the significance of first-place Man City meeting second-place Tottenham were understood, but he was not about to declare it a decider barely two months into the season.
“My feeling is it’s a very important game for us and for them,” he told a packed pre-match press conference. “But, it’s only a game. I think we are in the beginning of the season.”
“I think it will be a very tough game, very important game for both teams, but is very early to start to speak about this as a very important game to prove something or not.”
While also acknowledging closing the gap on City would be helpful in an unmentioned (by him) title challenge, it was just a generally good display and resulting three points he wanted. Manchester City, Stoke City, Leicester City; the opponent did not matter.
“Be sure my speech if we will win will be the same if we don’t get the three points. The most important thing is to be solid, is to show that we believe in the way that we play.”
Discussions of the match with Man City were gradually re-framed via the subject of Spurs’ place in the grander picture of English football.
Could Spurs, a club without a league championship since the 1960-61 season, compete with clubs such as the Sky Blues, whose trophy cabinets were filled with such successes more recently?
“Long-term yes—maybe we are a little bit in behind them now in the project. But I think that our expectation is long-term to compete with all of the big clubs like City, United and Liverpool, and different clubs.”
…
