Ability is optional, attitude is mandatory

Where to begin? It was hardly the result, or performance, we had hoped for. Stoke have given us some tricky games at the Lane in recent seasons – I recall a 1-0 defeat and a last gasp Van der Vaart header to salvage a 1-1 draw in the last 5 years or so – but this was something else. I was hardly predicting a guaranteed 3 points as I walked up the Tottenham High Road, but, with the momentum of wins against Brighton, Villa, and Asteras behind us, I hoped for a decent showing, and with a bit of luck, a good result come 3.30.

It wasn’t even close. We were completely outplayed in the first half (something I never thought I would have to say about a game against Stoke), and while the second half saw some improvement, the fightback never really looked to be on. Chadli’s goal was well struck, but, as seems to be an ongoing theme, we never really managed to get in behind their back four or cause Begovic any real problems, an outstanding save from an excellent Lamela free-kick aside. Had we equalised, it would, quite frankly, have been a travesty.

[fullquote]We were completely outplayed in the first half and while the second half saw some improvement, the fightback never really looked to be on.[/fullquote]

I have been saying since August that I don’t really see this season as being about results. The truth is that our team is dreadfully unbalanced, the result of a combination of our post-Bale spending spree and the managerial revolving door that has seen us buy players to suit systems that we no longer play.

This is not something that can be fixed overnight. It requires the imposition of a clear philosophy, the adaptation of certain players to new roles, the removal from the squad of those who no longer feature in Pochettino’s plans, and the identification, acquisition, and integration of new players into the squad. To expect results, or even an immediate improvement in performances, in such circumstances is unrealistic.

What is not unrealistic, however, is to expect our players to show passion and commitment on the pitch, to fight for every ball, and to walk off utterly exhausted at the final whistle. Ryan Mason and possibly Danny Rose aside, I’m not sure any of those who featured today could claim that they succeeded in that respect. The simple fact is that it seemed like Stoke just wanted to win more than we did, and that is a real cause for concern. I cannot recall seeing a Spurs side so low on confidence and enthusiasm in the last 10-15 years, and especially not one that contains such an array of talent.

[fullquote]To expect results, or even an immediate improvement in performances, in such circumstances is unrealistic.[/fullquote]

I believe that, given time and support, Pochettino can fix the imbalances and issues in our squad. We simply cannot abandon hope in another manager, particularly so early in his tenure, on the basis of a few bad results. But this lack of confidence and effort on the pitch is a real concern, because above all else, a manager’s task is to motivate his charges, to give them belief when their confidence is low, and to call them out when they are not giving their all.

If he is struggling to do this, then he needs to consider bringing someone into the coaching team who can. He spoke a few weeks ago about his reluctance to turn to a sports psychologist, but if attitudes do not improve, I see little alternative. The mark of a good manager, in business or in football, is the ability to recognise the strengths of those at his disposal, and to delegate tasks accordingly.

If there is no-one in the current set-up who is capable of motivating the players, Poch needs to have the strength of character to recognise this deficiency and to address it. If he refuses to do so, and performances do not improve, he will begin to invite legitimate questions about his managerial capabilities.