The Poch Philosophy

Under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham have attained 16 points from losing positions in the league this season, which is more than any other Premier League side. 13 of those points coming in the last five minutes of matches.

Since arriving in English football with Southampton in 2013, Pochettino’s style of football was evident, and caught the eye of fans and analysts alike. Utilizing a 4-2-3-1 system, the Argentine played with inverted wingers condensing the space in midfield to enable his side to play, number one, a high pressing game and number two, win possession back quickly.

This brand of football is a philosophy of Pochettino’s, a word which he has often spoken of since coming to England. Now with Tottenham, he has instilled a never say die attitude within the team. There is a certain belief system at White Hart Lane, which is epitomized by the amount of success the club has had in the final minutes of games.

[linequote] A perfect match for Spurs, in the seven months he’s been in charge, Tottenham have improved not only mentally, but physically[/linequote]

For Pochettino, the football played to get the desired result is just as important as the outcome itself. A perfect match for Spurs, in the seven months he’s been in charge, Tottenham have improved not only mentally, but physically as well. A big factor in this change has been the importance Pochettino has placed on fitness.

The double training sessions, as well as the use of a GPS tracking system to monitor his players fitness levels, has paid dividends to their performances on the pitch; such is the astuteness as it pertains to his management style and the attention to detail. Football is an emotional game, and Pochettino recognizes the importance of players needing to be at their best conditional level. With four games in the space of 9 days, it’s impossible to predict the outcome of their grueling schedule, but one thing is for sure you will see from a Mauricio Pochettino side, and that is showing heart and spirit too the final whistle.

[fullquote]Football is an emotional game, and Pochettino recognizes the importance of players needing to be at their best conditional level[/fullquote]

Former England midfielder Paul Scholes recently described Pochettino as a young manager who is confident without arrogance. This quality has relayed onto the pitch, as every player seems to be enjoying their football and playing as a cohesive unit. There’s an argument in football that the more you have of the ball the less tired you’ll be, hence why there is a real emphasis placed on possession football with a Pochettino team.

According to Opta stats, Spurs have the least number of backward passes in the Premier League, with most of their passes being played diagonal in intricate triangles, or forward, playing with perceptible intensity and movement. Mainly attempting to play in the oppositions half, Spurs defend from the front; the front pairing of Harry Kane and Chistian Eriksen have a combined total of 71 tackles this season, as well scoring 35 goals respectively.

The game is often won or lost in the middle of the park, and in Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb, Pochettino has young, energetic, robust players who are tactically disciplined with an eye for a pass. Averaging above 80% passing completion, both players are improving immensely under the intuitive of their manager.

[linequote]According to Opta stats, Spurs have the least number of backward passes in the Premier League, with most of their passes being played diagonal in intricate triangles[/linequote]

There is justified optimism heading into this week, although Spurs will have to adapt better and play more attentive than they did in Florence on Thursday. After our exit on the Europa League and with just one goal over the course of the tie, Spurs must improve.

Pochettino has tough decisions to make ahead of the League Cup final at Wembley. Former Spurs player and legend Danny Blanchflower who captained Spurs’ double cup wining side in 1961, once made the notion that football is more than about the end result, ‘it is about doing things in style, with a flourish’, would we though, rather substance than style in our season defining game?