Mauricio Pochettino Sacrifices Tottenham's European Campaign Against Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund have all but eliminated Tottenham Hotspur from the Europa League with a 3-0 hammering at the Westfalenstadion. 

Easily the best team Spurs have faced this season, Dortmund were utterly dominant and became the first team to score more than two goals against them in any competition. 

They could easily have scored many more than they did as Tottenham offered at-times pitiful resistance.

Spurs haven't faced a more difficult fixture under Mauricio Pochettino, but the Argentinian did not select a team capable of winning it. 

With Tom Carroll and Ryan Mason occupying the two central-midfield positions, Spurs needed an attacking line capable of dropping in to provide support. 

Failure to do so would invite the home side to throw numbers forward, and that's what eventuated. 

Josh Onomah and Christian Eriksen did their best but were short-handed, and the lightweight Heung-Min Son and the lethargic Nacer Chadli left too much space. 

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Isolated in attack and inconsistent in their application of the pressing system, Tottenham posed no threat to Dortmund, who could play out from the back with impunity. 

Pochettino's team selection exposed his back four, and full-back Ben Davies in particular, to the full power of a Dortmund side that has scored well over 100 goals this season. 

Davies looked entirely out of his depth but can hardly be blamed when he was left so exposed. 

Chadli and Son's inability to hold up the ball meant Spurs were incapable of getting numbers into attacking zones. 

The absence of Dele Alli's willing forward runs was notable. 

Dortmund established their superiority early in the first half, and Tottenham were unwilling to risk abandoning a defensive posture for long. 

Even Mason, who usually takes any chance to move forward, refused. 

There was a lack of bravery from Spurs that, although understandable, consigned them to face a torrent of attacks. 

The second half was a moderate improvement, as Pochettino brought on the players who may regret not starting. Mousa Dembele, Erik Lamela and Harry Kane entered the fray, but the match was still beyond them.

They created no real scoring chances, as Dortmund consistently smothered the ball-carrier.

This was a chastening defeat for Tottenham. 

Dortmund are the best team remaining in the tournament, but this is the standard of opposition Spurs will routinely face if they qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. 

Pochettino's willingness to rotate his squad across different competitions has been part of the root of Spurs' excellent season. 

Having played Arsenal just four days earlier, it is understandable that he chose to select such a weak team. 

It would be unfair to criticise him for doing so, but it must be acknowledged that he has chosen to prioritise the Premier League. 

With that in mind, Sunday's trip to face Aston Villa in Birmingham assumes huge importance. 

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If a strengthened Tottenham team hammers Villa and keeps up the pressure on league-leading Leicester City, the wilful abandonment of the UEFA Europa League will be far easier to stomach. 

The reverse in Germany simplifies Spurs' schedule in the closing months of the season. 

Barring a miraculous comeback in the return leg at White Hart Lane, Tottenham now have just 10 games remaining in all competitions. 

That's just one more than Leicester and at least one fewer than Arsenal, who face a similarly inevitable European exit against Barcelona but remain in the FA Cup. 

Victory against Aston Villa and Bournemouth the following week would set Tottenham up for a real push for the league title. 

There are 13 days between the Bournemouth match and Spurs' next domestic fixture, away at Liverpool. In fact, they'll face just one short turnaround (five days) in the rest of the season. 

Despite being embarrassed by Dortmund, Tottenham can genuinely aspire to be the champions of England this season. 

The players who were rested for the trip to Germany will be energised not just against Villa but for the remainder of the campaign. 

Spurs have the quality to win each of their remaining fixtures and, Villa and Bournemouth aside, fatigue will not be an issue. 

Pochettino will be able to select his strongest side for each of the nine remaining Premier League matches, and if he does, they've got a great chance of overhauling Leicester to end their 55-year title drought.