Tottenham Reiterate Big-Game Mettle Against Liverpool but Need More to Progress
WHITE HART LANE, London — Mauricio Pochettino does not discriminate when it comes to which matches are worthy of his passion. For the Tottenham Hotspur manager, just about any contest with Premier League points or progression in a competition are at stake is a big deal.
Pochettino was out of his seat throughout his side's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last week, reacting to his players' mistakes and fruitlessly remonstrating with the officials in bursts of fiery Spanish, turning to his coaching staff as if they were the only ones not insane in this self-contained little world.
Back on the White Hart Lane touchline for the visit of Liverpool, similar emotional responses were unsurprisingly evident again.
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There were a couple of reactions in this 1-1 draw that betrayed a feeling this match meant a little more, though.
Some responses were commensurate with a competitive showing that not only reiterated his side's big-game mettle, but also showed why they need more to make these potential season-influencing meetings with likely top-four rivals count firmly and positively in their favour.
Shortly after the hour mark, Christian Eriksen fired over with Tottenham still one-nil down. Pochettino turned with that recognisable flair of disgust but this time marched down the tunnel and out of sight, his frustration given voice by an unseen whack against the furniture.
The second incident was Spurs' 72nd-minute equaliser to James Milner's first-half penalty. After left-back Danny Rose prodded in at the back post, his boss charged in front of the press box and roared with delight in a shared expression of joy with the delighted fans.
Playing football is very much something you lose yourself in. There is little logic and occasionally even consciousness to words and actions not emanating from the feet while you are on the pitch.
Save for lucidity in moments when required tactical or personnel alterations shake him out of his trance, the same seems true of Pochettino in his technical area.
The Argentinian is not one to place unwelcome burdens on his players' shoulders. But after last season's title challenge, he clearly understands there is some pressure on Spurs to be up there again. Striker Harry Kane this week stated even a guarantee of a return to the Champions League places would not be enough.
"Like I say we want to improve on last year, we want to get better," Kane told Sky Sports. "We're not scared of anyone, not scared of any players or managers."
Every game matters—the draw with West Bromwich Albion in April that lost them costly momentum in the hunt for league leaders Leicester City showed that much. The eventual champions' own rise from seemingly nowhere showed there is nothing like the closed shop that seemed to occupy the Premier League's upper echelon for much of the last decade.
Nevertheless, games against the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and, yes, Liverpool have that extra feel of importance about them. The size and, give or take the occasional down year, consistency of those clubs sees to that.
Tottenham's performances in these big matches have been one of the significant markers of their relatively rapid ascension under Pochettino.
A home match with Liverpool also concluded August in the Argentinian's first season in charge back in 2014-15. While Eric Dier's late debut winner had seen off West Ham United in the new boss' first big London derby, this first substantial test against one of their hoped-for top-four rivals did not go well.
Spurs had been battered twice by Brendan Rodgers' Reds in the previous campaign, and the 3-0 defeat suggested improving against the division's tougher teams would not happen overnight.
Better was seen in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal a month later as they valiantly but ultimately unsuccessfully tried to defend Nacer Chadli's opener. Two games later, then-reigning champions Manchester City—another of Spurs' torturers from a year earlier—put them back in their place as Sergio Aguero scored all their goals in a 4-1 win.
A 3-0 loss to Chelsea at the beginning of November seemed like it was confirmation the north Londoners were some way off being genuine contenders for a top-four place, let alone a title challenge. But within a month, they were beating the same Jose Mourinho-coached champions-in-waiting 5-3 in a thrilling New Year's Day home victory.
One of the heroes of that upset of the Blues, Kane netted twice to beat Arsenal 2-1 that February. While the remainder of the campaign would show Spurs were not where they wanted to be yet, their decent fifth-place finish and these two derby wins hinted at what they might be capable of under Pochettino.
In 2015-16, their league games against Arsenal and Chelsea brought four draws.
Disappointing though these results were in the grand scheme of things, they still demonstrated Spurs' improving resilience under Pochettino. Crucially, reputation and confidence-boosting wins came elsewhere, with Spurs twice dispatching Manchester City as well as recording pleasing home wins over Manchester United and West Ham United.
They could have got more out of their two draws with Liverpool, but in Jurgen Klopp's side, they had found an opponent set up to match them in energy and creativity.
This latest meeting between the two was Tottenham's first real test of where they stand in the overall hunt this season.
Open, end-to-end games at White Hart Lane have become another indicator of more prestigious opposition being in town. Visits from the more lowly likes of Crystal Palace usually now bring with them the demands of having to break down opponents focused on sitting back and being hard to break down.
This was as all-action an affair as you are likely to see without there being ridiculously bad defending and scorelines to match. It was often untidy and frantic, but from the off, both Pochettino's and Klopp's sides look to get at each other.
Still deputising for the absent first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm made a big save from Philippe Coutinho within five minutes. Down the other end, an Eriksen free-kick required the Liverpool counterpart Simon Mignolet to punch clear.
Early exchanges were relatively even, but Liverpool began looking the more dangerous after the opening quarter of an hour. Sadio Mane in particular came close to exploiting space in the Spurs defence as they toiled getting back into shape following attempted attacks of their own.
Right-back Kyle Walker's enforced departure forced a change, with Vincent Janssen coming on up front and defensive midfielder Eric Dier switching to the flank. Liverpool capitalised when Roberto Firmino found space in front of a dithering Erik Lamela out there and ended up winning the lead-taking penalty off the Argentinian.
Tottenham had gone a goal down in the first-half to Merseyside opposition on the opening weekend, too. Again, they bounced back well after the interval, with midfielder Dele Alli (dropped last week) doing well in trying to drive his team on while Kane and Janssen covered the ground with their usual selflessness.
More chances came at both ends in the game's remainder—Toby Alderweireld had a header well-saved by compatriot Mignolet; Mane had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside after Liverpool cut through Spurs again. Rose's equaliser proved enough to earn Spurs a respectable point, a decent result in the circumstances but one that for now leaves us little the wiser to where they stand in terms of progress (or even just sustaining last season's level).
"It was a very competitive game, both teams play with passion—that is very important," Pochettino, a man well familiar on the subject, offered in his post-match press conference.
"After 15 minutes we had a problem with Walker (he was sick), and we needed to change a little bit our plan. We started to play with two strikers and all the plan for playing against Liverpool we had to change."
Although admitting Liverpool deserved their lead, Pochettino was content with how his team improved in the second-half.
"We played really, not well, but we played much better. We competed a lot, that is what you need to do for to get back in the game and I am very pleased and happy for the effort."
Such grit should not be taken for granted given how clearly superior the likes of Liverpool were to them just a few years ago. Still, Pochettino and his team will hope to show better after the international break and, come their next big "top-four" clash with Manchester City at the start of October, begin to prove they can consistently get the better of the Premier League's best.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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