Improvement required from Tottenham, but positives to take from start
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino (right) gives the thumbs up on the touchline at Manchester United alongside Jose Mourinho (pic: Nick Potts/PA Images). - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Mauricio Pochettino and Harry Kane urge Spurs to kick on following record-equalling league start
After eight Premier League games of the 2018/19 campaign, Tottenham Hotspur have 18 points to their name and six wins, which seems a good start, but it is tempered by the fact Spurs are outside of the top four.
In many ways it is typical for the Lilywhites to have such a tally and still not be where they want.
Yet rather than wallow in self pity, Mauricio Pochettino’s team should view this as a good platform to build on when they return to competitive action on Saturday with a challenging match away to local rivals West Ham United.
Spurs have been without a permanent home venue, have had an injury list longer than their league fixtures at times and have already had to face Manchester United and Liverpool.
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On top of this, five of their games in the division have been on the road and so will the next one coming up this weekend at Manuel Pellegrini’s Hammers.
Pochettino, speaking following the 1-0 win over Cardiff City on October 6, said: “I am happy because of the victory, but of course being honest, we need to improve a lot.
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“We need to kill the games. We need to have more control and be calm when we play in our home and of course we must control the game.
“I am happy, the effort was fantastic and it’s not easy after the defeat against Barcelona (October 3) to be ready again to compete, but I think we competed well and only we need to improve.”
The message from Spurs forward Harry Kane after the Cardiff victory was similar and he urged his team-mates to build on their start to the campaign.
According to their star striker, losing back-to-back league games away to Watford and at home to Liverpool during September gave Tottenham the push they needed.
Kane added: “Cardiff was a big win for us. I think that’s six out of eight in the Premier League.
“Sometimes when you draw games there is a false perception and it makes you feel like you are doing better than you are.
“We’ve lost two and it’s kind of given us a kick up the bum and made us win our next three in the Premier League.
“Yes, we’ve done well, but these are teams we should be beating as well, so it’s important we carry this on after the international break.”
