Tottenham Hotspur faced four big games in eight days this week, across three different competitions.
By the end of the eight days, they could find themselves looking a lot better in all three comps, or knocked out of two.
The run started with a tight and unlucky 1-0 defeat to Man City on a battered Wembley pitch on Monday, leaving Spurs in fifth.
They then faced a trip to the Olympic Stadium to face Weet Ham, a game which they won comfortably 3-1 to progress into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
This booked a mouth watering tie against Arsenal, the second time they will play their rivals in December.
Next up is a trip to Wolves in the Premier League for Spurs, a must win game to stay in touch with the top four above them.
A Champions League tie with PSV at Wembley rounds off the congested period, another must win game if Spurs want any chance of survival in the competition.
Football London reported every word from Pochettino on Wolves, the hectic schedule, and more.
Wolves
“Wolves are a good side, last season Nuno did a great job and they are doing a great job. I know Nuno very well, here was here two years ago before he met Wolves. We spend a very nice time here during the whole lunch with us and we shared a nice moment talking about football. Yes it will be fantastic to see him in Premier league and I am so happy they are doing a fantastic job.”
Schedule
“Yes it will be tough. It was tough to play Monday, Wednesday but now Saturday and Tuesday with Saturday again with problems with some players we can not rotate too much. Some players need to step up and maybe play again, who played against West Ham. We need to assess damage because Davinson played Monday and Wednesday and we will see how he is tomorrow. Training was ok but we need to assess him. I am sure we are going to be very competitive because we trust in a squad. to play Monday and Wednesday showed we are competitive. To play with different players, different names and that made me very proud and I am happy with the whole squad. How important to have all the player commitment and focus and respecting them because in different periods they can help.”
Record against promoted clubs
“I don’t know, it is true, I was talking before about that. I hope it continues, it is s difficult to know. Strange things happen and in football that is one of that. I don’t know if it’s about confidence or coincidence.”
The approach for a late Saturday kick off
“Similar when you pay Champions League. 7.45 or 8 o clock. It is strange because it is on a Saturday. 7 o’clock, 7.30 I am on my sofa with my dog, Sansa, and watching the Spanish league because they start 7.45 or France because La Liga starts at 8 o’clock, or Italy or different games. It will be so strange for my dog. Not for me but my dog, ‘where is my dad?’ she is going to say. She is beautiful and I am in love with her so.”
Dele’s new contract
“In the next years I want to tell. I think it is important for him to improve his salary. Important for the club to reward him but contract or not he was still with a big, long contract. I think for Dele it is a very good thing.”
Only 16 goals in 10 games
“Always room to improve, you know very well after nearly six years in England I am never completely happy. Our mentality is we can do better, we try to improve. I think you always need to compare at the end of the season. We are fifth in the table and I think it is for many reasons, some teams score earlier later different places in the table. Today it is not a thing that worries us.”
Oliver Skipp
“I am so happy. He made his debut at West Ham on Wednesday. Like always with the young you have to be patient. They need to feel with the capacity to play with the first team. Then like always, they show every single day hunger, desire, passion about training, football and everything. Like always if they start to achieve important things it’s about keeping this hunger, desire, passion and prioritise football before other things and that will be a challenge. We are happy with how he has developed for the last four or five months.”
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