Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has urged his side to move on quickly after a shock loss to West Ham United in the Premier League yesterday. Pochettino says the club must quickly refocus on Tuesday night, when they host Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie.
Pochettino maintains that his side was not looking ahead to midweek already during the Hammers clash, and the Spurs boss isn’t blaming the defeat on Tottenham allegedly having one eye on another game.
“We cannot say now we were thinking about Tuesday,” Pochettino said.
“When the stress and fatigue arrived that is our reality. We are a very competitive team when we are with full energy, we are so focused.
“The stress and the fatigue arrived, we are competing with circumstances that are not the best.”
Facing a major midfield injury crisis, as well as some serious selection issues in attack due to an injury and a suspension, the Argentine must get creative here with his starting XI selection. Look for Poch to move an attacking midfielder into the final third, and a player who is primarily a defender moving up to the middle of the park.
Tottenham Hotspur Starting XI Prediction (4-3-3) vs West Ham United (Premier League)
Attack: Dele Alli, Fernando Llorente, Lucas Moura
Midfield: Eric Dier, Christian Eriksen, Danny Rose
Defense: Ben Davies, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
Tottenham Hotspur vs Ajax UEFA Champions League FYIs
Kickoff- Tuesday Apr 30, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 8pm
Tottenham Hotspur injury report: go to this link
Google Result Probability Tottenham win 40%, Draw 28%, Ajax win 32%
Odds to qualify at Bet online- Ajax +120, Tottenham -110
Prediction: Tottenham 1, Ajax 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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