da cassino： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
da bwin： Mauricio Pochettino has made a grievous error.
The Tottenham Hotspur manager went to bat for Christian Eriksen on Tuesday, insisting that he remains fully committed to the club and that his performances are the same as they were five years ago, per The London Evening Standard.
Now, first of all, it has to be said that it was unlikely Pochettino was going to throw the Denmark international under the bus in public.
But, at the same time, the continued selection of Eriksen suggests that the former Southampton boss actually believes what he is saying, that he thinks this is the same attacking midfielder that was at the club previously.
Football FanCast has already broken down that assertion, with the player on a statistical downswing.
And one has to ask what has happened to the manager who was previously so ruthless.
Pochettino joined Spurs in 2014 and, in his first transfer window as manager, he oversaw the acquisition of six players – Ben Davies, Michel Vorm, Eric Dier, DeAndre Yedlin, Federico Fazio and Benjamin Stambouli. The likes of Heurelho Gomes, Jake Livermore, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Michael Dawson and Sandro were all moved on. Dele Alli was signed in January and loaned back to MK Dons.
In terms of departures, it was a similar story the following summer, as Paulinho, Lewis Holtby, Etienne Capoue, Younes Kaboul, Stambouli, Vlad Chiriches and Roberto Soldado were sold.
They didn’t fit the Pochettino mould, so out they went as players like Son Heung-Min and Toby Alderweireld arrived. Think too of Andros Townsend, Emmanuel Adebayor, Aaron Lennon, Ryan Mason, Nabil Bentaleb and Fazio. Once it became clear they either weren’t good enough or didn’t fit, they were told to leave.
Kyle Walker was a prominent example of a player who reportedly suggested he wanted to leave and was told to do just that, joining Manchester City.
Why, then, is Pochettino suddenly showing loyalty to a player who has both admitted his desire to leave and then subsequently underperformed?
Eriksen has scored two goals and registered one assist all season. Against Everton and Liverpool, he failed to complete a single dribble or make a single tackle, per WhoScored.
One feels that, if we were five years in the past, this Eriksen would have been moved on and sold to the first bidder that came knocking, with Pochettino given the chance to replace him.
Instead, he remains. Every weekend, there he is, on the teamsheet, struggling for form.
It is a misjudgement from Pochettino and his defence of the player is entirely out-of-keep with the rest of his reign. That ruthlessness which once defined the Spurs boss, especially in terms of parting with big names for players who better fitted his philosophy, appears to be disappearing.