Tottenham boss reveals secret to recovery ahead of third game in week against Arsenal

Pochettino has assembled a group of players he believes can challenge on multiple fronts

MAURICIO POCHETTINO believes there are no limits to what Tottenham can achieve this season because his players are too young to understand them.

 

While Arsene Wenger moans about his growing injury list, Spurs bounce with youthful exuberance into the north London derby rejuvenated despite two fierce encounters against Aston Villa and Anderlecht this week already.

All season, the average Spurs team member has been under 25 while in September the team which thrashed Manchester City 4-1 had an average age of just 24 years and 40 days.

Now, having deliberately built a young team, Pochettino's biggest challenge is reining them back each week.

When asked whether his side could finish in the top four at last this season, the Tottenham boss replied: "We want to be on the top of the table but don't misunderstand please. I say that just because we have a very young squad so never we set the limit.

"We need to be open in order to learn and improve every game. At the end of the season when we have ahead the last five games then I can answer that question [properly]."

Unfettered by anxieties of what might happen, Tottenham have stitched together a run of 10 games unbeaten since the opening day of the season to take into tomorrow's trip to the Emirates.

However, Pochettino rails at suggestions that the same youthfulness can be used to explain their seemingly endless reserves of energy. In games following exhausting European fixtures, Spurs have picked up more points than any of their Premier League peers and that, the Argentine claims, is down to science, not luck.

England international Dele Alli is just one of the promising youngsters at Spurs

"It is not because we have a young squad we run a lot and now win the games," he said. "It is because it is about the way we train and our sports science and medical staff deserve to be recognised for their job.

"When you need to push the players every day, sometimes double sessions, it is very hard for them to suffer the way we push them to run and to train. The way they recover every two days and are ready to play is not a miracle - it is hard work from the beginning of the season."

Nobody embodies this fearlessness more than Dele Alli. This time last year he was involved in back-to-back games for MK Dons against Swindon and Port Vale. This November, it could be Arsenal followed by Spain.

 

"Not a bad week!" he said. "No, I am really excited by it. I am not going to change my game or how I am, I am just going to go there and do as well as I can. If I get some game time again I will be thrilled.

"But it's Arsenal first and we're really positive going into game. We going to go there and perform as well as we can.

"As a player these are the games you dream of playing in. It is one of the biggest games in the world, I think. We know how much it means, not only to us but the fans as well. Whatever it takes to win, we will do it."

Arsene Wenger's main task is to galvanise his troops after their 5-1 demolition by Bayern Munich. To do that, he plans to look slightly further back in history.

"Let's not forget we won the cup last year and the year before as well," the Arsenal manager said. "They showed they can win things.

"But to compete for the Premier League, yes, it is now down to let's do the job. But it is a long way to go."