Mauricio Pochettino: 'We will give opportunities to all our players. This is a strong squad. We need to manage it'

Published: 11 January, 2014
by DAN CARRIER at Selhurst Park

Premier League
CRYSTAL PALACE 2, SPURS 1

TOTTENHAM'S top-four push hit the buffers after Crystal Palace launched a second-half fightback to claim all three points on Saturday. 

In a scrappy contest, Spurs took the lead through a Harry Kane effort – but Palace pulled even after a controversial penalty decision gave Dwight Gayle the chance to beat Hugo Lloris from 12 yards. The Eagles went on to win via a fine Jason Puncheon finish with 10 minutes remaining.

Spurs' head coach Mauricio Pochettino rued his side's inability to kill the match. Speaking afterwards, he said: "We are very disappointed, This was a missed opportunity to stay with the top four. We need to learn how to kill games."

He added that with matches coming thick and fast, his squad players had to be ready to step in. He said: "It is difficult to keep the players fresh, but that is our job. We will give opportunities to all our players. This is a strong squad. We need to manage it."

In a first half that saw plenty of bustle but not much composure, neither side showed enough to deserve a lead.

The closest Spurs came to an opener was a snatched shot from Christian Eriksen that went narrowly wide. At the other end, Palace had a couple of speculative headers that were way off target and did not give Lloris any excuse to get muddy knees. The only genuine opportunity for the home side came on 36 minutes, when Lloris rushed off his line and blocked an effort from Glenn Murray. 

Moments into the second half Spurs took the lead through Kane. The forward was found lurking on the edge of the box by Nacer Chadli and, as the Palace defenders stood off him, he got his body shape right and fired hard and low into the far corner. It was an excellent finish. 

Palace equalised on 68 minutes when Benjamin Stambouli was judged to have tripped Joe Ledley in the box. Replays suggest Stambouli won the ball – but Gayle struck the penalty home. 

On 80 minutes, Jason Puncheon put Palace into the lead after he was left in space on the right. It felt like it was coming: Spurs had been guilty of sloppy play and Palace looked more likely to score. At the other end, Kane was upended but the referee waved play on. Spurs had nothing left in the locker. It was a starkly different performance from the joyous thrashing of Chelsea on New Year's Day – and gives Pochettino much to ponder. 

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Fazio, Dembele, Stambouli (Soldado, 73), Eriksen, Chadli, Townsend (Capoue, 70), Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Kaboul, Lennon, Paulinho, Soldado, Capoue, Davies.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

Mousa Dembele has lovely balance, good upper body strength and a wand of a left foot. But he tends to ponder on the ball – and Spurs missed Ryan Mason's urgent scampering. 

Spurs looked leggy. The pace of the Palace frontmen, running from deep, caused Tottenham's midfielders problems. 

Spurs lost their shape. The team needed a leader to calm things down and get them playing patient stuff. Instead of killing the game, they invited trouble by hurrying it forward.

Danny Rose had one of those days where he was put under a lot of pressure but busted a gut throughout. Rose is all too often a conductor for fans' ire – but in a poor team performance, he made no errors. 

With a cup replay versus Burnley on Wednesday and Sunderland at home on Saturday, Pochettino must get the fringe players quickly up to speed. He knows his first XI now – but he must raise the game for the seven or so squad members who will have to help get the side through a busy schedule.