Maintaining the unbeaten run is important

Many teams, many supporters in the Premier League feel inferior. If you refer to a big team then you are immediately saying you are inferior to them and a coach will often adopt pessimistic tactics.  If you feel inferior then you are hoping to win rather that expecting to win and that affects performance, a side can be beaten before a ball is kicked. 

We have suffered it towards the end of each season. A lack of belief has seen us throw away top four finishes on a consistent basis. Throwing away a 10 point lead isn't easy to do. A team doesn't suddenly become bad overnight, but one who can't handle the mental pressure makes every game harder than it actually is.

If you are a player who does have the mental strength and thus perform to your level under pressure, why would you stick around at a club where they retain players who are shown to buckle under the pressure time and time again? It is no surprise to me that players in the past have left Spurs, quite frankly the environment hasn't been here to keep them, all they could have expected was more of the same.

This squad is unproven in that regard and we'll find out more about them towards the end of the season. It is encouraging that we kept our unbeaten run going in such tough conditions on Saturday, the wind had a big bearing on the game. maintaining an unbeaten run adds an aura. The only reason people remember the so-called invincibles is because they were unbeaten, nobody, apart from Arsenal fans, remembers other title victories in the same manner.

It is important Tottenham retain and build that aura as long as we can, it just gives our opponents another mental barrier to climb. Pressure manifests weaknesses, the more we can manifest in our opponents the better. Sport is littered with examples of life being easier when adversity is overcome because a mental barrier has been removed. No longer fo Chelsea fans call it three point lane, no longer do we have the mental block of going to Old Trafford or Anfield. Neither side has the same aura they did before, thus they are easier to play against.

Each point, when victory can not be achieved, is important, the press, fans are now talking about us being unbeaten and difficult to beat. If teams, players believe that then we become that much more difficult to beat.

The two players that concern me the most for the season run-in rather than now are Kyle Walker and Danny Rose. Walker has a tendency to mistakes under pressure and Danny Rose is one for a rash challenge, when the opposition are an aerial threat from set pieces, sure as eggs he will make daft challenges and give then opportunities, that is down to a mental weakness.

Pochettino has done wonders with us mentally, dispensing with the mentally weak and bringing in players he feels may be mentally stronger. With each passing game mental strength grows. There will be a collective desire not to lose when we go behind which will drive us on. In previous season we would have felt self-doubt, now we are evoking the self-doubt in others.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
For all your football gifts head on over to Football-Shop.net and grab a gift you know they will enjoy, no need for acting when you shop for a sports lover.