Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is not going to “cry” about his side’s injury problems.
Spurs have been beset with absentees all season but their latest blow has seen star striker Harry Kane ruled out until early March, while the influential Moussa Sissoko is also out for two weeks with a groin issue.
One of Kane’s potential replacements, Lucas Moura, is unlikely to play against Fulham as he is still struggling with a knee injury, which makes Son Heung-min’s international duty even more ill-timed.
Pochettino, though, is taking a positive view.
⏳ Another London derby is just around the corner…
⚽️ 🔜 #COYS pic.twitter.com/Om7m9u23OE
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 19, 2019
“In football you have two options, to cry or to see a possibility for another player to play and step up and an opportunity to play in a different way,” he said.
“I am the person that chooses the second option, the possibility for another player to play and to provide the team and be consistent and solid and try to win.
“It is a massive challenge. For me, rather than to sit in my chair and cry, it is to find another way to try and challenge ourselves and be consistent and keep the same level of performance.
“We try to be positive, we try to make sure the squad see we’re not affected. That is so important.
“The reality is that we are not affected. Of course we are affected when some players are injured, but the number one and number 25 we are affected in the same way.
“Not because now Harry Kane is affected we are crying from the morning until the afternoon.
“Of course it’s a good possibility to show that we are stronger, that with different circumstances we can cope and play well.”
Spurs travel to Craven Cottage to face the team who have conceded the most goals in the Premier League, 49 in 22 games.
Fulham are in dire relegation danger, but Pochettino is not allowing room for complacency.
🗣️ "It's a good opportunity for young players to step up."#COYS pic.twitter.com/lRem5mHGp0 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 18, 2019
“Always it’s dangerous to see the stat,” he added. “You know we’re not thinking too much about that. Of course we analyse the opponent, we know everything, like Fulham know everything about us.
“We are going to try to plan for the game in the best way to win.
“Of course that is a thing that is in our minds because we know everything today but the most important thing is to perform in the way that we want, to be better than them.
“It’s going to be a tough game because they need the win, like us. When a team plays to survive it’s always dangerous and it’s going to be tough.”
