Pochettino's Tottenham

The Tottenham team of the past few seasons - bloated with expensive egos and lacking any real sense of unity and togetherness - is well and truly dead, replaced with Pochettino's own model. The theme of energetic youth is well and truly instilled in the fabric of the club these days, with players and fans alike really buying into the Argentine's philosophy. There's a cautious air of optimism about the club these days, and it's not unwarranted.

Upon signing his contract in May 2014, Pochettino was keen to point out that he had a five year development plan for Tottenham. While this had echoes of his previous task at Southampton, one that lasted just a solitary year before he was pried from St. Mary's, you have to think that everything is set up for Pochettino to build a legacy at White Hart Lane. From the state-of-the-art training facilities - of which Pochettino has already reaped the benefits of in terms of the players' fitness levels - to the new stadium being built right next door, everything is in place for long-term success.

Changing Tides

Pochettino is most definitely a coach - not manager - that prefers a hardworking, homegrown younger player (Ryan Mason, for instance) over perhaps a technically superior talent from overseas who lacks the heart and desire to perform at the required levels week in, week out. It is this disregard for reputations that sets him apart from his predecessors. AVB was all too frequently after a marquee signing, while Redknapp relied more on experienced signings that simply would not be up to the rigorous training sessions now implemented at Tottenham. This 'disregard for reputations', proving the so-called experts wrong is precisely what has made the Premier League even more unpredictable this season. After all, I don't remember too many people predicting Leicester City to be top at Christmas and Jamie Vardy trailblazing his way to the top of the goalscoring chart. Even ROI, Wales and Northern Ireland surprised everyone by qualifying for the Euros next summer. Pochettino's side is also one that profits from the displacement of these footballing 'expectations' - on paper, we have a side far weaker than the days of Bale, Modric and Van der Vaart - yet we find ourselves in a position prime for greater long-term success.

A Sum Greater than its Parts

A loss against Newcastle should not have come as much of a surprise in the eyes of the public. It's a game we've struggled with for years, both the opponents, despite their faultering, follacily-challenged manager, but also the weight of expectation attached to the game. A win would have sent us fourth and, typically, we went and lost. But it was our first league defeat since August, a run stretching fourteen games. Despite the fact that we've drawn too many in that time, it mostly underlines the gritty determination Pochettino has instilled in his players, a defensive solidity (which we will get to) and above all a change in attitude from previously labelled 'soft-centred' Tottenham sides that is most impressive. It wasn't too long ago that former Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville criticised Tottenham for being weak, but a mere eighteen months into his reign Pochettino has earned the plaudits of the new Valencia manager. While things may not be as good as Tottenham have ever experienced, they're certainly moving in the right direction and undeniable progress has been made from the previous two managers. Bouncing back against Southampton today further underlines the determination to succeed this side possesses.

It is perhaps fitting, then, that we compare this current Tottenham side with the most recently successful eleven. A poll was conducted on Twitter, asking users whether they preferred Redknapp's  team that nearly managed a third place finish or Pochettino's super fit XI. Perhaps surprisingly, it was the latter that ran out winners with 59% of the vote. While the football - and certainly some of the attacking flair - is missing from our latest starting lineup, in its place is an incredible work ethic and mental strength, both of which have inspired crowds just as much as Redknapp's attacking brand of football. People also identify with the gargantuan task Pochettino had to perform.

Rebranding

Redknapp's job was fairly straightforward. He would be arriving to a squad of talented, underperforming players and be tasked with restoring their confidence and lifting us from the false league position. In that sense, it's perhaps more comparable to Guus Hiddink's latest job at Chelsea, albeit on a far smaller scale. Pochettino, on the other hand, had to rebrand an entire football side. He was faced with a squad lazy, overpaid players with no real future at the club with a sprinkle of talent in the ranks. To make matters worse, his performances will constantly be judged in the echoes of Redknapp's success rather than on his own merit. Our season in the Champions League bred a poisonous fan, the type of person to attend White Hart Lane in the hope he or she might be able to boo our first home defeat of the campaign. The weight of expectation on Pochettino was huge - Redknapp, on the other hand, simply had to steady a sinking ship. That's not to say he didn't do a fantastic job, but his model of success was far more limited than Pochettino's. While on paper his team may look stronger, factoring in the players' age, fitness levels and team spirit means many fans would rather our current position. 

Credit should be given for what Pochettino has already achieved with this squad. Every player was given a fair crack of the whip with Premier League starts and the like before the manager worked out who fit his plan and who simply didn't make the cut. Younes Kaboul, Etienne Capoue, Paulinho and more recently Federico Fazio are just some of the names that were given extended runs in the side before Pochettino decided they were surplus to requirements. Most impressively, however, is the Argentine's uncanny knack of bringing a player from the peripheral to mainstays in the starting lineup. Many fans had lost patience with Danny Rose for his sub par performances and lack of concentration, for instance. But Pochettino worked hard on the left back, turning him into one of our more potent attacking threats down the channel thanks to his incredible energy levels and natural fitness. The same can be said of the much maligned Kyle Walker; while the Englishman also still makes mistakes, we look a much better team with Walker and Rose as fullbacks. The same can be said of Dembele, who has enjoyed an extended run in the side despite losing his place last season. It appears everyone has a role to fill under Pochettino. He knows what he wants, too, reportedly turning down the option to sign QPR's Charlie Austin because he doesn't fit the Pochettino blueprint. It speaks volumes for the manager's confidence in not only the current squad but also his preferred method of play.

Tactically Inept? Hardly.

That's not to say Pochettino is without fault. As with our last successful manager, Pochettino sometimes struggles with the tactical side of things, starting the wrong player or making the wrong substitution. Take the Tom Carroll conundrum from last weekend's loss to Newcastle. A tidy player in possession, Tom sometimes struggles with the physical side of the game, unable to shift players off of the ball or put in a tackle. It was understandable that he was given a chance after a fine midweek display. However, when Newcastle began to attack more, perhaps it would've made more sense to sacrifice Tom for the returning Nabil Bentaleb. He didn't, Son came on instead and we lost 2-1. Hindsight is a wonderful tool, eh? You can bet your bottom dollar he'll learn from that loss though. Because that's what Pochettino does: improves on things that aren't right.

He's certainly not without a tactical nous. Redknapp struggled with rotation and, although the inclusion of Carroll suggests Pochettino cannot always rotate successfully, our performance in the Euorpa League and matches on the following Sunday state otherwise. In fact, the Newcastle loss is the first time we've been beaten post-Europa despite our notoriously bad history on the Sunday following a European game. This is testament to Pochettino's training ground work, another reason he should be regarded more on his coaching than when his occasionally faulty rotation. Besides, if you ever find yourself wondering just how smart a manager Pochettino is, ask yourself this. Were you moaning that Eric Dier was starting out of position at Old Trafford earlier this season? And has he or has he not flourished into one of the league's best defensive midfielders while still adjusting to a relatively new league and different position? Precisely. The man knows what he is doing.

You're Either With Him...

Andros Townsend was the latest victim of Pochettino's strict regime. While Adebayor's notoriously poor attitude sealed its own fate, Townsend's bust up turned from a seemingly innocuous post game scuffle to banishment from the bench, leaving the winger with only a handful of U21 appearances to show for the past month. It's this attitude that has helped to build a strong team ethos this season. Players understand there is no crossing Pochettino and getting away with it, something that in the past caused underlying problems in the Tottenham camp. A quick skim of Ledley King's autobiography tells us that an unharmonious camp with friction between coaches and players can have devastating consequences on the pitch. However, it appears that the majority are on board with the way Pochettino conducts his business. Any interview with a squad member this season results in the same answers: he's a firm but fair boss whose door is always open. In fact, Sky Sports ran a headline a few months ago stating that Dembele was to meet with his coach with regards to clarifying his best position. Fast forward a few matches and he's one of our best defensive midfielders and finally looking like the player we paid £15m for. Funny that.  

Always Take Lamela with You

Our club record signing has been something of an enigma during his tenure as a Tottenham player. The odd flash of brilliance has been marred by injury and a failure to show any real consistency - until now. Fans still look at young Erik as the next Gareth Bale or David Ginola, but he's not a flying winger. He's a hardworking attacking player with a good footballing brain who is constantly looking to link the play.

Young, ambitious, driven and extremely hardworking with a brilliant attitude. Lamela is the perfect metaphor for Pochettino's Tottenham, combining the odd bit of flair with an incredible work rate that is second to none. If you detach Lamela's price tag and previous reputation, you're left with a ridiculously committed individual who works his proverbial socks off for the good of the team, often sprinting twenty or thirty yards to close down the opposition and win the ball back. He might not score an incredible goal from range every other week like our previous number 11, but he's a damn good player in his own right and characterises everything good about the resurgent Tottenham side. And, just like Tottenham, I can't wait to see what the future has in store for Lamela.

A Place for Youth

One of the greatest things about the new regime is the faith put in our young stars. Josh Onomah typifies Pochettino's attitude as a manager: if you're good enough, you'll play, regardless of age. Onomah wasn't given a loan to a  Championship or lower Premier League side, he was introduced slowly through sub appearances before building up to a start against Monaco. Dominating a midfield consisting of stars such as Joao Moutinho isn't easy, but the eighteen-year-old made it look like a piece of cake. It must be inspiring and rewarding for younger players either joining Tottenham or coming through the ranks knowing that if they're good enough, they'll be given the chance to perform at the highest level. Eric Dier, a potential future club captain and Dele Alli, a fiery teenager making a real name for himself this season are two further examples of how youth has flourished under Pochettino. 

In his recent comments about Onomah, Pochettino was rather quick to praise the young midfielder, perhaps noticing he could use the galvanizing effect of some kind public words. He's a thinker, our manager. Everything he says in interviews is calculated, measured and well-rehearsed, a far cry from our previous bosses such as Tim 'My Gilet and I' Sherwood. No, Pochettino thinks about what he's saying before he says it, often keeping his cards close to his chest and conducting interviews in a professional manner. It's refreshing.

A Limited Model?

If our loss to Newcastle taught us anything it's that fatigue will only creep into our game more and more as the season progresses. We weren't able to play with our usual intensity throughout the entire second half, a problem we might find ourselves facing more and more in 2016. Perhaps Pochettino's high pressure can only work for half a season before the player's legs simply cannot perform as they had without tiredness. It's a pessimistic and limiting viewpoint, though. Kane is always going to be tired - he's the only striker at the club for God's sake - but that doesn't stop him providing a focal point for the team. Likewise, Alderweireld and Vertonghen start almost every game together, but our chances of success are still much higher with the Belgian duo at centre back. While the players will no doubt feel the strains of fatigue as the season wears on, the best teams always find a way of dealing with it through a positive mental attitude, sense of togetherness and willingness to win. Perhaps that has finally been instilled at Tottenham with the latest appointment. We're sat in fourth at Christmas but the work has only just begun. Let's see how far we can go.