Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has denied the suggestion that the exertions of Europa League football were a factor in their surprise 1-0 home defeat to West Brom.
The Argentine watched as his team laboured at White Hart Lane before James Morrison headed the Baggies in front, securing Alan Irvine's first Premier League win since taking over at the Midlands side.And although Pochettino made 10 changes from the 0-0 draw with Partizan on Thursday, Tottenham looked slow and off-the-pace as they fell to a second consecutive home defeat.
Pochettino said: "It’s [Europa League] not the excuse, we change [sic] 10 players from Thursday but this is not an excuse, we’re in good condition to play and to have a good performance.
"Sometimes in football we are in the wrong condition to play and make more mistakes. My feeling now; we are uncomfortable on the pitch. The players seemed uncomfortable."
West Brom had a number of chances via Craig Dawson, Saido Berahino and Craig Gardner, who all took advantage of some ponderous defending from the hosts.
And Pochettino lamented his side's poor start, adding: "The beginning of the game was wrong, [we] moved the ball slow[ly], [at a] slow tempo. In football we need to play quick[ly].
"West Brom played deeper, we played slowly from the beginning.
"Angry? Yes. I’m very disappointed. [It was a] very bad day... The team showed nervousness in the game. The draw is fair when you analyse the game but in the end we make [sic] a mistake and lose.
"We need to show more because in the Premier League every game is difficult. West Brom arrived at White Hart Lane with only two points and bottom but we need to show more.
"We were wrong in our way [of playing, were] very slow from the back, [showed a] lack of movement. We were wrong. You need to show you’re the best team, you have to play with risk."
Tottenham host Nottingham Forest on Wednesday in the League Cup before heading to the Emirates for the first north London derby of the season on Sunday.
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