Alli concedes that Spurs were made to pay for a disappointing start but insists they can still match the very best that the continent has to offer.
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Bernardo Silva and Thomas Lemar struck in the opening 31 minutes at Wembley on Wednesday to set up victory for Leonardo Jardim’s men.
Just as they appeared to be cruising into the half-time break, Monaco were given a jolt through Toby Alderweireld pulling one back in the dying seconds.
Spurs, meantime, have drawn two of their first four league games of the new season away at Everton and at home against Liverpool, and the ineffectualness of new forward signing, Vincent Janssen, is becoming a cause for concern for Mauricio Pochettino’s team who may suffer for not playing at White Hart Lane. “We showed a lack of passion today a little bit because we can not concede that first goal”, Pochettino said. “It’s hard to accept”.
“When you concede like this it is very hard”. We did enough to win the game but we didn’t take our chances.
“It’s a good opportunity to share with almost 90,000 Tottenham fans”.
Tottenham expect a crowd of more than 85,000 for the Group E game, a record for a club game England apart from cup finals. People will talk and say things about my ability but I know what I’m capable of.
“It’s ok having the strength in depth but you need the quality with it, there’s no point having a big squad if you haven’t got the quality”, said Jenas.
“It is not new”. Hopefully we’ll keep playing here and we’ll get a win. He’s a brilliant player and we’re excited to have him back – but Victor [Wanama] has done really well since he’s come in, and Eric as well in centre midfield.
Pochettino has previously used Alli centrally and on the left of the attacking three, as well as in a deeper role, but the England worldwide stressed he is comfortable in any position.
It’s hardly a surprise, therefore, that Gooners were in the mood to mock their north London rivals – they certainly weren’t going to miss that opportunity! “We need to work, to show more hunger, we need to show a different image”.
“It was impossible to have more training sessions at Wembley, but I’m happy”, Pochettino said (via ESPN FC).
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, known for their high-tempo football last season when they challenged for the Premier League title, struggled to exert any sustained pressure.
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“Our pre-match routine will be same; we will arrive three and a half hours before the game. We feel very disappointed with the result, we deserved more but you can not concede like we did”.
