Success has created its biggest victim in Mauricio Pochettino – and yet still he defies expectations

Mauricio Pochettino Tottenham

If you were awarding a prize for the worst possible start to a Premier League season, Mauricio Pochettino might nominate Tottenham’s 2018/19 for the shortlist. No team in Europe had more representatives in the World Cup semi-finals, played barely a month before the start of the season. No team in Europe signed fewer players in the summer; you can’t get much lower than nought.

To make matters worse, no team in the Premier League has had more injuries since the beginning of August. Victor Wanyama, Erik Lamela, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Hugo Lloris, Eric Dier, Danny Rose, Kieran Trippier, Dele Alli, Moussa Dembele, Serge Aurier, Christian Eriksen and Michel Vorm: it would be easier to list the Tottenham players who haven’t missed a game through injury or a lack of fitness.

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