The benching of Toby Alderweireld was surely Poch’s way of managing the Belgian’s expectations for the summer.
Pochettino who is ordinarily so measured with youth players suddenly decide that Foyth was the superior player for this North London Derby.
So was it bad decision?
Well, beyond an abysmal passing accuracy percentage of just 63.6%, he had a kind of a good game.
Which somewhat applauding a surgeon for his punctuality and meticulous record keeping, despite that fact very few of his patients survive their surgery.
The 20 year old won 2/2 of his take-ons, and won 7/7 of the tackles he made.
He recovered the ball some 15 times.
His problem was that he undid all of his good work by endlessly losing the ball.
Jan Vertonghen and Serge Aurier were also dreadful in this respect.
Much blame however must fall upon our midfield who were pressed into oblivion.
Eric Dier and Moussa Sissoko do not cope well under pressure and the inevitable happened, which is to say they were seriously marginalised and the back four bore the brunt of it.
Ben Davies haters might wish to look away again – because he had a comparatively good game.
Passing accuracy up where it ought to be at 85.2% and he only fluffed his lines in the attacking third – which contrasts uncomfortably with young Foyth.
Toby shouldn’t have been dropped – anyone wanting debate that better bring a flask and some sandwiches because you’ll be a here a long time making a fool of yourself. The argument, ‘oh but had we had a midfield he’d have been better’ is no good. If my aunt had wheels, she’d be a bicycle.
Poch got a lot wrong yesterday and this Foyth business was probably the tip of the iceberg.
