5 things Tottenham must do to advance against Gent

5. Field a strong starting XI

I said in the opening that fielding the right starting lineup wasn’t the only thing Tottenham needed to do to advance, but it is one thing Pochettino needs to get right. For example, this isn’t a match where Vincent Janssen needs to get another chance to lead the attack.

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Let’s be honest, Pochettino hasn’t always taken Cup competition seriously. It might be the most reasonable criticism he’s received from the Spurs fan base. He’s clearly prioritized Premier League competition over everything else.

I do wonder if the starting XI he deployed against Fulham last weekend might have signalled a real shift in the gaffer’s philosophy. He played the best squad at his disposal for the FA Cup match. I’d be very surprised if we don’t see that again today.

At some point, Tottenham will likely pay for overusing their top players, but it won’t happen today. All Pochettino can do is play his best XI and hope for the best.