Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admits he would have substituted his whole team on Wednesday against Monaco if it was possible.
The Lilywhites welcomed the French league leaders for a famous night at Wembley Stadium, in what was Spurs’ first Champions League game in five years.
It was meant to be a night to remember for the hosts, but goals from Bernardo Silva and Thomas Lemar in the first half left Tottenham shell-shocked.
Toby Alderweireld brought one back with a thumping header minutes before half time, but Pochettino’s side were unable to get an equaliser and ultimately a poor opening half an hour had hit them hard.
“I cannot change the rules,” Pochettino told reporters after the game. “It’s not a basketball game, I can’t change the team. I would have changed all. We needed more control, more creativity. I was happy with Son, but we needed to decide to take off one.”
There have since been question marks over Pochettino’s team selection, with many questioning why Dele Alli started in a midfield two alongside Eric Dier.
Mousa Dembele’s spot on the bench – he was brought on at half time to replace the poor Son Heung-min – was also under scrutiny, with the 29-year-old making a strong impact after coming on.
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