Mauricio Pochettino has just taken his post match press conference after a 2-2 draw with Brentford, a result he explained by saying how tired his midfield was after playing game after game in recent weeks.
“We don’t have the possibility to refresh the players in a key area,” Pochettino claimed.
He simply had no other option than to play Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo against Leeds in the FA Cup in midweek, according to him. We understand that he’s been very unlucky with injuries there, but there are options in the academy who could have played.
Playing the kids and losing that game, then having a fresh team to play today would have ingratiated him to the fans a lot more than winning (despite playing terribly anyway) in midweek and then drawing today.
This coach recalled Cesare Casadei, knowing he couldn’t play in the cups, and then left him on the bench for the whole game today. There’s your central midfielder right there. If you’re not going to use him when you desperately need him, why recall him from loan at all?