Friday 14 October 2016 07:46, UK
Mauricio Pochettino has hinted he will have to start rotating his Tottenham squad as they enter a busy, and crucial, part of the season.
Spurs face seven games in 23 days, starting with their return to Premier League action against West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday.
Their hectic period also features home and away Champions League fixtures against Bayer Leverkusen and an EFL Cup fourth-round clash at Liverpool, on top of their domestic league schedule which includes the first North London derby of the season.
Pochettino's squad has been hit by injuries to linchpins Harry Kane and Moussa Dembele and he also has to think about Heung-Min Son and Erik Lamela's condition after long trips back from international matches with South Korea and Argentina respectively.
"Saturday we know is a very important game and important to try to win the game," Pochettino said.
"But in the same way we have many, many issues or ideas in our head because it is not only that we have one game ahead against West Bromwich, like it's the (only) game and we need the three points and it is the end of the season.
"We have seven games in 23 days and after the international duty when the players that play a lot, that come from injury, like Danny Rose, or players like Eric Dier or Erik Lamela that arrived on Wednesday, or Son from Asia.
"We need to be clever in how we prepare the game and the decision that we shall take to be ready to compete in Germany, Bournemouth, Liverpool in seven games."
Pochettino's men were in flying form before the international break, with their 2-0 win over Manchester City on October 2 their fifth successive victory in all competitions.
Tottenham remain unbeaten in the Premier League, sitting two points behind City in second place, and Pochettino hopes two weeks away from domestic action has not stifled their momentum.
"I think it was a fantastic win. If you compete again after three days, and Manchester City was the first game in a run of seven, fantastic, because that is a big, big boost," Pochettino added.
"But it was at the end. And then the players go away. And now they come back, like Christian Eriksen is coming back very disappointed with the last result (for Denmark), or the England players.
"Now our job is to be more than coaches, it is to be psychologists too."
