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Opinion: Is now the worst possible time for Pochettino to take a break from Tottenham?

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After 11 Premier League games of the 2019/20 season, Tottenham fans find themselves beneath Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Brighton on just 14 points, and something has to give sooner or later, with some fans believing it should be the manager who gives.

As things stand, though, that won’t be happening, Mauricio Pochettino is still at the club and we all hope he can turn it around and get the Lilywhites back to their very best levels from over the past five years. The season schedule certainly hasn’t helped Poch, though, as the third international break of the season is now upon us.

Since the last international break back in October, Tottenham fans have witnessed two wins, both over Crvena Zvezda, a loss away at Anfield and 1-1 draws with Sheffield United, Watford and Everton, and whilst those aren’t particularly great points returns, the break has come at a poor time.

The last two games that Pochettino picked his side for saw him go with the exact same midfield and attacking six players, and whilst those games were a 4-0 win away at Red Star and a 1-1 home draw to Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, it looked like some momentum might be setting in.

Now, though, Pochettino has to get through the next 11 days until his side travels to face West Ham despite the fact that he’ll have 19 of his senior players away on international duty over the eight days and you can see the fixtures the Spurs internationals will be taking part in on the Tottenham website.

Fortunately, when the Lilywhites return from playing for their countries the games come thick and fast, and it gives Pochettino the chance to get his side back on the training ground, trying out new ideas and further integrating his news signings.

It cannot be forgotten that against Red Star away in Serbia there were 11 minutes where Ryan Sessegnon, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele on the pitch together for just the first time, and that can only be a good thing as the new signings will be adapting to life at the club and preparing to help lift the club out of the bottom half.

How will Tottenham fare against West Ham after the international break?

Win

Draw

Lose

It’s just unfortunate that the trio, along with 16 other Spurs players, will now be going off to play international football, risk injury and potentially undo some of the work that has gone into getting them back fit and ready to fire for Pochettino in north London.

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