AVB: Spurs have to move on from Pool defeat
Andre Villas-Boas has called for his Tottenham side to swiftly move on from the end of their 12-match unbeaten run and refocus on winning the Europa League as well as clinching Champions League qualification.
The 3-2 loss at Liverpool yesterday halted Spurs’ streak in the Barclays Premier League and means fourth-placed Chelsea are two points behind Villas-Boas’ team with a game in hand.
Misjudgements from Kyle Walker and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris contributed to Stewart Downing’s equaliser before Steven Gerrard converted the decisive penalty following a foul on Luis Suarez.
“We did a couple of mistakes which we don’t normally do,” Villas-Boas said.
“There are no perfect games for everyone but I think we just have to use it as an example towards the future.
“It was a sign of our character, even if it was not our day. We will reflect on it on Tuesday and move forward.
“We have a wonderful opportunity to continue in the Europa League and then we will focus back again on Fulham.
“The more you get to the end of the season the more inspiring it can be.
“Our rewards can be with the Europa League trophy and Champions League qualification – that is our main ambition.”
Spurs are among the favourites for the Europa League after a 3-0 last-16 first-leg defeat of Inter Milan.
Villas-Boas and his side travel to Milan this week for the return contest without the suspended Gareth Bale, but are still expected to be in Friday’s quarter-final draw.
Midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson hopes the San Siro contest will mark the start of another impressive sequence of results after an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions also came to an end.
“It was disappointing but all we can do now is focus on the next game at Inter and make sure we go through,” Sigurdsson said on www.tottenhamhotspur.com.
“We’ve been on an unbelievable run and sometimes things like this happen.
“We have to make sure we stay together, regroup and get ready for the next game.
“Hopefully we can go on another run between now and the end of the season.”
Like Sigurdsson, goalkeeper Lloris is adamant the Anfield defeat will not have too great an impact.
Tottenham, who, following their trip to Italy play Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday, can continue in an optimistic vein despite the loss, Lloris says.
The France goalkeeper said in The London Evening Standard: “This game must not break our confidence.
“We did great things before this game and mistakes can always happen during the season.
“The important thing is to win all our games at home and to add good results away.
“We are disappointed but we can think a lot of positive things after this game.”
