Mauricio Pochettino rues missed chances after Spurs' defeat to Besiktas

Posted Friday, December 12, 2014 by skysports.com

Mauricio Pochettino rues missed chances after Spurs' defeat to Besiktas
Mauricio Pochettino rued his side's misfortune in front of goal

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino expressed his disappointment at his side's inability to finish top of their Europa League group, following their 1-0 loss to Besiktas.

It is the first time Spurs have lost in the competition this season and it leaves them with the possibility facing one of the seeded teams in the next round.

Pochettino said: “I’m disappointed because we dominated, but in football you need to score when you create chances and dominate. We had clear chances but we were unlucky in front of goal. This is football.

"One minute in the second half changed the game and it’s true, we dominated, but we needed to score. It’s disappointing because we deserved more.

"We need to stop thinking about the Europa League for the time being, focus on the Premier League and the Capital One Cup and in February, think about this competition again."

Floodlight frustration

Pochettino was also upset by the two stoppages caused by floodlight failures. The first one lasted 16 minutes, and on their return to the pitch, Besiktas took the upper hand.

Pochettino added: “It is difficult to explain. We had a chat with the referee and you need to accept the situation. It's not possible [to change] nothing. It's frustrating if that happens. It was laughable.

"Maybe yes, it's not good for reputation of the competition. Yes, it is always bad when you need to stop two times for the floodlights. If all the stadium switched off the lights, then maybe you would understand because something wrong has happened.

"But all the stadium was with light, except the pitch. But it is not an excuse. We need to look forward. We need to see the draw on Monday and to win the Europa League. It's a shame we didn't finish on the top of the table."