‘They are so pedestrian’ – Paul Merson slams Tottenham ahead of clash v Liverpool
By Danny Wright
Arsenal icon Paul Merson has slammed Tottenham for the way that they have changed their style of play since moving home to Wembley after White Hart Lane was demolished.
Spurs welcome Liverpool to the national stadium on Sunday in what is going to be one of their biggest tests of the Premier League season so far, but Merson has suggested that he doesn’t fancy their chances against a Jurgen Klopp side that has been mesmeric in attack.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men’s form at Wembley hasn’t been great, with their best results arguably coming away from home.
After their impressive Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund, many thought that it would be the end of the hoodoo, but a struggled 1-0 win over lowly Bournemouth last week did little favours in proving that they had turned a corner in the league.
Now, Merson has wrote in his column on the Daily Star website that he believes it may be down to the different type of atmosphere that Wembley generates in what is a much more open stadium as to what the Lane was.
“I’ve watched Spurs a few times at Wembley and there’s no urgency. They are too slow,” he said.
“At White Hart Lane they would go bang out of the blocks and smother you.
“But at Wembley they just don’t seem like they are the home team. They are so pedestrian.
“It must be partly to do with the lack of atmosphere, because the fans aren’t right on top of you. But it is strange.
“Bournemouth could have won there. They were unlucky. Burnley got a great result. And they couldn’t break Swansea down when the Welsh club went there.
“Away from home it’s been a different story, so you have to wonder how much Wembley is affecting them.”
Tottenham have not beat Liverpool in their last 10 meetings going into Sunday’s game, losing on seven of them occasions.
However a break in that streak and a win this weekend could potentially put them level on points with Manchester United and make an early statement about their intentions to be in the title race.
In other Tottenham news, Jamie Redknapp has warned Liverpool about this Spurs “destroyer”, but it isn’t Harry Kane or Dele Alli.
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