Tottenham Hotspur’s interim head coach Igor Tudor has said his players need to adopt a small-team mentality to escape relegation this season.
Tottenham were thrashed 4-1 at home to Arsenal last weekend in Tudor’s first game in charge since replacing the sacked Thomas Frank.
Spurs play away at Fulham on Sunday and sit only four points ahead of West Ham United, who are in 18th place and face Liverpool on Saturday. Nottingham Forest, who travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, are two points behind Tottenham in 17th.
Tottenham were outgunned by Arsenal in Sunday’s north London derby as they slumped to their 12th league defeat of the season
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“I think, yes, we are working in that direction,” Tudor said when asked about the need to “win ugly” to survive. “In Italy they use the term, you have the mentality of a small team.
“We say in Italy that is the key, to always have motivation when you play big teams, so that’s the start, of course, and we work a lot on that. They are aware [of it], of course they are aware.”
Tudor has established a reputation for making a short-term impact at struggling clubs, with Tottenham his 12th coaching job in 13 years.
Asked if this was his toughest rescue mission yet, Tudor said: “Probably, if I recognise the difficulties there are, probably yes. It’s even a bigger challenge, and even bigger motivation to do this.”
Tudor has not been holding back in what is his second week of training since agreeing to take charge until the end of the season. The Croat is understood to have taken a direct approach with the players, who have been told to raise their standards in training to improve performances in matches.
Tudor says he is more focused on helping Spurs win points than their playing style
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Tudor has tended to play a high-pressing game at his previous clubs, based on aggressive running, but admits substance is more important than style as Spurs try to pick up the points they need.
“It’s fantastic to go to press up and that’s when I speak about style, that’s also one part of the style, how you want to be without the ball,” Tudor said. “But then, if you have too much problems [at the] back, you need to think about the style. Is it the right style? Is it the right way?
“So I need to be smart to understand deeper the moment and the way how to take the points. Not looking to the style now. The style needs to be in the second moment, because now it’s a question of life and death, if I can say that in that way, sportingly.”
Tottenham will find out on Friday if they are to face Atletico Madrid or Galatasaray in the last 16 of the Champions League after both teams progressed from the play-off round. But Tudor’s squad is already stretched, with nine players missing for the game against Fulham.
“The problem is the lack of numbers of players, the amount of players we have in the team, that is the problem,” Tudor said. “It’s not about only spending physical energy, but also mental energy. Every game for us in the league, it’s a final, so it’s not an ideal situation, but it’s how it is.”
Porro is available for Sunday’s game away to Fulham after recovering from a hamstring injury
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Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso are available again after Porro recovered from a hamstring injury and Danso a toe problem, which means João Palhinha is likely to go back into central midfield against his former club. Micky van de Ven has also been nursing a minor toe problem, but is expected to play.
Cristian Romero still has two matches left of his four-game ban so will miss the game away to Fulham on Sunday and the following game at home to Crystal Palace next week.