Jamie O’Hara critical of Mauricio Pochettino’s tactical decisions after Tottenham Hotspur defeat to Liverpool

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Tottenham Hotspur will now be reflecting on their Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.

Jamie O’Hara has ripped into Mauricio Pochettino for his tactical approach during Tottenham’s Champions League final defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening in Madrid.

The former Tottenham midfielder claimed that Pochettino ‘let himself down’ with his tactics as he stated that the Argentine got his tactical approach ‘so wrong’.

Pochettino opted to start striker Harry Kane for the Madrid showdown against Liverpool, with semi-final hat-tick hero Lucas Moura being dropped to the bench.

Speaking to the Final Word on TalkSport (02/06/2019 at 5:30 pm), former Spurs midfielder O’Hara didn’t hold back in his criticism of Pochettino.

“I was really disappointed with Pochettino [against Liverpool], not going to lie,” O’Hara told TalkSport. “He brought Moura on what the 65th minute? For me, he should have started the game. I have made that clear and he should have come on at half-time.

“Klopp made some really good changes. He brought on Milner because they kept giving the ball away. He shored it up and Origi came on and scored. His tactical approach to the game was brilliant.

“Pochettino, I think last night let himself down because he brought Llorente on at the 82nd minute when we were getting in the wide areas in the 70th minute, getting the ball into the box and nobody was there to head it into the net. Tactically, I think he got it so wrong last night.”

From a neutral viewing, the European Cup final encounter wasn’t the best of matches in terms of quality, but Jurgen Klopp’s were the most clinical team on the night.

Spurs had the majority of the possession, but players like Kane, Christian Eriksen, Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli weren’t able to make their mark in the final third.

It means that Pochettino is waiting for his first trophy with the North London club and he will be hoping a busy summer transfer window can help his team lift their first piece of silverware next season.