Tom Carroll demonstrates why Pochettino sold him



Watching the Match of the Day highlights it was former Tottenham midfielder Tom Carroll who made the mistake for the first goal.

After some good hold up play by Fernando Llorente he laid the ball off to the diminutive Carroll who tried a piece of trickery that didn't work. He ended up on the floor and instead of racing back, he simply jogged back and was always behind the ball. Had he ran back he could have prevented Fabregas scoring but the desire and commitment were simply not there.

It is a prime example of a player having the skill but not the mental ability to go with it. He can play at Premier League level but is never going to be a regular part of a winning team with his go through the motions attitude.

The game is just as much about what you do off the ball as it is on it, indeed even more so.


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