Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur Christmas To-Do List

Halloween and its never-to-be-worn-again costumes are done with, and Guy Fawkes-inspired bonfires and fireworks have long since extinguished. The imported commercial bore that is Black Friday is just about lingering on through related sales, but it is now mostly over with, too.

There is no escaping it: Christmas is on the way. Nowhere is that more true than in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are certainly banking on the period heading into the new year being a bountiful one again. In recent years, they have used the fixture-intensive stretch to good effect, establishing themselves in contention at the upper end of the table.

By the time of the FA Cup third-round weekend in January, Tottenham will have played seven matches, as well as their last Champions League group-stage fixture against CSKA Moscow. Manager Mauricio Pochettino will be hard at work to ensure they gain maximum return.

As we head into December, we take a look at just what the Argentinian’s Christmas to-do list may look like. It will not look like most peoples’, but there are some things it is hard for anyone to escape from this time of year.  

     

Check Off Swansea City

Arrive early or stick around after Saturday’s game – get in the festive spirit with the Tottenham Winter Festival – https://t.co/GvK6bMhuct pic.twitter.com/PcR2cuY5FK

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 29, 2016

Some of you may start your Christmas preparations a lot closer to the 25th. For many, they begin as soon as December 1.

The changing of the calendar page is a welcome marker for Pochettino and his Tottenham side. After a mixed November—a decent point at Arsenal and a win over West Ham United were countered by defeat to Chelsea and Champions League elimination—it is a chance for them to get firmly back on the winning track.

Spurs begin the month with a visit from Swansea City on December 3, with Pochettino testing himself against their American coach Bob Bradley for the first time.

The Swans have struggled so far this season and sit second bottom. They too will be hoping for an improvement in fortunes after a messy but thrilling 5-4 win over Crystal Palace last time out.

The day of the game coincides with the local Tottenham Winter Festival, as promoted by Harry Kane and Josh Onomah in the above video. Organisers will be hoping the mood is further livened by victory for the local football club.

   

Time to Reflect and New Year’s Resolution Material

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Prior to Tottenham’s loss to Chelsea, the possibility they may not play any subsequent European games at temporary venue Wembley Stadium this season was brought up.

Pochettino was not having any of it: “It’s a good opportunity to play the next game on Wembley and then to play, if we have the possibility to play the Europa League, to play at Wembley because next season we need to play 19 games and cups and European competition. I think we need to make Wembley our home, and that is a great opportunity to play.”

UEFA requirements meant they could not play Champions League games at White Hart Lane because of ongoing stadium redevelopment work.

If Spurs beat CSKA Moscow in their final group match on December 7, they will drop into the Europa League. But rather …

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