Mauricio Pochettino not blaming players after missing chance to go top

West Brom’s last three Premier League matches have all finished 1-1. Today is different. We are more mature now. But despite outscoring their opponents, Tottenham’s finishing could use some more work with the amount of chances they have created.

“I can’t wait, we can get back out there and get some minutes and get the win”, he told the club’s official site.

In the midfielder’s absence, Spurs squandered a two-goal lead at Chelsea, ending their title hopes, before losing to Southampton and a 5-1 defeat at relegated Newcastle to slip behind rivals Arsenal on the final day.

Alli certainly has room to improve.

The Netherlands worldwide was involved in many of Spurs’ best attacking moments in the 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon and could have had a couple of assists had his team-mates been more clinical.

Spurs had failed to find their first-half rhythm and, although Moussa Sissoko’s deflected effort dropped just wide after 62 minutes, their level had dropped significantly since half time.

Alli, who notched his third League goal of the campaign, admitted: “I feel like I could have had a few more“.

“When you are dominating a team that much you can lose focus at certain moments, they had a couple of chances and put one away”.

“At half-time there was a bit of dust shaken around the place because were still playing worldwide football, but second half they responded and came out and got a bit tighter and closer”.

Alli, operating as one of two No 10s, believes the change is tactics benefits his game. “But I’m happy for him and he’s a good player for us, an important player for us”.

“We missed the opportunity to achieve three points but it was a hard game”, said Pochettino.

Tony Pulis has warned his team against complacency after Albion extended their unbeaten run to four games.

The North London club will play seven games in various competitions over the course of the next 22 days. “Even if the keeper is playing well we have to make sure we do score”.

He made a number of top saves including stopping Dele Alli one-on-one, denying a Ben Davies drive and tipping a Chistian Eriksen effort round the post when it looked for all the world that the ball was going in.

“He was my man at the corner”.

The last gasp equaliser helped relieve him of some of the guilt for letting Chadli give him the slip for Albion’s goal.

It is a measure of Alli’s progress that at 20, Gerrard had only just scored his first senior goal as he found his way into the centre of Liverpool’s midfield alongside Jamie Redknapp.