Fri 03 January 2020, 10:08
Tottenham HotspurMoussa Sissoko believes improvements in two key areas can help change our fortunes as we kick-off our FA Cup campaign at Middlesbrough on Sunday (2.01pm kick-off).
We head to Teesside for the third round tie off the back of a frustrating festive period in the Premier League which saw us pick up four points from as many games.
Starting that run with a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on 22 December, we bounced back immediately with a 2-1 win over Brighton on Boxing Day before picking up a further point with a 2-2 draw at Norwich. However, we were then unable to take anything from our disappointing New Year's Day trip to Southampton as we lost 2-1 at St Mary's.
In each of those games, we conceded the first goal and all but one of those came within the first 20 minutes. So, for Moussa, the areas for us to work on are clear - our defensive solidity and our start to games.
A game is made much easier if you start well and get the first goal, but every game is different and you need to adapt to the situation.
“I think, if you look at every game we have played over the last month or so, we have been scoring lots of goals,” the French international explained. “We know how difficult it is to score goals, but if you are needing two or three goals to win a game, that is even more difficult.
“So defensively, we have to be more solid and make less mistakes. And when I say defensively, that is the entire team, from the goalkeeper to the striker. We are, of course, working on that with the manager and his staff.
“Of course, a game is made much easier if you start well and get the first goal, but every game is different and you need to adapt to the situation.
“If we scored the first goal in every game, I think every game would be totally different."
