Mauricio Pochettino tells Tottenham they aren't Real Madrid or Barcelona yet
Tottenham's Premier League title hopes are already over and they face a real challenge to ensure they are playing Champions League football
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Your support makes all the difference.Mauricio Pochettino has demanded a dose of reality for his Tottenham team, claiming they are not in the same league as 'Real Madrid or Barcelona'.
Pochettino's side might have stopped the rot at Watford but something is amiss. Just five points from their last six league games underlines that, whether you want or not to compare them to the La Liga giants.
Their Premier League title hopes are already over and they face a real challenge to ensure they are playing Champions League football when they return to White Hart Lane next season.
After watching his players grind out a draw despite playing with 10 men for most of the second-half, Pochettino said: "When you manage or play for Tottenham you are going to be criticised and there will be different opinions. I try to learn after every game and over the last two or three years Spurs have been so competitive.
"Yes, we want to avoid the bad moments or the bad periods. But we are still not at the level of Real Madrid or Barcelona, who keep winning, winning, winning over a long period. We need to use these situations to learn, to improve, and hope the experience makes us stronger.
"Sometimes it's difficult to keep your level. But we are only three points worse off than last season. And we have finished first in our Champions League group and the squad is similar to last season.
"Manchester City have created a massive gap and the gap is too far win the Premier League, but we are going to improve for sure."
It's not been a good month or so for Spurs. They have gone from have gone from Manchester City's most likely challengers to a side scraping to stay in the top six.
They can take the consolation of earning a point, even if they wanted more, after Davinson Sanchez's 52nd minute red card for his raised arm on Richarlison.
At that point Spurs had seized control after Son Heung-min had soon cancelled out of Christian Kabasele's 13th minute headed opener.
It stopped Spurs in their tracks as they battled to stem Watford late on. Abdoulou Doucoure hit the inside of the post while Eric Dier was fortunate to escape a late penalty appeal for handball/
"It’s true that the team has been struggling a little bit of late in terms of results, but when we analyse the team, the performances were good," added Pochettino. "It’s only the results which frustrate and disappoint us."
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen hailed his team-mates for digging deep to survuve the onslaught.
"I think we have to look at it in a positive way," said the Belgian defender. "We didn't concede a clear chance after we went down to 10 and we fought for eachother.
"We showed we are willing to fight for one another which is a very good sign. We're strong enough mentally as a team to cope."
Watford have leaked 13 goals in home games against Liverpool Manchester City and Manchester United, just four days earlier.
Adrian Mariappa says that focused their minds on the job required to keep the likes ogf Harry Kane quiet.
He said: "We have been punished and were against Manchester United in our previous game. It was something in our minds. We are disappointed with the goal we conceded.
"They are were a good side, even with 10 men, and posed a threat."
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