Tottenham’s Champions League campaign has been a major disappointment.
The club entered into Europe’s top competition with the hope of emulating their previous success of the 2010/11 season, but dismissal with a game to play is a significant blow to their ambitions this season.
Their final game in Group E witnesses them take on CSKA Moscow hoping to secure continental football after Christmas in the form of the Europa League.
CSKA Moscow will want to topple Spurs at Wembley and ensure the north Londoners suffer a third defeat from three games at their substituted home, as such a result will lift them above their foes and into that Europa League spot.
The Russian champions will also be hoping to record a first clean sheet in the competition since 2006 against Pochettino’s Tottenham.
To ensure victory, and also post-Christmas European football, this is the team Pochettino must pick against the Krasno Sinie at Wembley…
GK: Hugo Lloris
French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is the reason why Tottenham are still in contention for European football.
CSKA will aim to counter-attack Tottenham when the Lillywhites go in search of much-needed goals, so Lloris will need to ensure he can be relied upon when the Russian club come forward.
RB: Kieran Trippier
With the Christmas fixture pile-up upcoming, squad players like Kieran Trippier will become significant as injuries and suspensions start to mount for Spurs.
Trippier can allow Kyle Walker to gain an adequate rest and also prove capable of hurting Moscow both in defensive situations as well as in attacking scenarios.
Zoran Tosic remains CSKA’s biggest attacking threat and Trippier must contain the former Manchester United winger.
CB: Eric Dier
The backbone to Tottenham’s success in recent years has been their strong defensive set-up. In the absence of Toby Alderweireld, Dier has filled in at centre-back and continues to be relied upon.
Dier faces the unenviable task of containing CSKA fast and powerful front-line. His partnership with Jan Vertonghen is proving capable of nullifying some of the best attacking forces in European football, and they must do so once again at Wembley.
CB: Jan Vertonghen
Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen has been the one centre-back defender relied upon throughout Pochettino’s time at White Hart Lane.
In the absence of Toby Alderweireld, Vertonghen has struggled to contain opposition attackers but recently alongside Dier his success has been restored.
Vertonghen rarely crops up with any goals for Spurs, but a goal against the Russian outfit could prove decisive for their post-Christmas European football aspirations.
LB: Danny Rose
Rose has been a player revived by Pochettino and has made himself one of the best in his position in the Premier League over the past couple of years
Recently, Rose was unable to play against Chelsea so dropping him now ahead of Christmas it not required.
Rose can severely damage CSKA’s weak defence by adding width and pace to the Tottenham attack.
CM: Victor Wanyama
The Kenyan midfielder has added yet another dimension to the Tottenham squad, and his absence will be severely missed should any injury occur.
Wanyama provides the required steel and grit to the Tottenham midfield and is starting to form a solid partnership with Mousa Dembele.
CSKA face a difficult challenge to overcome the physicality of Wanyama in midfield.
CM: Mousa Dembele
Is there a more underrated player in European football than Mousa Dembele? With the Belgian present in the side, Spurs look formidable in midfield.
His partnership with Wanyama has been effective, and the duo can easily overcome and dominate the Russian outfit.
If Dembele can add goals to his game, he may well be in the discussion regarding the most complete central players in English football.
RM: Moussa Sissoko
It’s about time Moussa Dembele starts rewarding Tottenham for paying nearly £30million for him.
His time at White Hart Lane has been one of little impact, with the majority of his time spent lumbering on the wings doing next to nothing.
Against CSKA Moscow, Sissoko will never be granted with a more fragile defence to attack and make an impressive against for the Tottenham supporters.
CAM: Christian Eriksen
At last! Cristian Eriksen has become irreplaceable for Tottenham. Far too regularly the Danish playmaker produced special moments for the Lillywhites against weakened opposition.
Now, Eriksen is providing weekly for the good of the team and not just for the cameras. Eriksen can damage CSKA Moscow’s defence by playing killer balls through to in-form striker, Harry Kane.
Another top-notch strike wouldn’t go amiss in Spurs’ search for Europea League football.
LM: Heung-min Son
Technically, was there a better strike than Son’s goal against Swansea on Saturday?
South Korean forward Son has been the club’s most consistent attacking performer this season, and he needs to continue to display his talent on a weekly basis.
Following the return of Harry Kane to the first-team, the pressure on Son to create and score regularly has been eased.
ST: Harry Kane
The importance Harry Kane has in this Spurs side was only actually realised following his ankle injury in September.
Kane has managed to score just once in the Champions League this season and another strike against the Russian outfit would, and should, ensure that Spurs qualify for the Europa League.
Two goals on Saturday would have pushed Kane’s confidence sky high and he’ll be determined to damage CSKA at Wembley.