England international striker Harry Kane says teams have worked Tottenham Hotspur out and the Londoners need to adapt if they are to reignite their Premier League title challenge.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have stalled in recent weeks with Sunday’s defeat at Manchester United extending a sticky run that has brought just two wins in eight league games.
Spurs lie 10 points adrift of leaders Chelsea ahead of their midweek home meeting with struggling Hull City and in desperate need of a lift with the packed holiday programme looming.
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Spurs’ title bid ended with them finishing third last season and Kane told the Evening Standard: “People didn’t expect us to play so well last year and press so high with such intensity.
“Now teams are maybe dropping off a bit more, letting us have the ball, and we have to find different solutions to unlock the door.
“Manchester United made it difficult for us to play out from the back. They made us play more long balls than we are used to playing.
“That was their game plan and it worked.”
The visit of Hull to White Hart Lane is followed by a home meeting with another struggling side Burnley four days later and anything less than six points from the two games will be a major disappointment.
“Last year December and January were the months when we pushed forward, got good results and moved up the table,” said Kane.
“We have to do the same again and we feel we can beat anyone in this league.
“The two home games coming up are definitely winnable and they are very important to ensure we go into the games ahead with confidence.”
Ryan Mason hopes to return to the Hull side to face his former club, with Tom Huddlestone, another member of the Tigers’ strong ex-Tottenham contingent, most likely to make way.
Mason has struggled to establish himself since his move in August which ended a decade-and-a-half-long association with the London club, for whom he made more than 50 Premier League appearances.
The 25-year-old has made 11 starts for Hull, scoring twice, but was rested for the 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace, a result which leaves Mike Phelan’s side in the relegation zone, a point adrift of safety with only one victory in their last 13 league games.
They go in search of their first away win in the Premier League since they emerged victorious from Swansea almost four months ago.
Phelan backed Mason to play a significant role in the second half of the season.
“Like any player Ryan will take time to find his feet at a new club,” said Phelan.
“He’s come out of that comfort zone he had at Tottenham, where he was surrounded by excellent players, and has come to a club that was always going to be near the bottom of the table looking upwards.”
* Agence France-Presse
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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