Ben Davies has revealed that Tottenham acting head coach Ryan Mason has given the squad a rather simple message after replacing Cristian Stellini at the helm. Following a bad run of form that has seen the team drop out of Champions League contention, the 31-year-old has found himself in charge of the Lilywhites at the end of the campaign for the second time in three seasons.
Having started off with a draw against Manchester United and a stoppage-time defeat away at Liverpool, Mason masterminded a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. Intent on putting an end to their mixed run of form and securing a European berth for next season, Davies has revealed that his former Spurs teammate has made it clear to the team that he wants them "to be as good as we can with the ball and tighten it up without it".
"It’s not the easiest situation to come into," explained the Wales international. "We’ve got limited amount of games so it’s hard for him to come in and completely change things and do it his own way.
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"But there’s been a clear message that we need to be as good as we can with the ball and tighten it up without it. It’s pretty basic but that’s the way we’ve been training and working. Ryan’s instilled that belief in us that we’re able to do that."
One thing Mason stressed in his first few press conferences since taking on the job was a lack of quality time on the training pitch with his team. With no midweek game to come after the 4-3 loss at Liverpool, the former midfielder had a full week at Hotspur Way with the players and that helped them bounce back with victory over Palace.
"Whenever you get a chance to work on the training pitch, especially with the schedules we have in the season now, it’s not too often we get a lot of days on the pitch," said Davies. "Now we get to spend two or three days during the week where we actually go through some shape ideas, see what works and what doesn’t, and try and show our best selves out on the pitch."
Working on the team's shape proved crucial ahead of the Crystal Palace match as Mason looked to nullify the attacking threat of Michael Olise, Wilfried Zaha and Eberechi Eze. Operating with a back four when out of possession, that soon changed to a back three when on the ball as Davies pushed up higher and played as a wing-back.
"Spot on. That’s what we looked to do in the game. I think we were pretty solid. We didn’t really give them any clear-cut chances today," outlined the left-sided centre-back.
"It was a case of we’ve actually still managed to score goals but we’ve been shipping them. Keep the way we’re going with the ball but without it just to go about things a different way, and I think it worked well."
As important as the win was for Tottenham as they look to secure a top-six finish, it was also vital that they kept a clean sheet after last achieving one in the Premier League against Chelsea at the end of February.
"It’s something we’re all well aware of and one that we needed for a long time," admitted the long-serving player. "It’s a good start for us and hopefully we can kick on for the final games now."
One of Tottenham's standout players during the win over Palace was Pedro Porro. Following plenty of talk about his defensive play in recent games with Spurs' opponents capitalising on his struggles, he showcased why he was brought to the club in January with an excellent attacking display that saw him tee up Harry Kane's winner.
"Pedro is still a young player. We know the intensity and scrutiny of the Premier League - you make one little mistake and it’s highlighted for the world to see," he said. "Look, we all know how good a player he is. We’ve seen it on the training pitch. When you iron out those mistakes I think we’ve got a top player on our hands."
Only at the club for three months following his switch at the end of the January transfer window, Davies has tried to take the Spain international under his wing and help him settle in.
"I’ve tried to. Sometimes, when you’re new to the club and the Premier League, you probably feel a lot of demand - especially when it comes to the transfer fee - to try to impress," explained the ex-Swansea City man.
"Sometimes it’s about making sure you do the basics and do the simple things right first. I think he did that today. He defended well and then when he got the opportunity he was good."
Remaining in sixth after Brighton & Hove Albion fell to a 5-1 defeat against relegation-threatened Everton on Monday evening, Tottenham will be hoping to maintain their position in the top six come the end of the campaign and tie up a Europa League place in the process. Given the Seagulls have two games in hand over the Lilywhites and with Aston Villa also very much in European contention, Spurs could find themselves back in the Europa Conference League or out of Europe altogether depending on how their results go in their three remaining fixtures.
A big talking point for fans at present with many believing that Tottenham would benefit from a year out of Europe, Davies has given his verdict on the European football debate.
"Our aspiration is to play in European football and be involved in as many competitions as we can," admitted Davies. "We have the squad, we have the number of players, so it’s probably necessary that we are. Our aim is to go as far as we can in every competition. Any European competition is important for us."
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