Hugo Lloris has admitted that he did not like the ups and downs in Tottenham's game in their Champions League victory against Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday evening. Winning 3-2 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to put themselves in a good position to qualify from Group D, Antonio Conte's men really should have won by more than the one goal given their dominance and extra man for the final 30 minutes.
Unable to add to Son Heung-min's double and Harry Kane's penalty, the Lilywhites could have paid the price, with the visitors giving them a scare in the final few minutes of the contest after Faride Alidou pulled one back and Kane blazed a penalty over in stoppage time. Thankfully managing to see the game out and move to the top of Group D in the process, Lloris has said Spurs can take positives from the game but there are some areas where they must improve.
"There were a lot of good things in our performance and things that we can improve on especially in the last 25 minutes," said the French World Cup winner. "Despite the bad start, with the goal conceded, we had a great reaction. We took the lead and control of the game - I believe in the right way.
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"Then in the second half. when you start to miss chances, and they got the red card, maybe we thought the game was over. But at this level in the Champions League, especially when you're used to playing in the Premier League, there is no easy game.
"Even against ten men, you have to be more focused and avoid this type of ending to the game. But we're happy with the three points."
Asked if Tottenham are now better equipped to deal with the ups and downs, he added: "At the end, you just remember the score, the wins. But on our side we have to analyse performances and always try to improve, individually and collectively. I don't want to compare with the past. I believe today we should have been more able to control the game in the second half because when you have ambition, the field talks by itself.
"Today in the second half, at some point we started to do a little bit less effort. Obviously there were a lot of changes but it's part of the game and a good opportunity for the players who came on. We work so hard every day that you can understand that we can be frustrated after a game like this one, because we should have managed the game better.
"But I'm not unhappy. I'm happy with the three points, that's the most important thing and we had a great reaction after the goal conceded. But it's just this feeling with up and downs. I don't like this. When you want to be a top team you have to be able to control games like this one better."
So is the team's punishing schedule a reason for their inconsistency in games at present? Following Wednesday's win over Frankfurt, Spurs have a further nine games to play before domestic football pauses in a month's time.
"At the end what we all want is to go to the next round," revealed the Frenchman. "I would say it doesn't matter the way we do it, you just want to get the points and to be in a good position before the World Cup. In the Premier League and every competition in which we're involved.
"But we know that to arrive at this level we need to perform well. We're capable of performing well but we're still looking for improvement. But let's say that being in a good position before the World Cup will give the right feeling in the second half of the season, which will be the most important thing."
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