Ange Postecoglou admits he’s likely to make a number of changes to his Tottenham side to face Coventry City in the Carabao Cup.
But the Australian also knows the competition is probably the Premier League club’s best chance of winning a trophy this season, and was in defiant mood to back up pre-season claims about winning silverware in his second season in charge when speaking in a prickly interview after Sunday’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
“I’ll correct myself - I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year. Nothing’s changed,” he snapped, in his post-North London derby interview. “I’ve said it now. I don’t say things unless I believe them.”
Such a statement would appear to add extra significance to Spurs’ next game on Wednesday night, when they travel to face Championship Sky Blues in the third round of the League Cup.
Tottenham’s current trophy drought stands at a long 16 years since Jonathan Woodgate’s extra-time goal saw Chelsea beaten 2-1 in the 2007/08 League Cup final at Wembley under Juande Ramos, their only major silverware claimed so far this century.
Postecoglou will have to weigh up the strength of his selection to face Mark Robins’ men against the desire to give game time to younger and wider squad players.
Asked about his thinking ahead of the trip to the CBS Arena, and the opportunity to make changes, he said: “Not just the younger players but other players in the squad. We need to give them game time. Not just game time, but the opportunity to show that they can be a part of this, and push some of the guys who started today (against Arsenal) in terms of playing because ultimately that’s what we need, we need competition for places and Wednesday night is a good opportunity to do that.”