Spurs on the cusp of failure this season.

My sincere thanks go to Declan Mulcahy for writing the Spurs Odyssey match report on our defeat against Liverpool. That gave me time to compose these personal thoughts on the game.

Without doubt Spurs were second best until the last two minutes of added time when they did manage a goal, scored by substitute Lamela, and should have had a penalty when Mane caught Son.

Defeat is always a bitter pill to swallow, but when your team play as poorly as Spurs did today, the result was inevitable. Mauricio Pochettino has been expressing his concerns all season so far, even after the 3-0 win at Old Trafford, but I have concerns about his team selection and his strategy for this game.

Liverpool have a very fine front three in Salah, Firmino and Mane. I thought this was a day, of all days, for us to play our very fine back three - Alderweireld, Sanchez, and Vertonghen. Sanchez had to sit this one out, no doubt with Tuesday's game at The San Siro in mind, but our 4-3-3 did not work against that of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

The real problem was in the middle, where Pochettino placed a defensive and unadventurous trio (Dier, Dembele and Winks) against a fluid, piercing and creative trio of Wijnaldum, Milner and Keita. Milner and Keita regularly switched flanks, probably confusing and troubling Trippier more than they did Rose, but it was Milner's early cross from the right which led to that first minute "goal" which was fortunately disallowed for offside.

Wijnaldum also got forward and Liverpool were often a "front five" against Spurs' troubled and error-strewn defence.

Klopp has been able to use Henderson sparingly (he didn't start again today), but Pochettino has had no such luxury regarding his eight World Cup semi-finalists, none of whom have had a decent break.

Spurs' front three included Eriksen, whose creative play seemed to be neutralised by his forward position.

We desperately missed the skills of Dele Alli, and hardly a good word can be said for any of the players who did represent the Lilywhite and Blue today, with the exception of Alderweireld and Vertonghen, who are genuine masters of their craft.

Vorm did make several saves, which did keep the score down. From my position, I initially thought he had made a double save after Milner's corner and Liverpool's first goal. Referee Michael Oliver quickly signalled a goal after consulting his watch, and the technology works very well. Between them Vorm and I think Vertonghen were at fault for the second goal, but the real error had come from Trippier, who had let in Mane to cross to the near post, where confusion reigned.

Eriksen made an error which led to the corner for that first goal. Dier and Dembele made cardinal errors in the middle, which cannot be afforded at this level. Lucas Moura's run versus Gomez and his shot which grazed the post was the one bright moment for Spurs until added time.

We didn't get the ball to Kane enough, but we all know he is suffering with his form not just this season, but even in the latter phases of the World Cup.

Dembele won applause several times for his ball-retaining and carrying skills, but he is a "water carrier"; not a penetrative or creative player.

I said at the start of the season that Liverpool would be fighting it out with Manchester City for the title, and now it looks like Chelsea will be joining in. We will have a big fight on our hands to maintain top four this season, and I truly think this Spurs side is on the cusp, not of success, but of failure which would lead to them being dismantled after another season without a trophy.

Pochettino was at The Lamex Stadium, Stevenage on Friday night watching his under-23 side beat Man City, no doubt with a view to how many of our lads (Amos is a favourite) will play against Watford in our League Cup tie. We really do need to win one of the cups this season, and the likelihood that we will not, coupled with the manager's insistence on possession being key even to the point of persistently throwing or passing the ball backwards from attacking scenarios truly distresses me.

Poor old Alan Gilzean must be turning in his grave. The number of times I see Spurs forsake attacking throws and work the ball backwards, when I remember Gilly lurking near the bye-line (YOU CAN'T BE OFFSIDE FROM A THROW BOYS!) and receiving the ball in space, upsets me deeply. I am convinced that modern day footballers and coaches either do not know, or forget the rules.

The team was poor, but this was one of those days when Mauricio Pochettino was not "magic, you know".

I will, of course, be travelling to Milan with other ardent followers. Inter lost at home to Parma on Saturday, and have won one, drawn one and lost two of their four matches so far, so perhaps there is hope for us there.

· Spurs 1 Liverpool 2- Spurs Odyssey match report

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