http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tottenham-gave-up-against-liverpool-2950517?
Tottenham GAVE UP against Liverpool, admits Spurs 'keeper Hugo Lloris
The French stopper says his side had no answer for Liverpool's in-form Luis Suarez as Spurs slumped to a 5-0 defeat that saw Andre Villas-Boas get the sack
Hugo Lloris has revealed the real depth of Tottenham’s capitulation against Liverpool and how it led to the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.
It was the 5-0 humiliation at White Hart Lane a week ago that prompted action from chairman Daniel Levy and AVB was axed less than 24 hours later.
The hammering came just four weeks after Spurs were thrashed 6-0 by Emirates Marketing Project.
And although Tottenham beat Fulham and Sunderland after the defeat at City, Lloris admitted he and his team-mates could not cope with what confronted them at the Etihad and then Liverpool.
“We didn’t find a solution on the pitch in those games,” said the France *international goalkeeper.
“In the last game against Liverpool, I think the team gave up.”
Lloris did not excuse himself from his responsibility in the matches that *ultimately led to the exit of Villas-Boas.
“It was the first time I had conceded six goals in one game,” he said.
“It was also my first experience of losing 5-0 at home.”
Looking back on the Liverpool setback and the danger posed by Luis Suarez, Lloris admitted: “We played a good team, who will be close to the top four, and have someone who is probably the best in the Premier League at the moment.
“They played well, they are strong, they kept possession, but have a direct game as well and played on our weakness.”
Villas-Boas has been replaced – for the time being at least – by Tim *Sherwood although his chances of being offered the manager’s job permanently diminished when West Ham defeated Tottenham 2-1 at White Hart Lane in a Capital One Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night.
It has been a traumatic time of upheaval at Tottenham. The squad, out-played against Liverpool and out-fought against West Ham, take on Southampton at St Mary’s today. *Arguably the surprise team of the season under manager Mauricio *Pochettino, Lloris acknowledged it will be a severe test of Tottenham’s powers of recovery if they are to resume their push for a Champions League place.
“The main thing for us is to finish in the top four,” he said.
There is also silverware on offer in the Europa League and FA Cup where Spurs face North London rivals Arsenal at the Emirates in the third round.
It is, Lloris admitted, “a big *challenge”. He added: “We’ll believe in ourselves and try to get things right quickly.”
He also stressed it was *important the team did not let the change in *management affect their targets for the season.
On Villas-Boas leaving, he said: “We know we have had some bad results, like City and *Liverpool.
“It is a decision of the club and you have to respect it.
“The season is not finished. You have to keep your ambition.
“We have not lost everything.
“It is still possible to finish in the top four.
“We need to believe and get confidence as soon as we can.”
