Dele Alli says Tottenham's slow start 'killed us' but is sure Wembley will begin to feel like home

Spurs fell 2-0 down after 32 minutes on their Champions League return

Dele Alli said Tottenham must learn to be more clinical (Getty Images)

Dele Alli has lamented Tottenham’s slow start on their return to the Champions League, saying their first-half display in the defeat to Monaco ‘killed us’.

Spurs were playing in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley but failed to produce a performance to match the occasion as they found themselves two goals down inside the opening 32 minutes.

They did manage to pull one back through Toby Alderweireld but their first Champions League game since the 2010/11 season ended in disappointment, causing Mauricio Pochettino to say of his players afterwards: “If this was basketball, I would have taken them all off.”

And Alli agreed the performance was not one they had come to expect as a side and insisted they must learn to be more clinical in front of goal in the future.

“I think it was never going to be an easy game for us,” he said after the game.

“We didn’t help ourselves in the first half. Second half we dominated it, but we weren’t clinical enough.

“We started slowly and didn’t help ourselves at all. We got back in it before half-time with Toby’s goal, but need to be a lot more clinical and finish off our chances.

“We knew what to expect, we had tactics, I just think the slow start killed us.

“We need to make sure we learn from our mistakes and start games quicker and brighter. We need to finish strongly as well and be a lot more clinical.

“We fancy ourselves against anyone. We’re definitely a confident side and we do expect to win games, no matter who is in front of us.”

Tottenham are playing their Champions League home games at Wembley this season while work is carried out on White Hart Lane, with Wednesday night attracting 85,011 spectators – a record home attendance for an English club.

The official attendance for the game was 85,011 (Getty Images)

However, Spurs have a torrid record at the national stadium, with the Monaco defeat their sixth loss in seven games there – the other being a draw – but Alli hopes it will start to feel like home sooner rather than later.

“It’s a fantastic occasion for us, with all the fans and you have to give a lot of credit to the fans who showed up and filled it and they kept singing,” he added.

“Hopefully we’ll keep playing here and we’ll get a win.

“Obviously there are a few of us who have been here a few times before.

“We knew what to expect and even the players who played against England here, they knew what to expect. I suppose it will start to feel like home soon.”