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Good Week/Bad Week

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
4,768
2,099
We analysis the draw at West Brom, the win over Monaco, the loss to Newcastle and the win at Saints...

GOOD WEEK

Erik Lamela


A first career hattrick for the Argentine, and slowly but surely the former River Plate starlet is becoming a very good Premier League. First came the work rate, then the tackling, now the goals and also more upper body strength. That there is a sense there is still more to come from the 23-year-old hints at a great future for the lad.

Dele Alli

A couple of goals, an assist, and yet more headlines made from a player with a wonderful goal scoring instinct. He pops up in the right place so often that it is not luck. His runs forward give us something new, too, and such composure from someone so young.

Tom Carroll

Started and scored against Monaco, and started in the defeat in Newcastle. While his performances in all three of his appearances in this time have not been stellar - against Newcastle he was particularly found out - the fact that Pochettino has given him these chances makes this a good time for little Tom.

I thought he was sure to leave in January but his Spurs career has a second life.

Mauricio Pochettino's Plan A

How many regulation away wins have we had in the Premier League? How many Europa League matches have we cruised through?

There is something reassuring about Poch's Spurs team when it works. When we get that second goal we very rarely get in trouble, whereas I can remember not long ago the confidence of a four goal lead could be undermined by a 88th minute consolation.

The sackings of Monk and Mourniho, and Van Gaal's troubles, all have one thing in common - the managers seemed unable to turn things around. No matter what they did or did not do, another loss was around the corner, and even if they went on one, two, three game unbeaten streak, a defeat would knock them down even further than before.

With Pochettino's Tottenham it is the opposite. Every time we suffer defeat, every time there is a blow, we have the character and belief and the togetherness to recover and push forward again, both individually and collectively. Never in my life time has the club had such a positive aura and been heading in the right direction too.

Tottenham's set pieces

I remember when we scored one or two goals from corners a season - we are nearly in double figures already! Sure, it is still frustrating when a corner hits the first man, but it is nice to be thinking that we might score from our corners rather than worrying that the opposition were more likely to score!

Mousa Dembele

How the hell has he become so crucial to the team? It was barely a month ago that he was on most fans lists of player to get rid of in January.

Josh Onomah

First competitive start, equipped himself well.


BAD WEEK

Nabil Bentaleb


Has he suffered another set back? He was back for Monaco but then disappeared again. Has he dropped behind Carroll, as well as Dier and Dele?


Clinton N'Jie

Clinton's season has not got off the ground yet. Arrived injured, made a couple of bright sub appearances, couple of disappointing starts up top (which doesn't look like being his best position anyway) and then picks up an injury that could rule him out for a while. Chadli is coming back, Lamela is on good form, Son has returned - through no fault of his won, N'Jie could disappear from the picture.

Maurico Pochettino's Plan B

Pochettino has been in charge for 54 games, I think. In that time 6 goals have come from substitutes. From my basic research, three of those have been game changing goals. It's not that Poch does not make changes - he often uses the full three subs - but that most changes are like for like, and very rarely is the team shape changed.

A lot of the time, as mentioned above, Plan A is more than good enough. His 4-2-3-1 is solid enough to be competitive against the best teams, but also can allow enough fluidity and attacking impetus to beat those teams who are unorganized, unmotivated, or generally in a bit of disarray.

However, against those middling sides that are organised, disciplined, and in the frame of mind to keep things tight, take a point and try to nick all three, we can struggle. In the grand scheme of things it is a small point, and I'm confident that Pochettino will develop a slightly different tactical line-up for these types of games once he has a squad better shaped for it. At Southampton he played Lambert and Rodriguez together, and I can see a Kane and Berahino-type set up causing the likes of West Brom and an on-form Newcastle additional problems than we do at present. It is, however, something we need to develop.

NIMBYs (not in my back yard/not in place of an old crumbling building)

One step closer to a new ground, and the area of Tottenham moving forward about 200 years into the modern day
 

zinzanzee

Active Member
Feb 8, 2011
128
191
Hats off again crafty great observations. Yeah we are not yet the finished article. But the foundations are there and of course the potential with such a young team. You are so right in terms of where we are when compared to only a few years ago. Not since we had Bale, VDV and Modric have I had so many of my mates telling me how good a team we have. How funny a season it is when most of the $ky 4 are not very confident of their chances. Big next 2 weeks. COYS.
 

gusrowe

Well-Known Member
Feb 20, 2005
836
809
Very good observations. I also feel that Walker and Dier have played well. I don't feel N'jie will disappear. The guy has talent and will mature under Poch.
We still make a few stupid errors and switch off at times like the Newcastle game, where I felt we became very complacent in the second half, but overall very pleased with our current progress.
Keep it up Krafy.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all Spurs supporters. COYS
 

guate

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2005
3,270
1,486
Excellent and well thought out write up Krafy reflecting what many of us feel. I appreciate your time and interest.
My only comment is I believe the majority of Eriksen's corners aimed at the near side post for a flick on have a) been well rehearsed on the training pitch but are not so easy to do during a live game or b) the opposition have got wise to this tactic and annul its effect by having a player at the ready.
 

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
4,768
2,099
Excellent and well thought out write up Krafy reflecting what many of us feel. I appreciate your time and interest.
My only comment is I believe the majority of Eriksen's corners aimed at the near side post for a flick on have a) been well rehearsed on the training pitch but are not so easy to do during a live game or b) the opposition have got wise to this tactic and annul its effect by having a player at the ready.

I think you are spot on there. It's the plan that is either hit or miss - get it past the first man (if they are even there) and we just need a Spurs head on it, little more.

I loosely know Darren Ambrose when he was at Charlton and he used to get dogs abuse when his near post corner was cut out, but that was the plan they had worked on in training and it was the runner, who hadn't made the run, who ruined the move
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Think Walker deserves a mention. Mr.Sensible or what.
Goal and an assist in ths period and I recall a decent first time cross. Or was that just a dream.

Is Onomah injured or is it Harry Winks turn to be bloodied?

Glad for Carroll, like Eriksen his talents don't always dazzle but they are positive and creative. Proper Tottenham.

Agree about Dembele not my favourite player and now suddenly.
essential.

You didn't mention media favourite Deli Alli. Is that because you are not quite sure what to make of him? Has presence and edge but poor touch let's him down sometimes. But his scoring and assist record is more than sound.
Brave against Southampton for the Kane goal and that is worth a mention too. Not doing bad for a one season wonder. Never looked back since I adopted him.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Sorry read it again and you did indeed mention the boy Deli
and I totally agree.
He's different and is going to be some player.
 

JSpurs

New Member
Dec 20, 2015
3
1
I have been so impressed with Lamela, had started to write him off halfway through last season but he has come on leaps and bounds.

His work rate is amazing (although him flying into tackles always gets my blood pressure running high) his passing has improved massively and with the new found confidence he is actually using his right foot to both pass and score!

So far due to his sheer endeavor he is my player of the season.
 
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