Are we getting ahead of ourselves?

[alfie103]

A bit, we have a very good side and I think we have a big chance of finishing in the top four. We got a draw at home to a very good chelsea side who will compete for the title. Another left back with rose and i think we will be in business

 

[camaj]

I was surprised at the negativity after the Arsenal game and after the equaliser today. My problem isn't that people have high expectations it's that events like these seem to re-enforce their negative thinking. Rather than saying that a draw against Chelsea is a good result, even for title challengers, it's almost seen as a bad result for anyone aiming for the top 4.

For the last few weeks I've heard Spurs fans repeat the line about Arsenal being the only decent team and we didn't beat them, as something we should be embarrassed about. I don't think any team can be upset about losing 1-0 at Arsenal! No team won the league by winning every game and most of them lost away to their rivals. Winning today would have been an amazing result, but the opposite isn't a horrible result by default.

A lot of the people sitting round me today were embarrassing at times to be honest.

That's why you should never watch footie with your family.

 

[tobi]

No because our squad is significantly stronger than it was last season and once again there's nothing to be afraid of in this league.

 

[nssmuckers]

Finishing top 4 isn't about winning every game against the big clubs, or even most of them to be honest. Our record against the top teams last season shat on what Arsenal did, and look where it got us.

I'm a bit concerned that we aren't scoring enough and today I think AVB is guilty of not making the right changes, but as long as we keep beating shit teams like Sunderland and Liverpool we're still on the right track.

 

[Mr Pink]

The frustrating thing for me was how we set up. I'm utterly convinced had we gone with three in the middle and played Sandro we would of dominated the game today. Doesn't guarantee a win of course, but increases the chances of such and you feel a lot more positive about the performance even if it doesn't come off.

IMHO we missed an opportunity today. Nothing to do with getting ahead of ourselves, look at the quality we have now. I believe AVB got it wrong today. I'm a massive AVB supporter, but for me he just simply got it wrong today - yet we still got a point.

The evidence of this, for me anyway, was Chelsea winning a scrappy battle in the middle of the park for more sustained periods in the game. Had we gone with the three, like against Arsenal, we would of dominated for far longer periods.

 

[Syn_13]

If you want to be successful you need to adopt a winning mentality. Being satisfied with a draw at home, no matter who it's against, isn't good enough. We have the quality and depth to fight on multiple fronts and beat any team in this league. It may be early days but we've got as good a team as any in the league and shouldn't settle for draws at home. I'm glad we got a point but disappointed not to beat a currently struggling Chelsea at home.

 

[TaoistMonkey]

A lot of the people sitting round me today were embarrassing at times to be honest.

Were you in the away end?

 

[dagraham]

We started to lose the game before Mata came on. It's down to less runs forward from the fullbacks and wide players, less movement up top, playing narrower. It was a clearly defensive setup, I think AVB wanted us to play counterattacking after we scored but we were just defensive, not countering.

Lennon is absolutely essential for our counter- attacking play. Lots of people point out the things he doesn't do but when he's not there we miss him badly imo.

 

[Scottish Spur]

We could be but nobody really knows. We are 2 points behind top and we've faced Arsenal and Chelsea. Our next 3 are infinitely winnable games. There really is no point looking ahead too much, just win games and see where you are. At the end of the day, Chelsea are a top football team too that have an incredible winning mentality. They were never going to get rolled over. We played really well at Arsenal and with Eriksen/Lamela/a fit Holtby, we may have got something. If we keep defending as we are doing, we'll win plenty of our games this year. Do that and you may just be in the mix for the title come Feb/March.

 

[dannythomas]

I agree with the comments about losing the midield but all those complaining that Eriksen went missing in the second half forget that he was the most creative player on the pitch in the first half and made the goal happen. Sandro and Lamela for Sig and Townsend would have been my changes.
I don't follow preferring Chadli and Townsend to Lamela. Lamela is a high class player, the mot expensive signing in our history and a game changer. Even though Townsend started brightly I would have Lamela starting every time and keep Eriksen on . If we are going to be contenders we need our potential match winners on the pitch.

 

[Bulletspur]

Pretty much every game we play at home is there for the taking. In the grand scheme of things a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at home is not the end of the world.

I really think you have missed the point mate.

 

[LSUY]

This is Tottenham, we are always getting ahead of ourselves ;-)

Exactly. I've lost count of the amount of false dawns I've seen at the Lane.

 

[Bulletspur]

They brought Mata on. A player who is comfortable with the ball and able to dictate play. We were light in CM and it was obvious instantly. AVB must have known that. He could cope with that at Porto because of the comp they faced and the relative quality of Port's FBs against that comp and play a Moutinho type CM as well. Our FBs, and this isn't a criticism of them individually - other than wishing they were both legends - aren't that strong. So, instead of being to overload and keep possession with them pushing up we had 2 CMs playing in a slightly stretched pitch doing, or not doing as it turned out, the job of 3. Couple that with a Mata with time on the ball and well, he damaged us.

We needed to go 3 in the middle with a proper DM and get back possession and control of the middle of the pitch. Then look to try and attack them. As it was we did neither anyway, somewhat predictably when you lose control of a game. You don't get as many chances to attack.

But whatever. We didn't lose and none of us perfect. It's a shame AVB didn't see it though because at assnal he did and it was a different game, ignoring the result. No idea why he threw that out of the window tbh.

EXACTLY!! People here saying they are happy with 1-1, yes before the match I would grab it with both hands. But,I will spell it out, AVB lost us that game I am afraid. Sandro in the middle to negate Mata was what IMO should have been the tactics used in the 2nd half. We are boasting that we have strength in depth and when it came to use it, we didnt. It would be another matter if we had no alternatives and but we did. I would not like it, but I would have felt better if AVB and the team did all they could and we had lost. Thats how strongly I feel about THIS game.

 

[Shanks]

I was literally shouting in the pub that Sandro needed to come on, and felt that bringing Chadli down was what let us down today.

Not because of Chadli, but because of the performance, we really needed some bite stuck right in the middle, to settle things and get us the ball.

 

[Basil Brush]

I wasn't frustrated with the result. In fact very happy with result.

However, extremely frustrated with subs. Sandro should have come on early in second half, and lamela should have been ahead of holtby and chadli.

Avb had a shocker with his subs and I honestly believe he realises this. His biggest weakness is that he appears rigid and negative with his subs. First sub always 60th min and I have no idea how lamela wasn't bought on.

Maureen had a blinder with his subs.

However, the result was definitely fair, like the arsenal result and all our other results this season.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Everton beat Chelsea at home, therefore I was expecting us to. I don't think that's getting ahead of ourselves. We've got an amazing squad, it's about finding the right combinations to win matches. Unfortunately Avb couldn't do that yesterday and the opportunity was there imo.

 

[Jamturk]

You just don't leave a Sandro on the bench when being dominated by a top team.

 

[Legend10]

2 things for me;

1) we were the width of a post away from I believe going on to steamroller them.
2) I never criticise subs because they work or they don't, however I was disappointed when the tone for the 2nd half was becoming apparent that we didn't, bring on a Sandro for either of the wide players and pushed Eriksen slightly wider to keep there freed up FB occupied. That said maybe AVB thought with Sandro, dembs and Paulinho we wouldn't have enough outlets to find.

 

[alamo]

Seems weird to say it but I love that I am disappointed with "only!" a draw against Chelsea.

We are on the up

 

[parklane1]

Lennon is absolutely essential for our counter- attacking play. Lots of people point out the things he doesn't do but when he's not there we miss him badly imo.

The sooner he is fit and back in the team the better we will be.