Attitude or Tactics?

[lukespurs7]

I'm not going to over-react as we are only 2 bloody games into the season however I was at the game again today and really that was so disappointing to throw away the 2-0 lead after a very solid 1st half display.

But what was to blame, was it an attitude/character problem as our team is young and inexperienced and didn't know how to close out the game, or was it poor tactics, or are we simply not good enough?

Stoke were there for the taking, yes they're a decent enough side but we are at home and those are the type of games we should be winning for sure.

I'm not sure what all this pass it to the CBs from the goal-kicks is all about, we nearly conceded a goal from it and Hugo smacked it past the full-backs countless times which just puts pressure on us again, we're not bloody Barcelona, but then again we did nearly score from lovely build up play on one occasion so who knows.

The lack of balance for me is still very worrying, we have no width so when we need to switch play we can't as there is no RAM or LAM in their correct position. I'm all for consistency and backing a manager but I just don't think we have the right players for 4-2-3-1 still and our football is often pretty turgid, I'm not going to lie I'm starting to already see things that concern me about Potch but I really really hope I'm just being picky and am wrong + once/if we get a few new faces it mabye the football will pick up but right now it is quite boring

Then we have some strange subs from Potch, if Kane had a knock fair enough and mabye Mason was tired but we completely went to pot after we made those changes.

Bentaleb also stormed off down the tunnel, pissed off that we lost or pissed off that he didn't start? Not good from him.

We came out for the 2nd half far too slowly and let them back into the game, we invited them onto us far too much and lacked attacking guile or shape/creativity and also seemed to have poor options off the bench, I'm not blaming this all on Lamela as I want him to do well more than most but he came on, made 4 fouls and gave the ball away about 4 times, NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!

Some positives from today and still early days and glad we've signed N'jie, hopefully he will add some much needed pace but we really need to address a few other issues and stop being so fucking Spursy. Potch said he has tried to work on the defending over the summer and whilst Toby looks good and we do look fairly organised our mentality needs looking at, we lack leaders like when we had King,Dawson,Parker,VDV etc.

Long way to go but what needs addressing the most? :
-Attitude/character
-Tactics
-Players?

COYS.

 

[mill]

All 3

 

[SteveH]

What ever is cause of our current plight, it is what it is, and we we have to get on with it.

Poch is the manager - he has to sort it. he has the players he has if don't like them resign!

Levy Is the boss and is going nowhere.

So here we are!

 

[Damian99]

We do not have one single player with a half decent back bone, someone who can get hold of a game by the scruff of the neck or someone who can shake/wake the player/s up when need be. Pretty much as soft as shit all of them.

No doubt the quality in some of the players but yet under Pochs reign have i yet to see a well organised team that looks extremely difficult to break down.

 

[Darth Vega]

Everything. Mental weakness is ubiquitous with Spurs. Couple that with only one recognised striker in the squad, no recognised holding midfielder and no pace with the exception of Walker, you have big problems (irrespective of who the manager may be).

 

[Damian99]

No doubting Harry had his weaknesses, most managers we have ever had, had them. But you cannot deny we saw plenty of entertaining football under him and also a much tougher looking team than i've seen since.

 

[markiespurs]

Just back from the game, for me we chucked away 2 points because we did'nt have another striker to put on when Kane went off.

We had no one up top to hold the ball up and bring others into play, or to make the type of runs that strikers make, which resulted in Stoke being able to build an attack a lot quicker.

 

[dagraham]

Attitude, tactics (what tactics? We don't do any) and players.

Absolutely stellar decision by Poch to take Kane off and leave us with no strikers on the pitch

And the possibility of having only Kane and N'Jie as the only strikers in the squad leaves us horribly exposed.

Not to mention the lack of real quality on the ball in the middle of the park. Why we didn't attempt to buy Cabaye I just don't know. Do we have to have a team of inexperienced under 25's? It's like Levy and our transfer policy lurches from one extreme to the other.

 

[Bobbyh99]

Attitude, tactics (what tactics? We don't do any) and players.

Absolutely stellar decision by Poch to take Kane off and leave us with no strikers on the pitch

And the possibility of having only Kane and N'Jie as the only strikers in the squad leaves us horribly exposed.

Not to mention the lack of real quality on the ball in the middle of the park. Why we didn't attempt to buy Cabaye I just don't know. Do we have to have a team of inexperienced under 25's? It's like Levy and our transfer policy lurches from one extreme to the other.

He had an ice pack on his ankle so maybe it was the right thing to do!!!

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Everything. Mental weakness is ubiquitous with Spurs. Couple that with only one recognised striker in the squad, no recognised holding midfielder and no pace with the exception of Walker, you have big problems (irrespective of who the manager may be).

The lack of balance and depth in the squad is extremely alarming. However, Poch is nowhere near utilising what he has and this is seriously hampering how we play. The players are also to an extent to blame, especially the forward players (Chadli, Dembele, Eriksen and Townsend - when he plays) as they never track back, leaving central midfield and the full backs woefully exposed. This is compounded by the fact none of them give defenders the jitters, meaning the opposition can commit more players to counter attacking us.

 

[Phate]

I didn't watch much of Southampton under poch but I'm sure they were quite easy on the eye. After a season I'm still not sure what the tactics are to go out and win a game, what's our plan!? Lack of improvement is worrying tbh

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Mixture of all 3. Pochs tactics are either not being taken on by the players, or they are just bad tactics.

We seemb to have removed many bad attitudes from the squad, but poch does not seem to be particularly adept at motivating players.

We also have some glaring holes in the squad, but we have plugged some of them this summer.

 

[mpickard2087]

Tactics and attitude (tolerance of it and overall culture) is set by the manager. He's got to start earning his corn.

 

[dagraham]

He had an ice pack on his ankle so maybe it was the right thing to do!!!

If that's the case then I take it back. Was at the game and he didn't go down the tunnel and Poch didn't mention it in the interview I heard.

If he is injured then it shows precarious our striking situation is with two weeks left of the window. Those who see Chadli as a credible alternative are living in cloud cookoo land imo.

 

[lukespurs7]

No doubting Harry had his weaknesses, most managers we have ever had, had them. But you cannot deny we saw plenty of entertaining football under him and also a much tougher looking team than i've seen since.

Best we ever ad it.

 

[lukespurs7]

Mixture of all 3. Pochs tactics are either not being taken on by the players, or they are just bad tactics.

We seemb to have removed many bad attitudes from the squad, but poch does not seem to be particularly adept at motivating players.

We also have some glaring holes in the squad, but we have plugged some of them this summer.

This is what worries me, if the players don't believe in it we're fucked.

 

[fortworthspur]

my vote is for personnel. we've sold three midfielders so far and replaced them with nobody save Alli. Mason, Bents and Dembele all have their limitations. Poch really didnt have a lot of options to counter the Stoke changes. And as others point out, another striker would have been nice once Kane had to come off.

 

[jurgen]

Just back from the game, for me we chucked away 2 points because we did'nt have another striker to put on when Kane went off.

We had no one up top to hold the ball up and bring others into play, or to make the type of runs that strikers make, which resulted in Stoke being able to build an attack a lot quicker.

We're told how important a hard working front man is to this system. Yet we can't even provide a single option for when Kane gets injured 2 games in. Poor - but expected- show...

 

[BK007]

All of it.

Poch making changes for no reason also cost us.

If Kane was injured and had to come off, then, as everyone and their mother predicted, you can't go into the season with just one striker. The buck stops at Levy.

Anyone going to remind him or are we all going to just blame Poch and the players? I mean, no doubt that they have to take some of it, but Levy left us woefully short, had "no" pre-season as requested by Poch except just 2 matches 2 days before the season, doesn't use or listen to Mitchell and went on holiday during it without signing anyone.

Do people think that signing players means they will fit in immediately? Complete lack of planning or terribly misplaced priorities, but this is Spurs and ENIC. It's okay to drop points early in the season. It's okay to be unprepared for a dozen matches. "The season is 38 games long" is a bullshit excuse. Top teams play well or get results from the start. Losers make excuses. Not that we are fighting relegation, but points on the board early makes a lot of difference.

Already 5 points behind United...except we didn't face rampant opposition.

 

[AngryBob]

We just do the same thing over and over, we don't change the way we play or adapt to the situation. Inverted wingers don't work and we make poor substitutions. I want to give Poch the benefit of doubt but I'm concerned so far that nothings changed... Oh no we added the long ball over the top to our game today...