Destiny calls for Mauricio Pochettino as Spurs eye double glory

[Gaz_Gammon]

Pochettino has admitted he will be judged on his team selection for two crucial games.

Read the full article at The Guardian

 

[Main Man]

I think he should have considered his team selection better in the last two games, not just the next two.

Poch has failed miserably when it has come to rotating so far this season.

 

[JoeT]

I think he should have considered his team selection better in the last two games, not just the next two.

Poch has failed miserably when it has come to rotating so far this season.

"miserably"........Bit harsh there 'Main Man'

 

[Good Doctor M]

I think he should have considered his team selection better in the last two games, not just the next two.

Poch has failed miserably when it has come to rotating so far this season.

Yeah, we've done terribly.

 

[Main Man]

"miserably"........Bit harsh there 'Main Man'

Yeah, we've done terribly.

Is it harsh? And in terms of dealing with games in a short period of time, we have done terribly.

The team selection/rotation of the squad after European games has been questionable - as evidenced by the results after a European game. Our two midweek League fixtures (admittedly ignoring the festive period) have ended in defeat, although they were away to both Chelsea and Liverpool.

Team selections in the Europa League have been inconsistent to say the least, whilst despite making the Carling Cup final imo his team selections have been very, very questionable again.

We are no longer in the FA Cup either after some bizzare 'rotation'. We 'rested' Lloris for three consecutive games - what on earth is all that about?

 

[Good Doctor M]

Is it harsh? And in terms of dealing with games in a short period of time, we have done terribly.

The team selection/rotation of the squad after European games has been questionable - as evidenced by the results after a European game. Our two midweek League fixtures (admittedly ignoring the festive period) have ended in defeat, although they were away to both Chelsea and Liverpool.

Team selections in the Europa League have been inconsistent to say the least, whilst despite making the Carling Cup final imo his team selections have been very, very questionable again.

We are no longer in the FA Cup either after some bizzare 'rotation'. We 'rested' Lloris for three consecutive games - what on earth is all that about?

Team selection in EL is inconsistent because the quality of opposition is inconsistent. What's the point really, of putting out your best 11 away against Sparta BackofBeyond on a pitch made of plastic when you've got match against actual professional footballers 3 days later.

Rotation has to happen. We've played a ludicrous amount of games and because of that we're going to lose games. The Liverpool team selection was perfectly fine and we could easily have won that game.

Just because we lose a game doesn't mean Poch got anything wrong. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and will prove you right every single time you want to blame a defeat on any given scapegoat.

 

[Main Man]

Team selection in EL is inconsistent because the quality of opposition is inconsistent. What's the point really, of putting out your best 11 away against Sparta BackofBeyond on a pitch made of plastic when you've got match against actual professional footballers 3 days later.

Rotation has to happen. We've played a ludicrous amount of games and because of that we're going to lose games. The Liverpool team selection was perfectly fine and we could easily have won that game.

Just because we lose a game doesn't mean Poch got anything wrong. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and will prove you right every single time you want to blame a defeat on any given scapegoat.

The quality of the EPL is higher than the Cup game we will have played in though.

At the start of the season Poch's 'second' team actually bares a huge resemblance to his 'first' team now. That should never have happened. He took far too long to make simple decisions, a la Kaboul, Chiriches and Adebayor etc.

 

[Good Doctor M]

The quality of the EPL is higher than the Cup game we will have played in though.

At the start of the season Poch's 'second' team actually bares a huge resemblance to his 'first' team now. That should never have happened. He took far too long to make simple decisions, a la Kaboul, Chiriches and Adebayor etc.

Simple decisions in hindsight. Kaboul, lest we forget was an automatic starter last season. If he'd dropped him early doors we'd be calling for his head.

Chiriches was dropped pretty quick too and Adebayor got just enough time for him to prove that he wasn't what Poch was looking for.

Poch owed it to every player in the squad to give them a go. He did that and now we have a team that beat Chelsea and Arsenal with frankly, some of the best performances I've ever seen from a Spurs team. A team of players who had to prove themselves. What was Poch supposed to do. Guess? Guess who his best players were and just go with that without looking at any alternatives.

Poch has made far fewer mistakes than I think you're willing to give him credit for. He has a team most supporters are supremely confident of and it's very obvious on the pitch that the players trust each other.

To be blunt mate, you're talking shit.

 

[JC-Rule]

In addition, we shouldn't forget this is his 1st season in charge, he is still working out who's who in the squad,

For example, it took him a while to move Dembele from defensive holding midfield to attack midfield.

We have had a few injury setbacks also.

It think Poch is getting the most out of his squad.

That's all we can ask for really.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

We have a squad of twenty five players, so the tiredness excuse of playing three games a week during some parts of the season holds no water.

On Sunday Poch selected an attacking midfield of Lamela/Dembele/Townsend a lineup so embarrassing that Fat Sam could be heard laughing in the away dressing room when given the Spurs lineup for the game. That selection was a huge mistake and was their for all to see, won't be repeated and was flawed from the off.

We have four center backs, two left backs and two right backs (three is you count Chiriches. Countless midfielders and three recognised forwards as well as many out on loan.

From the start of the season Poch was aware that we would be in four competitions, and had the summer and January transfer windows to add to the squad.

Nothing more needs to be said when you look at the run that Liverpool are on regarding the number of games played and the competitions that they remain in which is as many as Spurs.

 

[Main Man]

He has a team most supporters are supremely confident of and it's very obvious on the pitch that the players trust each other.

To be blunt mate, you're talking shit.

Yet in reality we are achieving no more than we did under Sherwood, and both less than AVB and Redknapp.

We have our worst home record since Ramos too.

I really don't understand where this blind optimism comes from. Defensively we are appalling (about five teams who have conceded more than us I think), and from an attacking point of view we are more reliant on individual brilliance now than we were even under AVB (with Bale and the one man team notion). The only difference with this team offensively, is the individual brilliance is shared between two in Eriksen and Kane.

The team Poch has left is also doing better without him despite selling their supposeable three best players, and losing the best up and coming manager around of course. To a team who currently sit below them in the table I might add.

But yeah, things are going great.

 

[JC-Rule]

Yet in reality we are achieving no more than we did under Sherwood, and both less than AVB and Redknapp.

We have our worst home record since Ramos too.

I really don't understand where this blind optimism comes from. Defensively we are appalling (about five teams who have conceded more than us I think), and from an attacking point of view we are more reliant on individual brilliance now than we were even under AVB (with Bale and the one man team notion). The only difference with this team offensively, is the individual brilliance is shared between two in Eriksen and Kane.

The team Poch has left is also doing better without him despite selling their supposeable three best players, and losing the best up and coming manager around of course. To a team who currently sit below them in the table I might add.

But yeah, things are going great.

Watching AVB's Spurs team, was like pulling teeth. It had no bite. The ball was moved from side to side with no meaningful penetration.

At least Poch is trying to get the team to press high and attack the opposition, whilst AVB's plan was to bore the other team to death.

I dreaded going to watch when he was in charge,

Redknapp's team was exciting to watch, and he gave us proud moments in the CL of course. But when he came against the other top teams, he was out-foxed often.

The optimism around Poch, is that at least we can see what he is aiming for, and most agree that his objectives for the style of play is good for us.

We need the correct balance of results and entertaining performances.

And he is not scared of the big boys.

 

[Main Man]

Watching AVB's Spurs team, was like pulling teeth. It had no bite. The ball was moved from side to side with no meaningful penetration.

At least Poch is trying to get the team to press high and attack the opposition, whilst AVB's plan was to bore the other team to death.

That first bit in-particular is a complete and utter myth. Yes, we struggled at the end of last season but overall we aren't scoring at any greater rate than we were under AVB.

Also, and most importantly, we are conceding twice as many goals these days.

I wish Poch had deployed the AVB way of "boring the other team to death" over two legs against Fiorentina because we would be in the next round right now if we did.

You, like the majority of Spurs fans, value entertainment over quality and performance. I just don't get it, I really don't.