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Good Week/Bad Week

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
4,768
2,099
Covering the wins against Norwich and Watford, the draws with Everton and Leicester, and the loss to Leicester...

GOOD WEEK

Tom Carroll


Probably the biggest winner of this period. Scored against Norwich from the bench, and started the other four games, earning a contract extension as the club exercised their option on him. His passing has reminded us of why we were so excited when we first saw him - a lot of players can be technically accomplished, however plenty either lack the vision or ambition to play higher risk but potentially more incisive passes.

On the flip side, it does not seem like he has developed physically at all, and when the opposition start to rush us little Tom can get swept aside, as shown in the latter stages of the Everton and Leicester 1 games. Has at least earned himself another shot at the club.

Josh Onomah


Another start, this time in the FA Cup, for our latest academy graduate. Has retained his place on the bench even though more experienced players have come back to fitness.

Mousa Dembele


Has our recent poor form been a direct result of Dembele's absence through injury?

Kevin Wimmer, Nabil Bentaleb and the returning masses

The draw in the cup might add another fixture to what is threatening to become a busy schedule, but that will be good news for the like of Wimmer, Bentaleb, and the others needing match fitness and trying to get back into the first XI

Danny Rose

Captain for a day.

BAD WEEK

Christian Eriksen


His goal and the first thirty minutes against Leicester first time round aside, Eriksen has really struggled. Forced onto the periphery, struggling to make an impression, lack of determination or concentration, it is time he sat on the sidelines and someone else was given a chance.

The Dane seems to have no clear role in the attacking play of the team and looks ill at ease on the wing without the sole permission to move into a central position. A pitch map of our average positions against Leicester in the league shows Alli, Eriksen and Lamela all behind Kane in a very narrow setup, and without the brute strength or pace to force his way through or past players, Eriksen suffers most.

Pochettino said recently that good players have to play. He might have been talking about having good strikers, but in Alli and Eriksen he has two good central attacking midfielders and he needs to decide how he can get both of them playing well at the same time.

Toby Alderweireld

He has had a great season, but a poor few days coming up short in one versus one battles. Lost two goalscorers at corners, and sold not just a dummy but the Brentwood franchise of Mothercare by Okazaki.

Our shooters

Last three games - 64 shots attempted, 17 on target.

Mauricio Pochettino

Three wins on the bounce becomes three games without a win, and one win in our last four league games.

The sad thing is that in the first half against Everton and Leicester we played really well, but did not get the second goal we needed to make the match a lot easier. The above shows our issue, but as always there is more behind the numbers. Against Leicester in the cup the full backs had plenty of joy down the wings, but with no physical presence in the box, nor any real numbers, crosses were delayed and were unlikely to find a Spurs shirt. That the goals came when 1) we got men in the box and did not spend an age working the ball, and 2) came from a full back winning a penalty, shows that there was potential to exploit that even more, but the thinking was not joined up with how the rest of the team was set up.

We have played well in all three of our league defeats, have performed well this season and the team as a whole is doing well. And yet...and yet...and yet there still feels like there is a big step still take, more than just individuals upping their game a percent or two.

A lack of width from high up the pitch, a lack of real space to stretch teams, and a lack of true tempo in the majority of our play are things that are hampering us, but as the saying goes "Rome was not built in a day"...
 

Ausp

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2015
336
1,607
"Has our recent poor form been a direct result of Dembele's absence through injury?"

Definitely.
 

Sweetsman

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2011
6,673
6,588
Perhaps, Poch wasn't brave enough to trust Bentaleb tonight, who could have come on instead of Dembele. Bentaleb is more match fit.
 

BPR_U16

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2006
1,783
2,603
our dip in form has not only been whilst Dembele is out, but also whilst Carroll has been playing.
Though can be pleasing on the eye he is still very light weight, the polar opposite of Dembele
Still has a lot to do to earn a place in the side in my eyes, whilst Dembele's absence has demonstrated how much he has been missed and should put him in a good position for negotiating new contract
 

ataggy

Active Member
Jan 23, 2005
660
247
I really don't see why he persists with Carroll. You hardly notice him, he is too weak and passing isn't that great. Id prefer Mason or Bentaleb when fit.

Also where on earth was Chadli and Bentaleb last night? instead we had 3 defenders on the bench.
 

the shelf

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2009
584
512
Carroll is a nice tidy player but the harsh reality is he is just too lightweight to ever have a long term impact (particularly against the stronger teams) and the difference between his presence on a football field and Dembele's is like night and day.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Tommy Harmer a Spurs legend was 'nine stone dripping wet'. according to Bill Nick . Ardiles another legend was no Mr.Universe either.
We weren't losing when Tom went off last night.
Dembele contributed nothing and generally speaking in his 3yrs and 100 games (5 Goals) has done little at the club, Half a dozen recent games apart.
To attribute our less succesful period lately to the presence or absence
of one player is just silly.
Leicester have clearly got our number.
 
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Gazza2K2

Active Member
Jun 8, 2003
328
134
Finally Eriksen being shown up as the average player that he is, which I have been saying for a long time. Goes missing for large parts of the game, maybe popping up in the first or last 5 mins of the game.
Definite spell on the sidelines is in order, maybe reintegrating Son into the starting 11.
 

guate

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2005
3,270
1,486
Good write up Krafy and I agree with your comments. Goodness knows what Tommy Carroll has to do to convince many on here to give him some slack. What is strange is Nabil's disappearance again, wonder what's going on there?
 

bigspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2005
3,193
2,419
Eriksen's set pieces have been utter shite this season in general. Why can't he take an effing corner FFS?!! No excuses for that. I used to take corners sometimes for my team when I played league football and I could always put the ball into the danger area (with pace), cause it's easy!!

Sign me up lol
 

Chedozie

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2005
2,625
2,646
Finally Eriksen being shown up as the average player that he is, which I have been saying for a long time. Goes missing for large parts of the game, maybe popping up in the first or last 5 mins of the game.
Definite spell on the sidelines is in order, maybe reintegrating Son into the starting 11.

It's no good posting it on here, you need to tell Poch straight away.
 

Chris_D

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2007
2,652
1,278
Eriksen hasn't been his usual self for a couple of months. I keep telling myself it's bound to change but so far it just isn't happening. I keep the faith, class will tell.
 

18Klinsmann

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2005
1,254
494
Covering the wins against Norwich and Watford, the draws with Everton and Leicester, and the loss to Leicester...

BAD WEEK

Christian Eriksen


The Dane seems to have no clear role in the attacking play of the team and looks ill at ease on the wing without the sole permission to move into a central position. A pitch map of our average positions against Leicester in the league shows Alli, Eriksen and Lamela all behind Kane in a very narrow setup, and without the brute strength or pace to force his way through or past players, Eriksen suffers most.

Pochettino said recently that good players have to play. He might have been talking about having good strikers, but in Alli and Eriksen he has two good central attacking midfielders and he needs to decide how he can get both of them playing well at the same time.

AGREE.
Eriksen is not at his best and seemingly struggling with his set pieces. His corners were never too reliable, but his freekicks were worldclass up until a couple of months ago, and I think he is short of confidence. Why? Hard to tell, his new hair plugs seem solid enough, but he's just not as lethal as he used to be. I believe the most obvious reason is that Alli is seeking out the same spaces as Eriksen, and Poch has to deal with this and figure out if he can accomodate both of them or whether he has to rotate them for now.
 

rupsmith

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2006
1,714
2,328
Posted this a while ago and my opinion hasn't changed:

Tom Carroll - the boy can play. He has good technique and vision, quick rotation ability and always looks to play forward - like Luka Modric did for us. Clearly his main hurdle is his limited physical ability - a lack of pace and strength - but it was heartening to see him put himself about, show aggression and never stop running. His legs sort of give out as the game goes on but a very good player.

Keiran Trippier - Attacking wise he is clearly much more superior to Walker - his deliveries (sometimes Beckham-esque), intelligence and movement off the ball; but defensively I'm not sure how well he will cope in our normal 4-2-3-1 formation where he will have to control the whole flank. But I think he deserves game time.

Lamela - Aggressive, full of running, good defensively and carries the ball reasonably well. But I must admit, it s bit astonishing how one-sided he is. He simply can't do anything with his right foot and it limits him quite a bit - particularly when he is put under pressure in attacking positions. Also his judgement in the final third - in terms of movement and ball release - while improving, is still not as intelligent as say a Son, Eriksen or Alli. So when he gets the ball and looks to drive in attacking positions, even though all the fans sit up and start roaring, more often than not he cuts the ball back rather than beating the defender and/or delivering.

Generally we need more creativity from Eriksen and Lamela.
 

JoeT

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2005
3,813
935
Tommy Harmer a Spurs legend was 'nine stone dripping wet'. according to Bill Nick . Ardiles another legend was no Mr.Universe either.
We weren't losing when Tom went off last night.
Dembele contributed nothing and generally speaking in his 3yrs and 100 games (5 Goals) has done little at the club, Half a dozen recent games apart.
To attribute our less succesful period lately to the presence or absence
of one player is just silly.
Leicester have clearly got our number.
You don't stay up in second place without having someone's number Jimmy.
 

JoeT

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2005
3,813
935
Perhaps, Poch wasn't brave enough to trust Bentaleb tonight, who could have come on instead of Dembele. Bentaleb is more match fit.
And possibly, just more hungry to play?

Good problem to have though; fairly- equal central mid-fielders scrapping over playing time!
 

Sweetsman

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2011
6,673
6,588
And possibly, just more hungry to play?

Good problem to have though; fairly- equal central mid-fielders scrapping over playing time!

What has happened to Bentaleb that he didn't even make the bench at the weekend?
 
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