Man City Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[carpediem1906]

Timing of having such a great season is immense.

Emotionally it is one thing, but financially this title run-in could be like winning a lottery. Exposure we will get just in the run in towards May would be immense.

This could make such a big difference to the club financials, especially in securing a great naming rights deal.

Imagine levy grinning from ear to ear as he tells the Nike executives why they need to fork out an extra 5m per season as they will be unveiling the new Nike kit for the premier league champions

 

[wakefieldyid]

If you jump, your arms go out to give you lift.

Was it deliberate? Don't know.
Was it in the area? Don't know.

It wasn't an outrageous decision but had the roles been reversed I'd have shaken my fist at Clattenburg. As it is, I think he had a good game.

It's unarguable that Sterling deliberately attempted to block the ball with his body. The FA's guidance to referees specifically puts the onus on a player who is attempting a block to keep his arms out of the way, so Sterling was asking for trouble by turning his back on the ball. The faux outrage in the media about incidents like this has just made the job of part-time refs in the junior leagues even harder...

 

[maltahotspur]

Imagine levy grinning from ear to ear as he tells the Nike executives why they need to fork out an extra 5m per season as they will be unveiling the new Nike kit for the premier league champions

I believe that contracts of this magnitude such as the ones with Nike, do factor in higher payouts in the event of winning cups and being in the CL.
So Levy can just sit back, enjoy the ride and concentrate on employing the referees

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

It's unarguable that Sterling deliberately attempted to block the ball with his body. The FA's guidance to referees specifically puts the onus on a player who is attempting a block to keep his arms out of the way, so Sterling was asking for trouble by turning his back on the ball. The faux outrage in the media about incidents like this has just made the job of part-time refs in the junior leagues even harder...

Yes, it's tricky. What defending player in his own box isn't going to throw his body on the line to block a shot? Rose's shot goes off Sterling's shoulder or anywhere else and it's a great block. And Rose's heroic block of Sterling's point-blank pile-driver that knocked the wind out of him -- a foot either way and it's off an upper arm. I'd err on the side of the blatant and for me that wasn't blatant. Glad I'm not a ref.

 

[Cavehillspur]

Sitting in work and still absolutely buzzing!

 

[Makkaveli101]

Oh look, Leicester lose and suddenly Gary remembers Spurs exists

I agree. Some on here give him legend status. I loved him as a player. But despite being very vocal about his boyhood club, he's barely mentioned us. He also says Everton was his favourite club to play at. We're third on the list probably. Although he probably has happy memories of Barcelona.

 

[freeeki]

Was never a pen, but that spunking cockwomble Clattenberg owed us a decision for once.

City can dry their eyes and fuck off back to their half empty stadium.

 

[Gb160]

I seem to be in the minority here but I still don't see what the big deal is with the penalty...even the city players were only making half hearted complaints to battenberg.
He jumps, turns his back, and blocks the cross with the underside of his outstretched arm, some u get some u don't.

And Pelegrini can fuck off as well, he says they lost the first game because of two offside goals...yet we beat them 4-1?
Cock.

 

[RichieS]

There's so much to love about this side and much of it is so unusual for Spurs, I almost wonder whether it's real. Yesterday was sublime in a host of ways, which aren't being credited as of yet. I hear this new narrative that we are a "team" with no real "superstars" and all I think is how can this be thrown at us? Put Lloris, Alderweireld, Dier, Dembele, Alli, Kane etc up for sale and watch how many supposed 'big' teams want them. This team is littered with quality, but the crucial facet is that it's quality that recognises the strength when they work as the whole sum of its parts.

Defence - we rotate four full backs and don't drop a beat. Alderweireld is comfortably, and I mean comfortably, the best CB in the country this year. He's one of the few, the real few, that makes the defence as a whole calm. We lose Vertonghen, whom has been credited as a partner in this brilliant defence, bring Wimmer in and again, don't drop a beat. I felt after clean sheets against Norwich and Watford that we'd truly see how vulnerable Wimmer is yesterday. Well, he passed that test, and it's in no small part due to his centre half partner. An exceptional centre half, both defensively but in how comfortable he is on the football, regularly starting attacks with both short and long balls. His decision making is sublime - the ball gets banged into row Z when required and played out when required. A real top quality player. Signing of the season IMHO he has been.

Midfield - it's so much more than Alli. What I love more than anything and again, not something associated with Spurs is their cynicality and physicality. City are a physical dominant central side. Toure, Fernando and Fernandinho physically dominate midfields, allowing Silva, Nasri Aguero etc the time and space to play. Spurs are set up in exactly the same way. Dier and Dembele absolutely dominate teams physically. Yesterday, it was clear from the beginning we weren't going to be pushed around and resulted in City dishing out the niggle. We stood strong. The way when they broke, we thought nothing of dishing out the physicality and taking the booking. I loved Dier's complaints after the booking just before half time. We demonstrate fully that if teams want a war, we're more than happy to give them one, and back ourselves to win it.

Attack - I include Alli, Eriksen, Son and Lamela here although their running means they could easily be considered 'midfield'. They complement each other wonderfully. Alli literally has the lot. We know he gets into scoring positions, we know he has the composure and finishing ability to score plenty but his running is so crucial to this side. He allows Eriksen, the weaker defensively of this group, to have those breaks because he covers so much ground. He's also another niggly, cynical and aggressive defender. He doesn't take crap from any opposition, similar to Dier. Son is another that is capable of doing a lot. He's still in the early stages of his PL career and so still wants too much time on the ball at times but he works his backside off both with and without the ball. He's a perfect Pochettino player. Eriksen is the one I feel doesn't suit Poch's system hugely but the players around him mean he's almost given a license to press where possible but largely, drop into the spaces and dictate our play. Kane we know all about - the genuine full package. It's Lamela I think could become the serious superstar of the side though. All this team lacks is a consistently creative 10. What Lamela did for our winner yesterday was number 10 play at its most creative and most clinical you'll ever see. Huge game, strong defence, draw written all over it and he possesses the composure to drive with confidence and play a perfect ball through the defence that's timed and weighted to perfection. That piece of play got nowhere near the credit it deserved yesterday as they were too busy moaning about the penalty. Had Silva done it at the other end, we'd have never heard the end of it. Worthy of winning any game of football.


I find this following bit that I'm about to write absurd, as it's Spurs I'm writing about. The only things that may stop us winning the league IMHO are the EL, which I desperately hope we bin off and/or injuries. We quite simply are the best team in the country this season. It may be the only time in my lifetime that we are in this spot again so I pray we don't lose out because we knacker them playing in some far away wilderness. Don't do it. This year could become one of the most special in any Spurs fan's life. Remember to saviour every moment as they don't come along too often. COYS.

I think Dier was complaining mostly because his booking was for his first real foul and was no worse than either of Touré's. Funny how MOTD totally ignored the Yaya controversy (and also Zabaleta's filthy challenge on Kane).

 

[RichieS]

I seem to be in the minority here but I still don't see what the big deal is with the penalty...even the city players were only making half hearted complaints to battenberg.
He jumps, turns his back, and blocks the cross with the underside of his outstretched arm, some u get some u don't.

And Pelegrini can fuck off as well, he says they lost the first game because of two offside goals...yet we beat them 4-1?
Cock.

Exactly. He jumps to block the shot and ends up doing so with his arm. He also broke rule no. 73 of defending - NEVER turn your back on the ball.

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

There's so much to love about this side and much of it is so unusual for Spurs, I almost wonder whether it's real. Yesterday was sublime in a host of ways, which aren't being credited as of yet. I hear this new narrative that we are a "team" with no real "superstars" and all I think is how can this be thrown at us? Put Lloris, Alderweireld, Dier, Dembele, Alli, Kane etc up for sale and watch how many supposed 'big' teams want them. This team is littered with quality, but the crucial facet is that it's quality that recognises the strength when they work as the whole sum of its parts.

Defence - we rotate four full backs and don't drop a beat. Alderweireld is comfortably, and I mean comfortably, the best CB in the country this year. He's one of the few, the real few, that makes the defence as a whole calm. We lose Vertonghen, whom has been credited as a partner in this brilliant defence, bring Wimmer in and again, don't drop a beat. I felt after clean sheets against Norwich and Watford that we'd truly see how vulnerable Wimmer is yesterday. Well, he passed that test, and it's in no small part due to his centre half partner. An exceptional centre half, both defensively but in how comfortable he is on the football, regularly starting attacks with both short and long balls. His decision making is sublime - the ball gets banged into row Z when required and played out when required. A real top quality player. Signing of the season IMHO he has been.

Midfield - it's so much more than Alli. What I love more than anything and again, not something associated with Spurs is their cynicality and physicality. City are a physical dominant central side. Toure, Fernando and Fernandinho physically dominate midfields, allowing Silva, Nasri Aguero etc the time and space to play. Spurs are set up in exactly the same way. Dier and Dembele absolutely dominate teams physically. Yesterday, it was clear from the beginning we weren't going to be pushed around and resulted in City dishing out the niggle. We stood strong. The way when they broke, we thought nothing of dishing out the physicality and taking the booking. I loved Dier's complaints after the booking just before half time. We demonstrate fully that if teams want a war, we're more than happy to give them one, and back ourselves to win it.

Attack - I include Alli, Eriksen, Son and Lamela here although their running means they could easily be considered 'midfield'. They complement each other wonderfully. Alli literally has the lot. We know he gets into scoring positions, we know he has the composure and finishing ability to score plenty but his running is so crucial to this side. He allows Eriksen, the weaker defensively of this group, to have those breaks because he covers so much ground. He's also another niggly, cynical and aggressive defender. He doesn't take crap from any opposition, similar to Dier. Son is another that is capable of doing a lot. He's still in the early stages of his PL career and so still wants too much time on the ball at times but he works his backside off both with and without the ball. He's a perfect Pochettino player. Eriksen is the one I feel doesn't suit Poch's system hugely but the players around him mean he's almost given a license to press where possible but largely, drop into the spaces and dictate our play. Kane we know all about - the genuine full package. It's Lamela I think could become the serious superstar of the side though. All this team lacks is a consistently creative 10. What Lamela did for our winner yesterday was number 10 play at its most creative and most clinical you'll ever see. Huge game, strong defence, draw written all over it and he possesses the composure to drive with confidence and play a perfect ball through the defence that's timed and weighted to perfection. That piece of play got nowhere near the credit it deserved yesterday as they were too busy moaning about the penalty. Had Silva done it at the other end, we'd have never heard the end of it. Worthy of winning any game of football.


I find this following bit that I'm about to write absurd, as it's Spurs I'm writing about. The only things that may stop us winning the league IMHO are the EL, which I desperately hope we bin off and/or injuries. We quite simply are the best team in the country this season. It may be the only time in my lifetime that we are in this spot again so I pray we don't lose out because we knacker them playing in some far away wilderness. Don't do it. This year could become one of the most special in any Spurs fan's life. Remember to saviour every moment as they don't come along too often. COYS.

Nice post but must niggle over a couple of points. Sorry.

I disagree that Eriksen isn't a good fit for Poch's system. Along with Alli and Lamela he's one of three Spurs players in the top ten for distance covered this season, and since he's dropped back a bit he looks even busier. His tackle and interception stats are up there with anyone's, and crucially, he always shows for the ball -- best passing stats in the team.

And I'm not sure Lamela is as creative as you suggest. He's no donkey but his pass for Eriksen's goal came from tenacity more than sublime skill, deflecting as it did off Otamendi's ankle. He's the perfect busy **** for Poch's system but I'd like to see some goals.

Mostly agree though.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

£1.5m Hart Lloris £9m
£6.5m Zabaleta Walker £5m
£6m Kompany Alderweireld £11.5m
£28.5m Otamendi Wimmer £4.3m
£7m Clichy Rose £1m
£12m Fernando Dier £4m
£34m Fernandinho Dembele £15m
£24m Silva Son £22m
£24m Toure Eriksen £11m
£44m Sterling Alli £5m
£38m Aguero Kane free
​

£225.5m v £87.8m

What a difference a manager makes...

 

[wakefieldyid]

I seem to be in the minority here but I still don't see what the big deal is with the penalty...even the city players were only making half hearted complaints to battenberg.
He jumps, turns his back, and blocks the cross with the underside of his outstretched arm, some u get some u don't.

That's exactly how I see it too. Most players' initial reaction was to query whether it had occurred in the box rather than whether it qualified as a handball offence. It was only when Clattenberg correctly decided that it had happened in the penalty area that the media collectively wet their knickers.

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

£1.5m Hart Lloris £9m
£6.5m Zabaleta Walker £5m
£6m Kompany Alderweireld £11.5m
£28.5m Otamendi Wimmer £4.3m
£7m Clichy Rose £1m
£12m Fernando Dier £4m
£34m Fernandinho Dembele £15m
£24m Silva Son £22m
£24m Toure Eriksen £11m
£44m Sterling Alli £5m
£38m Aguero Kane free
​

£225.5m v £87.8m

What a difference a manager makes...

£34 million for Fernandinho is just obscene

 

[garryparkerschest]

Despite the debateable penalty, I was so impressed how we controlled the game.

Manchester City were surprisingly very respectable of us in the first half, you could say they feared us. They kept their shape and broke on the counter.

I know it was on the back of the Leicester defeat but I would have expected more of a reaction but there didn't seem to be one.

We were by far the better team, we seemed to have a plan and we stuck to it admirably.

I was very impressed with Rose, played his heart out. I loved his reaction to being booed, his performance just went up a couple of notches. He seems to have an arrogance and thrives on it.

Walker frustrates me, he started the game so well but was so inconsistent in the second half, there was a 20 minute spell where I was just swearing every time he had the ball because he was making mistake after mistake.

Regarding the rest of the season, I have not seen a team outplay us all season and if we can continue that we really do have a great chance of achieving greatness.

 

[dudu]

That's the best clip of it yet. Amazing. Haven't seen such camaraderie in so many years.

Phenomenal.

Whatever happens from here-on-in our future is looking pretty damn tasty.

I want a Poch hug

 

[talkshowhost86]

£1.5m Hart Lloris £9m
£6.5m Zabaleta Walker £5m
£6m Kompany Alderweireld £11.5m
£28.5m Otamendi Wimmer £4.3m
£7m Clichy Rose £1m
£12m Fernando Dier £4m
£34m Fernandinho Dembele £15m
£24m Silva Son £22m
£24m Toure Eriksen £11m
£44m Sterling Alli £5m
£38m Aguero Kane free
​

£225.5m v £87.8m

What a difference a manager makes...

Bloody Levy. Clearly spent too much on Alderweireld and Lloris.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Somebody pinch me!

God I love the hunger and togetherness of this team! They clearly love Poch too.

https://t.co/yLsT9x3meK

Absolutely love every bit of this video.

Kane's clear love for the club and emergence as a real leader of the team.

Poch's hugs for every single player.

Poch's 'come on' hand gesture to the fans.

The fact that Son waits to make sure he gets his Poch hug...can't be left out.

Whatever happens for the rest of this season that will be a great moment.

 

[longtimespur]

.

Regarding the rest of the season, I have not seen a team outplay us all season and if we can continue that we really do have a great chance of achieving greatness.

Totally agree with your last paragraph. There isn't a more complete team in the league

 

[mark87]

Somebody pinch me!

God I love the hunger and togetherness of this team! They clearly love Poch too.

https://t.co/yLsT9x3meK

Absolutely love the cheer our fans gave poch, that was the best bit.