Mason reveals what changed between Newcastle loss and Villa win

[mawspurs]

Ryan Mason believes that Tottenham’s persistence was what helped them beat Aston Villa and what cost them against Newcastle.

Read the full article at London 24

 

[Jenko]

Not a lot changed except (in my opinion) Villa seemed to wind the team up and got a man sent off. That gave us the advantage so the team tried harder, and even then we needed the lucky breaks.

There's still an awful lot of work to do. Dropping the shit performers will only help but the system still looks like its not working for us. We desperately need to beat Stoke at home and get the place rocking on Sunday....

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Not a lot changed except (in my opinion) Villa seemed to wind the team up and got a man sent off. That gave us the advantage so the team tried harder, and even then we needed the lucky breaks.

There's still an awful lot of work to do. Dropping the shit performers will only help but the system still looks like its not working for us. We desperately need to beat Stoke at home and get the place rocking on Sunday....

Without sounding sour, i'd like someone on here to explain just what Poch's system really is because so far i see little difference between his tactics and system and AVB's to be quite honest.

 

[Lufti]

Without sounding sour, i'd like someone on here to explain just what Poch's system really is because so far i see little difference between his tactics and system and AVB's to be quite honest.

Pretty much everything aside from the formation. That said, it's certainly not the system Poch employed at Soton

 

[Jody]

If believing that makes them feel better about themselves then great - even if it's misguided we need some momentum!

 

[UbeAstard]

I think Greame Souness might have a point as I cant understand how we can be so poor. There may be some players resisting the system. I rarely see the constant pressing Pochetinho reputedly likes. We may not see a Pochetinho system until he clears some of this spineless lot.

 

[Paceyjg]

The conclusions I drew from Sunday were:

Three of the back four need to be dropped (giving Verts the benefit of doubt)
Capoue offers very little.
Eriksen should not be pushed out wide.
Soldado plays better slightly deeper and with another striker.
Kane must start.
Townsend for all his faults offers a directness that we otherwise lack.
Poch still seems oblivious to who is and isn't performing on the pitch, maybe he is too focussed on training sessions to notice!

 

[bigspurs]

Poch still seems oblivious to who is and isn't performing on the pitch, maybe he is too focussed on training sessions to notice!

That's exactly what I've been thinking too. I reckon this season he needs to try to fit a system around the current payers and their strengths, rather than shoe-horning these guys into his failing system. At least until he can get the payers in that will fit in more with his ideas and 'philosophy' (whatever the fuck that is).

 

[slartibartfast]

Poch still seems oblivious to who is and isn't performing on the pitch, maybe he is too focussed on training sessions to notice!

That's exactly what I've been thinking too. I reckon this season he needs to try to fit a system around the current payers and their strengths, rather than shoe-horning these guys into his failing system. At least until he can get the payers in that will fit in more with his ideas and 'philosophy' (whatever the fuck that is).

Why do so many managers go down the road of persisting with 'their philosophy' when it obviously isnt working?
Its being stubborn and not good management.
A good manager gets the best out of the players at his disposal. He doesn't carry on with his ideals (answer is in the word 'ideal') as the whole thing goes from bad to worse regardless.
Still hope against hope Poch can sort us out and it is early days but looks f in shambolic at the moment.
One things for sure, we'd be right up the shitter if it wasn't for Mason, Kane, Bentaleb and even Townsend which speaks volumes for those we paid good money for.
Think Poch has to be given 2 transfer windows where he publicly says who HE wants, not Baldini and not bloody Levy and we go out and get them, not that months bargain basement or expensive players that dont fit.

 

[dominguezmonkey]

If we end up playing like Southampton last year I will be over the moon. And yes, I think it was easier for Poch to shape that group of players rather than some of the big time Charlies we have who are consistently resistant to change regardless of manager.

It would also help if we had a chairman who bought the exact players a manager wants and not cut price knock offs. You think Levy would have worked that out by now.

At any rate, it's not pretty at the moment but points-wise we're no better or worse off than most of our rivals with much room for improvement. And some people have predictably forgotten that this was never going to be a quick fix. Our squad is miles worse than it was 3 years ago and we need to accept that.

(And just to keep it on point, I agree with Ryan Mason)

 

[Redfap]

I think that Poch has had a difficult start to his spell, but I think we have some serious problems with the players in our squad. Too many players just don't have that excitement or buzz, they are slow on their feet, reactive and they dont seem to ever take on an opponent, we press them into their half then always pass sideways, back, switch the play and all it does it guarantee that we won't be able to penetrate the oppositions defense. We need to take more risks when attacking, play an early ball into the box, a quick one into the feet of the strikers, try a few runs, take a punt on a through ball. It is just so safe and stagnant. I'm sure Poch can see it and is telling them to attack with urgency and pace, likewise AvB probably did, but here is no real starts or dominant characters to drive the team forward.

Kane and Mason show this buzz, risk taking and excitement, they are energetic, have a dig at half chances etc and they have been the two shining lights this season

I think the formation isn't the problem, similar formations are successfully deployed in other teams, it is the players that are the issue. We might need to stop concerning ourselves with buying an even spread of decent players and go after one great player even if it means paying overs in wages and transfers, rather than 2 average players at 20 mill and 80k a week, let's try and tempt a 40 mill and 160k a week.

Look at Liverpool, mediocre side that featured a reprehensible yet outstanding player in Suarez, he is gone and they have basically done a carbon copy of what we did with the same results. Similarly us with Bale, we were a bee's dick away from securing 4th on the back of his outstanding displays. It is not just in their individual displays, but their ability to lift the team create excitement and get the fans involved.

Is this easy to do? NO, it is hard to come across players like this, but it is the task of the club and the manager to be proactive and FIND this player. It is not impossible, I think we have too often thought about players and gone 'no, too hard' or 'no, he wont want to come to Spurs' money talks and so does pandering to the ego of a player.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Persistent LUCK Mr Mason. Persistent luck at Villa is what changed.

A red on their best player who was tearig us apart, that could well have been for you (probably should have been, although I hate to say it) & a deflected goal is what changed it. Not persistance

 

[UbeAstard]

Look at Liverpool, mediocre side that featured a reprehensible yet outstanding player in Suarez, he is gone and they have basically done a carbon copy of what we did with the same results.

Im glad you raised that because I was bored with hearing about this messiah manager last year who 'Levy would have fired for not getting 4th' garbage. People also casting envious glances over there as if he would have been a solution, lets see how well he does without Suarez this year and with scousers already questioning what he does.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I love unchanging 'philosophies'. Different games call for different tactics, no matter how spectacular your philosophy is when it's working at its best.

Even the most successful managerial philosophy, arguably, in the history of the game (Guardiola's) came unstuck against Madrid last season in remarkable fashion.

 

[yido_number1]

I love unchanging 'philosophies'. Different games call for different tactics, no matter how spectacular your philosophy is when it's working at its best.

Even the most successful managerial philosophy, arguably, in the history of the game (Guardiola's) came unstuck against Madrid last season in remarkable fashion.

Mourinho is very good at adapting his tactics and the Arse game shows Pochettino has the potential to see that as well if on a lesser scale. The biggest challenge for Poch is coming up with an effective method for playing at home against teams with no ambition and how to break them down.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

The biggest challenge for Poch is coming up with an effective method for playing at home against teams with no ambition and how to break them down.

That is, to be fair, one of the hardest tasks in modern football. We've struggled with it ever since Harry turned us into challengers (and Harry did turn us into challengers, despite what the ridiculous naysayers will have you believe). Even Mourinho was failing to do it on a number of occasions last season, and Arsenal sometimes do - though they usually manage an infuriating winner in the final stages of most games.

I don't know if this is just an unfounded instinct of mine, but I've always felt that having a larger pitch makes a significant difference in this respect. A better team has more opportunity to play good football if they have more space. Our pitch is the 19th biggest in the league. The biggest? Manchester City.

 

[Gazza2K2]

I think that Poch has had a difficult start to his spell, but I think we have some serious problems with the players in our squad. Too many players just don't have that excitement or buzz, they are slow on their feet, reactive and they dont seem to ever take on an opponent, we press them into their half then always pass sideways, back, switch the play and all it does it guarantee that we won't be able to penetrate the oppositions defense. We need to take more risks when attacking, play an early ball into the box, a quick one into the feet of the strikers, try a few runs, take a punt on a through ball. It is just so safe and stagnant. I'm sure Poch can see it and is telling them to attack with urgency and pace, likewise AvB probably did, but here is no real starts or dominant characters to drive the team forward.

Kane and Mason show this buzz, risk taking and excitement, they are energetic, have a dig at half chances etc and they have been the two shining lights this season

I think the formation isn't the problem, similar formations are successfully deployed in other teams, it is the players that are the issue. We might need to stop concerning ourselves with buying an even spread of decent players and go after one great player even if it means paying overs in wages and transfers, rather than 2 average players at 20 mill and 80k a week, let's try and tempt a 40 mill and 160k a week.

Look at Liverpool, mediocre side that featured a reprehensible yet outstanding player in Suarez, he is gone and they have basically done a carbon copy of what we did with the same results. Similarly us with Bale, we were a bee's dick away from securing 4th on the back of his outstanding displays. It is not just in their individual displays, but their ability to lift the team create excitement and get the fans involved.

Is this easy to do? NO, it is hard to come across players like this, but it is the task of the club and the manager to be proactive and FIND this player. It is not impossible, I think we have too often thought about players and gone 'no, too hard' or 'no, he wont want to come to Spurs' money talks and so does pandering to the ego of a player.

Wow!! Absolutely, 100% spot on. Could not agree more with every single point u made.
Current players basically not giving a fcuk.
Mason and Kane showing pride in wearing the shirt.
With the Bale money we should have bought 2 top level players not 7!

 

[slartibartfast]

="Rout-Ledge, post: 4315774, member: 5935]
I don't know if this is just an unfounded instinct of mine, but I've always felt that having a larger pitch makes a significant difference in this respect. A better team has more opportunity to play good football if they have more space. Our pitch is the 19th biggest in the league. The biggest? Manchester City.

.
Can't see it myself. The difference is minute plus it looked just fine when Harry was in charge and we were stretching defences here there and everywhere. Its been that size for decades and has been just fine.
The problem is we aren't playing with any width. The pitch could be a mile wide and it wouldn't make any difference at the moment.
Too slow going forward and no width. It really is that simple.
I cant understand why Poch cant see it or doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

.
Can't see it myself. The difference is minute plus it looked just fine when Harry was in charge and we were stretching defences here there and everywhere. .

I loved us under Harry but there were many many frustrating occasions against lesser sides where we failed to break down a stubborn defence. It cost us CL in two separate seasons.

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

I think that Poch has had a difficult start to his spell, but I think we have some serious problems with the players in our squad. Too many players just don't have that excitement or buzz, they are slow on their feet, reactive and they dont seem to ever take on an opponent, we press them into their half then always pass sideways, back, switch the play and all it does it guarantee that we won't be able to penetrate the oppositions defense. We need to take more risks when attacking, play an early ball into the box, a quick one into the feet of the strikers, try a few runs, take a punt on a through ball. It is just so safe and stagnant. I'm sure Poch can see it and is telling them to attack with urgency and pace, likewise AvB probably did, but here is no real starts or dominant characters to drive the team forward.

Kane and Mason show this buzz, risk taking and excitement, they are energetic, have a dig at half chances etc and they have been the two shining lights this season

I think the formation isn't the problem, similar formations are successfully deployed in other teams, it is the players that are the issue. We might need to stop concerning ourselves with buying an even spread of decent players and go after one great player even if it means paying overs in wages and transfers, rather than 2 average players at 20 mill and 80k a week, let's try and tempt a 40 mill and 160k a week.

Look at Liverpool, mediocre side that featured a reprehensible yet outstanding player in Suarez, he is gone and they have basically done a carbon copy of what we did with the same results. Similarly us with Bale, we were a bee's dick away from securing 4th on the back of his outstanding displays. It is not just in their individual displays, but their ability to lift the team create excitement and get the fans involved.

Is this easy to do? NO, it is hard to come across players like this, but it is the task of the club and the manager to be proactive and FIND this player. It is not impossible, I think we have too often thought about players and gone 'no, too hard' or 'no, he wont want to come to Spurs' money talks and so does pandering to the ego of a player.

100% agree. Been saying this all season.