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The Mauricio Pochettino thread

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thfc1973

Active Member
Apr 29, 2015
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I think Poch needs to be questioned as to why he still hasn't learnt from his previous mistakes and still waits far too long before making a substitution..
Not making a sub in a must win game until the 80th min when we needed to score and then just conceded a goal is outrageously naïve. You don't just make subs to protect a lead or get a goal to equalize, you have to sub to get a win - not be content with the same players and hope they somehow get you a goal.. A great manager is fearless and desperate enough to make early subs to get us a lead... Not wait and hope that what hasn't happened up till min75 will somehow mysteriously happen from min75 - 90... He does it far too many times and in high stakes football that's not good enough. Pep would never do what he does. Jose would never do what he does - so why does Poch think what he does is correct and works? Its almost as if he thinks his tactics are perfect and he's immune to conceding. He's deluded and living in fantasyland if he thinks that's the case.

I don't know if his disappointment is with the players but he needs to be disappointed with himself first for letting the team down. Once again, poor management of the team and the squad.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
I think Poch needs to be questioned as to why he still hasn't learnt from his previous mistakes and still waits far too long before making a substitution..
Not making a sub in a must win game until the 80th min when we needed to score and then just conceded a goal is outrageously naïve. You don't just make subs to protect a lead or get a goal to equalize, you have to sub to get a win - not be content with the same players and hope they somehow get you a goal.. A great manager is fearless and desperate enough to make early subs to get us a lead... Not wait and hope that what hasn't happened up till min75 will somehow mysteriously happen from min75 - 90... He does it far too many times and in high stakes football that's not good enough. Pep would never do what he does. Jose would never do what he does - so why does Poch think what he does is correct and works? Its almost as if he thinks his tactics are perfect and he's immune to conceding. He's deluded and living in fantasyland if he thinks that's the case.

I don't know if his disappointment is with the players but he needs to be disappointed with himself first for letting the team down. Once again, poor management of the team and the squad.

I think the problem more than anything at the weekend was the composition of the bench, that's why we got pictures of him sat there with a bit of a frown, deep in discussion with the assistant coaches, but pretty passive...... I read it as "oh fuck, I've got nothing on the bench for the chasing a game scenario, how do I change this?"

But selection of all 18 people in the matchday squad is down to him. Now I know there are some mitigating circumstances currently, we were without Son and Lamela, but Poch does a lot of the time just seem to throw whichever of his available senior (trusted) pro's that aren't starting into those seven bench slots, no matter what that then looks like - we often have three defenders, multiple samey midfielders etc.

I reckon you always need both attacking and defensive options on there. For instance, even just putting Georgiou/Nkoudou on the weekend's bench for say Wanyama automatically looks a lot better balance on paper, and covers more bases. Would you hold out much hope of them changing a game? Not really, but desperate times and all that...... Better to have the option to try, rather than none at all.
 

RichieS

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2004
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I think Poch needs to be questioned as to why he still hasn't learnt from his previous mistakes and still waits far too long before making a substitution..
Not making a sub in a must win game until the 80th min when we needed to score and then just conceded a goal is outrageously naïve. You don't just make subs to protect a lead or get a goal to equalize, you have to sub to get a win - not be content with the same players and hope they somehow get you a goal.. A great manager is fearless and desperate enough to make early subs to get us a lead... Not wait and hope that what hasn't happened up till min75 will somehow mysteriously happen from min75 - 90... He does it far too many times and in high stakes football that's not good enough. Pep would never do what he does. Jose would never do what he does - so why does Poch think what he does is correct and works? Its almost as if he thinks his tactics are perfect and he's immune to conceding. He's deluded and living in fantasyland if he thinks that's the case.

I don't know if his disappointment is with the players but he needs to be disappointed with himself first for letting the team down. Once again, poor management of the team and the squad.
So where's the credit for bringing on Dembélé and Lamela to change the Fulham match?
 

thfc1973

Active Member
Apr 29, 2015
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So where's the credit for bringing on Dembélé and Lamela to change the Fulham match?

But that just justifies my my point.. Poch made subs in that match prior to us conceding another goal that ultimately had a positive influence on the game and result.
In the Watford game he didn't and we conceded. He then immediately made a sub after conceding but at 80mins it was too little, too late.

Making a sub when you're chasing the game is a lot more harder and just adds more pressure than it is when you want to impress your strength and influence on the game and are looking for the winner. From a psychological perspective alone subbing when you're losing a game says volumes compared to when you're trying to get the winner.
 

DannyNZ

Well-Known Member
Jul 3, 2017
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So where's the credit for bringing on Dembélé and Lamela to change the Fulham match?
Credit given at the time but starting to look like back to the old ways. Don’t buy the line Poch looked at the bench with despair. An early change of Davies, an early change to support Dembele, there were plenty of options if you want to give them a go. The worst thing is to do nothing and hope something changes for you.
 

coys200

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May 22, 2017
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The sad thing is that this is likely the last season of this squad. Alderweireld vertonghen Rose dembele eriksen could all possibly leave by next season. Unfortunately I think people may look back in 5 years and think it was shameful this squad never won anything. Right now it’s hard to know if Pochettino is a great coach but not such a great manager in terms of getting over the line. We will probably have to wait 5-10 years to judge that, whether with us or another club.
 

mattie g

Well-Known Member
Jun 27, 2007
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But that just justifies my my point.. Poch made subs in that match prior to us conceding another goal that ultimately had a positive influence on the game and result.
In the Watford game he didn't and we conceded. He then immediately made a sub after conceding but at 80mins it was too little, too late.

Making a sub when you're chasing the game is a lot more harder and just adds more pressure than it is when you want to impress your strength and influence on the game and are looking for the winner. From a psychological perspective alone subbing when you're losing a game says volumes compared to when you're trying to get the winner.

So because we conceded in a match in which he didn’t make a change (and in which we had the better of play) completely nullifies the changes he’s made in previous games that had a positive effect on the result?
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
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My singlemost fear is that in years to come we shall look back on his tenure as manager with a feeling of "Could have....should have....but didn't".
I really do feel that because of him Spurs has at long last emerged from the shadows of mediocrity and become a footballing side that whilst extremely entertaining to watch, has also matured into one that has genuine claims to becoming and remaining a top,top team. I am also however unfortunately deeply concerned at the total lack of activity during the recent transfer window and fear that there is a danger of complacency creeping in.
This season is such a defining one....how the players evolve and also moving into the new ground......I am truly not trying to appear negative...simply expressing my 'concerns' which I sincerely hope will prove unfounded.(y)
 

jurgen

Busy ****
Jul 5, 2008
6,711
17,170
The sad thing is that this is likely the last season of this squad. Alderweireld vertonghen Rose dembele eriksen could all possibly leave by next season. Unfortunately I think people may look back in 5 years and think it was shameful this squad never won anything. Right now it’s hard to know if Pochettino is a great coach but not such a great manager in terms of getting over the line. We will probably have to wait 5-10 years to judge that, whether with us or another club.

Suspect Poch’s next move will be to a club that will help him fix holes in a squad and bring players in for competition and depth. And he’ll win trophies. It looks like we are a bit stale at the moment because in football terms, we probably are. We all know who that rests with though.

Some teams already had our number and we didn’t bring anyone new in to affect that so maybe that’s one reason why Poch is making (poor) attempts at changing things to become unpredictable. Who knows.

Of course, if that’s as good as it gets from Poch your misgivings would be correct but as I say I think he’s shown enough with us to move up the food chain and will likely get more opportunities to properly mould a winning squad.

But hopefully he stays with us for a good few years yet and finishes the job with one hand tied behind his back.
 

Diarmuid

Member
Aug 29, 2013
192
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Poch is angry at something. You can tell from the mild rebuke of the players after beating United.. the bulk of the team have been together for four years now. Needed some freshening up and didn't get it.
 

HW61

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
680
3,620
Reading his direct quotes and words from last season about being brave was a clear message to the Board. I don’t like what I’ve heard about the Board’s reaction to them. Their actions speak volumes.

As Diarmuid says Poch is angry. I don’t think it’s really at the players either. Zero backing and being completely screwed in his planning for the season and then the reality about the stadium delays being hidden from him (most likely) as well as the fans.

If Poch is not treated with respect by Levy why should he give it back at the end of the season.

There are still many on here who remain positive about Spurs; but it’s remarkable how many Spurs fans I bump into who have anything between apathy and anger towards them. Neither are good signs for the season ahead.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Suspect Poch’s next move will be to a club that will help him fix holes in a squad and bring players in for competition and depth. And he’ll win trophies. It looks like we are a bit stale at the moment because in football terms, we probably are. We all know who that rests with though.

Some teams already had our number and we didn’t bring anyone new in to affect that so maybe that’s one reason why Poch is making (poor) attempts at changing things to become unpredictable. Who knows.

Of course, if that’s as good as it gets from Poch your misgivings would be correct but as I say I think he’s shown enough with us to move up the food chain and will likely get more opportunities to properly mould a winning squad.

But hopefully he stays with us for a good few years yet and finishes the job with one hand tied behind his back.
Not sure he will want to continue working with one hand tied behind his back if he is serious about winning trophies and getting proper support then spurs is not the club for him.
So far his preparations have not gone well with little time to work with the squad, stadium fuck up and of course transfer stitch up, it has left him looking less relaxed than usual and who can blame him.
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,894
45,042
Having cogitated for a couple of days I am of the opinion that much of the stick Pochottino has taken for his tactics is unfair, for the record I'd have played Son from the start, maybe his fitness figures didn't tick the boxes with all the testing during training but on the other hand mentally he must have been on an absolute high.
That said I don't think it was tactics that were wrong, be honest did Liverpool actually have anybody worried thorugh the entire first half other than when we handed them gilt edged chances on a plate? Their first goal came not from any Liverpool pressure or good play it came from a series of blunders by our players and the manager is entitled to expect better.
I wouldn't be surprised if his three substitutions were his intention from the start, it worked and had we not given away sloppy goals it could well have been different.
 
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