Mentality letting us down - Pochettino

[yido_number1]

100% true in my opinion, there are other issues, some of which can be rectified with a better mentality but others Poch has to take blame for. Adebayor starting was a mistake, personally Dier doesn't look at all comfortable as a right back, partially due to needing a different set of skills defending out wide than you do down the centre but most likely due to confidence and fatigue.

We lack width down the right as Dier does not commit as much and as quickly as a full back should along with Lamela not utilising the right hand space (I do not think he should be played on the right, more of a 2nd striker to me).

Rose looks a threat down the left and has improved considerably but crossing is not his forte.

Capoue's protection of the back four has been inadequate as there is too much space between the defensive minded player and the last line of defence.

Chadli like Lamela is not a winger, a second striker type player too who seeks the ball within the width of the 18 yard box; with Rose bombing on that is not much of a problem but he, like Lamela is predictable.

Mason has been a superb addition to the starting 11 however some of his decisions haven't been the best I will put that down to experience for now, but like many have said he has talent.

Eriksen for me should play closer to Mason, allowing for an inverted scalene triangle (with Capoue as the anchor/ ball sprayer) which should be the basis of our attacks. When we reach the final third the triangle should be focused around Mason, Eriksen and the striker, which would be Soldado for me, where Lamela and Chadli attempt to either create space down the wings by moving from out to in, or by going wide spreading the defensive shape of the opposition, creating inward alleyways for others to exploit.

Lamela, well what can we say about this player, someone who has an abundance of potential which for Spurs has not been realised yet. He does not have any positional sense out wide, he can get into good positions down the centre but those positions are usually congested due to him (and others) narrowing the playable pitch. For me play him as a secondary striker (of kinds).

[He reminds me of Silva in a way, against West Ham was completely inaffective out wide, when he gets central just behind Aguero he was able to dictate the play around the 18 yard box, if Aguero was on the form he was against us, it would have been a win for City without a doubt.]

All in all I would go for a line-up that defends (Non counter attacks) like this:

(4-3-3)

Lloris

Chiriches* Fazio Vertonghen Rose

Capoue Mason

Eriksen
Lamela-------------------Chadli

Soldado
​

And attacks like this:

Lloris

Fazio -------------Vertonghen
Capoue
Chiriches*--------------------------------------------Rose
Mason -----------Eriksen
Lamela

Soldado

* - Until Naughton/ Walker is fit
​

But hey, that essay is just my belief.

Chiriches is shocking...

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Yes mentality.

The decision to stick Ade in was mental.

All fate and hate goes through Ade.

I mean why he didn't cover Dier for the Bar Codes seven second leveler is beyond me.

If Ade was the only fault in this team i would rejoice, i truly would.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

I agree with him. Something is properly wrong with the players heads.

Do we have a sports psychologist on the team? If not we ought to

Just hired one:

 

[Duncs]

We seem to have adopted a policy of selling off all the players with a bit of fight in them - Holtby, Dawson, Sandro, Siggy. Should have kept at least one of them.

 

[Shirtfront]

Yes mentality.

The decision to stick Ade in was mental.

The scorer?

 

[S17PUR]

(4-3-3)

Lloris

Chiriches* Fazio Vertonghen Rose

Capoue Mason

Eriksen
Lamela-------------------Chadli

Soldado
​

And attacks like this:

Lloris

Fazio -------------Vertonghen
Capoue
Chiriches*--------------------------------------------Rose
Mason -----------Eriksen
Lamela

Soldado

* - Until Naughton/ Walker is fit
​

But hey, that essay is just my belief.

Would rather try Lennon at right back personally. He's actually pretty good defensively (though admittedly might struggle in the air!) and more importantly he would get forward and provide some much needed width. Worth a go in the Europa League perhaps, until Walker/Yedlin are available.

 

[PT]

I was at the game watching a rapid terrace exit post 70 minutes and got to thinking that there's no-one on the pitch who we can hang our hopes on doing something individual and extra-ordinary - a hero - a match winner.

In the past we've had the likes of Bale and Defoe and King and Ginola etc yet until maybe Lamela or Eriksen step up consistently, there's no-one on the park we can hang on for to expect the unexpected.

 

[WestBelfast Spurs]

legends all of them, not one has the fighting spirit, we sold the only player that really gave a fuck about us to Hull and gave his captains armband to put it lightly a clown that should not be a 1st choice CB, whole fucking place reeks of miss-management

 

[ItsBoris]

Maybe one thing we could stop doing is talking about qualifying for CL. It adds unnecessary pressure and sets expectations too high. We aren't qualifying this year, at least not through the league, so just forget it.

I hate that people care so much about it every year when we clearly don't have a good enough team to do it.

 

[supachan]

The scorer?

Yeah - scores 2 goals in 10 games and does fuck all in most games - runs the channels & waits on the wing when the ball is pumped in there . Seriously do you think he should be starting every PL game

 

[Sweetsman]

100% true in my opinion, there are other issues, some of which can be rectified with a better mentality but others Poch has to take blame for. Adebayor starting was a mistake, personally Dier doesn't look at all comfortable as a right back, partially due to needing a different set of skills defending out wide than you do down the centre but most likely due to confidence and fatigue.

We lack width down the right as Dier does not commit as much and as quickly as a full back should along with Lamela not utilising the right hand space (I do not think he should be played on the right, more of a 2nd striker to me).

Rose looks a threat down the left and has improved considerably but crossing is not his forte.

Capoue's protection of the back four has been inadequate as there is too much space between the defensive minded player and the last line of defence.

Chadli like Lamela is not a winger, a second striker type player too who seeks the ball within the width of the 18 yard box; with Rose bombing on that is not much of a problem but he, like Lamela is predictable.

Mason has been a superb addition to the starting 11 however some of his decisions haven't been the best I will put that down to experience for now, but like many have said he has talent.

Eriksen for me should play closer to Mason, allowing for an inverted scalene triangle (with Capoue as the anchor/ ball sprayer) which should be the basis of our attacks. When we reach the final third the triangle should be focused around Mason, Eriksen and the striker, which would be Soldado for me, where Lamela and Chadli attempt to either create space down the wings by moving from out to in, or by going wide spreading the defensive shape of the opposition, creating inward alleyways for others to exploit.

Lamela, well what can we say about this player, someone who has an abundance of potential which for Spurs has not been realised yet. He does not have any positional sense out wide, he can get into good positions down the centre but those positions are usually congested due to him (and others) narrowing the playable pitch. For me play him as a secondary striker (of kinds).

[He reminds me of Silva in a way, against West Ham was completely inaffective out wide, when he gets central just behind Aguero he was able to dictate the play around the 18 yard box, if Aguero was on the form he was against us, it would have been a win for City without a doubt.]

All in all I would go for a line-up that defends (Non counter attacks) like this:

(4-3-3)

Lloris

Chiriches* Fazio Vertonghen Rose

Capoue Mason

Eriksen
Lamela-------------------Chadli

Soldado
​

And attacks like this:

Lloris

Fazio -------------Vertonghen
Capoue
Chiriches*--------------------------------------------Rose
Mason -----------Eriksen
Lamela

Soldado

* - Until Naughton/ Walker is fit
​

But hey, that essay is just my belief.

Did you write Chiriches? And inverted scalene triangle?

 

[Japhet]

Simple fact is that we are rubbish against teams who are prepared to roll their sleeves up and put in a shift (west Ham, West Brom, Newcastle). Our players all fancy themselves against the big boys (but come up short) and seem to think they can stroll onto the pitch and bag the points against the rest. This level of complacency is nothing new of course but dishing out individual blame left, right and centre serves no purpose. Roll on January when I hope Levy, for once, has the cheque book ready and some ink in his pen. We need some leaders who don't think the sun shines out of their arses.

 

[bsinghd]

Just seen QPR do something that Spurs seem completely unable to do; one of their pacy players runs down the wing and crosses to a striker making a move across the six yard box to the front post and then actually scores. What a novel way of playing football and putting the other team under pressure when defending. If only some of our players could somehow understand this new philosophy and run past a player on the wing to create space for their team mates and confusion for the defending team!

 

[double0]

Imo the weak players mentally are.

1. Vertonghen thinks his better than what we actually see.

2. Kaboul, a mistake a game poor concentration poor decision making... the captain should of been Kyle Walker.

3. Adebayor to many outside pressures away from football.

4. Soldado just not suitable, his had chances and not taken them tbf it's not like his a young player.

5. Dembele (and i had such high hopes) All the skill and powers in the world yet failed to dominate games consistently or take responsibility.


Lloris

Walker(c)
Fazio
Chiriches
Rose

Mason
Capoue
Eriksen

Lamela
Kane
Chadli.

Walker unfit atm so I'd play Lennon at right back and give Dier a break. He is a CB only built that way.

 

[doom]

there was a tv commentator spending all his time having a go at Lamela for going inside and wanting Lennon on then of course Lennon comes on and doesn't get the ball. I don't think that game needed a right winger but was is certain is we need players running into the box for an all out attack - Rose played so many balls in and half the time no one was around. There is not enough movement generally - the defence find it difficult getting the ball ou, the midfield find it difficult getting the ball into dangerous areas and of course the attackers can't put them away when they do get a chance.
Our game depends on all of our players being on form which rarely happens..

 

[Spurs 1961]

Newcastle changed from one half time talk but also the move suggested by their psychologist, if reports are true, to get out early for the half. This enabled them to warm up, think about how bad they had been and then literally start the second half on the front foot. Poch won't solve problems just by hand wringing and stating the obvious, he needs to do things that help to bring about changes in mentality

 

[myhartlane]

In North Lower i have stereo muppet whingers behind me who detest Ade for his history and his style of effort. Even after scoring it was a case of it just hit him on the head as he's crap in the air.
When the ball was up North end at a corner Ade was hunched down after being hit minutes beffre when he had stayed down.
At an opportune quiet moment this twat behind me stood up and screamed at him Ade you're an Arsenal WANKER.
This didn't get any acknowledgement but just then he got subbed off and kind of sprinted off to the amusement of the two muppets as they suggested it was the fastest he had moved all afternoon.
As Ade went down the tunnel for treatment he stopped to crouch down in apparent pain.

At the beginning of the afternoon, during the Bill Nick celebration, the crowd was well up for the game and it seemed as if it would carry the team for the afternoon, but it quickly dispelled and toward the end there were swathes of empty seats. It was really poor ans must have transferred the message to the team out on the park.

Interesting. Sounds harsh but there seems to be something toxic about our club.