Playing like poo poo

[JonnySpurs]

I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here. We have an extremely strong first 11 and have a couple of good contributors on the bench in Vorm & Winks as well as Lamela who hasn't been fit for a while. Beyond that we're struggling for genuine quality to step in when we have injuries and whilst last season we managed to get through the majority of the season without any major injuries, that hasn't been the same this season.

It can't be coincidence that our last bad run happened when Toby went down injured and this bad run has happened when both JV and Rose have. Our system is clearly driven heavily by the specific players we have in each position. They compliment each other beautifully and that has been seen across xmas and new year when we smashed Saints & Watford away and WBA and Chelsea at home.

JV will be back this weekend and hopefully Rose will be back by the time we play Stoke. After that we need to hope and pray we can keep them all fit. Lamela coming back will be a boost and hopefully will give us enough to consolidate a top 4 finish and possibly take a run at one of the cups but come the summer, we have a lot of work to do to recruit some good strength.

 

[Lemon]

what's happening this season is nothing new with Pochettino's teams and the same happened to us last season...the team is tired and we will blow the rest of the season....wait and see!

It is very frustrating that most people refuse to see the patterns.

It's not a critique of Poch directly, but if you want to have the 'bring the intensity to training' mantra, then the players must have longer, or better, recovery periods. Last night should have seen Kane and Alli on the bench at best, Dembele has never had the fitness for two games in a week like that. So frustrating.

As you say, we've seen it before, at the start and end of last season, then this season the start also led to a secondary phase of exhaustion and spate of injuries (compounded by summer exploits for some granted).

 

[dudu]

I think that people get frustrated trying to understand why we get an outstanding result (i.e. Chelsea or like when we played City) and then look ordinary or below par for a number of games afterwards. Is it tiredness? Do the players find it hard to get motivated for certain games? Wrong team selection? I understand the annoyance and probably sit somewhere between that and your relaxed approach.

That's fair. It's a question I think one could ask about every sports team that has ever existed.

Ultimately there are so many factors when you're talking about 11 individuals following another individuals plan to beat 11 individuals who are following an individuals plan to beat you.

If the people in charge can't work out how to win every game then I'm not going to be able to either. I just try to look at the overall picture and think about it pragmatically.

 

[widmerpool]

(compounded by summer exploits for some granted).

Which is, at least, a reason to be a tiny bit more optimistic about next season, counterbalancing the curse of Wembley.

 

[Shea]

I think so fundamental to our style of play is the attacking width of Rose and Walker that since Vertonghen has been injured and we've stopped playing 3 at the back this has shackled our wing backs slightly and affected our form, add to that that Rose got injured and replaced by Davies who isn't able to attack and over lap the forward players in the same way and we've become quite ordinary

I think as soon as we have Rose and Walker back to their optimised best with 3 CB's covering their forward runs we will magically transform in to a top team again, such is their importance to our attacking play

 

[shelfboy68]

I think so fundamental to our style of play is the attacking width of Rose and Walker that since Vertonghen has been injured and we've stopped playing 3 at the back this has shackled our wing backs slightly and affected our form, add to that that Rose got injured and replaced by Davies who isn't able to attack and over lap the forward players in the same way and we've become quite ordinary

I think as soon as we have Rose and Walker back to their optimised best with 3 CB's covering their forward runs we will magically transform in to a top team again, such is their importance to our attacking play

Agree lot of us mentioned this last night mate but unfortunately a couple of injuries plus what appears to be Poch's refusal to try others in that system has got us to this point.
That 3 at the back really did transform us from good to really good in an instance and since then it has stifled any creativity or flow that we had.

 

[Shea]

Agree lot of us mentioned this last night mate but unfortunately a couple of injuries plus what appears to be Poch's refusal to try others in that system has got us to this point.
That 3 at the back really did transform us from good to really good in an instance and since then it has stifled any creativity or flow that we had.

It highlights the need for increased depth

Players who can actually come in and offer an alternative instead of just making up the numbers before the real players come back

 

[shelfboy68]

It highlights the need for increased depth

Players who can actually come in and offer an alternative instead of just making up the numbers before the real players come back

This is where the recruitment in the summer needs to be better in terms of giving us greater but quality in depth, then and only then will we able to compete properly.

 

[aliyid]

Did people really think we'd walk past Gent with an easy win? They're a decent team, made it to last 16 of champs lge last season beating Zenit on the way... people are talking like we've just lost to Accrington Stanley

The whole media narrative of assuming any English team will walk the Europa if only they tried is absurdly arrogant and insulting to the rest of Europe

We had the better of the game but couldn't make that final ball to create a clear chance but from what I saw I think we've got every chance of turning it around in the home leg

 

[Shea]

Did people really think we'd walk past Gent with an easy win? They're a decent team, made it to last 16 of champs lge last season beating Zenit on the way... people are talking like we've just lost to Accrington Stanley

The whole media narrative of assuming any English team will walk the Europa if only they tried is absurdly arrogant and insulting to the rest of Europe

We had the better of the game but couldn't make that final ball to create a clear chance but from what I saw I think we've got every chance of turning it around in the home leg

No but I thought we would beat their second string and at the very least I expected us to go there with the bit between our teeth following the shambles at Anfield and play with high energy and create lots of chances

I expected us to either win well or have had their keeper play a worldie to keep us to a narrow victory or a draw

What I did not expect was to see us playing with no real intensity, lack the ability to retain possession and create very little throughout the 90 mins

What I did not expect against the team currently 8th in the Belgian league playing only half their strongest team was for us to come away thanking Hugo for a world class save to keep us only 1 down with a fighting chance

 

[sunnydelight786]

Did people really think we'd walk past Gent with an easy win? They're a decent team, made it to last 16 of champs lge last season beating Zenit on the way... people are talking like we've just lost to Accrington Stanley

The whole media narrative of assuming any English team will walk the Europa if only they tried is absurdly arrogant and insulting to the rest of Europe

We had the better of the game but couldn't make that final ball to create a clear chance but from what I saw I think we've got every chance of turning it around in the home leg

If you are going to use the narrative that, 'how can you expect a team that has the 6th highest wage bill/budget win the PL', as an excuse for our failings then 'how can a team with a wage bill/budget that is a fraction of ours beat us'? One of their club legends is Bryan Ruiz, yes THAT Bryan Ruiz of Fulham fame, and he even had a bloody food kiosk named after him in the new stadium!

If we did take the comp more seriously, like the Spanish/Italians/Germans do for example, then we would be making QF as a minimum most seasons. The fact that we don't clearly shows in our team selections and performances.
Fact is we don't as it does not pay enough, Money>Glory is what counts for PL clubs....

 

[JimmyG2]

Did people really think we'd walk past Gent with an easy win? They're a decent team, made it to last 16 of champs lge last season beating Zenit on the way... people are talking like we've just lost to Accrington Stanley

The whole media narrative of assuming any English team will walk the Europa if only they tried is absurdly arrogant and insulting to the rest of Europe

We had the better of the game but couldn't make that final ball to create a clear chance but from what I saw I think we've got every chance of turning it around in the home leg

The way we played last night
I think Accrington Stanley might have beaten us all on his own.

 

[Shea]

The way we played last night
I think Accrington Stanley might have beaten us all on his own.

I live in Fulham area - I know several of their fans who all suddenly fancy their chances on Sunday

 

[Garbob]

I live in Fulham area - I know several of their fans who all suddenly fancy their chances on Sunday

I fancy their chances too

 

[Gb160]

This is where the recruitment in the summer needs to be better in terms of giving us greater but quality in depth, then and only then will we able to compete properly.

Its a valid point but where are we going to find a left back who comes close to Rose in terms of quality, who'll be happy to sit on the bench for 90% of matches?
I doubt there are any.

 

[shelfboy68]

Its a valid point but where are we going to find a left back who comes close to Rose in terms of quality, who'll be happy to sit on the bench for 90% of matches?
I doubt there are any.

You also raise a valid point I suppose in his case although someone like KWP could possibly do a job there soon but there is no doubt that the bar on quality is raised across the squad.

 

[Gb160]

You also raise a valid point I suppose in his case although someone like KWP could possibly do a job there soon but there is no doubt that the bar on quality is raised across the squad.

Hes a right back no?

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Has anyone come out with the obligatory 'it's better to go out of these cup competitions anyway, means we can focus on the league ....' line yet?

If not, viola!

While I may have moaned about the last two performances, the season is far from over. The words that come to mind with Spurs at the moment - punching above our weight and the words that come to mind with sections of this fan base lately - self entitled.

Come on gents, long way to go yet!

Onwards to Sunday!

COYS.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

Its a valid point but where are we going to find a left back who comes close to Rose in terms of quality, who'll be happy to sit on the bench for 90% of matches?
I doubt there are any.

Its not a function of the same quality, obviously impossible to match Rose's quality, but we need to match function. Davies is an entirely different style of LB to Rose and that is what causes the problem. We need a LB with pace who is comfortable attacking. They won't be as good as Rose at either attacking or defending but they will allow us to play the same way. I think this is the art of squad building, to on the one hand have back ups who can replace the starter like for like and simultaneously have some variety in the squad that allows you to change the pattern of play when needed. Sadly in most respects we lack both. We don't have players to come in and replace like for like (Davies, Janssen) and the players who are supposed to offer us something different (Sissoko, GKN) just aren't fulfilling that function.

 

[Gb160]

Has anyone come out with the obligatory 'it's better to go out of these cup competitions anyway, means we can focus on the league ....' line yet?

If not, viola!

While I may have moaned about the last two performances, the season is far from over. The words that come to mind with Spurs at the moment - punching above our weight and the words that come to mind with sections of this fan base lately - self entitled.

Come on gents, long way to go yet!

Onwards to Sunday!

COYS.