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Ratings vs Arsenal

MOM

  • Lloris

    Votes: 85 16.6%
  • Rose

    Votes: 11 2.1%
  • Verts

    Votes: 3 0.6%
  • Kaboul

    Votes: 385 75.2%
  • Naughton

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Capoue

    Votes: 6 1.2%
  • Mason

    Votes: 11 2.1%
  • Lamela

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Eriksen

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Chadli

    Votes: 5 1.0%
  • Adebayor

    Votes: 2 0.4%
  • Lennon

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Bentaleb

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Dier

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    512

jonathanhotspur

Loose Cannon
Jun 28, 2009
10,292
8,250
Hmmmm.

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0HM0P020140927?irpc=932

TOP NEWS
Pochettino happier than Wenger after derby draw
Sat, Sep 27 22:41 PM BST
By Mike Collett

LONDON (Reuters) - Mauricio Pochettino said this week he would like to stay at Tottenham Hotspur for as long as Arsene Wenger has been at Arsenal and performances like the one Spurs produced in the 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Saturday can only help his cause.

Tottenham, who so often come to the Emirates and leave with their cockerel feathers in tatters, showed true battling spirit and made the short journey home with a well-deserved point from a typically entertaining north London derby.

Wenger celebrates 18 years as Arsenal's boss on Wednesday while Pochettino has been Spurs manager for only three months.

This was Wenger's 44th derby against Spurs -- and he has only lost six -- and Pochettino's first.

While the young Argentine coach admitted that Spurs are still developing their style under his philosophy, which produced some excellent results at Southampton last season, he was hugely encouraged by the way they played.

"Today we showed that we could compete with a big team like Arsenal and this is a good point for us," said Pochettino. "I am happy.

"Younes Kaboul played like a real captain today and we really competed. Perhaps we still need to improve our style, but we have time.

"Arsene Wenger has been in charge here for 18 years and I have been here three months, and we can improve. But I loved this first derby. It was great.

"Amazing stadium, great atmosphere. Maybe we could have held on to win the game, but in the end I think a draw was a fair result."



IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Tottenham, who have only won one match at Arsenal since 1993, gave a vastly improved performance following their lacklustre display when they were beaten 1-0 at home by West Bromwich Albion last week.

Although Arsenal, who remain unbeaten in the league with two wins and four draws, dominated possession, Spurs defended superbly and counter-attacked with real threat when they did break, although they only had six shots.

Their opening goal after 56 minutes from Nacer Chadli came after they pressurised Arsenal into making a mistake in their own half, and the only time they faltered in defence was when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home Arsenal's equaliser with 17 minutes remaining.

Wenger, who rarely has a good word to say for his neighbours, found fault with them for time-wasting, but also applauded their defensive work.

"I can't remember having so much possession against a Tottenham team since I was here, but they defended well. To give them credit I think Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris all played well."

Arsenal may have had plenty of the ball, and put Tottenham under pressure, but they rarely created real scoring chances of their own.

Calum Chambers fired over the bar and Per Mertesacker forced a good save from Lloris with a powerful header which the Goal Decision System showed did not cross the line.

For once, though, Tottenham were not out-played and outmanoeuvred by their old adversaries.

As Pochettino said: "Our strategy was to be compact and play deep. If you give us Arsenal space to play they will. It worked today and we know the way to go."
 
Last edited:

JUSTINSIGNAL

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2008
15,980
48,498
As Pochettino said: "Our strategy was to be compact and play deep. If you give us Arsenal space to play they will. It worked today and we know the way to go."

Interesting. To be honest I think he chose the right strategy, especially after our recent thumpings against bigger teams. If we tried to play them at their own game we almost certainly would have been picked off as we don't look after possession well enough.

It wasn't pretty to watch but it was good to see Poch has the adaptability to switch tactics and be more pragmatic to grind out results.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
@jonathanhotspur

I hadn't even read that article before posting my tuppence worth, if you think BC is fucking outstanding I must be edging into fucking bastard well outstanding?

Shirley?
 

stevenqoz

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2006
2,776
553
Regardless of whether the team was told 'to let them have it in the opponents half' or 'press up high' we were relatively unsucessful either way. When you instruct your side to make it compact you would expect the team to combine, reduce the gaps and make it difficult to come through the middle. Unfortunately I didn't see much combination pressure as we sat deep. We were fortunate that most of Arsenals 'final balls' came ended up coming from out wide and this allowed Kaboul and to a lesser extent Vert to do what centre backs ought to do best, head / volley the ball away. Arsenals lack of a traditional big striker suggests that tactically Wenger erred playing to one of our relative strengths.....the fact that a Wellbeck airswing from a cross seems to prove this. Glad to get the point but realistic enough to see how ugly and fortunate we were.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
Regardless of whether the team was told 'to let them have it in the opponents half' or 'press up high' we were relatively unsucessful either way. When you instruct your side to make it compact you would expect the team to combine, reduce the gaps and make it difficult to come through the middle. Unfortunately I didn't see much combination pressure as we sat deep. We were fortunate that most of Arsenals 'final balls' came ended up coming from out wide and this allowed Kaboul and to a lesser extent Vert to do what centre backs ought to do best, head / volley the ball away. Arsenals lack of a traditional big striker suggests that tactically Wenger erred playing to one of our relative strengths.....the fact that a Wellbeck airswing from a cross seems to prove this. Glad to get the point but realistic enough to see how ugly and fortunate we were.

So Arsenal having to go wide was not because we sat very deep, plus Capoue and Mason were often right in front of the defence offering a congested way through the middle?

I'd say we had an effect. Teams like Utd have for years played this way against Arsenal. Invite them to go wide, as they cant do anything with it. Presently with them missing Giroud it wasn't a bad tactic to adopt.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
It's a counter attacking tactic utilised by a lot of managers, very akin to what we have seen from Mourinho in certain games. It's risky, I give you that, but I agree with @mpickard2087 in his pre-game assessment that he wanted us to go there and be difficult to beat. It's not how I particularly want us to play at home, but I don't really have much problem with it away. I could see it being a very successful approach to games against weaker sides, and once we stop falling over our own feet when trying to carry the ball at pace.

I only want to see us play this way in the big games. Wouldn't want to see it regularly away from home even. There's an awful lot of cannon fodder in this league that I think we should be battering into submission.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
I only want to see us play this way in the big games. Wouldn't want to see it regularly away from home even. There's an awful lot of cannon fodder in this league that I think we should be battering into submission.

Yeah and agree, but it's a good tool to have in the box.
 

sloth

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2005
9,018
6,900
I think that article is pretty conclusive, the plan was to be compact, play deep and hit them on the break, and that's what we did.

Still annoyed with the work-rate/mentality of some of the front four and I think you can restrict options from the front even if you are playing deep, but that's another story.
 

SteveH

BSoDL candidate for SW London
Jul 21, 2003
8,642
9,313
Regardless of whether the team was told 'to let them have it in the opponents half' or 'press up high' we were relatively unsucessful either way. When you instruct your side to make it compact you would expect the team to combine, reduce the gaps and make it difficult to come through the middle. Unfortunately I didn't see much combination pressure as we sat deep. We were fortunate that most of Arsenals 'final balls' came ended up coming from out wide and this allowed Kaboul and to a lesser extent Vert to do what centre backs ought to do best, head / volley the ball away. Arsenals lack of a traditional big striker suggests that tactically Wenger erred playing to one of our relative strengths.....the fact that a Wellbeck airswing from a cross seems to prove this. Glad to get the point but realistic enough to see how ugly and fortunate we were.

Watched the game again yesterday, yeah sad I know.

I was of course pleased to come away with something from the game and on the day could see some positives.
One of the few positives that remained on my second viewing was the character and fight of the team.

Sadley I think the days are gone for a while away when we will see a Spurs team playing free flowing attack football at the bigger clubs. This is quite understandable when we look at some of the shocking results last season.

I am intrigued to see how Pochettino will mould this group into hopefully a force in the EPL.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
To me it looked suspiciously like Poch and Co. had gone through the gameplan with the two banks of four and how he wanted them to play compact and get in behind the ball, but it was as if the two 'strikers' (including Chadli in this) hadn't been instructed on this. They were looking to press at times when the others were sitting, they should have been looking to get in behind the ball and be the first brick wall to go through. Far too often were wrong side of the ball.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I think our press was more of a 'set' to come into play in our own half, you could see an organisation of sorts, and in my view what you saw of Adebayor, Chadli etc 'looking round' was because they weren't sure if they should be retreating (something you never do) or breaking from the setup in our own half and go for the closedown themselves. It's where I think you have the 'press at all costs' a bit wrong, I think our plan was to preserve our energy for the counter attack (which we got into some very good positions with some woeful application to finish). If we would have gone hell for leather, with what you call Dortmund style (something I am not sure they will replicate at the Emirates) I could see us being burnt out of our arses by 60 mins. It's a counter attacking tactic utilised by a lot of managers, very akin to what we have seen from Mourinho in certain games. It's risky, I give you that, but I agree with @mpickard2087 in his pre-game assessment that he wanted us to go there and be difficult to beat. It's not how I particularly want us to play at home, but I don't really have much problem with it away. I could see it being a very successful approach to games against weaker sides, and once we stop falling over our own feet when trying to carry the ball at pace. We got into some exceptional positions as others have mentioned, but our decision making wasn't quite there. One from Chadli sticks in my mind first half when Adebayor and Lamela made perfect runs but Chadli chose the wrong one. Shit happens I guess.

It was a plan that we carried out 'pretty' well, Lloris made one world class save, and they scored their goal through a pinball effect madness, another day that doesn't happen and we walk away winners. In terms of who created the better opportunities then it was us hands down, our application to those situations let us down, not the approach to the game as a whole.

I have no idea where the journos sit at the Emirates but I find it quite hard to believe you have one from a renowned 'average joe' source in football365 that all of a sudden takes his seat on the Spurs bench. At least the soundbite is exactly that.

Personally, I think some of these conversations are pretty fruitless, as you will never move from the factoid that possession is king philosophy, you can deny it all you want but it is true Beece. Possession and passes made in the opposition half are very important to you, which is fine, but it's not always the best way to play the game, and as has also been mentioned, we take a lot more heart from the performance this year than last, where despite going a goal down in 20 odd minutes, we never even looked like threatening until right at the end of the 90.

It's the first time we have approached a game like that this season, against Liverpool we were awful, but it looked as though we were still trying to get at their players higher up the pitch and squeeze the area the game was played in, didn't work obviously. This game looked like a totally different approach, and one I'm quite happy with.

A simple "yes" would have sufficed, I really didn't need all the other hackneyed bollocks about possession and journalists conspiracies.
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,330
As in I don't think it's a plea for patience at all, if I remember that was a quote from his post match interview, said in a light hearted way in reference to Wenger being there for years and him not. It wasn't a 'I need a votslothe of confidence from the board and fans' type plea.
Not sure that says a lot. We have the journalist's opinion about the tactics supported by a stock answer from Poch about the result.
 

stevenqoz

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2006
2,776
553
So Arsenal having to go wide was not because we sat very deep, plus Capoue and Mason were often right in front of the defence offering a congested way through the middle?


I would be interested to see how many tackles / interceptions those two actually made because my impression watching it was that they were successfully playing through the middle as if we were bollards...the usual general Arsenal overelaboration / overplaying meant they eventually squeezed themselves out wide late rather than coming down the flanks and beating the fullbacks to get crosses in...
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
Regardless of whether the team was told 'to let them have it in the opponents half' or 'press up high' we were relatively unsucessful either way. When you instruct your side to make it compact you would expect the team to combine, reduce the gaps and make it difficult to come through the middle. Unfortunately I didn't see much combination pressure as we sat deep. We were fortunate that most of Arsenals 'final balls' came ended up coming from out wide and this allowed Kaboul and to a lesser extent Vert to do what centre backs ought to do best, head / volley the ball away. Arsenals lack of a traditional big striker suggests that tactically Wenger erred playing to one of our relative strengths.....the fact that a Wellbeck airswing from a cross seems to prove this. Glad to get the point but realistic enough to see how ugly and fortunate we were.

Air bullshit calling Mr Bear, mrP and mr motd BG for their flight to reality.
 

SteveH

BSoDL candidate for SW London
Jul 21, 2003
8,642
9,313
To me it looked suspiciously like Poch and Co. had gone through the gameplan with the two banks of four and how he wanted them to play compact and get in behind the ball, but it was as if the two 'strikers' (including Chadli in this) hadn't been instructed on this. They were looking to press at times when the others were sitting, they should have been looking to get in behind the ball and be the first brick wall to go through. Far too often were wrong side of the ball.

I think it will have to be baby steps this season as the squad are undergoing a seed change. Rome wasn't built in a day......
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I think that article is pretty conclusive, the plan was to be compact, play deep and hit them on the break, and that's what we did.

Still annoyed with the work-rate/mentality of some of the front four and I think you can restrict options from the front even if you are playing deep, but that's another story.

The General plan is not being disputed. How well we performed within it is what smd of us are disputing.

We weren't compact. They walked through our first line like it wasn't there.
 

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