Ratings vs Asteras

[Bulletspur]

Sleepy, Sloppy, Slow, sluggish, take your pick

Townsend my MOM

 

[Marty]

Decent first half, dreadful second. Townsend MOTM by a mile.

 

[mpickard2087]

Ok first half, a bit of a painful stroll but the Townsend switch and playing with a bit of width got us some joy and the two goals. Second half is possibly one of the worst that I have ever seen served up and really we should be embarrassed to have won that match.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Don't know how I'm supposed to do ratings. Team played well in the first half overall, but then in the second half everyone was asleep. Embarrassing display, we will lose by 2+ vs Stoke if we play like that.

Vorm MOTM.

 

[Syn_13]

Townsend definitely deserves MotM. I've criticised him a lot lately, but it's tough love as I want the local boy to do well, like Kane. On the right he was average but when he switched to the left he was a hell of a lot better. Played it simple and did what a winger should do.

Kane was very lively and took his goal well. Stambouli looked tidy for the most part, Davies stepped up a bit and Vorm did well in goal. Eriksen and Lamela were both pretty poor which is a worry. Mason looked tidy as usual when he came on. Soldado didn't get into the game at all, rather disappointingly. Dembele was his usual self, very dominating and covered a lot of ground but failed to actually do anything significant with the ball. Fazio had a decent game up until the pen, whether it was his fault or not.

Our mentality completely broke down in the 2nd half. I'd understand if we went hell for leather in the first half, the way Southampton used to before they tired out in the latter stages, but this wasn't a case of fatigue. We just switched off.

 

[SimpleSimonSays]

We have so many problems right now. This is going to be a very long journey for the team to be playing properly. I'm not convinced by most of the players at the moment and Poch needs to start kicking some ass. Very sloppy tonight. Definitely think we have some basic football knowledge issues in terms of the players thought processes. Lack of professionalism in my view

 

[Bofbro]

Benji was very good for me.

 

[Marty]

Our mentality completely broke down in the 2nd half. I'd understand if we went hell for leather in the first half, the way Southampton used to before they tired out in the latter stages, but this wasn't a case of fatigue. We just switched off.

That is the really disturbing thing. Unless MoPo has a book of lullabies that he reads to the team at HT there's no excuses for the players switching off like that. There's very little a manager can do when the team seemingly decides to stop playing.

 

[eddiebailey]

We have so many problems right now. This is going to be a very long journey for the team to be playing properly. I'm not convinced by most of the players at the moment and Poch needs to start kicking some ass.

Possibly starting with his own.

 

[carpediem991]

Vorm - 7 - did well enough.

Davies - 5 - okay at times but for me atm not good enough to play instead of rose
Fazio - first half: 8 - second half 2 - don't get that. Maybe because he was tested in 2nd half.
Vertonghen - 5.5 - must play better
Dier - 5 - he is not a RB. In emergency okay but cannot contribute sth to the offense...hopefully the Fazo sending off means he goes to CB and not Vlad.

Stambouli - 6 - solid first half, not so well in the second. couldnt help the defense too much
Dembele - 5 - worked hard, should be better in shielding the defense when needed and annoys me that he isnt effective enough

Lamela - 5.5 - tried, lost the ball again very often
Townsend - 7 - wow finally produced something. He should come more often from the left, as long the team knows who is playing on the right then.
Eriksen - 5 - expecting more..

Kane - 6.5 - scored again .

Soldado - 4 - wasnt there
Mason and Paulinho - 5 - couldnt give us stability


Team performance:

First half: Dominant in possession but little end product. Okay . 7
Second hald: Fucking shit . 1

Poch has to be asked some questions there. What was his tactics in second half. It got more confusing with every substitute. What about team defending?
Stoke will easily beat us with this kind of performance.

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Even though they werent great today, without Eriksen and Lamela we lost intelligent movement and passing, our ball retention and transitional play suffered and it left us much more susceptible to the counter attack.

Townsend was decent in the first half, two really good moments and put the effort in throughout the match, unfortunatley in the second half he reverted to type on occasion and just ran into silly situations. But better overall and I hope he keeps building on it and gets to point to challenge for a starting spot and other than Vorm, no one else came out with great credit.

Was reasonably impressed with Fazio and Stambouli in the 1st half too.

 

[kursaal]

Townsend, Davies and Stambouli in that order. Kane 4th.

 

[gp13tot]

vorm 6

dier 5
Davies 5
verts 6
fazio 6.5

benji 7
dembele 6.5
Townsend 7.5
eriksen 5.5
lamela 6

Kane 7

mason 6
Pauline 5
soldado 5

 

[spike472]

Townsend definitely deserves MotM. I've criticised him a lot lately, but it's tough love as I want the local boy to do well, like Kane. On the right he was average but when he switched to the left he was a hell of a lot better. Played it simple and did what a winger should do.

Kane was very lively and took his goal well. Stambouli looked tidy for the most part, Davies stepped up a bit and Vorm did well in goal. Eriksen and Lamela were both pretty poor which is a worry. Mason looked tidy as usual when he came on. Soldado didn't get into the game at all, rather disappointingly. Dembele was his usual self, very dominating and covered a lot of ground but failed to actually do anything significant with the ball. Fazio had a decent game up until the pen, whether it was his fault or not.

Our mentality completely broke down in the 2nd half. I'd understand if we went hell for leather in the first half, the way Southampton used to before they tired out in the latter stages, but this wasn't a case of fatigue. We just switched off.

Davies stepped up? I hate really to say it but he was dog shite mate.

 

[Syn_13]

That is the really disturbing thing. Unless MoPo has a book of lullabies that he reads to the team at HT there's no excuses for the players switching off like that. There's very little a manager can do when the team seemingly decides to stop playing.

I remember Pellegrini saying something about a manager's role when the team is out on the pitch is limited to about 10% of the work. Don't want to bother questioning the size of the percentage, but I do think he has a point in what he's trying to say. The manager spends the week building up the team, getting the tactics nailed on, but when that whistle blows it's down to the players to get it right. The gaffer can only do so much to try to influence the team by making subs, switching the players about, giving them instructions etc., but it's still ultimately down to those players. I can't tell whether Poch is simply not addressing the mentality issue, which I hope isn't the case since he commented on it after the Toon game so knows it's there, or whether those players are constantly letting him down.

How does one address the issue of mentality? If you have players that simply don't give a shit but are talented do you drop them in favour of weaker players that do? Do you try to mix it up a bit? Do the players need to go out on these silly team building outings wear they have to fall backwards into each others' arms blindfolded in some weird trust exercise? Or does Poch need to grab them by the balls (metaphorically!) and tell them to give a shit? It's not all about winning either. Some clubs out there aren't that great, don't win much, but fight to the death and give you a bloody hard time. If Poch can truly sort out this mentality issue then he needs to be given a couple of transfer windows to do it and bring in the kind of players that he knows will suit his style and put in a proper shift.

 

[Syn_13]

Davies stepped up? I hate really to say it but he was dog shite mate.

I said "stepped up a bit", and I do believe that. He wasn't dog shit, that's just exaggeration. He was okay, simply that.

 

[mpickard2087]

I remember Pellegrini saying something about a manager's role when the team is out on the pitch is limited to about 10% of the work. Don't want to bother questioning the size of the percentage, but I do think he has a point in what he's trying to say. The manager spends the week building up the team, getting the tactics nailed on, but when that whistle blows it's down to the players to get it right. The gaffer can only do so much to try to influence the team by making subs, switching the players about, giving them instructions etc., but it's still ultimately down to those players. I can't tell whether Poch is simply not addressing the mentality issue, which I hope isn't the case since he commented on it after the Toon game so knows it's there, or whether those players are constantly letting him down.

How does one address the issue of mentality? If you have players that simply don't give a shit but are talented do you drop them in favour of weaker players that do? Do you try to mix it up a bit? Do the players need to go out on these silly team building outings wear they have to fall backwards into each others' arms blindfolded in some weird trust exercise? Or does Poch need to grab them by the balls (metaphorically!) and tell them to give a shit? It's not all about winning either. Some clubs out there aren't that great, don't win much, but fight to the death and give you a bloody hard time. If Poch can truly sort out this mentality issue then he needs to be given a couple of transfer windows to do it and bring in the kind of players that he knows will suit his style and put in a proper shift.

Yes absolutely you get the attitude/'culture' at the club right first, regardless of the standard of players. I talked about this the other week. You get a squad together who are professional, motivated and switched on which will uphold the high standards that should be placed on them, even if that means a reduction in quality. Weed out the ones who aren't going to buy into this and go from there. As time goes by you find players that can improve the squad but the foundations of the club have to be the professional structure with high standards in everything you do, and is the first thing that should be put in place.

 

[Spurs 1961]

Even though they werent great today, without Eriksen and Lamela we lost intelligent movement and passing, our ball retention and transitional play suffered and it left us much more susceptible to the counter attack.

Townsend was decent in the first half, two really good moments and put the effort in throughout the match, unfortunatley in the second half he reverted to type on occasion and just ran into silly situations. But better overall and I hope he keeps building on it and gets to point to challenge for a starting spot and other than Vorm, no one else came out with great credit.

Was reasonably impressed with Fazio and Stambouli in the 1st half too.

What you say about Lamela and Eriksen is true. Lamela particularly looks to play progressive football but also comes back to add support in the middle of the park. Though pretty ineffective today in attack this more defensive side of his play was missed and opened gaps up

 

[Marty]

Yes absolutely you get the attitude/'culture' at the club right first, regardless of the standard of players. I talked about this the other week. You get a squad together who are professional, motivated and switched on which will uphold the high standards that should be placed on them, even if that means a reduction in quality. Weed out the ones who aren't going to buy into this and go from there. As time goes by you find players that can improve the squad but the foundations of the club have to be the professional structure with high standards in everything you do, and is the first thing that should be put in place.

Which is why Poch really needs a carte blanche these first six months, if not all season. You can't properly assess something like this until you've seen the players in competitive matches. January and next summer will be very interesting.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Ok first half, a bit of a painful stroll but the Townsend switch and playing with a bit of width got us some joy and the two goals. Second half is possibly one of the worst that I have ever seen served up and really we should be embarrassed to have won that match.

Too bad Townsend doesn't play on an island kingdom he hails from every week