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Ratings Vs Limassol (H)

Who was your MOTM?


  • Total voters
    255

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
It was a good result, important we qualified for the group stages. A number of points though I thought Kane had a good game but has to be much more clinical in front of goal. Townsend needs more coaching when to release the ball quicker when to dribble. Paulinho and Sandro need more work on their fitness levels other than that we pressed well.

Lloris 7 all that was required was done well.
Naugthon 7 solid enough, won pen.
Davies 7 A much better outting.
Chiriches 7 Controlled
Kaboul 7 Commanding
Sandro 6 A bit headless at times and need to improve fitness
Dembele 6.5 ok released the ball quicker
Paulinho 7 Good goal need to improve fitness
Lennon 5 did not offer much
Townsend 6 done more than Lennon even though he fustrated at times
Kane 7.5 missed a pen but impressive build up play and well taken goal.

Pochittino 8 I like his ideas
 

dondo

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2006
8,603
14,091
Paulinho, Sandro and chiriches were our best tonight. Kane did well too

Lennon and townsend were the poorest on the night

Thought Lennon had a good game. Lots of nice 1 st time flicks and touches to set up chances and nearly scored with a clever chip
 

mckenz

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
967
2,355
Poch - 9

9 changes and we still looked the same team. Thats so important for me right now.

The game took a while to get going but the shape looked good and the players (in the main) did the job asked. Yeah it got a little slow but we had away goals and it was their job to ask questions


AS for player ratings I'd go with the 7's all round except

Kane - 7.5 for leading the line and being really positive in possession. and for looking like he should be flying a spitfire

Sandro 7.5 for destroying everything. My favorite was him leaving one of them in a bloody heap and running 30 yards after the ball to see if he could do it again. I don't know if we should sell him but he's a proper good nutter to watch

Davies - 7.5 clever play at times and didn't look slow to me


and


Townsend - 6.54 trying too hard, not a team player, I don't know. Not very good really, maybe he could be coached and turn into something but.......
 

walworthyid

David Ginola
Oct 25, 2004
7,059
10,242
His role may not be a creative one, but he's still required to get the ball forward in some capacity, which he failed to do. Also even in a defensive only role he still wasn't all that above average. He wasn't strong enough in some challenges and also lost the ball on a few occasions as well. I can put some of that up to fitness though, but I think calling him man of the match requires making a whole lot of excuses and exceptions for him.
Not strong enough in some tackles?
 

SoulDog

Well-Known Member
Jan 31, 2005
3,620
590
It was like a training game so easy for them, limassol are not bad on the ball but they had nothing else. I Thought everyone played pretty well, and we should of won by much more

Sandro, Chiriches and kane were the real stand out players, Sandro bossed the game, love the way he jusr hunts players down and wins the ball, he makes so many important tackles, Chiriches takes risks but I.like that as he is a player who can, he is good on the ball and is a good defender, I have to admit I.like kane alot now, he Is smart good on the ball makes good run got good skill and holds the ball up very well.

Dembele had alot of time on.the ball and made some very good runs etc but still think he needs to do a bit more with it

Paulinho had a bit of a quiet first half but came into the game I like him but still feel he's needs to do.more he seems to do clever stuff at times and silly things


Townsend was frustrating, he kept giving the ball away lucky to get the pen which he took well because he was quite poor for most of the match tbh


Again this was such an easy game it is hard to see how good we are, the real test will be on Sunday
 

godemand

Active Member
Jun 8, 2003
130
139
Not taking the opposition in to consideration, most of the boys did well last night, and Vlad, Sandro and Kane in particular did better than I expected them to. Pochettino's high pressing system is rewarding for a fan to watch, not only when the opposition had the ball, but immediately when we lost the ball as well. The tracking back was excellent too. My only worry was when Townsend decided to dribble at times (and consequently lost the ball) when the team was in transition, i.e. fullbacks and midfielders running forward, we looked vulnerable on the break. There were times when Kaboul and Vlad were alone against several players due to Townsend's poor decision making. Hopefully the coaching team will teach him when to dribble and when to keep it simple.

Lloris 7 - did well when needed, sweeping up well on through balls. Lucky to get a freekick on the corner near the end

Naughton 7 - Capable, and more offensive than last season. Good work getting the pen. Needs to work on his offensive game.

Davies 7 - Best game for us so far. Tries one-twos and generally kept things simple. Want to see more crosses from the byline.

Kaboul 7 - Composed at the back, seems back to his old self. Dallying on the ball at times, but overall a good game.

Chiricheș 8 -Lost several aerial duels, but really aggressive in the tackle and won the ball ahead of the opponent on a regular basis throughout the game. Want him to stay.

Sandro 8 - Back to beast mode. Really strong tackling and harassed the opposition. Tired before substituted. Not sad if he stays.

Dembélé 7 - So strong, and with a wonderful center of gravity, slick dribbling, but needs to be more expansive in his passing.

Paulinho 7.5 - Worked hard, got a goal and an assist. Heavy first touch at times, but could be an option to Eriksen in the middle of a AM three.

Townsend 5 - Tried too hard to impress, and look unfit. Made poor choices, but worked hard. A few good attempts at goal.

Lennon 6 - In and out of the game, some good dribbling, and a nice through ball to Kane in the second half. Good pressing.

Kane 8 - Impressed by young Kane, good movement, good technique, nice finish for the goal. Could and should have scored more though.
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
BC, are you high? I refuse to believe that a positive ratings post written by you can be real :woot:

Being serious, I find our different interpretations of games interesting. I noticed the pressing on Sunday but you said it wasn't evident but today you said the pressing was excellent, but I didn't notice it too much (albeit I was watching it at the stadium as opposed to on TV)

I actually think you've been a bit too kind to Lennon and Townsend (especially Townsend).

You weren't the only one, our pressing was better collectively against QPR in my opinion, BC is doing his usual "I can see a point and you cant."
 

Dan Yeats

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2011
2,796
2,911
I love the "hivemind" thing.

Everyone disagrees with me... :(

Do they have a point maybe...?

NO! IT'S TEH HIVEMIND!!!! :D
 

Spurs_Bear

Well-Known Member
Jan 7, 2009
17,094
22,286
The only bad point of the game was having to listen to Clarke Carlisle, what an absolute berk of a man he is. He came out with this gem at one point:

"There are white rhinos around the world that would love to be goalkeepers, they're a protected species..."

Absolute ****.

I was very happy with the game again, I thought Limassol were a better outfit than QPR, and with a much changed side we still played well and looked like we were all on the same hymn sheet. Even though we clearly play to a plan, there was nothing robotic about our play, which I hope we can carry on. Biggest difference for me from the weekend was Lennon and Townsend, whose movement both with and without the ball was/is just not on a par with Lamela and Chadli.

Kane did well, but if you are being cruel then he should have had a hatful, time on his side though I guess.

Paulinho did ok, he comes out of the game with an assist and a goal, should do his confidence the world of good after a dismal summer in Brazil. And Dembele and Sandro controlled the middle of the park.

Good run out, good signs.

And I had £20 on 3-0...

Bosh.
 

Capocrimini

Well-Known Member
Sep 17, 2005
2,125
1,873
Thought Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho played very well, first time I've seen Paulinhio in a cam role and I thinks it's best suited for him. Really impressed with Dembele and Sandro, albeit against a shit team, and I differ on the opinion that Sandro has no passing ability. Davies and Naughton supported our wingers well, but Townsend and Lennon came across a little bland, but worked very hard.

Harry Kane was fantastic, had Soldado or Berbatov done some of the hold up play he did today we would be creaming. Don't want to jump the gun, but at the very least we have a striker who can get a few goals in the cups.
 

NI_Yid

Member
Aug 9, 2008
62
11
A hard choice but went for Chiriches in the end.. For me it would have been between him and Dembele... Hard to judge as a lot of the players had moments where they disappeared, but what do you expect with that caliber of game! Really impressed with the instant closing down of opponents thought, something we've always lacked and was great to see! Won so much possession through this which led to the build up for a couple of goals.

On a note, Townsend has to go.. He was diabolical last night in my opinion, nearly every forward pass ended up with the opposition or he just ran it out of play... A one trick pony which only worked for a few games I think!
 

Gilzeanking

Well-Known Member
May 7, 2005
6,093
5,019
Another plus game for Poch (9). We've heard so much about how everyone loves to play for him and how he improves players etc etc . Its the sort of PR guff one usually dismisses out of hand . However we seem to be seeing a lot of improved form all over the place .
Paulinho's (7) best game for ages . Kane (7.5) continues to get involved . Is Kabs form (7) picking up ? Sandro (7) looked
a bit better . Then many others improving in the 1st X1 . The press continues to develop ,we seem to catch oppo defenders out waaay more than before and create dangerous situations from it .

Big test coming up , so we'll see .

Looking , after 4 games vs less than stellar opposition , like the 'Poch is great' guff may have something to it..
 
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JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Was a bit dreary. Solid and competent and job done. Build up very slow and more negative passing than against QPR but this was the second eleven with 9 changes.

Lloris.........7......A cardboard cut-out would suffice at the moment.
Naughton..7......Solid performer. Still a little hesitant going forward.
Kaboul.......7..... Getting there. Took charge when required.
Chiriches....8......I like this boy. Positive attitude and brings a sense of danger at both ends.
Davies........7-.....First instinct is to turn back. Solid enough. Second to Rose at the moment. Amazing statement!
Sandro........7+...Better. Useful backup in certain games where the iron fist and the velvet glove combo required.
Dembele.....7......Better. Has definitely been Pochinetised. Quicker release of the ball.
Paulinho.....8......Goal an assist on return., Grew into the game. Has talent and class.
Kane..........8+....Kept his head up.Usually in the right place. Needs to be sharper in the area.
Townsend...6.....Come on Mauricio, work your magic. Ripe for improvement.
Lennon.......6+. Unlucky not to score. Quick feet and legs but brain a little lagging under duress.

Mauricio 9............Demanding and getting better individual performance. 9 changes and good substitutions.
............................Could easily get to like this man. Don't let up MP we're not there yet.
 

waresy

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2004
2,421
1,569
The only bad point of the game was having to listen to Clarke Carlisle, what an absolute berk of a man he is. He came out with this gem at one point:

"There are white rhinos around the world that would love to be goalkeepers, they're a protected species..."

Absolute ****.

That rounded off the evening for me... a genius line. (Ok he is a shockingly poor commentator).

Enjoyable game, some encouraging performances and probably confirmation of a couple of players weaknesses that we have seen before and need coaching on.

Not sure it gives any clues to players moving on or staying though
 

Marty

Audere est farce
Mar 10, 2005
39,885
62,559
The only bad point of the game was having to listen to Clarke Carlisle, what an absolute berk of a man he is. He came out with this gem at one point:

"There are white rhinos around the world that would love to be goalkeepers, they're a protected species..."

Absolute ****.
Tries too hard to be funny and fails 99% of the time, but I did laugh at that. So bad it's almost good.
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,331
Well well well my lovely Tottenhamistas, that was a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Two games running we've not had to engage our sphincters.

Twice in week we get to wheel out the "you can only outclass and stuff what's put in front of you" cliche.

The stiffs put on a really good show. First time this season we've seen the PochPress put into plan with any kind of collective cohesion and it really paid dividends, and more importantly, gave me a warm feeling down below.

One of those performances that, despite the quality of opposition, was pretty faultless. We pressed superbly and maintained that for about an hour. Our passing and movement was really good. We were good as a team and good individually.

No-one was bad, everyone was good but who shone the brightest ?

Kane was excellent in many ways, his movement was very good, some of his hold up play superb, he took his goal with composure, he still still needs too many great chances to score and despite generally being technically very competent he still occasionally gets in a bit of a muddle on the ball.

Sandro was Sandro, his pressing and biting a shining example to everyone else. What he does with the ball is still a bit limited but what he does without it is still outstanding. His flame died a little after the 60 min mark but was all action during that time. Vintage Sandro. Proved he can still an important on the right day.

Chiriches was superb, defensively not exactly overly tested, but showed his ability to read and press, snap into a tackle and strip the ball, and his ability to go forward was demonstrated several times and eventually set up a goal. My original concern with him was not his ability in the air, the game is changing and in he high line we bought him for (and are still going to play) I think his reading, tenacity and ability on the ball is far more valuable than aerial ability, but his penchant for over playing at the back and taking risks. I think he showed improvement throughout last season and as long as he can manage this aspect I think he's a great squad option to have. Really hope he stays because I think he's got good qualities that could suit todays football.

Some promising stuff.

Individual musings:

Lloris - Not much to do but was smart when called on.

Naughton - Decent game, won the pen with a good forward run.

Kaboul - Good game.

Chiriches - Very good game, good reading, snappy in the tackle, good on the ball striding into their half and eventually into their box to set up a goal.

Davies - Very competent.

Sandro - Vintage Sandro performance. Aggressively hunting his foe before pouncing. Infectious.

Dembele - Very good game.

Townsend - A very typical Townsend performance. Lots of effort, lots of involvement, some decent touches, some erratic stuff, some letting a touch get too far away, some wildly poor shooting. The boys a trier, but mostly of my patience. He didn't have a bad game, didn't have a great one, more an involving one.

Paulinho - Decent game. Set up Kane well for the first, took his gaol well, did some perfunctory stuff well enough.

Lennon - Decent game. Good energy, some decent contributions.

Kane - Very good game. He's not perfect, but has plenty to offer. Technically competent, good movement, decent hold up and has a knack of getting into good positions, and although he doesn't always make the most of all them he is at least starting to get in the habit of converting something regularly. Not a bad habit.

Subs - All decent.

A bit surprised by this appraisal and subsequent ratings.

I thought we pressed and swarmed all over QPR much better, certainly in the first half.

Hard to set the same tempo and urgency for a game like this with a very flat atmosphere and a team lacking so much quality and ambition.

I think it was a decent/professional performance with all of them having decent to good games. It really was a bit of a non entity though, they played with so little belief its hard to conclude too much from it but like you say you can only beat what's in front of you - I just think we played with more tempo and pressed better on Sunday.
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,331
I don't get to many matches, but I did this one, so I wonder if the fact that I saw it so different to some is down to that?

The main thing to say is the comments I and others (season ticket holders) made during the match was we were disappointed by the lack of press. Indeed we lacked any urgency at all. We seemed very lakadaisacal all around, very AVB. I just put it down to being an easy match, against nothing opponents, and so hard to get any fire in the belly, so I'm genuinely surprised to see people waxing lyrical.

My rating is a nothing performance, workmanlike, but got the job done.

Have just said similar in response to BC's ratings. Thought it was just me lol.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
As I mentioned last night, for me what is most pleasing is that every player looks motivated and up for the fight. The competition in the squad should lead to good performances whoever is picked in certain positions, because they will need to play well in order to keep their place.

At times it was sort of a stroll, but we created chances throughout and were mostly positive in our play. We can still do more off the ball in my opinion, but individual desire forced a few mistakes which led to goals. With the ball we did seem to lack a playmaker type such as Eriksen or Lamela, and this is possibly something Poch/Baldini/Levy may want to look at, but Kane did a very decent job in acting as a focal point as we built up attacks in a slightly different way.

As for those we got a first real glimpse of, well I thought Dembele started well, maybe dropped off a tad towards the end. Sandro was the opposite, bit sluggish to start with but then found his feet and put himself around quite well. Chiriches grew into the game and intercepted well when needed. Paulinho I honestly thought didn't quite know where he was meant to be playing, especially first half, but stuck at it and worked hard and got his rewards out of the game.

I honestly think Poch is the standout so far though. In the very early days he's got virtually all the players looking motivated and comfortable out their on the pitch, so much so that even the most maligned players such as Rose and Naughton are now churning out decent, effective performances. Keep this up, build on a few things and we will have a good season...
 

Mr Pink

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2010
54,770
99,331
You look at the way we won the ball in midfield against QPR for our first goal. Swarming all over them - high intensity stuff.

Didn't see that level of intensity last night at all - but we didn't really need to I suppose. We held the lead etc...professional display was all that was required and that's what we got IMO.

Some good displays though, no doubt. The biggest positive is Pochettino looks like he can improve and influence players.
 
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