Match Ratings Ratings vs Newport County
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Japhet
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- Aug 30, 2010
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They got right up in our grill and didn't allow us the time we needed to control the ball and play football in the conditions. They used the home advantage, shit conditions and rough pitch to their advantage which is what the FA Cup has always been about.
mpickard2087
Patient Zero
- Jun 13, 2008
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So that was all because of KWP? And not factors like tiredness, or nerves, or a massive result getting nearer and nearer, kicking in and they naturally dropping deeper to protect the precious lead?
They were getting a lot of joy whatever they did first half. They were getting joy down that flank, they were getting joy down the other flank, they were getting joy hoofing the ball or launching long throws into our box all game, they were getting a lot of joy pressing us and making us resort to hoofing it to two isolated strikers.
It is perfectly possible that KWP would have continued with more of the same in the second half, it's also possible he'd have 'done a Foyth', enjoyed the game more when we were on the front foot, and finished strongly. Just my opinion and outlook that I'd much rather have found out, either way, rather than persisting with a Trippier, or a Dier, even a Vertonghen, or any of the turgid midfield trio. We learnt nothing from keeping those players on, especially when they did fuck all to get us back in the game in any case.
The Apprentice
Charles Big Potatoes
- Mar 10, 2005
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Absolute rubbish.
There were far worthier candidates.
Poch took the easy option and it was a really cowardly decision.
tiger666
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Bus-Conductor
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They were, but they were still getting more out of the right:
But the reason they were getting joy down the right was because of Pochettino's tactical set up, which had two narrow CM's, Sissoko in the centre and two narrow CF's, it was fucking atrocious tactically :
And don't forget that positional map is influenced by the fact that Vertonghen spent 45 minutes as a LB/LW and Dier as LCB - in reality you can move both of those 5 yards right for the time KWP was on the pitch and it tells you how exposed he was.
It was really poor tactically to expose any FB to that, let alone a rooky RB playing at LB. There were several, much better tactical solutions to start or correct this with, and there were players who were much less exposed by Pochettino's tactical clusterfuck who performed even worse - in terms of their remit - than KWP, who actually showed intelligence when getting forward, took up several great positions, but because neither of Dembele or Sissoko could get their heads out of the arses and pass to him when he was in space, went to waste.
It wasn't just that it was the cowardly decision - we all know Poch shits himself about subbing people, especially his favourites, he's even said so in his book - it was wasn't even tactically the smartest thing he could have done by a long stretch.
Japhet
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You seem to be hung up on the idea that KWP was being blamed for something and was taken off because of that. The fact was that they were playing the ball behind him continually (far more than on Trippier's side) and we needed to change shape to deal with it. As I said before, I wouldn't have minded at all if Trippier had gone off and KWP had gone on the right. It's got nothing to do with blaming the kid but everything to do with a tactical change that got us back in the game. We could have taken off Dier or Dembele or Wanyama or Sissoko but we needed the bodies in midfield. Bringing Son on pushed them back on our right hand side and sorted the problem out. They produced virtually nothing down that side in the second half and we got them going backwards immediately.
Bus-Conductor
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@tiger666
And what I meant by two planks was not literal. It was figurative, tactically. Playing two very similar strikers, who just occupied the same piece of pitch, trying to do the same things, was tactically devoid of inspiration and rendered the pair of them useless.
I love Sir Harold of Kane as much as anyone, he's a force of nature, but he was poor yesterday, and he was poor because of Poch's set up as much as anything, which saw him try to do his No10 thing, and he isn't a 10.
And what I meant by two planks was not literal. It was figurative, tactically. Playing two very similar strikers, who just occupied the same piece of pitch, trying to do the same things, was tactically devoid of inspiration and rendered the pair of them useless.
I love Sir Harold of Kane as much as anyone, he's a force of nature, but he was poor yesterday, and he was poor because of Poch's set up as much as anything, which saw him try to do his No10 thing, and he isn't a 10.
Bus-Conductor
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Also, Wanyama was another player for whom that set up was always going to see him have a hard time, he's the ball winner, needs to have players with and ahead of him to shuffle the ball onto, he had Sissoko, Llorente and Kane as options, who spent most of the game tripping over each other.
mpickard2087
Patient Zero
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I just think it's pretty poor from a development perspective, and this was a type of game where development and trying to learn things should be a high importance. Especially when you've gone and picked the kid for the game.
You could have easily left him on as part of a more balanced team, with Son playing in front of him. There were endless combinations I could run through... Putting him at RB in a back four, leaving him at left back and taking off a CB, taking off a midfielder and pushing Dier forward etc etc. Instead we leave on players who a) clearly didn't want to be out there and b) we learn nothing about and who have secure places, when we had someone who would benefit from the 90 mins and learn from that experience, atmosphere etc. and you'd find out a bit more about him and if he could get through it and finish strongly.
I don't think this tactical change actually did that much in all truth, I think it was largely Newport coming out second half, realising the position they were in, and sitting back rather than anything we did and he'd have had an easier half in any case.
I just think it was ultra pragmatic and disappointing to my outlook on squad development, and football as a whole. Most supporters won't give a shit because we skanked an equaliser and live to fight another day (almost certainly not making a hash of it twice....), hey ho.
tiger666
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As has been said, Our front players were fluid and swapped sides so that positional map doesn't tell the whole story. It's also for the whole game, not the first half. I'm not blaming KWP. He was out of position and is still young, however he was a weak point and I don't blame Poch at all for pulling him. He had plenty of cover when he was exposed for the play that led to their goal. He was being targeted and had to come off.
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Bus-Conductor
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As has been said, Our front players were fluid and swapped sides so that positional map doesn't tell the whole story. It's also for the whole game, not the first half. I'm not blaming KWP. He was out of position and is still young, however he was a weak point and I don't blame Poch at all for pulling him. He had plenty of cover when he was exposed for the play that led to their goal. He was being targeted and had to come off.
I could show you about 100 clips of other players having similarly bad moments. (If I knew how to do it...)
Just saying our front players were fluid doesn’t change the fact that the selections and tactical application were poor, and exposed KWP particularly.
He’s not the first of our fb’s To have a couple of iffy moments this season either. He’s the first to get hooked though.
Pochettino’s tactical application was piss poor, his panicked reaction to it lacked wit or bollocks. IMO.
(How did you implant that video by the way?)
Hakkz
Svensk hetsporre
- Jul 6, 2012
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It's a GIF, not a video. So like any other pictures?
Flashspur
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- Jul 28, 2012
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If you are picked for the first team you need to stand on your two feet and be counted. You keep reiterating that KWP was exposed. Almost as if Poch had to cover him because he is a rookie. OK I agree it was his wrong side but that was the challenge for the lad. Well there were a number of areas where we were exposed. But KWP’s incapacity to cope was what caused the switch. He looked overawed. That is not a good look from a coach’s standpoint. I think Poch made the right decision.
Hakkz
Svensk hetsporre
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I don't understand why he didn't put the more experienced Trippier on the left instead. They are equally dependant on their right feet, and maybe Trips could have handled it a bit better (I doubt it however).
really harsh on the kid Llotente by far the worse player
As if starting wasn't enough of a challenge on its own.
He was the human sacrifice
to preserve the dignity of his elders and betters (not).
Could have substituted any one of 6/7.
Will do the boy no good whatsoever.
Japhet
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Llorente was very poor. The problem was that a change was needed at half time and by then we were a goal down. There was a chance Llorente would nick a goal at some point so Poch chose to switch to a back 4 and bring Son on to push their right flank back. If it purely a decision to hook the worst player, Llorente would have been the obvious choice.
Bus-Conductor
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On top of all the other players who were overawed, like Dier, Dembele, Llorente, Kane etc you can add Pochettino, who was also overawed, made an absolute digs dinner of his job and then threw the kid under the bus to cover his own arse.
Loving this brave new world.
tiger666
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The rouble with you is, you're so desperate for these young players to get a chance that, when they do come in, you go way over the top with your defence of them. KWP has not been "thrown under the bus" at all. That's ridiculous.
