What's new

Match Threads Spurs vs Ajax - Match Thread - Semi-final 1st leg

Match Prediction

  • Spurs to Win - Clean Sheet

    Votes: 72 26.7%
  • Spurs to Win - Conceding Goal(s)

    Votes: 73 27.0%
  • Spurs to Lose

    Votes: 48 17.8%
  • Score Draw

    Votes: 52 19.3%
  • Goal-less Draw

    Votes: 25 9.3%

  • Total voters
    270
  • Poll closed .

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,891
45,039
Reading the posts in this thread since the final whistle, I'm surprised to see so many people so confident of us going to Amsterdam and getting the win at their gaffe. I can't see that at all myself, but I desperately hope that I'm wrong and you confident-types are right.
I think the reason is that we all know what went wrong and we know how to put it right. Had we got formation and tactics right with our best players and still lost I'd feel more like you.
 

punkisback

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2004
4,410
7,278
Not a great performance and for once someone like Glenn Hoddle is being brutally honest in his assessment.

We are considered a good passing side and yet we don't value possession and our decision making in the final third is not that of a great passing team - Ajax goal for example.

Lots to discuss with this loss, but our ability to possess the ball and lack of cutting edge in the final third is a factor.

We also saw tonight what giving Ajax time off did for them and I don't mean physically. They got their tactics right, closed down Wanyama, the three forwards dropped off and trapped us into mistakes, they have spent time working on their high line at set plays with the keeper playing high too. There were a few other things too, but this is the benefit of having time to prepare for a game.
I agree this is the least Tottenham like team I’ve seen since we’ve had AVB in charge. Players with little technique in midfield and little footballing intelligence. Poch has done well to coach them but failed in his recruitment policy.
 

luptic

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2008
2,352
3,062
Worrying that we need at least 2 goals next week.

We’ve only managed 1 in our last 4 games...
We only need 1, in all fairness and a clean sheet, then its extra time.
Get Son back, sort out that midfield from the start.....They will be just as nervous as we were in the first 30mins.
We have nothing to fear now. The hand break is off.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Worrying that we need at least 2 goals next week.

We’ve only managed 1 in our last 4 games...
Whatever you do don't mention stuff like this because the band of brothers will be after you I mentioned thing's like this and got ganged up on so like the war don't bring it up mate serious consequences will befall you.:sneaky::sneaky:
 

Indisguise

Well-Known Member
Jun 9, 2012
7,996
23,386
We lost because we started with 3 at the back and no midfield. We were also bereft of a striker. I think we did well to keep the score at 0-1. The next leg will be very different with Sissoko on for the full game and Son back.
 
D

Deleted member 27995

Whatever you do don't mention stuff like this because the band of brothers will be after you I mentioned thing's like this and got ganged up on so like the war don't bring it up mate serious consequences will befall you.:sneaky::sneaky:
Such a victim.

Why fucking post on a message board then?

12 losses mate, 12!!!!
 

aliyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2004
6,944
19,927
The best thing about it only being 1-0 is it takes out any confusing permutations and we only need to worry about winning, away goals can’t hurt us.
# Win 1-0 and it’s ET + pens
# Win any other scoreline and we’re through

2nd half will give the squad belief that we can get at them but we need to change our approach and really go for it. No more lumping long balls to Llorente hoping for a knock down.
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
Eriksen was right, we made them look better than they are in the fist half hour, paid them way too much respect and they got too much time on the ball.

When we changed the formation they shit themselves and went into their shell.

A full strength team with Winks and Sissoko and Kane and Son with Trippier nowhere to be seen and we run out easy winners of that tie.

Yep. They definitely got to play as at a good time.

Kane will be busting a gut to get back for next week. I’d put him on the bench if he’s at all fit. The psychological impact of Ajax seeing him involved will be enough.
 

1882andallthat

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2009
2,821
4,157
There are two ways of looking at this result and what we have in store for the rest of the season :
1.We can all be doom mongers and concede that we're out of it already because of what happened in the first 30 minutes and that we're light years away from Ajax and we're a week away from a 3-0 or 4-0 pasting over there in the second leg and we're on the brink of losing all of our remaining games to finish outside the top 4 to cap it all ; or
2. We can take some positives out of this situation. Many seem to forget that Ajax tore both Real Madrid and Juventus apart in their own back yard, and with a severely depleted team we were beaten 1-0. Yes we were outclassed for the first 30 mins and Poch opened with the wrong formation and we were completely overrun. We weren't dealt the knockout blow and hung in there though and live to fight another day as we battled our way through the rest of the tie in the first leg, we also have the inside of our post to thank for still being in the tie. We are however still in it, that doesn't guarantee it means we will prevail but it means we still have a decent outside shot, with better attacking options to come. We also still have the destiny of top 4 in our own hands so at this stage we can be glass half full and retain some optimism. Yes of course we have to improve, but we still have a chance so COYS.
I'm going for option 2. To all the naysayers who prefer option 1, if you enjoy being that doom mongering I guess you always will.
 
Last edited:

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
We only need 1, in all fairness and a clean sheet, then its extra time.
Get Son back, sort out that midfield from the start.....They will be just as nervous as we were in the first 30mins.
We have nothing to fear now. The hand break is off.

It will be interesting to see how they approach the tie after only winning the first leg 1 nil away from home. Do they defend from the off or go out and attack from minute one? I suspect it will be the latter. If somehow we manage to defend properly and we can keep them out for the first half an hour then take our chances we can progress.

It depends on two things which we’ve struggled with but have succeeded in a couple of times this season. 1. Defend properly 2. Take our chances (not having Kane is a massive blow in this regard).
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
I think the reason is that we all know what went wrong and we know how to put it right. Had we got formation and tactics right with our best players and still lost I'd feel more like you.

Before the game I had said to friends that we must control midfield otherwise they will just pass around us like they did to Juve. I was surprised that we started with a back three then but put it down to a not fully fit Sissoko, Dier and maybe Wanyama . Playing Dele and Eriksen deeper takes all our creative attacking talents away without Kane, Son and some guy called Lamela we used to have.

However when we changed shape the dominance of Ajax stopped. We had control of the game but little in the final third. There were a couple of free headers though which you would hope we could get on target but failed to. After the first 25-30 minutes I saw little in Ajax to worry me. Control midfield and they have their lines cut off, they are a passing side so this stops their flow. However we need Son at least plus Dele and Eriksen to play further forward and be on form. I think we are seeing more and more how the all round play of Kane is so vital for us.

I think we can go to Amsterdam and win
 
Last edited:

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
I think the reason is that we all know what went wrong and we know how to put it right. Had we got formation and tactics right with our best players and still lost I'd feel more like you.

I agree. I think we were decimated from an attacking point of view. We kept getting into their middle third but had nothing - so imp
Are you sure you watched the game last night?!!:confused:


I had a few too many sausage rolls and KFC etc (by the way the sausage rolls are out of this world - bloody unreal) but yeah i watched the game.

Look; i think we all know what went wrong and how we can overcome that. I think the players let themselves down last night somewhat particularly int he first half.

We got this - 2-1
 

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Yep. They definitely got to play as at a good time.

Kane will be busting a gut to get back for next week. I’d put him on the bench if he’s at all fit. The psychological impact of Ajax seeing him involved will be enough.

The formation annoyed me more than anything, if we're gonna go 5 at the back then we should play 5-4-1, the 5-3-2 never works for us especially with the players we had out last night.
 

Smokinhotspur

Well-Known Member
Jun 11, 2012
510
953
People should go easy on the criticism of the lads. What we are witnessing is a fatigued team that also has several players out of form due to being overplayed especially after a long WC summer where we had the most players reach the SF stage. Yes tactics played a part in the first 30 mins but these guys are running on fumes and we need to encourage them to get over the line.

Whilst Levy is being congratulated for delivering our beautiful new stadium and rightly so, he should also be criticised for not providing the manager with at least one or 2 players to help the squad in what has been a very testing season. Not only that but people forget we sold Dembele in Jan. How I wish we held on to him till the summer as he is made for games like last night where ball retention is key and also allows us to get Dele up the pitch where he can do the most damage rather than in CM where he still lacks the discipline to protect the ball and the spaces in front of the defence.

All is not lost. I expect us to secure CL football this weekend and then go for broke in Amsterdam. We get an early goal over there and this young talented Ajax team would start to get jitters under the weight of expectation in front of their own fans. COYS!!!
 

Ekmek

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2014
1,026
2,523
I am usually an extreme pessimist but I think we can win this. Ajax have had there wins away from home in the other legs as well. At home they played tie och losed. If we can play Sissoko and with Son we are much more dangerous. Also if Winks could be back I would believe we have a huge opportunity to reach the final.
 

SEANSPURS1975

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2005
1,929
4,787
Well, the positive is that we’re still in it with a small chance. After that diabolical first half we’re lucky to be in with a sniff.
Had they taken another one of their chances in the game it would be all over, but they didn’t.
We now know what we need to do. Get the team and tactics right and you never know. COYS
 

spursfan77

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2005
46,680
104,956
I don’t understand how the media are portraying Ajax as some minnows from a footballing backwater before and after the game. It’s like they’ve conveniently forgotten the club’s history or why they are currently as successful as they have been. There’s been a lot of praise for them but also a lot of patronising.
 

John48

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2015
2,249
3,143
Never looking like scoring last night & unless Dele & Eriksen turn up sometime soon I can't see us scoring next Wed.

We definitely got better when Sissoko came on, but he needs others to play as well for us to have any chance next Weds.
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
People should go easy on the criticism of the lads. What we are witnessing is a fatigued team that also has several players out of form due to being overplayed especially after a long WC summer where we had the most players reach the SF stage. Yes tactics played a part in the first 30 mins but these guys are running on fumes and we need to encourage them to get over the line.

Whilst Levy is being congratulated for delivering our beautiful new stadium and rightly so, he should also be criticised for not providing the manager with at least one or 2 players to help the squad in what has been a very testing season. Not only that but people forget we sold Dembele in Jan. How I wish we held on to him till the summer as he is made for games like last night where ball retention is key and also allows us to get Dele up the pitch where he can do the most damage rather than in CM where he still lacks the discipline to protect the ball and the spaces in front of the defence.

All is not lost. I expect us to secure CL football this weekend and then go for broke in Amsterdam. We get an early goal over there and this young talented Ajax team would start to get jitters under the weight of expectation in front of their own fans. COYS!!!
I thought the player's received plenty of encouragement last night the crowd was excellent I thought before and at times during the game so can't ask for much more I don't think.
 
Top