Team v Arsenal

[13VanDerBale13]

We can all pick what would we like to see but ultimately Poch will pick those who don't play on Wed.

 

[dbspurs]

We can all pick what would we like to see but ultimately Poch will pick those who don't play on Wed.

Lets hope Kaboul and Chiriches are playing on Wednesday or we are screwed!

 

[St José Dominguez]

Lloris

Naughton Fazio Vertonghen Rose

Stambouli Capoue Dembele

Lamela

Adebayor Soldado

Let the 3 CMs hopefully win the battle and give Lamela complete freedom further up pitch. Ade and Soldado offering width for each other. From front to back work your bollocks off.

 

[RuskyM]

Our best player

A 19 year old - Captain Calamity - Vlad the Imprudent - "Danny Rose"

That useless Belgian bloke - That less-useless French bloke

£30m - That Danish one - That (other) useless Belgian bloke

The least dynamic and most dislikeable Spurs forward I've ever seen​

 

[goughie1966]

Our best player

A 19 year old - Captain Calamity - Vlad the Imprudent - "Danny Rose"

That useless Belgian bloke - That less-useless French bloke

£30m - That Danish one - That (other) useless Belgian bloke

The least dynamic and most dislikeable Spurs forward I've ever seen​

You're not a fan of Kane's then?




Joking!

 

[DEFchenkOE]

You see, this is the conservative mentality we've had lately that I think is hurting us (again, I hate to sound like I'm criticizing because in truth what you're saying is reasonable). We've played it far too safe for the last couple years or so, and gone with what we know for the most part instead of taking risks. "To Dare is To Do" is only a line on a board somewhere, and nothing more to the club at the moment.

Rose received his debut against Arsenal (albeit at the Lane), and did alright. Stambouli is a championship winner, and Mason is 23 years old with a decent amount of experience of "receiving stick" at this point. He may not be Prem quality just yet, but what exactly have our Prem veterans in midfield done of late anyway? What's the harm at this point in giving them a go in a situation that looks bleak at best anyway, especially when their style would more likely counter the opposition's?

Under AVB in his first year, we had a fit Sandro and then Scotty P. Each shielded the back line dutifully and had at least one player in attack to cause the opposition problems and disorganization. Now we have no one appropriately shielding the back line, and nothing to pin the opposition back. We have nothing to prevent quality sides from establishing and exerting their gameplans on us, and when they do so, they have such talents in combinations of speed and technicality that our slow and lethargic midfield can do nothing to shield our disorganized back line from stopping them.

So I say to hell with assured Prem quality and to hell with experience, it's not working anyway. Let's Damus est Facere for once.

I understand why you would want to try something else but I just don't think Arsenal away in the league is the game to throw 2 players in midfield into a struggling team when they've not made one premier league start between them. Poch would get absolutely roasted from all angles if he did that and we got stuffed.

For me the midfield is the most important part of the team and it's why I went with a physical 3 in the middle. It definitely wouldn't be pretty, but something Neville mentioned today about Mourinho stood out for me. When he takes his teams into tough away games his first thought is to not get beat. He will adapt his personnel whether he is playing the top 4 teams as opposed to playing other teams. And you rarely see them getting spanked. I think that's what we need to start doing. AVB actually did this last season against Arsenal playing Dembele - Capoue - Paulinho and we still lost but at least it was only 1-0.

I'd love for us to be able to play with the likes of Eriksen and Mason in a midfield 3 with Stambouli holding but it's something to try in cup games first imo.

 

[spurs9]

You see, this is the conservative mentality we've had lately that I think is hurting us (again, I hate to sound like I'm criticizing because in truth what you're saying is reasonable). We've played it far too safe for the last couple years or so, and gone with what we know for the most part instead of taking risks. "To Dare is To Do" is only a line on a board somewhere, and nothing more to the club at the moment.

Rose received his debut against Arsenal (albeit at the Lane), and did alright. Stambouli is a championship winner, and Mason is 23 years old with a decent amount of experience of "receiving stick" at this point. He may not be Prem quality just yet, but what exactly have our Prem veterans in midfield done of late anyway? What's the harm at this point in giving them a go in a situation that looks bleak at best anyway, especially when their style would more likely counter the opposition's?

Under AVB in his first year, we had a fit Sandro and then Scotty P. Each shielded the back line dutifully and had at least one player in attack to cause the opposition problems and disorganization. Now we have no one appropriately shielding the back line, and nothing to pin the opposition back. We have nothing to prevent quality sides from establishing and exerting their gameplans on us, and when they do so, they have such talents in combinations of speed and technicality that our slow and lethargic midfield can do nothing to shield our disorganized back line from stopping them.

So I say to hell with assured Prem quality and to hell with experience, it's not working anyway. Let's Damus est Facere for once.

Spot on. Everyone in the match thread is saying we are going to get hammered, yet no one wants to try something different.

Also, we need to not worry about what players have EPL experience in the squad etc and just play which team we think will be our best first team regardless. Play Fazio and Verts if we think that will be our 1st choice CB pairing, play Stambouli if he is seen as 1st choice DM otherwise we are making the same mistakes as last year.

 

[spurs9]

Would go 4-3-3 but it won't happen so no point.

I would make some changes though, I want to see more effort to be honest.

Adeboyor needs to be dropped. I'll be unhappy if Soldado doesn't get his chance now.

Lloris

Naughton
Fazio
Vertonghen
Rose

Capoue
Dembele

Lamela
Eriksen
Chadli

Soldado

Agree with Soldado, if he doesn't start it is a bit of a joke as neither Ade nor Kane have shown anything to prove they should be starting and RS is yet to get a chance.

I think Stambouli needs to play as he will offer us more defensively and can probably move the ball forward quicker than Capoue or Dembele.

 

[Mr Pink]

Agree with Soldado, if he doesn't start it is a bit of a joke as neither Ade nor Kane have shown anything to prove they should be starting and RS is yet to get a chance.

I think Stambouli needs to play as he will offer us more defensively and can probably move the ball forward quicker than Capoue or Dembele.

Yeah I revised my selection and included Stambouli.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Lloris
Corluka King Vertonghen Ekotto
Lamela Sandro Modric Bale
Van Der Vaart
Berbatov
​

Yeah, and?

Parker instead of Sandro for me.

 

[spurs9]

Lloris
Naughton Fazio Vert Rose
Capoue Stambouli Dembele
Lennon Soldado Townsend

Yea I know, can't believe I've put Lennon and Townsend in my starting lineup either. But as I said in the 4231 thread, I think if we go with the same set up as the past few games we're in for a Liverpool type mauling.

I would play 3 cms to get as physical as possible with the likes of Ozil, Wilshire, Ramsay. Then be as direct as possible (long balls if need be) and try and find Townsend or Lennon to use their pace, then hope and pray the real Soldado turns up and can finish a half chance that might come his way.

Not really happening for Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Ade, in the big games so I'd have them all on the bench.

Never going to happen but it's what I'd do.

Wenger would love to play against that team, it offers no threat to them.

 

[DaSpurs]

I understand why you would want to try something else but I just don't think Arsenal away in the league is the game to throw 2 players in midfield into a struggling team when they've not made one premier league start between them. Poch would get absolutely roasted from all angles if he did that and we got stuffed.

For me the midfield is the most important part of the team and it's why I went with a physical 3 in the middle. It definitely wouldn't be pretty, but something Neville mentioned today about Mourinho stood out for me. When he takes his teams into tough away games his first thought is to not get beat. He will adapt his personnel whether he is playing the top 4 teams as opposed to playing other teams. And you rarely see them getting spanked. I think that's what we need to start doing. AVB actually did this last season against Arsenal playing Dembele - Capoue - Paulinho and we still lost but at least it was only 1-0.

I'd love for us to be able to play with the likes of Eriksen and Mason in a midfield 3 with Stambouli holding but it's something to try in cup games first imo.

Poch has played a physical holding two every match yet this season, and he's still being criticized by many already. Nothing will please everyone, and frankly that's not what we should be worrying about at the moment. What we should be worrying about is exactly what you said Mourinho does in setting up a team more suitable to combat the opposition, and it is that team which the last thing we would be doing is sandbagging physicality. What has all that experience accomplished anyway?

It isn't about playing pretty football, it's about what can actually contend. Arsenal don't use physicality, they use pace in every single area of the pitch aside from the CB's to drive the ball forward and spin opposing defenders. This is exactly what happens to us against the quality sides in particular, as our bigger fellas are caught spinning trying to catch the deftly footed midfielders and attackers of Arsenal. Physicality is only relevant if they can physically interact with the opposition, i.e. catch them, and Arsenal's midfield is setup to do precisely that: not be touched. They're soft, but they are wicked quick with the ball at their feet and quick with their ideas. Not only does physicality not counter that, it feeds into it.

Look at our last side to get a result against Arsenal. A holding mid all of 5'9", Dembele playing box to box, and Siggy who couldn't tackle to save his life. You cannot sandbag against them, you can only push them back.

 

[VoteMe4Prez]

To quote Private Frazer, 'We're doomed'

 

[DaSpurs]

Wenger would love to play against that team, it offers no threat to them.

Agreed. He'd see that teamsheet and turn immediately to his squad and beginning discussing playing into the channels.

 

[stemark44]

If I was the manager for this game I would go 433, Block up the centre with Capoue, Stambouli and Bentaleb playing direct balls out wide to Lennon on the right and Townsend on the left who can get in behind their advancing full backs.

Its the only way.

I posted a formation of us in a 4-3-3 a few weeks ago and everyone informed me that I must not have been watching us play because Poch only plays 4-2-3-1.

I really hope thats not the case after today.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Wenger would love to play against that team, it offers no threat to them.

Our A team failed to score against bottom of the table winless wba. Do you think he is quaking in his boots at facing Chadli, Lamela, Eriksen, and Ade right now?

 

[St José Dominguez]

I posted a formation of us in a 4-3-3 a few weeks ago and everyone informed me that I must not have been watching us play because Poch only plays 4-2-3-1.

I really hope thats not the case after today.

Especially against the top 4 teams it must be crossing his mind. Along with the possibility of not playing Eriksen and Lamela in same team. One of things I liked about him at Soton was he seemed to change personnel based on opponent. Yet to see that here, might be an interesting chance to.

 

[DaSpurs]

Our A team failed to score against bottom of the table winless wba. Do you think he is quaking in his boots at facing Chadli, Lamela, Eriksen, and Ade right now?

Haha touché, but such a midfield would only further reduce their space and opportunities. Just absolutely no goal threat without a set piece.

 

[DaSpurs]

Especially against the top 4 teams it must be crossing his mind. Along with the possibility of not playing Eriksen and Lamela in same team. One of things I liked about him at Soton was he seemed to change personnel based on opponent. Yet to see that here, might be an interesting chance to.

A lot of that was having more space to tinker with, both in terms of pressure and from the opposition. Opposing teams know it's very easy to cut off our supply lanes to the creative players, and know if they compact the box ASAP we're helpless. Poch then has no choice but to play as much creativity and quality as possible in attacking positions at any given point in time because of this. Otherwise, our chances of scoring are even further reduced.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Haha touché, but such a midfield would only further reduce their space and opportunities. Just absolutely no goal threat without a set piece.

If we could keep it to 0-0 at half time I'd be happy. While there is not much goal threat we would at least have outlets in Lennon and Townsend who will give them something to think about as they have some pace even though one can't shoot and one shoots (badly) too much. Then depending on how the game is going in the 2nd half we could make some changes and be a bit more expansive.

If I was Carzorla, Ozil, or Wilshire I'd be creaming in my pants seeing 2 debutants in our midfield starting lineup.