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Team v Man City

TEESSIDE1

Married, new job and Spurs on the up!
Jul 3, 2006
15,089
18,780
Why? we've looked a hell of a lot better with Fazio in over the last few games. On a related note I dont really think this is the game to be putting Yedlin in for his debut.

Fazio v the pace and skill of Nasri, Navas, Silva and Aguero is a recipe for disaster.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
31,261
21,760
Lloris

Walker (?) Dier Vertonghen Rose

Paulinho Bentaleb

Chadli Lamela Townsend

Kane


Would have gone for over Paulinho Stambouli but he's a wee bit slow. Maybe there's a crazy part of me that still hopes beyond hope Paulinho will fulfil his promise lol.
 

DaSpurs

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2013
11,816
13,655
He's my favorite player in the squad, but Eriksen's got to be dropped. I've had more than enough of his passive, calm, emotionless displays. It's high time he wake up from the "youth prospect with fancy feet" mentality and take on a man's mentality, which requires fear of being dropped and desire to push on and improve. Keeping him in the side week in and week out to maintain the status quo does both he and the team no good.
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
Lloris

Dier
Fazio
Vertonghen
Rose

Bentaleb
Mason

Lamela
Dembele
Eriksen

Kane

Chadli for Dembele maybe... U can't discount his productivity
 

JAYSTAR

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2012
3,316
3,800
He's my favorite player in the squad, but Eriksen's got to be dropped. I've had more than enough of his passive, calm, emotionless displays. It's high time he wake up from the "youth prospect with fancy feet" mentality and take on a man's mentality, which requires fear of being dropped and desire to push on and improve. Keeping him in the side week in and week out to maintain the status quo does both he and the team no good.

Kane has even started dropping to the left wing to pick up the ball, knowing I think that very little is coming from Eriksen and only Chadli seems to be providing movement and direct running towards goal.
 

DaSpurs

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2013
11,816
13,655
Kane has even started dropping to the left wing to pick up the ball, knowing I think that very little is coming from Eriksen and only Chadli seems to be providing movement and direct running towards goal.

That is true, although I've been hoping to see more of Kane dropping. I think some of his best moments have been when he's dropped to receive the ball or picked up the ball wide, and created his own goal. With more pace and more movement, I think this will just open up yet more space for Kane to work.
 

JAYSTAR

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2012
3,316
3,800
That is true, although I've been hoping to see more of Kane dropping. I think some of his best moments have been when he's dropped to receive the ball or picked up the ball wide, and created his own goal. With more pace and more movement, I think this will just open up yet more space for Kane to work.

I have no idea what the stats are but Kane and Eriksen don't seem to link up much. Eriksen is often jogging around im between the oppo back four and CMs and just gets bypassed most of the game, meaning he hardly challenges anyone. He then finally drops back and we win the ball in our own half and he picks it up, but then lacks the pace to get forward and supply a run into the box later on in the attack. His positional play is letting him down I think. His most productive spot seems to be out on the left, where he isn't bullied out of the game, but saying that, Chadli is far more productive most of the time.
 

Hoddle&Waddle

Well-Known Member
Nov 25, 2012
8,337
17,565
Fazio v the pace and skill of Nasri, Navas, Silva and Aguero is a recipe for disaster.
Possibly, but I tend to look at it as defensive 'unit' rather than single out individuals. We look better as a unit with Fazio in there, hell, even Vertonghen seems to play better (probably because he knows Fazio will do his dirty work). Think I'd stick with the same back 4 for this one (depending on Rose) then look to phase Yedlin in.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,512
Lloris
Dier Fazio Vertonghen Rose
Mason Someone Bentaleb
Dembele Chadli Lamela

Subs: Vorm, Chiriches, Yedlin, Stambouli/Paulinho, Eriksen, Townsend, Kane​
 

900triumph

Got my beer on the sideboard here.....
Apr 6, 2005
1,494
236
Can't work out what I'm missing when I watch Lamela playing, you all seem to want him in the team! I think he's been consistently poor recently, although he tries hard. I would have liked to see a confident Townsend following his England goal - and wish we still had Lennon as an option. I dislike narrow football, our fullbacks are not good wing backs, especially with Rose missing. Zero service for Kane and precious little excitement today.
 

DaSpurs

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2013
11,816
13,655
I have no idea what the stats are but Kane and Eriksen don't seem to link up much. Eriksen is often jogging around im between the oppo back four and CMs and just gets bypassed most of the game, meaning he hardly challenges anyone. He then finally drops back and we win the ball in our own half and he picks it up, but then lacks the pace to get forward and supply a run into the box later on in the attack. His positional play is letting him down I think. His most productive spot seems to be out on the left, where he isn't bullied out of the game, but saying that, Chadli is far more productive most of the time.

Yeah, there's no denying Eriksen seems to be most productive from the left in this setup. I think he suffers from a) his lack of zip and pace, b) the sheer congestion of this system, and c) not having a playmaker in behind to take some of the marking off him and open up space for him. He's just not quick and dynamic enough to make his own space and then go on to find the unlocking throughball, and especially in this congested high line system. He's best when he has time to turn, face and assess, and then use his gift of precision to find the right play. As a result, I think your observation is spot on.

Regardless, I think he plays like a player who feels too secure. He plays like he literally has nothing to lose. When someone takes the ball from him, it elicits no reaction whatsoever. Even in pickup ball, when someone takes the ball from me (especially if they've just knocked me off it), I see red. I don't expect him to be a hothead, but zero reaction?! There's just no hunger, fight, or spark to his play, and I suspect this is also why his national team coach has expressed frustration with him and the fact he's just not pushing on as a result of it.
 

DaSpurs

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2013
11,816
13,655
Can't work out what I'm missing when I watch Lamela playing, you all seem to want him in the team! I think he's been consistently poor recently, although he tries hard. I would have liked to see a confident Townsend following his England goal - and wish we still had Lennon as an option. I dislike narrow football, our fullbacks are not good wing backs, especially with Rose missing. Zero service for Kane and precious little excitement today.

I'd like to see both to provide balance. Townsend on the left to provide some dynamism and movement, and Lamela on the right to hopefully thread some creativity through the open channels. Chadli is difficult to remove because even while he doesn't contribute much aside from them, he scores goals. He's this season's Paulinho, in that he just doesn't do much other than hang up goals, which is the most untouchable stat you can put up of course which serves to give him a bit of immunity. But since Eriksen needs to be dropped, I'd play any of Chadli, Dembele, or Onomah there. Keep Chadli on if we might be lacking his goals.
 
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