Ten talking points from Mauricio Pochettino's first 10 league games

[whitesocks]

Pretty fair as far as I can see, I don't understand the Europa hangover issue and I'm pretty sure Poch must be scratching his head too because hardly any of the same players have played in the Europa game and the following PL game

One of life's enigma's or simply we haven't played well in those games, I'd guess the later

There were 10 players actively involved in both our last europa game and the following newcastle match. That is far too many imo.

I know it is unfair on the 20,000 who turn up at whl for europa games, (and worse for our travelling support), as they will all want to see first team players. But winning a prem games relies on small margins these days and if a core of players are only at 90% because of an extra fixture, then we have no reserve to get us out of trouble,

It is different for the CL as it pays enough to bring in world class players who can win games in the prem at 90% effectiveness, plus have substitutes who would who would be regulars in our team.

MP has a few things to puzzle out in the next few weeks, but our euro-hangover really should not be a mystery to him.

 

[Barry Mead]

Read through it and point out any statistical facts about the things you mentioned. I think you will be hard pressed. It is an opinion heavy article that contradicts its self and offers nothing new and serves to beat an agenda against both the chairman and the manager.

Point 1: The signings we made although not revolutionary have added depth to places in the squad (it is a squad game now) and covered area's we were weak in last season. I saw that window as building a base and hopefully future windows will add class players in place of those that aren't up to much.

1.) Friedel (43) taking a back seat for Vorm. Great business and if injured a good replacement for Lloris and one of the best reserve keepers in the league.
2.)Davies - I think he was brought in to replace Rose, but Rose has upped his game and is keeping him out of the team. I think he will be an improvement on Rose when the time is right but we badly needed competition in the LB position.
3) Dier - Played most of the season at RB and did a good job until the Newcastle game. Showed in preseason to be a good CB and now Naughton is fit I wouldn't be surprised to see him getting more games in CB and us letting Chiriches go who has proved a liability and thankfully not got much game time. - Great signing for the next five years as well as now, also not injury prone.
4)Fazio - I thought he would get more game time and replace Kaboul but this hasn't happened for what ever reason. He does look fairly solid when he plays and shows a nice pass and touch for a big man. Would like to see him paired with Vertonghen more and hopefully we will soon.
5)Stambouli - This is a strange one so far. ITK says he is a Poch signing and a lot of people have commented on his fitness in his cameos so far. Hasnt had a preseason with us and only joined 2 months ago. I think we will see him more in the new year and I think he looks a great player for the poch system time will tell but he replaced a massively injury prone ex hero of ours and will be available more than he isn't.

I can't remember if we signed anyone else but I was happy with the window and we have built a good squad and have more players we could get rid of with out challenging either the cup or league first 11.

Point 2: Maybe Lloris could of been captain but not ideal to have a keeper in that position. Who knows what Lloris is like behind the scenes he might be quiet he might even be leaving at the end of the year so not as clear cut as he made out.

Point 3: Injuries - early days but he forgets to mention Naughton, Mason, Betaleb and Soldado have both missed games through injury this year and its early in the season, post christmas we will know more.

Point 4: Opportunity to mention Kane not starting and talk about favourites. The back four who only 2 have been fairly regular and undropped. Kaboul and Rose. Vertonghen has been in and out and so has Naughton and Dier. Dembele has been replace by Mason and at the start of the season before injury Bentaleb was getting a lot of games. Ade has played a lot but we haven't got great alternatives.

Point 5: He doesnt even make a point or use statistics to compare us to southampton or show what we have been doing. Waste of words.

Point 6: We've played deep in one game and he uses this as an example to show how poch has different tactics. Maybe talking about the constant switch to 442 and different cup formations could of been better.

Point 7: You could say he hasnt started in the league but he would be replacing one of two big name players. It would be better to say he has been a constant in the cup games and gradually increased his performance to the point where he is knocking on the league door. Good management in my opinion.

Point 8: Mason being brought in is great by the manager but where is analysis to show why it has proved good?

Point 9: Most teams are crap after Europe, not everyone has played but most travel and dont have the extra rest day in the week due to being at the stadium till after 10pm 2 or 3 days before match day.

Point 10: Chance to have a pop at Sherwood and once again no facts. We have replaced some average players with better options as evidenced above all could go on to be first team signings. When we built bulls cross we werent doing it to dodge taxes. This is a plan from the top and is starting to pay off...

To be fair you have responded to what you see as an opinionated article with an opinionated response

Maybe the article doesn't go into too much depth but the points raised are by and large valid points, certainly I would think many would agree with the bulk of points, although it is a game of opinions, it doesn't make the guy who wrote the articles opinions wrong or less valid simply opinions

 

[the shelf]

The transfer policy is so comical you couldn't make it up.

Poch wants Schneiderlin and Levy/Baldini get him Stambouli; Poch wants Massachio and Levy/Baldini get him Fazio. Fast forward a few months and neither are being selected. Strange that...

 

[yido_number1]

To be fair you have responded to what you see as an opinionated article with an opinionated response

Maybe the article doesn't go into too much depth but the points raised are by and large valid points, certainly I would think many would agree with the bulk of points, although it is a game of opinions, it doesn't make the guy who wrote the articles opinions wrong or less valid simply opinions

That was the point. If people are going to take the time to write articles with an agenda or judging how something is going use statistics and facts rather than their own opinion on something.

There are some fantastic articles out there that actually bother to research and use statistics and examples to make valid points. Even some of the posters on here use statistics to make very good articles that go in spurs chat. The front page needs to be more than just opinion otherwise it might as well not be there.

 

[nightgoat]

Point 1: I completely agree. The players we bought over the summer add nothing to the First XI. We needed real quality in one or two positions; not back ups in several. Ok, we couldn't buy a player Soton wouldn't sell. But the principle is right: we would have been better served signing one player of quality than four squad players.

I largely disagree with the point the article makes about transfers, except the usual debate regarding Spurs transfers about whether they're the manager's signings or Levy's signings.

But the comment about the number of league starts our new signings have made is rather naively ignoring some obvious things in order to emphasise their point.

Firstly, with Lloris as first choice, Vorm was always going to be back up used for cup competitions. Whether Davies was bought with the intention of being first choice or not is moot as the added competition at left back has clearly had a positive impact on Rose's performances this season. By and large Bentley was a shit signing, but the season he signed Lennon's performances were largely improved from the season before.

Dier was always going to be a signing for the future, but he's largely impressed playing out of position.

Whilst it would have been nice to have made one big signing, they seem to have forgotten that we bought a lot of new players last season, only one of whom it can really be argued settled into the team properly. Already we're seeing better and more significant contributions from Chadli and Lamela (although Paulinho and Chiriches have gone backwards), Capoue started the season well (although he's had a couple of poor games recently) and whilst almost everyone agrees Soldado should be played in the league more often, at least Pochettino hasn't almost completely discarded and given up on him like Sherwood did.

 

[Barry Mead]

There were 10 players actively involved in both our last europa game and the following newcastle match. That is far too many imo.

I know it is unfair on the 20,000 who turn up at whl for europa games, (and worse for our travelling support), as they will all want to see first team players. But winning a prem games relies on small margins these days and if a core of players are only at 90% because of an extra fixture, then we have no reserve to get us out of trouble,

It is different for the CL as it pays enough to bring in world class players who can win games in the prem at 90% effectiveness, plus have substitutes who would who would be regulars in our team.

MP has a few things to puzzle out in the next few weeks, but our euro-hangover really should not be a mystery to him.

I don't think when you look at it over three games there's too many players overplaying, Hugo was a constant but keepers tend to be and they aren't running miles, Dier played in all but we had no other fit RB and that happens at times, Lamela, Capoue and Ade were the only other constant starters, all the rest missed starting at least one game and maybe played a few minutes in a game like say Chadli and Eriksen who played 13 and 14 mins respectively sandwiched between the two PL games

Really there's not been anyone that should be overtaxed in that three game schedule and in some of the other games there's been less players involved, I really can't see any fatigue excuse for a Euro hangover

 

[Barry Mead]

That was the point. If people are going to take the time to write articles with an agenda or judging how something is going use statistics and facts rather than their own opinion on something.

There are some fantastic articles out there that actually bother to research and use statistics and examples to make valid points. Even some of the posters on here use statistics to make very good articles that go in spurs chat. The front page needs to be more than just opinion otherwise it might as well not be there.

Well for me I really think most bare statistics are pretty irrelevant and can paint a very different picture to events. Personally I am not interested in stats but fair enough there you go it is a game of opinions

 

[whitesocks]

I don't think when you look at it over three games there's too many players overplaying, Hugo was a constant but keepers tend to be and they aren't running miles, Dier played in all but we had no other fit RB and that happens at times, Lamela, Capoue and Ade were the only other constant starters, all the rest missed starting at least one game and maybe played a few minutes in a game like say Chadli and Eriksen who played 13 and 14 mins respectively sandwiched between the two PL games

Really there's not been anyone that should be overtaxed in that three game schedule and in some of the other games there's been less players involved, I really can't see any fatigue excuse for a Euro hangover

Putting the other 9 aside, it was Dyer who was caught off-guard against newcastle.
Someone like him should be able to physically play a full match twice a day, but can he get back to 100% focus within 3 days?
He needs to be at 100% because he is not a RB and hasn't got the pace to get out of trouble.

In the lasagne season, we had no uefa football and were knocked out of both cups in the first game. We had 2 weeks between fixtures at times. We were 100% prepared for all games and it made a big difference.

 

[Shirtfront]

Mate - that's one of the best, well thought out and considered post that I've read on this forum for a very long time. Top notch.

Shucks

 

[Barry Mead]

Putting the other 9 aside, it was Dyer who was caught off-guard against newcastle.
Someone like him should be able to physically play a full match twice a day, but can he get back to 100% focus within 3 days?
He needs to be at 100% because he is not a RB and hasn't got the pace to get out of trouble.

In the lasagne season, we had no uefa football and were knocked out of both cups in the first game. We had 2 weeks between fixtures at times. We were 100% prepared for all games and it made a big difference.

Dier is a young CB with lots of potential but limited experience, ideally he would be given cherry picked games and sub appearances at CB with an experienced partner. Playing him consistently at RB he was always likely to make a few mistakes, I don't think it was specifically down to playing one extra Europa game rather than having to play a lot because of injury. I noticed that Kaboul was still chatting away and scratching his arse after the second half kick off against Barcodes too and he didn't play midweek, No doubt certain players had switched off at half time and hadn't switched back on but particularly in Dier's situation I don't think that can be attributed to playing Europa simply a young inexperienced player having to play too much because of circumstance
As for season 2005/6 we had cover players like Rasiak, Andy Reid and Ant Gardner. We never had the depth of squad to play too many games or the experience, but since then for the most part we have managed Eufa/Europa and one CL whilst finishing top four or five and having some decent cup runs