The Defence Thread

[HNIM]

I want to say that I felt comfortable for the last ten minutes of the match but I will have scars from the West Ham match for the next decade or so.

 

[cookiemonster]

Dropping that liability made all the difference

 

[Strikeb4ck]

I think Ledley's work needs to be mentioned - at this point I don't think it can just be a coincidence that a lot of our players look WAY better defending, particularly in 1v1 situations and individual duels. Serge, Dier, etc...our defensive form saw a huge improvement after the lockdown period when Ledley began having some time working with the team and that's carried on this season into what is so far the tightest defense in the league. I think he is playing a massive role behind the scenes. PEH & Sissoko are of course also a big part of this, but at the end of the day defenders still need to win duels no matter who is playing defensive mid, and they are doing that at the moment.

 

[yankspurs]

Ledley’s working wonders, IMO

 

[TheTanguy]

At least for me it's very difficult to judge how important Ledley is, but I'm confident that he is a great man to have in your coaching staff.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

Who can remember the last time we conceded a goal?

 

[Shadydan]

I dont think I ever remember a spurs team been good at defending well over 90mins

First time we've had 3 clean sheets in a row on the road since 2013 under AVB

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

This thread was created when we were on a run of ten successive games without a clean sheet. Am now bumping it as we've gotten six from the last nine which has almost doubled our tally from the entire Mourinho era - and conceded just three goals in those nine games (the same as the final 10 minutes against West Ham alone). At first I was able to put this down quite simply to us playing the likes of West Brom, Burnley, LASK and Ludogorets, but having had successive shutouts in the league when facing Man City and Chelsea - I think we have to acknowledge that we've definitely improved in this area.

I'll caveat this by saying I think we've had a lot more luck in these games (no dodgy VAR handballs has been a help, as has some poor play from Abraham and Giroud failing to capitalise on some sloppy mistakes today), however the facts don't lie. Fewest goals conceded in the league this season. Lloris only one save of note to make today which was a long shot from distance. The City game was a classic Mourinho performance - highly organised defence and quick, effective counter-attacking.

How are people feeling about our defence now? I'll be honest - I still think we really could do with signing another CB as I don't trust Dier long term, but at the risk of jinxing it before the NLD, the situation appears to be improving for now...

Don’t underestimate that save. It was a very good shot which needed an exceptional save.

 

[kent brockman]

I think Ledley's work needs to be mentioned - at this point I don't think it can just be a coincidence that a lot of our players look WAY better defending, particularly in 1v1 situations and individual duels. Serge, Dier, etc...our defensive form saw a huge improvement after the lockdown period when Ledley began having some time working with the team and that's carried on this season into what is so far the tightest defense in the league. I think he is playing a massive role behind the scenes. PEH & Sissoko are of course also a big part of this, but at the end of the day defenders still need to win duels no matter who is playing defensive mid, and they are doing that at the moment.

Especially Aurier has started to defend standing up to a much larger extent than before. Nowhere near as many rash sliding tackles as before. Love it!

 

[cider spurs]

The defence in general looks alot more resolute.

Must also add that the work Sissoko does to aide this should not be ignored.

He's currently key for the way we play the low block, counter attack football.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Dropping that liability made all the difference

And yet here you are posting on a Monday morning...

 

[mil1lion]

The way Hojbjerg and Sissoko protect the center backs and fullbacks makes such a big difference. It's almost a back 6 at times but they both track runners so well. The only thing is that when you play the way we do your attacking play has to be on point. The less attacking chances you create the more clinical you need to be. That's where we needed to be better yesterday particularly in the 2nd half. If we're not getting enough chances especially at home the returning fans will not be happy. It's a fine balance between the high quality defending we're currently showing and the free flowing football pre West Ham (where we still didn't concede too many but were scoring more freely).

 

[SUIYHA]

Right be honest lads.

How many of you had your money on three clean sheets in a row from Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal a few weeks ago.

Hojbjerg and Sissoko protecting things has been brilliant, but also gotta give some credit to Aurier. Anyone else notice that he rarely seems to go to ground any more? Seems to have made such a big difference.

Roll on Benteke hat-trick next week

 

[wirE]

Dier and Toby is a pairing I never thought was gonna work out after Jan left but my word they are strong together. Reliable ??

 

[chrissivad]

You can see the shape of the team now when we defend. Last year it was 2 cb's Aurier somewhere up the right wing, Sissoko not sure if he should be a RB, or cm so somewhere in between with Winks running circles in cm...

 

[SUIYHA]

 

[Shadydan]

Fucking hell, you can see why he wanted Skriniar

 

[Sp3akerboxxx]

Fucking hell, you can see why he wanted Skriniar

Apparently he doesn't. He wants a quick cb.

 

[dtxspurs]

I'm starting to have an internal debate about the defenders. Has Jose made them all better players or are we instructing the team to setup in a way that it makes them look vastly better than they are?

I'm fully on the train of not slating any attacker that isn't Kane/Son for their goal contributions because of how defensive they play. Starting to wonder if that is having the opposite effect on the defense. Serge has 2 players cover for him all game for example.


?‍?‍?‍

 

[Shadydan]

Apparently he doesn't. He wants a quick cb.

He wanted him in the summer though, maybe he's changed his mind.