The Poch has been confirmed as manager thread!

[Ironskullll]

We play what I would call a selective high press rather than an all out agressive high press. Pochettino still likes to play a possession based game but it's a world apart from the turgid nonsense we played under AVB.

Agree. And (of course), any sort of pressing game is the other side of the coin from a possession game. They might or might not go with each other. Spotting when to press is key - the old coaching terminology of phases of play - it's when players are about to receive the ball or be challenged for it, or have just received the ball or have just won the ball that they are most vulnerable to losing possession. Our press is much more intense when it happens even when compared with last season, let alone earlier seasons, but much more selectively applied. And it's not as high, or so it seems to me from watching on tv. I like the way our forward players swarm. It's almost like a 5-5 formation sometimes when we're not in possession, with the front 5 just swarming wherever they need to, leaving the other 5 only loosely connected to them.

I'd love to see some more stats on our possession though. Are we winning the ball back so very quickly that we can afford to lose it more often than we'd like to? Or are our possession stats more the result of conserving possession? I think it's a mix of both with the dynamic slowly changing towards the former. We seem to give the ball away a lot yet within no time we have it back again.

 

[Xeeleeyid]

I'm wondering also about the "high press". I've seen many comments saying that there's little difference between AVB's tactics and those of MP, and that there's no discernable philosophy here, but do you recall in the days of AVB, Lloris's role almost as a sweeper keeper, and the number of times he was required to leave his box? That seldom ever happens now, so and so we find ourselves putting our finger on two aspects of the emerging "philosophy" that's different to what went before, not just one.

You see under AVB I don't think we adopted a high press as such, we adopted a 'high line', which is different. I think we were supposed to push high up and just stay in a solid formation, without pressing. We didn't press aggressively under AVB from memory, we just squeezed high and compressed the play. It was about killing games and it worked when we had a super-star like Bale to score out of nowhere in a tight 0-0 game.

 

[Ironskullll]

You see under AVB I don't think we adopted a high press as such, we adopted a 'high line', which is different. I think we were supposed to push high up and just stay in a solid formation, without pressing. We didn't press aggressively under AVB from memory, we just squeezed high and compressed the play. It was about killing games and it worked when we had a super-star like Bale to score out of nowhere in a tight 0-0 game.

You're right but I do believe the intention was to press as well, otherwise what's the point of compression, it's asking for trouble.... haha and that's exactly what happened - sometimes the press was there though, other times it wasn't. Even when it was there were times when it simply might as well not have been. Semantics maybe but do you think he actually intended it that way, ie high line with no press?

 

[Xeeleeyid]

You're right but I do believe the intention was to press as well, otherwise what's the point of compression, it's asking for trouble.... haha and that's exactly what happened - sometimes the press was there though, other times it wasn't. Even when it was there were times when it simply might as well not have been. Semantics maybe but do you think he actually intended it that way, ie high line with no press?

Well I think so, like I said, it's more a tactical thing. You put your pieces in a rigid formation and even without pressing it makes it difficult for the opponent to find passing angles and play out, just through way of bodies being in positions to intercept. I mean he did it at Chelsea and he did it for us. I think it works with the right players like I said. It makes games tight and little was created on either side. But at the same time, when you have the likes of Hulk or Bale who are always liable to score a rocket out of nowhere, then you will win a lot of points.

I just think it was a limited style though, I mean the other side of the coin was that on an 'off-day' you were prone to getting dicked because if the rigidity of the formation wasn't maintained and the team was set up to be so rigid, if you went a goal or two down it could start to look raged pretty quickly.

I think with the right players bought after Bale was sold he might have been ok. I just think those players were too expensive. He's another Mourinho in every respect. He needs big name players to make his system work. He didn't get the time to implement his style at Chelsea, but he could have been a success there with time. He's done well at Zenit with a big budget and he did well at Porto with a budget that was in relative terms bigger than everyone elses in the league.

With the right players his system churns out a lot of points. He is a number cruncher. It wasn't particularly pretty but if you keep a game 0-0 for long enough with someone like Hulk, Falcao or Bale in your team you will win a lot of games.

 

[Ironskullll]

Well I think so, like I said, it's more a tactical thing. You put your pieces in a rigid formation and even without pressing it makes it difficult for the opponent to find passing angles and play out, just through way of bodies being in positions to intercept. I mean he did it at Chelsea and he did it for us. I think it works with the right players like I said. It makes games tight and little was created on either side. But at the same time, when you have the likes of Hulk or Bale who are always liable to score a rocket out of nowhere, then you will win a lot of points.

I just think it was a limited style though, I mean the other side of the coin was that on an 'off-day' you were prone to getting dicked because if the rigidity of the formation wasn't maintained and the team was set up to be so rigid, if you went a goal or two down it could start to look raged pretty quickly.

I think with the right players bought after Bale was sold he might have been ok. I just think those players were too expensive. He's another Mourinho in every respect. He needs big name players to make his system work. He didn't get the time to implement his style at Chelsea, but he could have been a success there with time. He's done well at Zenit with a big budget and he did well at Porto with a budget that was in relative terms bigger than everyone elses in the league.

With the right players his system churns out a lot of points. He is a number cruncher. It wasn't particularly pretty but if you keep a game 0-0 for long enough with someone like Hulk, Falcao or Bale in your team you will win a lot of games.

Interesting, quite different from MP's game then though easy to confuse the two from just looking on, a bit like wasps and bees...

 

[jackson]

Looks like Poch has won the manager of the month - sky link from newsnow saying so but page is missing... hopefully not the kiss of death for the Liverpool game

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...emier-leagues-september-manager-of-the-month?

 

[Gb160]

Looks like Poch has won the manager of the month - sky link from newsnow saying so but page is missing... hopefully not the kiss of death for the Liverpool game

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...emier-leagues-september-manager-of-the-month?

Im surprised they haven't given it to Klopp...twats.

 

[glospur]

Looks like Poch has won the manager of the month - sky link from newsnow saying so but page is missing... hopefully not the kiss of death for the Liverpool game

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...emier-leagues-september-manager-of-the-month?

Confirmed on the club facebook page. Congratulations Poch!

 

[McArchibald]

The first of many, I hope... Congratulations Mauricio!

 

[Bulletspur]

The first of many, I hope... Congratulations Mauricio!

I might be wrong but I am sure he has won it with us before

 

[DanielCHillier]

I might be wrong but I am sure he has won it with us before

I thought so to, but apparently not, it's personally his second, but his first with us.

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

When Chelski do the inevitable and sack Mourinho, I've always thought he wouldn't make it to the end of the year, does anyone think we might be at risk of them trying to poach Poch ?

I know they long for Pep but he is way too smart to go there. Ancelotti is available but would they do back to back returning managers ? Klopp is obviously off the table. I guess Simeone would be top of the list but if I was Comrade Roman I think Poch would likely be up alongside him given the style of football he plays and his willingness to play home grown players.

Not meaning to turn this into a "pick Chelski's next manager" thread but I do think we have some risk when Mourinho gets axed.

 

[DanielCHillier]

When Chelski do the inevitable and sack Mourinho, I've always thought he wouldn't make it to the end of the year, does anyone think we might be at risk of them trying to poach Poch ?

I know they long for Pep but he is way too smart to go there. Ancelotti is available but would they do back to back returning managers ? Klopp is obviously off the table. I guess Simeone would be top of the list but if I was Comrade Roman I think Poch would likely be up alongside him given the style of football he plays and his willingness to play home grown players.

Not meaning to turn this into a "pick Chelski's next manager" thread but I do think we have some risk when Mourinho gets axed.

Doesn't bare thinking about, but Poch doesn't seem like the type to jump ship for a bit of extra money. Southampton fans would try and tell you otherwise buy he left them because they planned to sell half of their squad and all of their star players.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Doesn't bare thinking about, but Poch doesn't seem like the type to jump ship for a bit of extra money. Southampton fans would try and tell you otherwise buy he left them because they planned to sell half of their squad and all of their star players.

The rot started before that. IIRC they thought he'd walk out when they sacked that guy who was his mate. Can't remember who it was now.

But to answer AYC, nah, I don't think he's (yet) the kind of name they would go for.

 

[Shadydan]

Nicola Cortese

You'd be forgiven if you thought that was some fit Italian bird with big tats

 

[mckenz]

Think they would only want a "big" name, someone who has been around the champions league and has won stuff.

No disrespect to Poch, I think he's great for us

 

[Mr Pink]

When Chelski do the inevitable and sack Mourinho, I've always thought he wouldn't make it to the end of the year, does anyone think we might be at risk of them trying to poach Poch ?

I know they long for Pep but he is way too smart to go there. Ancelotti is available but would they do back to back returning managers ? Klopp is obviously off the table. I guess Simeone would be top of the list but if I was Comrade Roman I think Poch would likely be up alongside him given the style of football he plays and his willingness to play home grown players.

Not meaning to turn this into a "pick Chelski's next manager" thread but I do think we have some risk when Mourinho gets axed.

If it happens, sacking Mourinho that is and I'm not convinced it will, I think they'll bring in a stop gap to see out the season and then they'll go for Simeone and it wouldn't surprise me if he brings Griezmann with him. The Costa link as well...it will happen I reckon.

 

[Mullers]

When Chelski do the inevitable and sack Mourinho, I've always thought he wouldn't make it to the end of the year, does anyone think we might be at risk of them trying to poach Poch ?

I know they long for Pep but he is way too smart to go there. Ancelotti is available but would they do back to back returning managers ? Klopp is obviously off the table. I guess Simeone would be top of the list but if I was Comrade Roman I think Poch would likely be up alongside him given the style of football he plays and his willingness to play home grown players.

Not meaning to turn this into a "pick Chelski's next manager" thread but I do think we have some risk when Mourinho gets axed.

LOL no, no risk whatsoever.
He hasn't won anything or achieved anything great with us yet, I can't see for the life of me why they would be interested,

 

[jezz]

Doesn't bare thinking about, but Poch doesn't seem like the type to jump ship for a bit of extra money. Southampton fans would try and tell you otherwise buy he left them because they planned to sell half of their squad and all of their star players.

Planned?

 

[spursfan77]

I liked the whole article but the part I highlighted struck a chord...

I dragged these stats off the BBC site, for fouls committed during PL matches this season:

A Spurs 12 Man Utd 12
H Spurs 15 Stoke 11
A Spurs 14 Leicester 7
H Spurs 20 Everton 9
A Spurs 12 Sunderland 11
H Spurs 9, C Palace 11
H Spurs 17 Man City 6
A Spurs 19 Swansea 8

And that's with us tending to dominate possession!

I've occasionally looked up the stats in previous seasons, and these figures represent an absolute sea change. In previous seasons (not sure of last year, don't recall looking) it was only ever against Arsenal where it would be even close - we were the softest of touches. Not that the object of the game is to commit fouls (obviously), any more than it is to run the most (obviously), but these fouls, running and possession stats are, IMHO hugely significant. The fouls stat speaks for itself insofar as it indicates a much more robust approach, one which we've wanted for years. But is also gives an insight into the possession statistic. Without knowing how long a period of possession lasts, it's hard to draw conclusions from possession stats. The foul stats suggest that we're working amazingly hard to win the ball back, and that it's working. Not so much necessarily of a high press, as a quick and aggressive press. I'd really like to see how long our periods of possession are in comparison to other teams and previous seasons. Are our high possession percentages the result of a few lengthy periods of possession or just a great number of shorter periods?

Regardless, I think that this is indicative of a new attitude permeating the entire team. It'll be interesting to see what the rest of the season holds and whether it sustains that impression. I hope it does!

Thanks a lot for posting that. It's what I've been thinking for a while too. Can I just add that I think we are being more careful as to where to foul and break up play. I looked at it once earlier this season and a lot of our fouls were in and around the halfway line. Breaking up teams attacks and possession but in an area where players are unlikely to pick up yellow cards.

I've been screaming for us to do this for years. The best ever example of it, that I've seen live, was by Man U was when we drew at home 1 all (tevez last minute goal game) and Carrick and Hargreaves did it all game to great effect. It was an obvious tactic. They just destroyed us playing by annoying fouls for 90 minutes. If they hadn't taken that approach we would have won that game quite comfortably.