The Root of Spurs’ Early Problems under Mauricio Pochettino, as Arsenal Derby Looms

[mawspurs]

When Mauricio Pochettino arrived in England, he was greeted first with incredulity and hostility, due to the sacking of the popular Nigel Adkins, and then with a growing warmth as his Southampton side played some of the most fun, attractive football in England.

Read the full article at Just Football

 

[JonnySpurs]

Fascinating read and explains a huge amount about how things have gone this season. HOWEVER, using Dembele's performance against WBA is probably a poor example as everyone was bad that day and by all accounts Moussa had barely any sleep the night before with the birth of a new son (not sure how accurate that is).

I'd personally like to see his passing stats for the game the week before vs Sunderland when we all know he was MOTM and was very positive.

Aside from this though, I think it's quite clear from his play so far this season how good Morgan Schneiderlin is and what he would, and still could, offer to our play. By all accounts he utterly dominated vs Arsenal in the Cup on Tuesday night.

If the rumours are true then hopefully we will go ALL OUT to sign him in January. Until then it strikes me that maybe Poch has spotted Mason as the closest midfielder we have that suits his system and he may well start to get more game time. We'll see.

Finally, with all that said, I still believe that Poch can mould Dembele into the player that he could & should be and long term we could see a Dembele/Schneiderlin midfield pairing. Personally think that has the potential to work really well.

 

[newbie]

One other thing the article misses is the teams we have played against have sat very deep and defended. Whilst arsenal will attack you so there will be more space.

However we do miss a Modric / MS I hope Bentalab or mason can be our version.

 

[Mullers]

Fascinating read and explains a huge amount about how things have gone this season. HOWEVER, using Dembele's performance against WBA is probably a poor example as everyone was bad that day and by all accounts Moussa had barely any sleep the night before with the birth of a new son (not sure how accurate that is).

I'd personally like to see his passing stats for the game the week before vs Sunderland when we all know he was MOTM and was very positive.

Aside from this though, I think it's quite clear from his play so far this season how good Morgan Schneiderlin is and what he would, and still could, offer to our play. By all accounts he utterly dominated vs Arsenal in the Cup on Tuesday night.

If the rumours are true then hopefully we will go ALL OUT to sign him in January. Until then it strikes me that maybe Poch has spotted Mason as the closest midfielder we have that suits his system and he may well start to get more game time. We'll see.

Finally, with all that said, I still believe that Poch can mould Dembele into the player that he could & should be and long term we could see a Dembele/Schneiderlin midfield pairing. Personally think that has the potential to work really well.

Dembele shouldn't have been playing if he had no sleep. Secondly we already have two DM's at the club to buy a third would be really silly.

 

[ethanedwards]

Fascinating read and explains a huge amount about how things have gone this season. HOWEVER, using Dembele's performance against WBA is probably a poor example as everyone was bad that day and by all accounts Moussa had barely any sleep the night before with the birth of a new son (not sure how accurate that is).

I'd personally like to see his passing stats for the game the week before vs Sunderland when we all know he was MOTM and was very positive.

Aside from this though, I think it's quite clear from his play so far this season how good Morgan Schneiderlin is and what he would, and still could, offer to our play. By all accounts he utterly dominated vs Arsenal in the Cup on Tuesday night.

If the rumours are true then hopefully we will go ALL OUT to sign him in January. Until then it strikes me that maybe Poch has spotted Mason as the closest midfielder we have that suits his system and he may well start to get more game time. We'll see.

Finally, with all that said, I still believe that Poch can mould Dembele into the player that he could & should be and long term we could see a Dembele/Schneiderlin midfield pairing. Personally think that has the potential to work really well.

Be very surprised, if Levy sanctions a £20 m signing in January.

 

[JonnySpurs]

Dembele shouldn't have been playing if he had no sleep. Secondly we already have two DM's at the club to buy a third would be really silly.

As I say, it was just a rumour, I dont know how true it is.

In terms of DM's, the way I see it is that we have the following CM's for those 2 positions in front of the back four:

Capoue, Stambouli, Dembele, Bentaleb, Mason

I'm not sure that we would totally rule out bringing in MS at the expense of any of them, including Moussa. MS is the player that Poch wants more than any other as far as I can tell. The only thing that may change that is how well Stambouli progresses.

 

[deadlight]

Myself I would say the last 3 players in your list are CM's rather than CDM's, and you can add MS to that - a CDM is he not.

 

[Japhet]

Shame there wasn't a map of Dembele's contributions v Sunderland and WBA. Sure that would have looked like 2 different players in 2 different systems.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Shame there wasn't a map of Dembele's contributions v Sunderland and WBA. Sure that would have looked like 2 different players in 2 different systems.

I think stats like the ones in the article are misleading to say the least. If the movement in front of Dembele or Capoue is poor then how the hell can they play a forward pass?

I'd like to see a run pf games with Eriksen playing behind the lone striker and not on the wing. I truly think that with Poch trying to play Lamela every game it is causing either him or Eriksen to play out of position. Neither looked effective against WBA and i am dreading the Arsenal game if we up in a similar line up.

 

[teok]

Hopefully we can still get MS.

 

[t-baggins]

I must say I hadn't seen a hell of a lot of MS while Pochettino was doing well with Southampton. When we came from behind to beat them after Naughton did his best to cost us three points it felt like we were our worst enemies, and not a rampant fantastic Southampton. But this season despite the transfer saga involving MS and moving to Spurs and Southampton not willing to budge despite selling almost the whole dressing room I have to say MS has been for me the Player of the Month. He was outstanding and unlucky to lose against Liverpool, and has gone on to score and create opportunities as well as drive a raw Southampton side into the top four. He looks absolutely streets ahead of Capoue in terms of genuine quality, and Dembele needs to replicate the form he showed for Fulham against Manchester United just prior to us signing him for him to come anywhere near MS's quality. Very disappointed we didn't break the bank, as we should have pissed off Capoue and Sandro for MS... Stambouli at least looked like he moves the ball faster than Capoue and is two footed. I think he will be a success. But early days!

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

I would assume that the reason Schneiderlin didn't come in is because Levy was unable to shift existing players, so Stambouli was seen as a cheap interim option. I think we need to be prepared to see that happen again in January, when it'll be even harder to shift players like Dembele, and quite possible this is a problem we will see for the remainder of the season, or longer. Personally, I don't think Schneiderlin will become a Spurs player. But, then, I have been wrong before!

 

[t-baggins]

I would assume that the reason Schneiderlin didn't come in is because Levy was unable to shift existing players, so Stambouli was seen as a cheap interim option. I think we need to be prepared to see that happen again in January, when it'll be even harder to shift players like Dembele, and quite possible this is a problem we will see for the remainder of the season, or longer. Personally, I don't think Schneiderlin will become a Spurs player. But, then, I have been wrong before!

I also don't think we will see MS play in white... Unfortunately. If we were going to sell Sandro we should have also got rid of Capoue to Napoli who were interested, then keep the 5m we spent on Vorm, and go hell for leather for MS, and sign Stambouli also as he provides cover for MS, and it sounds like he can do a job at CB... I can't understand Davies for the money we paid to let him sit on the bench behind a converted winger... Moreno would have been better... He is going to be top class! Poor transfer philosophy for the start of Pochettino's reign... If only we still had Caulker... He'd be club captain!

 

[MyNameIsNicolaBerti]

If only we still had Caulker... He'd be club captain!

Nah, Levy would've had him demoted by now for cream cheese theft!

 

[Block D Spurs]

Paulhino or Dembele will go in Jan TW. Morgan S in. Then we will see what happens. But for now, as Southampton are in a higher position than spurs, will MS be too happy there and want to leave ??

 

[Reece]

I still haven't seen much of Schneiderlin but is he really the answer? I'd have thought we need a box-to-box midfielder (for this system) with pace / agility to get up and down. Ramires / Ramsey type? Paulinho just doesn't have the braveness / aggression / speed for it I don't think, although his kind of instinct in the box is desirable.

 

[The General]

Why are people still taking about Morgan Schneiderlin? Levy won't pay the money and I doubt he'd want to leave Southampton anyway the way things are going. Besides, when was the last time we missed out on a key signing and then went back and signed the player in the following transfer window? I don't remember Moutinho, Leandro, Huntelar, Rivaldo, turning up at White Hart Lane the following year.

 

[CrazyHeart]

Paulhino or Dembele will go in Jan TW. Morgan S in. Then we will see what happens. But for now, as Southampton are in a higher position than spurs, will MS be too happy there and want to leave ??

The only thing MS isn't doing is sitting outside WHL with a 'Will work for food' sign, irrespective how well Southampton is doing. My sense is that he wants to come to Spurs and has made no secret of it.