Tottenham Vs Arsenal: Match Thread

[jezz]

But you are assuming that we and everybody else will win their games but they aren't at the moment and Leicester are. So 5 points clear and 9 games to go they must be red hot to win the title.

Yes very much so.
But they lost against Arse (a draw would've a been a fair result ) beat Norwich, they were lucky even the fans admit that. Drew West Brom and beat Watford, again they got lucky, a draw would've been a fair result.
So its not quite done and dusted just yet.
A lot of football to go yet and 5 points is not that much.
Personally I think they will do it, only because I don't think we will win enough to catch them.
But who knows a week ago I had us as certs to catch them this week.

 

[Shadydan]

Poch bottled it. Should have replaced Lamela for Son if he wanted a sub.

Did you see how Son played when he came on?

 

[1882andallthat]

I thought the ref was good today also.

He may well have let the game flow but I will be completely objective and say that he got 2 out of the big 3 calls wrong. If he applied the same logic and laws of the game in correctly giving Coquelin a second yellow he should have done the same with Dier and Bellerin.

 

[1882andallthat]

They say that things even themselves out, well they certainly do with goal line technology. That ball was as close to being over the line for us against them yesterday as it was with that one Watford had against us earlier this season. Whilst it would make no difference to the amount of points we had, I would have them both inches further forward if I had the chance of that swap. 1-1 away to Watford instead of a 2-1 away win and a 3-2 win yesterday instead of a 2-2 draw would have tasted a little sweeter even if as I have said we would still have been on 55 points........

 

[Jamesbashspur]

Watching the game back and wimmer and erik lamela played really well.the way erik presses a teams back line is great.roll on Thursday get an away goal then wallop villa.COYS

 

[dynamoSpurs]

The problem with Chadli is his lack of defensive work, which when we were 2-1 up was the issue. Lamela was on a yellow for a long time and it made sense for him to come off. I liked Pochettino's press performances, very bullish.

My point was that going defensive was the wrong option mate.

They had 10 men and we were 2-1 up. Bring on Chadders and go for the jugular.

Why would anyone go defensive at home with an extra man? That's ~9pc more manpower on the field. Plus we had the momentum after Kane's goal.

 

[thebenjamin]

My point was that going defensive was the wrong option mate.

They had 10 men and we were 2-1 up. Bring on Chadders and go for the jugular.

Why would anyone go defensive at home with an extra man? That's ~9pc more manpower on the field. Plus we had the momentum after Kane's goal.

This is being overblown. Bringing on Mason is hardly like bringing on another defender. He's a recently converted to CM player who's spent most of his life as an attacking midfielder, to play with Dier, one defensive player, and Dembele who's either a CM or an AM. Gaining control of the midfield area is exactly what we needed to do to see the game out, but it didn't happen. Doesn't make the logic behind the sub wrong.

After the way Chadli played on Wednesday and the way Son plays pretty much all the time (at the moment), it's obvious why he didn't trust either of them.

 

[millsey]

This is being overblown. Bringing on Mason is hardly like bringing on another defender. He's a recently converted to CM player who's spent most of his life as an attacking midfielder, to play with Dier, one defensive player, and Dembele who's either a CM or an AM. Gaining control of the midfield area is exactly what we needed to do to see the game out, but it didn't happen. Doesn't make the logic behind the sub wrong.

After the way Chadli played on Wednesday and the way Son plays pretty much all the time (at the moment), it's obvious why he didn't trust either of them.

Agree. It's like we bought on a defender and went 5 at the back. We brought on an attacking player in Mason but one that can also get stuck on. With Lamella on a yellow, one bad tackle and it was evened up again. Chadli does nothing in a game bar shoot. The theory from Poch was right. Because it didn't work out doesn't not mean it was wrong

 

[muppetman]

My point was that going defensive was the wrong option mate.

They had 10 men and we were 2-1 up. Bring on Chadders and go for the jugular.

Why would anyone go defensive at home with an extra man? That's ~9pc more manpower on the field. Plus we had the momentum after Kane's goal.

I disagree, I think we showed our naivety by going for it. What we should have done was keep the ball and pass it around them - make the extra man count. Instead we went toe to toe with them and they punished us.

Young team, live and learn etc etc etc

 

[dynamoSpurs]

I disagree, I think we showed our naivety by going for it. What we should have done was keep the ball and pass it around them - make the extra man count. Instead we went toe to toe with them and they punished us.

Young team, live and learn etc etc etc

Its not "going for it" that got us, or any other team in trouble; it's stupid mistakes.

Their second goal was the result of yet another misplaced pass (by Eriksen!) which was intercepted around the midfield. Hardly "going for it".

And to those who are dismissing Chadders, please remind me how many goals he has and perhaps a goals per minute statistic to go with it?

 

[muppetman]

Its not "going for it" that hot us, or any other team in trouble; it's stupid mistakes.

Their second goal was the result of yet another misplaced pass (by Eriksen!) which was intercepted around the midfield. Hardly "going for it".

And to those who are dismissing Chadders, please remind me how many goals he has and perhaps a goals per minute statistic to go with it?

But I think if we had retreated soemewhat and had been a bit more intelligent then the mistake would not have been so serious. Sanchez had so much space in the last ten minutes. he was riled up and really up for it. With a bit more 'game management' we would have had someone sat on him. Instead we had Dier trying to cope with the long ball to Giroud and nobody else filling in because everyone wanted to be up the pitch and score a third.

It's obviously not as clear cut as that but I think we were overexcited and picked up on the crowd noise and expectation. I think they will learn a lot from this.

Saying all that I nearly put my back out celebrating our two goals so a third might have finished me off completely!

 

[Sweetsman]

My point was that going defensive was the wrong option mate.

They had 10 men and we were 2-1 up. Bring on Chadders and go for the jugular.

Why would anyone go defensive at home with an extra man? That's ~9pc more manpower on the field. Plus we had the momentum after Kane's goal.

Well, the thing was that they were targeting the left wing a lot. They knew that that was our blind side. I agree that Chadli does provide a good attacking option and he has scored quite regularly of late. It's all very easy in retrospect and of course, some decisions just don't work out. The main thing yesterday was not to lose, because they had to win.

 

[dynamoSpurs]

But I think if we had retreated soemewhat and had been a bit more intelligent then the mistake would not have been so serious. Sanchez had so much space in the last ten minutes. he was riled up and really up for it. With a bit more 'game management' we would have had someone sat on him. Instead we had Dier trying to cope with the long ball to Giroud and nobody else filling in because everyone wanted to be up the pitch and score a third.

It's obviously not as clear cut as that but I think we were overexcited and picked up on the crowd noise and expectation. I think they will learn a lot from this.

Saying all that I nearly put my back out celebrating our two goals so a third might have finished me off completely!

Whatever excuses, we had an extra man out there and were the home side Eriksen's misplaced pass/clearance was the result of defensive panic.

Whatever way we spin it, Dembele came off for Son after their equaliser, which shows we wanted the win. So my original point was Chadders should have come on AT LEAST after that point, but in my opinion, probably soon after Cockelin was sent off.

In summary, Chadders has been proven more effective than Son. Can we all agree with that??

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

The problem with that sub wasn't that Mason came on, it was that Lamela came off.

I've seen a few games this season where Lamela has been brought off when we are in winning positions and we have completely lost our flow. In my opinion he is a KEY defensive player, and is worth the risk keeping him on if he has a yellow card. Plus, and forgive me if I'm wrong, I've seen Erik receive a ton of yellows, but never a red. He knows what he's doing.

And I also just want to take the time to say this: Ryan Mason isn't that great.

 

[homer hotspur]

The problem with that sub wasn't that Mason came on, it was that Lamela came off.

I've seen a few games this season where Lamela has been brought off when we are in winning positions and we have completely lost our flow. In my opinion he is a KEY defensive player, and is worth the risk keeping him on if he has a yellow card. Plus, and forgive me if I'm wrong, I've seen Erik receive a ton of yellows, but never a red. He knows what he's doing.

And I also just want to take the time to say this: Ryan Mason isn't that great.

I am not totally sure he does know what he's doing and Poch is aware of that ,which is why he often takes him off after a yellow. I can recall several games where, on a yellow, he has gone sliding into a dangerous tackle and got away with it , usually by missing ball and player( and he was getting involved with Sanchez yesterday). It was a shame because he was playing quite well but I think the decision to sub him was correct.

 

[Monkey boy]

24 hours on and I'm still gutted. Feels like a defeat

 

[Blake Griffin]

i'm a fan of mason and think people forget how well he was playing before his injury but since coming back he's looked well off the pace. his usual tigerish nature coupled with aggressive quick pases and forward runs(bar the fiorentina goal) have been absent, i'd prefer to see bentaleb and carroll's controlled possession game for now. i believe mason's due an op on his ankle in the summer and if it were up to me i'd rather we did it now and have him back at 100% going into next season.

 

[poc]

24 hours on and I'm still gutted. Feels like a defeat

Yep can't shake it either. Just feels like no matter how far we think we progress we still can't put away the most important games when things really matter. 1pt from 6 isn't just puts things back in perspective. Overreaction? Maybe, tomorrow my glass will be half full again I am sure

 

[Spur4life]

Just woke up and i feel like S*** after letting them get a draw when we should have got a 3rd.Looking at the table we might be 2nd but when you look down the like of west ham, liverpool are only a couple of wins away for a top 4 spot.I really hope the boys start to kick on from here and still make this season a great season that has been.COYS

 

[eViL]

I disagree, I think we showed our naivety by going for it. What we should have done was keep the ball and pass it around them - make the extra man count. Instead we went toe to toe with them and they punished us.

Young team, live and learn etc etc etc

BMJ, is that you?