Tottenham Vs Arsenal: Match Thread

[13VanDerBale13]

Disagree. Entirely! I have sais it before and I will say it again: this is the way it is going to be for a very long time. The TV funding is the great equaliser. I think this is good and healthy (in many but not all respects). This is emphatically NOT the last chance saloon. Really. Trust me!

do you really think we can compete with man city and guardiola???

they should be walking the league with pellegrini

 

[coys63]

Another point gained towards CL though.

Other side of the coin. The shinier side for me, personally.

I don't think we've got the mental fortitude at this time to take the title. Just don't.

We've done amazingly to be up there this season and I hope this is the first of many challenges for it in the coming years.

So we don't have the mental fortitude. What about Leicester? They must do since they are points to the good. What a negative, defeatist statement. Thankfully I doubt the players are thinking like that The time is now. No guarantees there will be coming years. Law of attraction my friend. Think negative you get negative .

 

[Hercules]

Relieved and fair point today. I was not overally impressed with our quality in the final third, and when Son came on nothing stuck along ad usual with him. We could of lost if not for the sending off. Dier should of gone also so we were lucky.

Those who suggest we only need a couple in the summer has been smoking too much dope lol. Putting it into perspective never expected us to be where we are challenging, and therefore I continue to enjoy the ride. Be gutted saying all that if we don't win it.

 

[Damian99]

Anyone nervous about the villa game now......

Stop it, no better team to be playing next after a little wobble. Can't fucking wait for it.

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

and I thought holding on to a 2-1 win today could have given us some grace when meeting liverfool, chelscum and manure... now we need to win 2 from these 3 to really have any chances of winning the title...

Completely agree...a win today and we could have afforded a loss or a few draws.

 

[glacierSpurs]

Anyone nervous about the villa game now......

we can't...

think thrashing them..

 

[Pedro]

We are still in the race, most important thing was not to lose. Disappointing not to win, but we came back from a goal down. Watford will beat Leicester imo, could be a point gained on them.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Another point gained towards CL though.

Other side of the coin. The shinier side for me, personally.

I don't think we've got the mental fortitude at this time to take the title. Just don't.

We've done amazingly to be up there this season and I hope this is the first of many challenges for it in the coming years.

I really don't think it's the mental fortitude we are lacking, I just think it's that bit of intelligence and composure that does for us.

 

[mpickard2087]

I just couldn't believe we didn't go for the throat when we got ahead, it was like we thought the job was done because they were down to ten men.

Funny how people see things differently, I actually thought that we went far too gung ho. I know there is an argument that we had seen momentum wildly swing in our favour and to keep going, but personally I think it was the time for calm heads, composure and to keep the ball and be patient until we had run them ragged and the opportunities presented themselves. Instead the game opened up, got 100mph end to end helter skelter stuff with where even people like Eriksen struggled to keep the ball for us, and allowed the likes of Ozil and Sanchez massive freedom.

It is a young team but I think they need to strive to improve their game management. I've posted numerous times this season (as have others) about not being totally happy with ceding possession and dropping off after getting the lead in games and giving the opposition a bit of a sniff, but you always get told you're being too negative for pointing it out. Well today it was a bit of a carbon copy of many games, I don't know if it's tiredness but players stop wanting the ball and others are careless playing lazy flicks here, there and everywhere instead of getting it and keeping it. Today we saw what happens against a decent team, they will punish you for dropping off and giving them a slither of momentum. As I say, we must strive to improve this aspect.

 

[Tom Pops]

FUCK THIS SHIT, SPURS ALWAYS LET YOU DOWN.

2nd in the league, 3 points clear of Arsenal and the best goal difference in the league.

Oh and the youngest squad in the league (people seem to forget Alli was playing against the likes of Fleetwood, Yeovil and Oldham last season).

Yeah, so let down here.

 

[Mr Pink]

Tell you what, need Everton to win today - don't want those Pikey's making any more ground on us.

 

[wrd]

I'm going through the 5 stages of grief currently,

Feel like with our remaining fixtures we were desperate for a win and we blew it, how we have allowed them to score with 10 men is criminal.

 

[maltahotspur]

One can discuss at length what might have been. One can say it could have been better but it could have been worse as well. Football doesn't work like that. A draw against a team who are 3 points + better GD behind us, is a good result indeed.

 

[mattie g]

Spurs fans aren't fickle

We played well today. Sure we weren't at or best but the games have come so thick and fast. The first 30 minutes we put great pressure on them without creating any clear chances. We allowed them back into it. The 2nd half picked up where it left off but we started to create more. Once they went down to 10 men we did well to turn it around. When the opposition go down to 10 men that doesn't automatically mean it should be easy. At 2-1 we should have really pushed on to get a 3rd. Instead we made a poor mistake and conceded a soft goal. We still created some great chances though and on another day one of them would have gone in. The game went so flat at 2-2 I think the fans should have done a better job to get us going again.

I can understand people being disappointed but the overreaction is pathetic. Using words like 'unacceptable' is so ridiculous. This was a NLD and they're always close. Even with a man advantage they were always going to fight for everything. When the rain comes crashing down it makes for a typical battle and the games can go either way. I was doubtful Arsenal would lose 4 games in a row, something just had to give there. I think we just didn't have the energy to keep up the pressure throughout. When you play 4 games in 10 games it is always difficult. We've won 2, lost 1 and drawn 1. It's not nearly as bad as people make it out. We need to win those next 2 League games before the international break. Then we can really go for it in the final 7 games.

Fantastic post. Had to quote it to bring it to the fore.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

The Castrol statistics show that on more than half the occasions a team in one of Europe's top five leagues has had a player sent off while winning or drawing with more than 10 minutes remaining, their result has worsened. Red cards are still significant, and four cherry-picked results in the past few days don't change that. What is apparent, though, is that those results are part of a wider trend: teams are better at playing with a man down that they used to be.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2010/feb/11/the-question-teams-better-10-men

 

[Damian99]

I really don't think it's the mental fortitude we are lacking, I just think it's that bit of intelligence and composure that does for us.

Agree there and one or two with a lack of football intelligence, oh and some one with leadership and drive. Lamela might not be the player we hoped for when we bought him, but aside his occasionally daft challenge, he's the type of player i love to see on a football pitch, 100% desire and will to win.

 

[maltahotspur]

Everton 1-0 up.

 

[haxman]

Tell you what, need Everton to win today - don't want those Pikey's making any more ground on us.

Good start.

 

[mpickard2087]

All correct bar the Dembele part. He played very well.

I think he was fine when the game was in his immediate vicinity being played at his own laid back rhythm and pace, could barely chase about the pitch though.

 

[joelstinton14]

Tell you what, need Everton to win today - don't want those Pikey's making any more ground on us.

Good timing