Tottenham Vs FC Schalke 04: Match Thread

[RickyVilla]

Well it's hard to read too much into it to be honest mate. Was against a disinterested reserve Schalke side. It seems like we even sent our reserve fans over, I've never heard them so quiet haha (although tbf there was only around 200-300 it seemed

Your support is fucking shit!

 

[indianspurs]

There were at least 2 Indian Spurs fans at Schalke game, still waiting for my chance

 

[Flobadob]

Watched the match on ITV4 last night and was content with the way we played.

Rose, Kaboul, Dier, Holtby, Townsend the standouts. Pleased with Bentaleb and Eriksen also.

Defence always goes to shit when Kaboul leaves the pitch, he's a don. Cannot believe people are even contemplating selling him, he's our best defender. Vertonghen is a superior footballer but he doesn't defend as well as Kaboul.

Rose haters are being shown up, he's been very good in pre-season, let's hope an injury doesn't put a spanner in the works like last season.

Our finishing needs to be a lot better. We still don't have that coldness in front of goal. The difference between going through on goal with a 'this is going in the net' mentality or a 'where's the defender? How much time have I got? Where shall I put it? Where's the keeper?' mentality is huge. Soldado has the latter mentality at the moment, it's plain to see. It makes me worry because it's the difference between an average striker and world class one. He's top drawer when it comes to everything else, he just needs to have a word with himself and say 'Stop being a pussy in front of goal', it's simple as that really

We've seen Sandro's last match for Tottenham, in my opinion. It genuinely hurts to say it, but he's a liability now compared with our other options. Tom Carroll is the only option behind him right now and I think that says it all, because Carroll is nowhere near our starting 11. I had so much hope that he'd come back like his old self this season but he's been poor ever since his return from injury

 

[Blake Griffin]

I have always spoken out on Rose's behalf. If I remember correctly, a few SCer's have consistently agreed with me.

really? they all must've been on their summer holidays then as the past few weeks i'd say the rose for and against ratio was somewhere around 1:99.

 

[thinktank]

Watched the match on ITV4 last night and was content with the way we played.

Rose, Kaboul, Dier, Holtby, Townsend the standouts. Pleased with Bentaleb and Eriksen also.

Defence always goes to shit when Kaboul leaves the pitch, he's a don. Cannot believe people are even contemplating selling him, he's our best defender. Vertonghen is a superior footballer but he doesn't defend as well as Kaboul.

Rose haters are being shown up, he's been very good in pre-season, let's hope an injury doesn't put a spanner in the works like last season.

Our finishing needs to be a lot better. We still don't have that coldness in front of goal. The difference between going through on goal with a 'this is going in the net' mentality or a 'where's the defender? How much time have I got? Where shall I put it? Where's the keeper?' mentality is huge. Soldado has the latter mentality at the moment, it's plain to see. It makes me worry because it's the difference between an average striker and world class one. He's top drawer when it comes to everything else, he just needs to have a word with himself and say 'Stop being a pussy in front of goal', it's simple as that really

We've seen Sandro's last match for Tottenham, in my opinion. It genuinely hurts to say it, but he's a liability now compared with our other options. Tom Carroll is the only option behind him right now and I think that says it all, because Carroll is nowhere near our starting 11. I had so much hope that he'd come back like his old self this season but he's been poor ever since his return from injury

Can people stop saying this. It's not like everyone irrationally decided not to like him regardless of his 'scintillating' form.

The opinion of him was driven by his shite play. Stop.

New manager bounce for him, fine. So far so ok/good. I wanna see how he performs after a few games and especially when Davies starts in front of him. I'm not giving this player the benefit of the doubt, he has to prove his worth and not think he's owed anything and can play any way he wants and still get a starting spot.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

That was incredibly meh. We look a different side without Capoue. Holtby's a busy little **** but there are times he lacks that little bit of composure that Capoue brings. Capoue is the only CM we have with real presence, capable of taking hold of a game.

Bentaleb and Holtby did OK, no more, no less. Would be a bit concerned if we ended up with this combo next week. Both have some good qualities but neither have that ability to dominate a midfield area with their presence. Both are more conduit type players, Bentaleb is a good one. I'm not really sure where Holtby belongs. He's not quite good enough to be a 10, not quite disciplined enough to be a cm2. And we don't play a 433.

There was very little evidence of Pochettino's methodology after the first 10 minutes. Poor tempo, no real cohesion to the pressing and after a fizzy first 10 minutes, Lennon did his usual disappearing act.

There were a few occasions when we got into situations where we could break their high line, good runs were made (particularly by Rose), but without Capoue there was no one to play the killer ball from slightly deeper.

That said, Eriksen did play a couple of nice through balls from further up. Eriksen,Rose and Dier were the big positives first half. Can't really think of any second half, Soldado continues to work hard at his all round game, but the game was pretty flat second half.


Very unimpressed with Davies so far.

 

[thinktank]

That was incredibly meh. We look a different side without Capoue. Holtby's a busy little **** but there are times he lacks that little bit of composure that Capoue brings. Capoue is the only CM we have with real presence, capable of taking hold of a game.

Bentaleb and Holtby did OK, no more, no less. Would be a bit concerned if we ended up with this combo next week. Both have some good qualities but neither have that ability to dominate a midfield area with their presence. Both are more conduit type players, Bentaleb is a good one. I'm not really sure where Holtby belongs. He's not quite good enough to be a 10, not quite disciplined enough to be a cm2. And we don't play a 433.

There was very little evidence of Pochettino's methodology after the first 10 minutes. Poor tempo, no real cohesion to the pressing and after a fizzy first 10 minutes, Lennon did his usual disappearing act.

There were a few occasions when we got into situations where we could break their high line, good runs were made (particularly by Rose), but without Capoue there was no one to play the killer ball from slightly deeper.

That said, Eriksen did play a couple of nice through balls from further up. Eriksen,Rose and Dier were the big positives first half. Can't really think of any second half, Soldado continues to work hard at his all round game, but the game was pretty flat second half.


Very unimpressed with Davies so far.

Can only see him on the left of a rotational 3. He likes to tuck in anyway so that'll leave room for davies/rose to join in.

All about squad this season so I think everyone will be getting games with EL and cups.

 

[Blake Griffin]

I'm not really sure where Holtby belongs. He's not quite good enough to be a 10, not quite disciplined enough to be a cm2. And we don't play a 433.

i quite like how poch used him in the earlier games with him drifting in off the right and getting involved. against popular opinion(what's new) i certainly don't want to see him as a cm.

 

[nidge]

i quite like how poch used him in the earlier games with him drifting in off the right and getting involved. against popular opinion(what's new) i certainly don't want to see him as a cm.

Personally haven't seen the required positional discipline from Holtby to be trusted in central midfield.

So far for me it is a Capoue +1 for the two CM positions against West Ham. Who the +1 actually is I am not sure as there hasn't been any real standouts in preseason.

 

[thinktank]

Personally haven't seen the required positional discipline from Holtby to be trusted in central midfield.

So far for me it is a Capoue +1 for the two CM positions against West Ham. Who the +1 actually is I am not sure as there hasn't been any real standouts in preseason.

You don't like Mason?

 

[Blake Griffin]

Personally haven't seen the required positional discipline from Holtby to be trusted in central midfield.

So far for me it is a Capoue +1 for the two CM positions against West Ham. Who the +1 actually is I am not sure as there hasn't been any real standouts in preseason.

for me it's nabil, although that's just as much by default than anything seeing as half of the other options haven't even played. mason looked tidy, i think people went a bit overboard on him but i think nabil has a bit more gusto about him and at 19 i'd be surprised if he didn't go on to have a much better career than mason. so for me the only choice is capoue and bentaleb, which i'd be perfectly fine with.

 

[nidge]

You don't like Mason?

I kind of still on fence with him. I like what I have seen in preseason but it is only preseason against sides that aren't exactly top tier opponents so I still have doubts about his ability to manage in the PL.

That said I wouldn't be upset if it was a Capoue and Mason CM partnership next week.

 

[thinktank]

I kind of still on fence with him. I like what I have seen in preseason but it is only preseason against sides that aren't exactly top tier opponents so I still have doubts about his ability to manage in the PL.

That said I wouldn't be upset if it was a Capoue and Mason CM partnership next week.

The thing is the apparent chemistry between them. They are a good fit for each other and they seem to feed the front four very well. I think it's hard to get the right blend in a MF2 in a 4231 so I'm not taking it lightly.

Fair play that we haven't seen Mason tested in prem though, that has to be considered; but I can't see him being fazed by it tbh.

 

[iluvsteffenfreund]

Mason thrown into the side on the opening day of the season ?!! Are you sure !!! Will our rivals (chels, arsenal, liv and city be throwing in a youngster that's done ok in a couple of pre season games against American opposition ? Come on guys seriously

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Personally haven't seen the required positional discipline from Holtby to be trusted in central midfield.

So far for me it is a Capoue +1 for the two CM positions against West Ham. Who the +1 actually is I am not sure as there hasn't been any real standouts in preseason.

Capoue & Bentaleb for me. Best combination of skills for our 4231 as things stand right now.

 

[Flobadob]

Can people stop saying this. It's not like everyone irrationally decided not to like him regardless of his 'scintillating' form.

The opinion of him was driven by his shite play. Stop.

New manager bounce for him, fine. So far so ok/good. I wanna see how he performs after a few games and especially when Davies starts in front of him. I'm not giving this player the benefit of the doubt, he has to prove his worth and not think he's owed anything and can play any way he wants and still get a starting spot.

They are being shown up as he's played well all pre-season yet they were still not willing to give him a chance. Don't criticise my post if you aren't willing to ask me or even yourself what context it is put in. I don't have any agenda whatsoever, I just think those that still weren't willing to give him a chance after he's shown good form are really being shown up by his good performances. That's all I'm saying. You don't need to get all defensive so quickly dude

 

[Bus-Conductor]

You don't like Mason?

Got to be honest TT, I wasn't as impressed with him pre season as others were. He was ok, no more.

As a pure cm I much prefer Bentaleb or even Carroll.

I always thought Mason had the makings of a more no10 type, his game seems to have changed into a more perfunctory one.

 

[Spurs1960]

That was incredibly meh. We look a different side without Capoue. Holtby's a busy little **** but there are times he lacks that little bit of composure that Capoue brings. Capoue is the only CM we have with real presence, capable of taking hold of a game.

Bentaleb and Holtby did OK, no more, no less. Would be a bit concerned if we ended up with this combo next week. Both have some good qualities but neither have that ability to dominate a midfield area with their presence. Both are more conduit type players, Bentaleb is a good one. I'm not really sure where Holtby belongs. He's not quite good enough to be a 10, not quite disciplined enough to be a cm2. And we don't play a 433.

There was very little evidence of Pochettino's methodology after the first 10 minutes. Poor tempo, no real cohesion to the pressing and after a fizzy first 10 minutes, Lennon did his usual disappearing act.

There were a few occasions when we got into situations where we could break their high line, good runs were made (particularly by Rose), but without Capoue there was no one to play the killer ball from slightly deeper.

That said, Eriksen did play a couple of nice through balls from further up. Eriksen,Rose and Dier were the big positives first half. Can't really think of any second half, Soldado continues to work hard at his all round game, but the game was pretty flat second half.


Very unimpressed with Davies so far.

Holtby is Lamela's understudy on the right at the moment or a busy bee central if we need that.

 

[Spurs1960]

They are being shown up as he's played well all pre-season yet they were still not willing to give him a chance. Don't criticise my post if you aren't willing to ask me or even yourself what context it is put in. I don't have any agenda whatsoever, I just think those that still weren't willing to give him a chance after he's shown good form are really being shown up by his good performances. That's all I'm saying. You don't need to get all defensive so quickly dude

One good performance, the rest have been the average performances you expect from anyone.

 

[thinktank]

Got to be honest TT, I wasn't as impressed with him pre season as others were. He was ok, no more.

As a pure cm I much prefer Bentaleb or even Carroll.

I always thought Mason had the makings of a more no10 type, his game seems to have changed into a more perfunctory one.

Interesting. I think there is a natural 'understanding'/balance between them. Not something you come across everyday. I would use the word 'functional' rather than 'perfunctory' irt Mason tbf. And I think this actually works really well with Capoue. He's not fussy, I like that.

Still love the boy Carroll but it's obvious he needs a very specific environment to bring his game on. Yet to open his wings, but would only encourage that once we've solidified our system under poch. Needs to be handled carefully. But he's a nugget.

Bentaleb is a tidy player for sure, but still not totally sold on him. Just don't think he's right to play with Capoue.