Tottenham's tactics too cautious to win title, says Robbie Savage

[parklane1]

I doubt if Savage has the brain to write all of that,has he?

This, the guy is a moron and he has nothing to say that is not bullshit.

 

[Pat Rice Spurs fan]

Something like

---------Capoue--------

---Dembele-Holtby---

Eriksen----------Lamela

---------Soldado--------

I think that would be more like l'Arse.
I'd see Capoue as more comparable to Arteta and would be more involved in creative attacking play than Sandro.
Horses for courses, obviously.
Against the top teams, especially away, I'd consider playing Sandro and Capoue, leaning out one of Holtby our Dembele.
Against the lower teams I think we could even cope without that holding player. A combination of Holtby & Dembele in the middle should be enough, allowing another attacking player to be included.

 

[The Apprentice]

We should be listening to the guy. If anyone knows about free flowing, creative football it is Johan Savage.

 

[kitchen]

That did not help Soldado much, because Townsend and Lennon kept cutting inside to shoot rather than trying to cross. At times he looked isolated, waiting in the middle for a ball that never came.

At Valencia last season, he also played on his own up front so he can operate as a lone striker - and he scored 24 goals in 35 La Liga games.

But all of those goals came from inside the box and only four were headers. More often than not they came from low crosses or pull-backs from the bye-line, and Tottenham are just not creating those kind of chances for him.

This is the problem for me. We've got into that sort of position far to few times. Being deep inside (or just outside) the opponents area so you can cross across the face of goal or cut back, has to be one of the most dangerous places to be in football. So many goals are scored like that, and the one time I can remember us getting in to a position like that (Lamela vs Cardiff who assisted Paulinho) we scored.

When Lennon got in to the box yesterday, because he's right footed, he looked to cut outside and lift the ball in, rather than drive to the byline and pick out an easier pass with his stronger foot.

The inverted wingers are cutting in perhaps too often, and the fullbacks aren't running in to the box where possible. Whilst Townsend is currently one of my favourite players, he's always picking up the ball from deep and driving at the opponent, it might be better if he used his pace to get in behind the opponent off the ball sometimes.

 

[HotspurFC1950]

We are not title winners.

We are top four aspirants and we are in the top four.

Successful.

 

[Courtneyjd]

Spot on!

 

[onthetwo]

I confess to having watched the Gooner highlights (i know).
For those who cant to watch, they have a right full-back runs like the wind and crosses into the box, behind the defenders.
It looks pretty easy when they do it so could anyone doing forensic tactical analysis please explain why we cant do that too?

 

[Syn_13]

I think that would be more like l'Arse.
I'd see Capoue as more comparable to Arteta and would be more involved in creative attacking play than Sandro.
Horses for courses, obviously.
Against the top teams, especially away, I'd consider playing Sandro and Capoue, leaning out one of Holtby our Dembele.
Against the lower teams I think we could even cope without that holding player. A combination of Holtby & Dembele in the middle should be enough, allowing another attacking player to be included.

Capoue is an essential player for us, IMO. I've watched him a fair bit the last couple of seasons and he is exactly what we need anchoring the midfield.

Arsenal use Flamini and Arteta in that holding position. Both complement each others' weaknesses and, although good, solid players, are nothing special and ultimately limited. Wenger uses them tactically though, and has used them well, which is exactly why they're sitting at the top of the table and have the freedom to play such attractive football.

The marvellous thing about our Etienne is that he combines the abilities of both Arteta and Flamini, which makes him a quality player to me. He's built for the EPL and for our style of possession football whilst being physically dominant. Once he's fully fit he will be a key player for us, no doubt about it.

 

[Syn_13]

I confess to having watched the Gooner highlights (i know).
For those who cant to watch, they have a right full-back runs like the wind and crosses into the box, behind the defenders.
It looks pretty easy when they do it so could anyone doing forensic tactical analysis please explain why we cant do that too?

Because our full backs and inverted wingers aren't smart enough or have as good movement as Aesenal's (albeit they aren't really playing with wingers at the moment).

When Townsend cuts in he should drag the full back away and Walker should be looking to overlap, same on the other side. We don't do that as Andros likes a shot and Kyle is too dumb. Besides, Kyle can't cross very well anyway. I have seen them do it a few times though and it's looked very dangerous. The Chelsea game (first half) springs to mind.

If you play inverted wingers you should be utilising this strategy and looking to support the lone striker with the wingers as he is your only real option up front. This is why Soldado isn't banging them in for fun as nobody is working with him. The only two who ever try are the attacking mid (Holtby/Eriksen) and Paulinho when he bursts forward.

We're lop-sided really, have been for years. If we're going to have wingers then let them be wingers, not some sort of pseudo-attacking mid/winger. Otherwise just line up with 3 attacking mids behind the striker, like Arsenal and Chelsea do, and let them roam and be the team's creative output to open up spaces in order to feed the striker.

I'd like to see us eventually evolve into the latter with players like Eriksen, Lamela and Holtby at our disposal. I think Townsend could still suit this as he's got 2 good feet and is smarter than his counter-part, Lennon. The defensive responsibilities wouldn't be compromised either as we'll still have the 2 holding mids. So not a formation change but more of a role/style/discipline tweak.

 

[CowInAComa]

We are not title winners.

We are top four aspirants and we are in the top four.

Successful.

We should be title challengers with our squad.

but we are small time in mentality. especially the fans.

 

[nidge]

Pundits are meant to provide insight that isn't obvious to the layman.

Unfortunately that is where Savage fails epically.

 

[Shea]

Savage some fair points excepting our aim is top four not the title.

Citeh have scored 19 goals more but are a point behind.

Rather have that point than 19 more goals personally.

I dunno actually, because the extra goals show more potential yo gain future points.

As things stand I certainly rate City's chances of top 4 above our on in spite of the extra point we hold because of their potency in front of goal and ability to win matches.

They've had some issues with Hart while we've had Lloris performing fantastically which is a big factor in our defence being more consistent than theirs (plus Kompany being out) but the West Ham game showed how vunerable we still can be and we're often reliant on Lloris to snuff out danger.

City however have the goals in them to win games and win them well while we struggle to break down teams and often rely on luck like dodgy penalties (you have to fear you won't always get the rub of the green when you're relying on such fine margins)

 

[CowInAComa]

I have never seen a team who are level on points in 2nd place in the most competitive league with around 11 new players who have never played with each other while losing their best two players in consecutive seasons criticised as much as Spurs.

are you literally just cutting and pasting the same comment into every thread?

 

[ethanedwards]

I have never seen a team who are level on points in 2nd place in the most competitive league with around 11 new players who have never played with each other while losing their best two players in consecutive seasons criticised as much as Spurs.

Losing Bale was bad, but Dempsey was irreplacable.

 

[Wardy]

I have never seen a team who are level on points in 2nd place in the most competitive league with around 11 new players who have never played with each other while losing their best two players in consecutive seasons criticised as much as Spurs.

It's purely because we've bought heavily, so naturally the expectations rise.

As far as the "we're too cautious" comment goes from Savage, we're not. Infact, I think it's the opposite and we're not agressive enough, particularly around the oppositions box

 

[thinktank]

Fair play to Savage, spot on. Would *win* that twice if I could.

But wtf is a 'ratter'?????? lol

 

[dagraham]

Savage is a Muppet but he's spot on. Of course it's important to be hard to beat but setting up to be solid and hope to nick it is not going to win you titles. Look at Liverpool under Benitez. Drew far too many games, which ultimately cost them.

I dont know how anyone who has watched us can say we're not negative. Just because we're not long ball cloggers doesn't mean we're not negative.

We simply don't get enough players forward and into the box for a start.

Watch the Man City goals tonight. In one instance they have 4 or 5 players in and around the box. That's not just because they have better players than us or because they have gelled. It's a mindset and attitude.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Savage is a Muppet but he's spot on. Of course it's important to be hard to beat but setting up to be solid and hope to nick it is not going to win you titles. Look at Liverpool under Benitez. Drew far too many games, which ultimately cost them.

I dont know how anyone whit watched is can say we're not negative. Just because we're not long ball cloggers doesn't mean we're not negative.

We simply don't get enough players forward and into the box for a start.

Watch the Man City goals tonight. In one instance they have 4 or 5 players in and around the box. That's not just because they have better players than us or because they have gelled. It's a mindset and attitude.

Playing a high line and pressing the opposition as close to their own goal as possible is not negative.

 

[only1waddle]

Does Robbie Savage go to every training session?
Does he know what stage our development is at?
Does he know what plans AVB has to integrate more attacking play into our solid core?
Would Robbie Savage know what passing football is if it kicked him in the dick?

No.
Next.

 

[parklane1]

Does Robbie Savage go to every training session?
Does he know what stage our development is at?
Does he know what plans AVB has to integrate more attacking play into our solid core?
Would Robbie Savage know what passing football is if it kicked him in the dick?

No.
Next.

Word.