What`s wrong with our attack?

[Japhet]

No viable alternative to an off form Kane. I turned my nose up at Charlie Austin during the transfer window but I'd have in a heartbeat right now.

 

[luptic]

Hopefully we get a striker in, in the next window. The failure of getting in one, in the summer was always going to hunt us. Kane needs a break or getting the pressure shared with someone else.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

As usual, I'm less inclined than most to blame individual players or transfer policy.

I would be very interested to see comparative statistics for blocked shots, this season and last, indeed, going all the way back to AVB's first season. My impression is that we have a disproportionately large number of our shots blocked and deflected, compared to our opponents.

And my explanation is that our attacking players habitually take too many touches when in and around the penalty box. We very rarely see a Spurs player put his foot through a loose ball on the edge of the area. He'll want to get it under control, take two or three touches, get it onto his favoured foot and line up the best possible angle. The problem is that, by that time, the defence has adjusted and someone is going to be putting a leg or a backside into whatever gap our player thought he saw. Result: another blocked shot.

The players who are popularly pilloried for this are Dembélé and Chadli, but they all do it, to differing degrees. Kane does it as a general rule and so do Eriksen and Lamela. Walker and Mason are more inclined to take a quick shot, but they are generally at a greater distance and don't get as many chances. Townsend's style is different, but he still advances with the ball and takes multiple touches before launching his exocets into the stratosphere.

It's not necessary for us to pepper the goal with volleys, but it would be a good plan to vary the approach some more. It would change the way defences have to deal with us when we attack and it would introduce elements of uncertainty. If there's an attacker who is known to fire off accurate shots from 20m, then there has to be a defender or midfielder sent out to close down that player, which reduces the population in the box and opens up space for others.

I'm not sure why this fussiness has affected the entire squad. It might be a side-effect of the type of player that Pochettino and his recruitment team prefer, but it also typifies players who have come through our academy, so it can't be just that. It might be partly a cultural hangover from the risk-averse AVB era, but not many attacking players are left from that time. It's probably a combination of factors.

 

[homer hotspur]

I agree, but he will be on the bench at least.

Don't quite follow why this should prompt a ' dislike'. All I said was I agree that he needs a rest but I expect him to be on the bench at least - hardly controversial............

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

Another thing which I haven't seen mentioned is how Kane took the chance. IMO he used the wrong foot, he should have changed his shape and taken it right footed, which is what I think a more natural (or accomplished) finisher would have done.

 

[Mullers]

It wasn't completely obvious that we wouldn't get him. Everyone in the media, on here, at the club (at BOTH clubs it seems) thought we'd get him.

You'd rather have an average striker? That was the previous mistakes you were alluding to having not being learnt, yet you want to knee jerk again and clog up our squad with average crap, just after we've spent years trying to get rid of Adebayor, Kaboul, Capoue and all those guys, trim it down and have a flexible, young, hungry squad full of potential?

There is a huge point in Mitchell being here, his job isn't to unearth gems, it's to make sure the players we do buy hit the ground running and do well in the manager's system.

Pre-Mitchell a lot of our signings were not suitable. Post-Mitchell, I'd say every single signing from last summer looks the business so far. That's his job and the point of him being here.

Everyone on here didn't think we would get him and West Brom certainly did give much if any indication that they want to sell to us.

How is it knee jerk? We've needed a new striker since the days of AVB. If were looking for a super duper striker we hae to compete with other top clubs that want him so we end up the loser. We bid for 38 million Aguero or bid for Damiao or some other nonsense and end up with nothing. We need cover for that position we've been through 2 transfer windows under Poch looking for a striker already, how much longer should we look, another 2 or 3 seasons?

He can't make sure that every player hits the ground running, that's impossible and he doesn't have the influence too. The coach is the one in the best position to do that. I disagree it's the job of Mitchell and the scouts to unearth gems like he did at Southampton that's why he is employed and yes I agree that the signings this summer look good but it's still disappointing that we haven't found a striker after two windows.

 

[homer hotspur]

No viable alternative to an off form Kane. I turned my nose up at Charlie Austin during the transfer window but I'd have in a heartbeat right now.

I agree although of course Austin ( and Ings, another former target) have both suffreed long term injuries recently so it shows we are probably really 2 strikers short ( although of course the club would claim Son and Njie can cover)

 

[Shadydan]

Everyone talking about Austin is pure desperation levels, one of those signings where in 2 years time he isn't getting games and we can't get rid of them, plus for what we are trying to do I really don't think he suits us.

 

[eViL]

Not enough consistency and goal threat for the front 3 AMs. Not enough overlapping runs.

It's too easy to double mark Kane out of a game because the opposing CBs simply aren't worried enough about anyone else scoring.

 

[eViL]

We miss Mason - his forward passing, his runs and one twos.

May have only scored one but he created several chances in games he played and was link man.

Miss his drive and energy

He was making a massive difference as the central AM, getting in the box and threatening the goal. Eriksen is more effective on the left.

 

[Japhet]

Everyone talking about Austin is pure desperation levels, one of those signings where in 2 years time he isn't getting games and we can't get rid of them, plus for what we are trying to do I really don't think he suits us.

He certainly wouldn't be top of my list, but in light of the current situation I was saying that. IMO he'd be a very welcome member of the squad. Any option is better than none at all.

 

[nailsy]

Something I noticed too was how Poch would rather risk continuing to play Lamela on a yellow from like the 50'th odd minute all the way to the last few minutes before willing to put Andros on. That to me speaks volumes.

I thought Poch was being a bit reserved with his subs yesterday due to having to make the early change with Chadli and then Walker looking like he might have to come off. I thought he was saving a sub for Walker and saving one in case Klopp made any tactical switches - he made the Townsend sub right after Klopp made his second change. Probably wrong about all that though.

 

[homer hotspur]

Something I noticed too was how Poch would rather risk continuing to play Lamela on a yellow from like the 50'th odd minute all the way to the last few minutes before willing to put Andros on. That to me speaks volumes.

Alarm bells always start ringing for me once Lamela gets a yellow( he also seems to get away with a few before picking one up in most games). He always looks like a red or a penalty waiting to happen with his niggling fouls. He dived in ridiculously yesterday on the edge of our box, from behind, and luckily missed everything.

 

[striebs]

Well...some of them were presented to us today-you know, from stuff like two Liverpool defenders running into each other or Skrtel diverting a pass into the path of Kane. They're not really coming about as a result of fluent attacking play but the high press certainly has its benefits.

I think Poch is correct in saying that we had 4 clear cut chances today.

Poch has his reasons for calling them clear cut chances but I don't think any of them were that great .

There wasn't much for Kane to aim at from the flanks after the keeper narrowed the angles so well . These were percentage shots and I don't think their failure to go in had anything to do with the strikers form .

Clinton's long range dipping shot which didn't dip enough was another example of desperation .

Loved Eriksen's second half through ball which Kane could have done better with . Danny Murphy and Iniesta would have been proud of that one .

My sister and her family live up in Leicestershire so I have a soft spot for The Foxes .

Jamie Vardy could have had more than his two yesterday but his aggression and movement (the amount of it and speed of it rather than it's subtlety) were incredible . Southampton were unable to mark him .

The last German called Jurgen K to start his EPL career at The Lane didn't do so badly in this league . Klop will turn Liverpool into a tough unit .

 

[The Lilywhites]

Missing the speed and movement of Son.

 

[kitchen]

Another thing which I haven't seen mentioned is how Kane took the chance. IMO he used the wrong foot, he should have changed his shape and taken it right footed, which is what I think a more natural (or accomplished) finisher would have done.

He certainly had the time to do that. There was a large gap to Mignolet's left and all he had to do was get the ball in that space under no pressure. Instead he went for power on his weaker foot and lost the accuracy which would have beaten the keeper.

It's not a lack of ability but simply confidence affecting decision making.

 

[TheSpillage]

I just read through that entire thread.

I'm not sure I can give a fair and accurate assessment of our attacking woes but I do know that many of you need to reread posts before hitting 'send reply' because there was some shocking grammar and generally bad English on display. It's not hard to put an apostrophe where it's supposed to be and it makes for a much more readable read when you get it right.

I know many people will be all 'why does that matter!? Its a fuckin Spurs thread about how shit we are at finnishing not a fuckin English language testt!'...

but those people are stupid and you shouldn't listen to them.

ps. I blame Kane, ABV, Jedas and Junas.

 

[eddiev14]

Another thing which I haven't seen mentioned is how Kane took the chance. IMO he used the wrong foot, he should have changed his shape and taken it right footed, which is what I think a more natural (or accomplished) finisher would have done.

That's exactly what I was thinking. It was prime for an 'open up the body' sidefoot into the far corner.

I think he's favouring power due to a lack of confidence. I remember Les Ferdinand used to say that when he went through a barren spell he'd go for power and aim at the keeper's legs, just to make sure it was on target. Kane seems to be doing that.

A better piece of advice would be 'trust your ability and block everything else out', although that's much easier in theory than in practice.

 

[CornerPinDreamer]

i wish we'd put more crosses or balls across the box for Kane to run onto...

 

[Ironskullll]

Would be nice to get a few tap ins. Few of the (many) chances we are getting are straightforward.