A new feeling - Optimism

[Chezaspur]

Only two games gone, it's not worth taking any notice of the table at this stage. Swansea aren't going to qualify for the CL and we're not going to win the title. We could have lost to West Ham if they had finished better and we hammered a poor QPR side.

There are some encouraging signs but it's Liverpool next.

Agreed. Think our defence has some work to do yet.
Still, I remember watching the Palace game at the start of last season
and we seem to be light years ahead of that.

 

[SlickMongoose]

The new feeling i'm having is that our manager knows what he's doing.

This feeling might not last, but i'm enjoying it while it does.

 

[Mr Pink]

The thing that has made me most optimistic is that we're playing the game at a high tempo again. We haven't done that since Harry left us, and I think high-tempo play is crucial to winning football matches.

I'd go further than that.

I think Poch will achieve the right balance between fluid entertaining football, but, with a clear structure and solid foundations to - something that wasn't always there with Harry. A structure that allows our creative sparks to truly flourish.

Won't all come together in the space of a few weeks but I saw real glimpses of that yesterday and the tempo was so much better than what we witnessed last season, certainly generally speaking.

Hugely encouraging and was the main reason I was so desperate for us to appoint him. The intensity Southampton played with was always the most attractive thing for me.

We have more talented individuals, but its a case of moulding them into a cohesive unit and that won't truly come until they're comfortable and totally familar with the system. Look at the intensity Lamela played with in the first half - that's exactly the Poch affect there.

He was hungry to win the ball back and played with a freedom when he did have it.

Collectively looking will take more time but there's loads to be pleased with in terms of yesterday's performance despite QPR being so poor.

 

[Mullers]

Agreed. Think our defence has some work to do yet.
Still, I remember watching the Palace game at the start of last season
and we seem to be light years ahead of that.

We need another midfielder Bentaleb is coming on nicely but we cant use him all the time and against the top sides we will be overrun, Dembele and Paulinho aren't good enough, I love Holtby's attitude but he isn't the answer at the moment, I don't think we will get Schneiderlin so that position will be a problem.

 

[KILLA_SIN]

Watching yesterdays game the thing that stood out for me is for ninety minutes we moved the ball we could still press and close down better in 2's and 3's but that will take time and hard work.

 

[chinaman]

Feeling good and fairly optimistic, but trying to remain fairly realistic as well.

Yesterday we looked really good but by Christ, QPR were seriously awful as well. Tougher tests await starting next week which will be more of a truer showing.

I still don't think we will break top 4 this season due to some shrewd purchases by those above us but then I'm not one to think that top 4 is everything. Show me signs of improvement, good football, and hopefully a cup (preferably Europa) and I'll be a very happy man.

QPR and their disastrous 3-5-2. Was it Hoddle's idea?

 

[Pauleta01]

There was a segment on MNF tonight where Gary Neville compiled some analysis comparing Spurs yesterday to last season, and there was real evidence that the players were switched on and pressing hard and work rate was unrecognisable to last year. It sounds so simple that hard work yields results! I too am not trying to get carried away (too many false dawns since following the team as a young boy since 1987) but 'Poch' has me optimistic, he seems to have them well drilled and fit. All of a sudden I look at the starting XI yesterday and the bench, and I feel content with the team. Last year I was picking holes in every department. It may be all fleeting, but like the original post - I have a good feeling about this team, and this coach in particular!

 

[dontcallme]

There was a segment on MNF tonight where Gary Neville compiled some analysis comparing Spurs yesterday to last season, and there was real evidence that the players were switched on and pressing hard and work rate was unrecognisable to last year. It sounds so simple that hard work yields results! I too am not trying to get carried away (too many false dawns since following the team as a young boy since 1987) but 'Poch' has me optimistic, he seems to have them well drilled and fit. All of a sudden I look at the starting XI yesterday and the bench, and I feel content with the team. Last year I was picking holes in every department. It may be all fleeting, but like the original post - I have a good feeling about this team, and this coach in particular!

True. But hard work alone isn't the answer.

If the players press then they need to press as a team. At times last season we had individuals running hard but weren't a cohesive unit and the pressing was often unsuccessful. Against West Ham last week Lamela was pressing quite high up the pitch but the rest of the team wasn't.

It takes time to get that right. AVB and Ramos both wanted a pressing game but didn't implement it successfully, hopefully Poch can.

 

[kaz Hirai]

And if we get hammered at home next week and do nothing in the transfer market before it closes many opposites of this thread will be created in its place.

Much too soon to know anything

 

[dontcallme]

And if we get hammered at home next week and do nothing in the transfer market before it closes many opposites of this thread will be created in its place.

Much too soon to know anything

Yeah, who'd have guessed a forum for sharing opinions would be full of differing views and reactions?

 

[spurs9]

Couple of other things that are very positive.

1. Our current GD is better than we finished last season with!
2. There was no Europa league "hangover" which is bloody lovely as I was fed up with a guaranteed shit performance after Thursdays.

To be fair there wasn't at this point last season either. It was the group stages on wards that this issue happens.