Match Threads Olympiacos vs Spurs - Match Thread

[jolsnogross]

I've only seen highlights and it seemed to suggest they have some sharp players, their penalty wasn't one as far as I could tell, and we can be satisfied with a draw given some stodgy play puncuated by some decent work. Moura's goal in particular, but also some decent chances by Lamela, suggest it wasn't all bad. It's such a boon to have those two in good form and able to make a difference. It provides real depth to our options.

Sounds like Sanchez did fine at right back, but it's not clear at all why full back is the position to mess around with. If KWP wasn't fit enough, Aurier should've traveled and built on his weekend showing. There's no long-term future for Sanchez at full back, surely, so why are we playing him there when KWP is ready to go?

And it would be great to have calmer heads at 2-0 up heading toward half-time.

 

[SpursSince1980]

I thought it was an odd game. In the first 40 mins, I felt like we were mostly in control, without going all out. The team wasn't playing spectacularly, but I don't think the tactics were designed to shock and awe. Rather, it looks like Poch set the team up to contain, and hit them a few times in transition. Up until the 40th min, this was working effectively. Then, everything went to crap.

As is often the case with this team, once one or two players wobble, the others follow-suit. It's contagious. And we seem to lack the on-field leadership to drag the players back into a focused state. Instead, you can see that opposition teams have figured this out about us. We have a soft underbelly, and once exposed we are there to be slayed.

The second half was a rather dull affair, that was punctuated by two moments of stupidity. One from Eriksen dicking around at the top of our 18 yard box and losing the ball weakly (not for the first time) and then Vertonghen compounded this idiocy with a clanger of a foul to let them right back into the game.

Think about that... two moments of madness came from two of our most experienced players. Says a lot about the fragile psyche of some individuals on the team. Once the going gets tough, they shit all over themselves.

I don't blame Poch being a bit miffed with the players after the game. A fair few of them lacked the grit and determination to see out games like this. And as much as we can bemoan Sanchez playing out of position, etc... you can't plan for the likes of Eriksen turning the ball over 20 times in a game, and missing pass after pass after pass. And in addition, having a few others completely switch off at times. I'd imagine that must drive him utterly bonkers.

Based on tonight, and what we've seen in general over the last 8 months, it's hard to see us getting anything out of the Foxes this weekend. either way, it'll tell us if the Palace game was a turning point or an anomaly.

 

[rabbikeane]

It's not a bad result for us, but there's so much wrong otherwise

 

[Mr.D]

Would've loved to have watched it being in Greece and in, I think, PAOK territory.
Unfortunately, I had to have a romantic dinner on the beach with Mrs D. Which was nice.

 

[Dennism]

I increasingly getting sick of Pochettino and the media blaming Levy and the players for every setback. It seems to accepted that he is at a higher level than everybody else and the club, and deserves to move on to ‘better’ things. I freely admit he has done great things for us in the past but all I see is a bad tempered manager blaming everybody but himself. He made serious mistakes in this game. Sanchez clearly cannot play full back and is ill at ease on the ball. Son, after his weekend brilliance, was dropped. He chose to go with too many players lacking match fitness (Davies, Dele, Ndombele, Lucas). He also lacks the ability to change games with substitutions. Why didn’t he take off Eriksen?

 

[EastLondonYid]

What a prick Lineker is...calling us Spursy , ****.

 

[worcestersauce]

I increasingly getting sick of Pochettino and the media blaming Levy and the players for every setback. It seems to accepted that he is at a higher level than everybody else and the club, and deserves to move on to ‘better’ things. I freely admit he has done great things for us in the past but all I see is a bad tempered manager blaming everybody but himself. He made serious mistakes in this game. Sanchez clearly cannot play full back and is ill at ease on the ball. Son, after his weekend brilliance, was dropped. He chose to go with too many players lacking match fitness (Davies, Dele, Ndombele, Lucas). He also lacks the ability to change games with substitutions. Why didn’t he take off Eriksen?

Because Lucas Moura was struggling and couldn't make the end of the game which seems like a good reason not to take of Eriksen.

 

[shelfboy68]

ShelfBoy68 has apparently seen us in so many CL finals he thinks making last years does not represent a tangible achievement.

Like I said I have no problem with people expressing concern I just respond when people post bollocks. Making the CL Final was an UNPRECEDENTED success. however "lucky" we were in the process.

I don't remember informing you that I had seen us in multiple European finals and yet your castigating people for talking bollocks and yet here you are making up your version to fit your agenda.
You had a bad night last night which I put down to your monthly cycle but for your info I have lived through us reaching three European finals no bollocks just the truth have a good day gorgeous.

 

[shelfboy68]

What a prick Lineker is...calling us Spursy , ****.

But is he not right?

 

[Kingellesar]

I would like to see Dier back in the team and sitting infront of Toby and Jan, I always felt confident with that trio, that we could do a good job defensively whilst still attacking teams.

The past 10 months we don't seem like a solid defensive unit at all. Rotating the fullbacks every 5 minutes doesn't help either nor does playing a CB completely out of position.....when you have another CB who has at least played RB earlier in his career.

 

[mikekan]

I am an Olympiacos fan and I read with great interest what you are commenting in this thread. I see that most of you believe that it should have been an easy match for your team and its a bad result that you didnt eventually win.

How do you believe this when in the last 8 UCL games with English teams the results where 0-0 with Chelsea, 1-0, 3-1 and 2-1 with Arsenal, 2-0 with ManU, 0-3 from Arsenal, 3-1 with Burnley and 2-2 yesterday, thus 5 wins for Olympiacos, two draws including yesterday one and only one defeat.

Taking into consideration the above it was a good result for Tottenham.

Wishing you the best of luck on your next matches.

 

[Shadydan]

I am an Olympiacos fan and I read with great interest what you are commenting in this thread. I see that most of you believe that it should have been an easy match for your team and its a bad result that you didnt eventually win.

How do you believe this when in the last 8 UCL games with English teams the results where 0-0 with Chelsea, 1-0, 3-1 and 2-1 with Arsenal, 2-0 with ManU, 0-3 from Arsenal, 3-1 with Bernly and 2-2 yesterday, thus 5 wins for Olympiacos, two draws including yesterday one and only one defeat.

Taking into consideration the above it was a good result for Tottenham.

Wishing you the best of luck on your next matches.

I don't think the result is the issue, it's the performance. I warned against how good Olmpiacos were good at home but when you don't play with any intensity and let a two goal lead slip questions need to be asked - even the manager was pissed off which tells you all you need to know.

 

[Kingellesar]

I think beforehand we should be going into the game confident, giving the fact we got to the CL Final last season and had some very good performances away from home last season in the CL against Barcelona, Dortmund, City and Ajax.

Also having gone 2 up, we really should have closed the game out so to come away with just a point is disappointing, from my point of view but not a terrible result. Any game you go 2 up will feel like you've thrown it away if you don't come away with the win.

 

[cider spurs]

Do you want to move this to the Prediction Thread?

Lol.

Heading in the right direction. Remembered to do a prediction, now must learn to put in the appropriate thread.

 

[danielneeds]

I think beforehand we should be going into the game confident, giving the fact we got to the CL Final last season and had some very good performances away from home last season in the CL against Barcelona, Dortmund, City and Ajax.

Also having gone 2 up, we really should have closed the game out so to come away with just a point is disappointing, from my point of view but not a terrible result. Any game you go 2 up will feel like you've thrown it away if you don't come away with the win.

People will talk about Spursyness or something, but in both this game and Arsenal we were fortunate to go 2-0 up. More so in this game.

The problem is we are unable to control any game apart from against the flimsiest of opponents (Palace). We look so open to the counter when our attacks break down and too often we’re stretched around the pitch

I don’t know if sticking Dier in as DM is an answer, because he’s looked so short of fitness and form for a long time, and then there’s the question of the make up of the rest of the midfield.

My hope is we can get DESK playing together for a run of games, establish a better pattern of play through them, get some consistency at FB, and then there will be less work for the midfield and CBs to do as a consequence.

 

[daryl hannah]

Felt like a Europa league performance of yesteryear.

 

[Gb160]

But is he not right?

Shelfy go and enjoy your holiday mate and stop shouting into the internet.

 

[dagraham]

People will talk about Spursyness or something, but in both this game and Arsenal we were fortunate to go 2-0 up. More so in this game.

The problem is we are unable to control any game apart from against the flimsiest of opponents (Palace). We look so open to the counter when our attacks break down and too often we’re stretched around the pitch

I don’t know if sticking Dier in as DM is an answer, because he’s looked so short of fitness and form for a long time, and then there’s the question of the make up of the rest of the midfield.

My hope is we can get DESK playing tougher for a run of games, establish a better pattern of play through them, get some consistency at FB, and then there will be less work for the midfield and CBs to do as a consequence.

Don’t think that’s going to happen. Poch likes rotating his fullbacks, but unfortunately we are well short on quality in that department these days. Poch will still rotate though.

 

[mikekan]

Also having gone 2 up, we really should have closed the game out so to come away with just a point is disappointing, from my point of view but not a terrible result. Any game you go 2 up will feel like you've thrown it away if you don't come away with the win.

You have a valid point here, but on the contrary everyone in Greece is commenting how Tottenham scored two goals completely out of the blue as Olympiacos up to that moment was the team that should have scored. So it all depends from what angle you view things.

 

[Bulletspur]

if we are taking making the champions league final as a win then we might as well pack up now. Tonight was awful...we got lucky again...most of the play was shocking, it was Newcastle all over again..we thought we could just turn up and win easily. We keep getting these lessons and yet we learn nothing from them...Poch must take some of the blame but some of the performances out there tonight were woeful.

I would suggest that he should take most not some of the blame