Rating vs Real Madrid (a)

[swarvsta]

Someone call a press conference!

 

[Mr Pink]

Close the site. Batten down the hatches. This is going to be worse than Brexit.

I love the way BC says 'could' (inferring it's still actually possible that he isn't lol)

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Close the site. Batten down the hatches. This is going to be worse than Brexit.

Haha if only David Davies had the same humilty then maybe Brexit negotiations wouldn't be such a shit show

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I love the way BC says 'could' (inferring it's still actually possible that he isn't lol)

Implying*

(Sorry, I hate myself for this, especially outside the grammar thread).

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

Noncesense

That gag was wasted on this crowd, presuming it was. Deserves a ton of ratings

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

Have to give it to the Berylman Super Jan. Thought he was immense.

Lloris was the obvious choice but think influence wise Jan was greater in terms of calming any nerves and driving us forward.

Davidson was a collosus.

 

[sloth]

But I'm also happy to admit that I could be wrong...

Close the site. Batten down the hatches. This is going to be worse than Brexit.

In true Spartacus style I also am happy to admit that he might be wrong... In fact I am happy to go further and say he is wrong!

 

[doctor stefan Freud]

That gag was wasted on this crowd, presuming it was. Deserves a ton of ratings

Fuck 'em. Nonces

 

[Mr Pink]

Implying*

(Sorry, I hate myself for this, especially outside the grammar thread).

#deserved

 

[Gilzeanking]

In true Spartacus style I also am happy to admit that he might be wrong... In fact I am happy to go further and say he is wrong!

Explain..

 

[Bus-Conductor]

@Mr Pink @Spurs_Bear @sloth

Fucking hell fellas, cut me some slack, all I said from the get go was I couldn’t figure it all out. I don’t think I have been very wrong, my biggest crime was admitting to not figuring out what I think of the whole tactical ensemble. It’s not like I said it was a tactical disaster or even close. Even in that first post I acknowledged the things I could figure out that were tactically good. I just repeatedly said I couldn’t work out it all out. From the get go I said he definitely deserved credit for seeking and applying a different tactical solution to a new problem.

In the second post, given the chance to think about it a bit more I went into a bit more detail.

Having cogitated for a while I am definitely of the opinion that there was some clever and brave thinking by Poch. I’m still not totally convinced about the Llorente part of it, but I’m not convinced it wasn’t a good idea either.

The other thing I had to reconcile was how much of this was Poch taking the game so seriously that he found an ingenious solution or, as with the evidence of all previous European campaigns, it was him caring that little bit less enough to be more tactically experimental/brave.

I hope the former because I’ve been saying from last season he needs to be braver at times, the Poch we get for league games, which we know he cares about, has invariably been a lot more risk averse.

Forgive me my tortured tactical soul.

 

[ERO]

Read some pages. "Average", "meh" and "ok" for Llorente. What match did you watch? Fifa 18? Oozes class. Brilliant player on top of his game. Did exactly what was asked from him and more.

And Vertonghen... World class.

Lloris is old news. Arguably best in the world.

 

[Phomesy]

@Mr Pink @Spurs_Bear @sloth



Forgive me my tortured tactical soul.

Forgiven.

Say three "Hail Sissoko's" and kiss the Blessed Ring of Dele of Bumble and we'll call it quits

 

[SpursSince1980]

I think some are being overly harsh on Llorente and even Poch for playing him. Likewise, comments about the partnership not working. But I feel, this is a narrow perspective, focused almost exclusively on offense. The fact is, playing both up front, presented the Madrid back four with something to think about when joining the rest of the attack. They couldn't camp out in our half, as they often seem to do against opponents. Instead, they had to be mindful of the two up top. So, in some ways, it was a very effective defensive measure. It might not have looked pretty going forward, but I think it helped our midfielders and back three not get completely overwhelmed and swept away by a wave upon wave of attacks.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I think some are being overly harsh on Llorente and even Poch for playing him. Likewise, comments about the partnership not working. But I feel, this is a narrow perspective, focused almost exclusively on offense. The fact is, playing both up front, presented the Madrid back four with something to think about when joining the rest of the attack. They couldn't camp out in our half, as they often seem to do against opponents. Instead, they had to be mindful of the two up top. So, in some ways, it was a very effective defensive measure. It might not have looked pretty going forward, but I think it helped our midfielders and back three not get completely overwhelmed and swept away by a wave upon wave of attacks.

I don't think anyone's being overly harsh. As I've explained above, I get the concept, RM play a 2CB system in a 433. You occupy both CB's and match up their CM3 numerically, and they can't step out and create overloads quite so easily, which under Zidane they like to do.

For my part I'm just a bit unsure about whether it was best with Llorente, but accept it definitely had it's moments, I just think maybe Son could also have given them something more to think about (as he did Dortmund on the break) a little bit more of the time and might have worked a bit better with Kane on those counter occasions?

But it's not a rock solid theory, just another opinion.

 

[danielneeds]

I don't think anyone's being overly harsh. As I've explained above, I get the concept, RM play a 2CB system in a 433. You occupy both CB's and match up their CM3 numerically, and they can't step out and create overloads quite so easily, which under Zidane they like to do.

For my part I'm just a bit unsure about whether it was best with Llorente, but accept it definitely had it's moments, I just think maybe Son could also have given them something more to think about (as he did Dortmund on the break) a little bit more of the time and might have worked a bit better with Kane on those counter occasions?

But it's not a rock solid theory, just another opinion.

I’m pretty sure Poch was worried about the team freezing in the Bernabeu headlights, and saw putting Llorente in there as having the added bonus of his experience of the stadium and Real being the team he’s scored most against in his career, meaning he’d project a confidence that the greener parts of the side could follow.

We know that psychology and holistic elements are as important to Poch as tactical ones.

 

[SpursSince1980]

I don't think anyone's being overly harsh. As I've explained above, I get the concept, RM play a 2CB system in a 433. You occupy both CB's and match up their CM3 numerically, and they can't step out and create overloads quite so easily, which under Zidane they like to do.

For my part I'm just a bit unsure about whether it was best with Llorente, but accept it definitely had it's moments, I just think maybe Son could also have given them something more to think about (as he did Dortmund on the break) a little bit more of the time and might have worked a bit better with Kane on those counter occasions?

But it's not a rock solid theory, just another opinion.

I totally getcha. I’d imagine that Poch had to weigh up two somewhat disparate issues: firstly, do you play Son, and give yourself a chance to hit them on the break. You also give the defenders something else to think about. The potential downside is that Son does have a tendency to lose the ball easily. Secondly, do you play more of a big lump, that occupies the defenders in a more physical way. Downside to that being he’s out of shape, rusty and he and Kane haven’t played together before, therefore likely to step on each others toes.

I think he played Son against Dortmund, as maybe he felt their defenders weren’t fast enough to stay with him. Whereas Varane is very very quick.

I applaud the coach for trying something different. I’m just relieved he didn’t try something different with the defense... we’ve already seen how badly that can go.

I might be alone here, but I also happen to think that if Alli was available for the game, the better choice still might have been Llorente. As he also has a tendency to lose the ball too easily when trying one too many flicks. Perhaps at home that might be worth the risk, but away at the Bernabeau, having a lump, but a very experienced lump occupying space, was a brave, and ultimately the right call methinks.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I’m pretty sure Poch was worried about the team freezing in the Bernabeu headlights, and saw putting Llorente in there as having the added bonus of his experience of the stadium and Real being the team he’s scored most against in his career, meaning he’d project a confidence that the greener parts of the side could follow.

We know that psychology and holistic elements are as important to Poch as tactual ones.

100%.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

@Mr Pink @Spurs_Bear @sloth

Fucking hell fellas, cut me some slack, all I said from the get go was I couldn’t figure it all out. I don’t think I have been very wrong, my biggest crime was admitting to not figuring out what I think of the whole tactical ensemble. It’s not like I said it was a tactical disaster or even close. Even in that first post I acknowledged the things I could figure out that were tactically good. I just repeatedly said I couldn’t work out it all out. From the get go I said he definitely deserved credit for seeking and applying a different tactical solution to a new problem.

In the second post, given the chance to think about it a bit more I went into a bit more detail.

Having cogitated for a while I am definitely of the opinion that there was some clever and brave thinking by Poch. I’m still not totally convinced about the Llorente part of it, but I’m not convinced it wasn’t a good idea either.

The other thing I had to reconcile was how much of this was Poch taking the game so seriously that he found an ingenious solution or, as with the evidence of all previous European campaigns, it was him caring that little bit less enough to be more tactically experimental/brave.

I hope the former because I’ve been saying from last season he needs to be braver at times, the Poch we get for league games, which we know he cares about, has invariably been a lot more risk averse.

Forgive me my tortured tactical soul.

Don't you start crying into your cornflakes with me you monster. I'll cut you as much slack as your pants do the morning after a Vindaloo.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

We know that psychology and holistic elements are as important to Poch as tactical ones.

This is so important and what 99% of this forum ignore when discussing team selections. It extends as far as why talented youth players don't get thrown in when they seemingly are tearing it up for the development sides.