Match Threads Spurs vs Crvena Zvezda - Match Thread

[Gassin's finest]

Lads, it's Red Star Belgrade; but it's a start - Football365

This was not a night to disprove theories but it was vital that we saw a spark…

www.football365.com

 

[Oscar2]

51k apparently that’s 10k down from capacity . Man city standards

Thanks

 

[davidmatzdorf]

I disagree, unless any of the players who played last night picked up knocks which mean they aren’t ready to start, no way is he changing 5 of that team. If he does and we lose badly he deserves all the flak that comes his way, I know the opposition were poor and Liverpool will represent a challenge that is a massive step up, but I’ve not seen fluidity in movement and quick passing and a sense of being up for it like that for almost the entire season so far. No way is he seriously disrupting that, if there are changes I see maybe 2 changes at most. It would be interesting to know which of the 3 to 5 you think he’s going to change after a performance like that if none of the players are injured and they are all fit to play.

He usually rotates the fullbacks. Recently, he's been rotating the central defenders, which may be one reason our defence has been looking so unstable. And I suspect Ndombele will be on the bench, for fitness-related reasons, perhaps replaced with Winks. We might see one change in the three behind Kane, perhaps Eriksen instead of Lamela.

I reckon a bit of consistency would be good plan right now, but Pochettino has always valued squad interchangeability and routinely rotates the more dynamic roles in the team whenever we have been playing two matches per week. I'm dubious he'll change the habits of a lifetime - he's a stubborn man.

 

[jimbo]

He usually rotates the fullbacks. Recently, he's been rotating the central defenders, which may be one reason our defence has been looking so unstable. And I suspect Ndombele will be on the bench, for fitness-related reasons, perhaps replaced with Winks. We might see one change in the three behind Kane, perhaps Eriksen instead of Lamela.

I reckon a bit of consistency would be good plan right now, but Pochettino has always valued squad interchangeability and routinely rotates the more dynamic roles in the team whenever we have been playing two matches per week. I'm dubious he'll change the habits of a lifetime - he's a stubborn man.

You may very well be dubious, but with regard to Poch's habits I would say you're sceptical.

 

[Fergus]

Strange and wonderful things can happen when you start a match with 11 players who wouldn't rather be somewhere else.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Even worse; I frequently think I'm funny, which is about as sure a sign of being a tosspot as you can get.

100%, but I like that we have you and Matzdorf here, it literally keeps me on my toes to be mediocre when posting.

(before people lose their shit, I mean none of the above and while I disagree with many many many people on here, I love this place and those that post here, I wouldn't come back if I didn't)

 

[Phomesy]

In a really messed up way, I hope we concede a goal...I want to see if we can see the game through under pressure.... Is this a cosmetic performance, or is it real and they can fight

It’s funny but that’s exactly what everyone in the south stand were saying too; even had a chant went like this “we want to concede so we can see a game through under pressure TOTT-EN-HAM!"

Didn't catch on

 

[bsinghd]

He usually rotates the fullbacks. Recently, he's been rotating the central defenders, which may be one reason our defence has been looking so unstable. And I suspect Ndombele will be on the bench, for fitness-related reasons, perhaps replaced with Winks. We might see one change in the three behind Kane, perhaps Eriksen instead of Lamela.

I reckon a bit of consistency would be good plan right now, but Pochettino has always valued squad interchangeability and routinely rotates the more dynamic roles in the team whenever we have been playing two matches per week. I'm dubious he'll change the habits of a lifetime - he's a stubborn man.

Would rather he replaced Sissoko with Dier and play Ndombele who is much better with the ball. Dier drops deep to take the ball and allows the defence to push higher and wider

 

[austinfh]

The crowd was completely behind the team, the whole stadium sang Pochettino's song, and it was such a great moment when Son was substituted and had a lap of honour going past the South stand, high fiving the fans at the front of the stand while everyone gave him a standing ovation. I think the performance and the support shown by the crowd will give the players a big confidence boost

 

[JW72]

We played with freedom and enjoyment, but we were still lax with our passing, and we stepped right off the gas from the 35th minute, nearly letting them back into it.

Absolutely. Not just when we were 4 or 5 up either. Some really sloppy touches and 'lottery passes' that a decent team would have punished.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Would rather he replaced Sissoko with Dier and play Ndombele who is much better with the ball. Dier drops deep to take the ball and allows the defence to push higher and wider

I pointedly didn't say what I'd "rather". I almost never do. I said what I think Pochettino is likely to do. Why does the discussion immediately revert to what individual fans reckon the manager should do?

I find it more interesting to discuss how he manages, not how I think he should be managing.

 

[Coyboy]

I pointedly didn't say what I'd "rather". I almost never do. I said what I think Pochettino is likely to do. Why does the discussion immediately revert to what individual fans reckon the manager should do?

I find it more interesting to discuss how he manages, not how I think he should be managing.

To be fair you did say a bit of consistency would be a good plan right now implying that he should stick with the same xi (to the extent possible).

 

[Ronwol196061]

Playing Sissoko just infront of the back 4 tonight and getting him to just pass simply to the full backs or Ndombele was a good decision. He has the physical attributes to be a player there for us as long as he can be that barrier to help us move forward.

It’s a total no brainier that our best CM partnership is him and Ndombele at present but I’d like to see a top level DM come into the club at some point.

Also, special mention to Lamela who has been plagued with injury after injury after injury and now seems past all of that and works his absolute socks off for the team and finished the game with 2 assists and a goal. Good lad!

I actually think we should concentrate on Ndombeles attack game and have even two mids behind him especially against Liverpool.
NDombele can do much more for Kane and Son that Eriksen cant do with so many quick incise passes.
NDombele hits a whole bunch of those if he doesn't have to fully run back to help the defence. Two of the 3 of Sissoko,Winks and Dier can be behind NDombele while ND tears apart defences.

 

[Danny1]

I actually think we should concentrate on Ndombeles attack game and have even two mids behind him especially against Liverpool.
NDombele can do much more for Kane and Son that Eriksen cant do with so many quick incise passes.
NDombele hits a whole bunch of those if he doesn't have to fully run back to help the defence. Two of the 3 of Sissoko,Winks and Dier can be behind NDombele while ND tears apart defences.

Yep, agree with that. His vision is very good & he has the ability to pick the through balls, the one to Kane was excellent and is exactly what Kane needs.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

If we play that formation and the majority of those players who started tonight, and actually train all week to do so I think we'll give them a game. If Poch has another Einstein moment on how he can change things around in some kind of tactical masterclass we are fucked.

As I've said many times now the players biggest issue has been the change of system they don't think works and being asked to play roles they are not comfortable playing.

This is something he should build on, keep it to a system the players are comfortable with and understand. It will be far easier if we do.

Spot on mate. Its funny because our scouting actually seems to have been pretty spot on this summer as Sess is good young prospect, Lo Celso will be a talent and N'Dombele is looking great already. If we can keep this tried and tested system and integrate the new players to it, gradually clear out the ones we want to go or who want to go either in Jan or this summer and add astutely again then we should be able to have a brilliant Tottenham 2.0 BUT as you say Poch needs to now keep this system and way of playing and STOP trying to re-invent the wheel.

Being tactically adaptable is great, having a plan B or C sure but its the consistent plan A that scares teams and that gets you 80-90% of your points and results across a season just like Pep and Klopps City and Lpool they have a very solid plan A that is effective and that all players in the first XI and off the bench know how to play and buy into, we need to go back to the 4-2-3-1/3-4-2-1 and just play that week in week out like we did in 15-16 and 16-17 and keep buying new players to fit this and we could well do very well again

Fingers crossed and COYS!

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Spot on mate. Its funny because our scouting actually seems to have been pretty spot on this summer as Sess is good young prospect, Lo Celso will be a talent and N'Dombele is looking great already. If we can keep this tried and tested system and integrate the new players to it, gradually clear out the ones we want to go or who want to go either in Jan or this summer and add astutely again then we should be able to have a brilliant Tottenham 2.0 BUT as you say Poch needs to now keep this system and way of playing and STOP trying to re-invent the wheel.

I can't avoid observing that Ndombele looked brilliant against a European team with a loose, sloppy midfield, a slow defence and not much taste for pressing. He's prodigiously talented, but against fast, intense Premiership sides he still runs out of steam and his creative through balls more often than not get cut out. To me, he still looks like he'll be great next year. This year is about learning.

 

[Up From Dover]

It's frustrating as we have seen in spells in some games that we can play some good football. I'm sure we will have a good half hour tonight but let's see what happens after 30 mins if it's still close.

Agree. We had a good 30 mins in the first half against Bayern and I felt we didn't deserve to go in a goal down. Of course the second half was a

Possibly our most convincing display of the season.

Definitely our most convincing display over the full 90 mins.

Son was fire, Dele's getting his mojo back and Kane and Lamela looked sharp. Behind them Sissoko and especially Ndombele bossed midfield. I know the opposition wasn't the greatest but the whole team had a togetherness about them and showed the spirit and desire which has been so lacking recently.
Was it just a coincidence that Rose, Alderweirald and Eriksen weren't playing? ?

 

[1882andallthat]

He usually rotates the fullbacks. Recently, he's been rotating the central defenders, which may be one reason our defence has been looking so unstable. And I suspect Ndombele will be on the bench, for fitness-related reasons, perhaps replaced with Winks. We might see one change in the three behind Kane, perhaps Eriksen instead of Lamela.

I reckon a bit of consistency would be good plan right now, but Pochettino has always valued squad interchangeability and routinely rotates the more dynamic roles in the team whenever we have been playing two matches per week. I'm dubious he'll change the habits of a lifetime - he's a stubborn man.

It seems as though we are on the same page in hoping he opts for consistency.

It's the first clean sheet we have had apart from Palace and Colchester. We will never know exactly how good the defence would have been if they'd been given a far more stringent test than Red Star gave us, we must take it as a given that our defence will be tested much more severely at Anfield. That said, Poch must surely have been encouraged by what he saw in our attacking and defensive play in comparison to what we have seen since Palace, but the bar has been so low, last night's performance was always going to be seen as more favourable when comparing the performances against Bayern, Brighton and Watford.

Yes I agree that he does tend to rotate, but given how bad we have been in comparison to last night and factoring in that we don't have a game midweek after the trip to Anfield, I think he will roll the dice and count on most of those who literally did turn up last night in the hope that it builds a bit of form. For this reason I envisage no more than 2 changes, and we will have to see who is right.

If you are right and and we suffer a heavy defeat, and he has tinkered too much with yesterday's side, he will get absolutely slated, and he will deserve it, and I for one will be extremely disappointed to say the least, especially as I'm making the trip to Anfield in person.

 

[double0]

Dele needs that run of games so thank god he’s playing. They’ll walk right through that midfield though. Centrally it looks like we will give the ball away time after time.

Liverpool attack from all angles mainly on the break from a press. They are a formidable team and we have our work cut out one things for sure we have to match their work rate and be clinical with our chances and be ultra careful not to make mistake... a very tough ask.

We’ll learn a lot next time up.

 

[scat1620]

I don't comment on what he "should" do. It's arrogant and self-indulgent. I only ever comment on what he is likely to do and why.

I reckon a bit of consistency would be good plan right now

I guess opinions are okay after all then?

Spoiler

ANSWER = On a topic as unimportant as what particular course of action at a given moment might be best for the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur, they totally are. Your crusade against the Unholy Subjective Opinion is totally out of place in Spurs Chat, you well-meaning-but-uptight wally.