Erik-Son-Son-Son!!!

If you want an example of an all round performance being as near to perfect as possible, it came today at the Britannia stadium.
Although unbeaten before today's game, Spurs had looked sluggish in their first few games with some calling our displays "unacceptable " and saying we are bound for mid table mediocrity. Even my pessimism was being blown out of the water!

But today we saw just what a fantastic team we now have and what a great manager. I will not lie. When I saw Son in the starting line up I wasn't full of joy. But he was fabulous. His movement and finishing were just what we needed and his decision to concentrate on Spurs rather than his Country could be a blessing this season.

After a pretty poor start to the season, Eriksen, new contract signed , was imperious today. He pressed high up the pitch, he was accurate with his passing and he dictated play this afternoon.

Wanyama was in an aggressive mood today and Poch was right to sub him before he got sent off. He lost his head at times and although his tenacity is great to see, he needs to control his temper and challenges at times. Credit to the manager for taking him off.

Alli ran the entire length of the pitch to score his goal and Kane is at last off and running. He worked his socks off today and it was delightful to see him score to cap what was a great afternoon for Spurs.

We are still unbeaten and surely no one can complain about today's performance. We pressed every ball, we were dominant, solid at the back and going forward we ripped Stoke City apart. Hughes was sent off after 35 minutes simply because he just couldn't see how Stoke could get the ball back from Spurs.

I fancy Stoke to go down this year. Hughes teams are predictable and Spurs just took everything to them today. On our day we really are superb. We haven't seen it much this season but we are already better off this season than we were this time last season in terms of points.

It's easy to try and look for the negatives but today they were none. Spurs will be challenging for the title this season again and if we can produce more performances like this, there is no reason why we cannot truly go for it.

West Ham capitulating made the day all the sweeter!

Stop moaning and as ever, come on you Spurs!!!!

 

A good all round performance today. Goals and a clean sheet, with Hugo back between the sticks too. Couldn't ask for anymore. I was especially pleased for Son today, he deserved his goals.

We now turn our attention to the CL and have Mousa back! I think today's result and the goal for Harry is the perfect tonic ahead of Monaco. I will be there and can't wait, plenty of us to get behind the team - COYS...

And Matt have to agree, the Spammers today. Still LMFAO at that lot! Couldn't make it up.

 

Good performance all around, shouts to Walker, Toby for great defensive work as well as Hugo of course. Didn't start too well, we lacked quality from the deep lying role in the midfield.

Liked how Son was forcing the issue on the left, unlike Alli or Eriksen he can actually play the winger position. I hope to see him have a few more starts on the left, since Chadli's gone...that should be his position. Great game by Eriksen as well, 30 minutes into the game he took control of the final third. Very creative and vision for the final pass, the game really opened up once he got all the freedom of the 10 position. On our entire roster, he's the best 10 we have...Poch needs to find a formation that allows him to play in that role. Loving the versatility of Alli, not a bad cover for when Dembele isn't around.

Great to see Alli and Kane get on the score sheet, this game will do wonders for their confidence. Dembele coming back....this is the perfect time to start clicking. I'm excited for the next few matches.

Let's not get carried away Matt, Stoke are way too stocked to go down...haha. They'll eventually get the form they need to finish mid-table again.

 

Great 2nd half performance. Think we started to look like last year's team after about 55 mins when Wanyama came off. I like him as a player but the first few games this season show that playing him and Dier together doesn't really work. They are both very similar (defensive midfield) players, had so many more attacking options and created loss more chances when Lamela came on.......plus Dembele back next game, happy days!

 

It was a good second half there was quality and purpose in our play eriksen and son were stand out performers for me.
This was however the 5th time in the last 10 matches stoke have played theyve shipped 4 or more so lets not get carried away.
Nice to see us playing on the front foot though and playing some more fluid stuff.
Good result, roll on Wednesday!

 

I agree that Stoke may go down (FINALLY) they really were all over the shop defensively. However a fine performance from Spurs to capitalise on Stoke's fragilities.

 

I didn't like 1st half either. Up until Hughes was sent up in the stands, Potters were a better team. Everything changed when Son intercepted Eriksen's pass to Wanyama sending it into the goal.
When in the second half Stoke stopped pressing and just tried to come somehow back, the game became very much one-sided and the final score has reflected that.
"Let us not carry away" is another point I would agree with.
COYS!!!

 

I don't agree this was a great performance. I think it had more to do with a very poor Stoke team rather than an excellent Spurs team

Defence were good as usual . Son and Ali had great games but Ericson was just as poor for the first 4o minutes as he has been in other games

Hopefully Kane will get confidence from the goal but 5 seconds before, he showed he is far from firing on all cylinders as he missed the first chance

I worry about the cl game. I think Kane should make way for Jansen

Hugo, walker alders, verts, rose if fit
Dier , sisso, son, ali , lamela, Kane Second half bring on Jansen and waynya, if winning. If losing then Jansen and dembele.

 

Great Performance, Great Result. Stoke on trent is usually a bad place where play...; i saw good things. i hope Janssen will score as soon as possible. As ever COYS

 

It was obviously a great result, and Stoke were put away very efficiently, but a great performance? Only Son's second goal was anything special, and we were second-best for much of the first half, so why such OTT praise from some posters? If the plaudits were less lavish, there'd be less temptation for miserable gits like me to pour cold water on their parade (or piss in their fireworks, if you prefer), but the fact is that we've exactly matched our record from the corresponding fixtures last season, so let's not go mad just yet.

 

We weren't great in the first half but it was still a great all round performance overall.
High pressing- for the first goal it was the high pressing that led to Son finishing with aplomb.
Sons second came from more high pressing and the finish was excellent. Son has played himself into the managers thinking with that performance. With more game time he will only get better.
Kane did miss the 1st chance before he scored but he kept at it to score next time around. That s what quality strikers do.
The Alli goal was lovely. Great possession, good passing and an unerring finish.

If Spurs won ten nil, I'm pretty sure there would be something wrong with the performance.

We were sluggish in the first half at times but the second half was great.

Poch will ring the changes for the champions league and I'm looking forward to a great atmosphere at the Lane.....sorry, Wembley!!!

As ever, Come on You Spurs!!!

 

The team is sluggish early in games because it's still fairly early in the season, Poch hasn't found his go to formation just yet; not to mention Dembele a vital piece in the middle's unavailable.

It's easier to be critical; Eriksen had a hell of a game....when you're not playing in your natural position and the two holding midfielders are stationary units, that means there's not many options and thus are limited to what you can do.

We all saw how things opened up when Wanyama was subbed, and Eriksen moved into his natural position. Not only that, Alli established some play making (a connection if you will) from the deep lying position. It was a simple matter of having more creativity on the field...that's when the fluidity of our play was established.

Good news it that, now with Son....we can have some consistency on the winger positions; Lamela on the right and Son on the right. Another point I'd make is; no matter how bad Kane's form is....he's still a better option than Janssen. We didn't get to see enough out of Sissoko unfortunately but I'm sure he'll get his chance.

All fit, we strongest squad would be:

Lloris
Walker Toby Vert Rose
Dier, Dembele (Alli & Wanyama cover)
Lamela, Eriksen, Son
Kane

I like Alli...but for the time being, I think Eriksen's a better CAM than him. And he can still make the runs in the box, as he did to score the 3rd goal...even though that was on the counter lol.

 

I don't think MoTD showed just how on top we were. Hughes was frustrated at the tackle by Alli before whateverhisnameis got the yellow. I watched it a few times and still can't tell if Alli fouled Walters or toed the ball. Anyway after Hughes went to the stand....so did most of his players. They were all over the place. But credit to our players. we noticed that and stepped up a gear. after that it was just a case of how many.

There are plenty of big teams in the league and we'll have to start better in games to win those ones. But we have the squad now. ....and picking a starting x1 is becoming more tricky.
I thought perhaps that Wanyama and Dier would play together away against the better teams....to protect the back 4....but maybe Pochy thought about the physicality of Stoke and used the two of them to nullify that early on. And maybe he always planned to swap Wanyama at some point.

we have to compete in all competitions and losing some of the lesser players this summer....and replacing them with better players....hopefully means that no matter the competition and no matter the starting x1.....we are in with a shout in every game

good times ahead

COYS

 

Thoughts.....

- couldn't get a sense of how we played from MOTD, apart from the goals, so I watched the extended Sky offering, which have a better indication

- Wanyama should have been sent off

- Eriksen was two levels up from any of the three opening games

- we are easily pleased, having seen some lack lustre efforts this far

- Stoke caved in in the second half, as we stepped up our game

- Harry still looks leggy to me, Dier as well

But four goals away, clean sheet, better levels from key players.....I will take that anytime, even if I'm easily led....I'm a Libran after all.

COYS

 

I wonder if Poch has ever considered playing a 433.

Lloris
Walker, Vert, Alde, Rose
Alli, Dier, Dembele
Kane, Eriksen, Lamela (Janssen)

There's tremendous fire power in that squad, only thing we'd be lacking in width.
Not a bad formation for opponents whom we're capable of out possessing.