PLAYER RATINGS: Limassol 1-2 Tottenham

Considering that Spurs didn’t really show much in the first seventy minutes of the game, the result will be pleasing to Mauricio Pochettino and should assure advancement to the group stages.

The game changed when the three substitutions came on, and it will certainly give Pochettino something to think about when selecting his team on Sunday against QPR.

Hugo Lloris -7- Nothing much the Frenchman could do about the goal but the question remains: how many one on one situations will his defenders continue to put him into? He made a quality save on another similar opportunity to save Spurs the embarrassment of being down 2-0. Solid as always from the French number one.

Kyle Naughton- 5- Nothing much to report from Kyle. Good to get some minutes under his belt considering his suspension in the league.

Eric Dier -6- Dier was the better of the two center backs today. Steady with no glaring errors.

Jan Vertonghen -4- It was the first game back for the Belgian and it was painfully obvious. His terrible pass led to the goal, and he was average at best for the rest of the game.

Ben Davies -5- Showed some good signs going forward, but his defending in this one certainly lacked. He dove in on several occasions and almost gave the Cypriots a gift-wrapped goal from his own 18-yard box. Not the debut he was looking for.

Nabil Bentaleb -5- Decent effort from the Algerian today, but it did seem like the holding midfielders from AEL did their jobs better than Nabil and his partners today. There were a few occasions where he let the AEL men dribble right past. Missed Capoue out there today.

Paulinho -4- Prior to the goal, after Jan’s weak pass, Paulinho weakly tried to take the ball back. The AEL man shrugged that off and promptly scored. The Brazilian looked disinterested quite often, and if Paulinho doesn’t do anything offensively either, why is he even out there?

Lewis Holtby -5- Earned a frustration yellow card after a no call on Harry Kane. Didn’t do much in the middle of the field. Substituted in the 66th minute by Mousa Dembélé.

AndrosTownsend -4- His trademark move of cutting inside to get a shot off with his left foot was easily defended by Limassol. Crosses weren’t there for Andros either. Played 70 minutes, but his presence was never felt.

Harry Kane -7- The first half’s only bright spot really. Tested the ‘keeper a few times in the first half. He had another great opportunity that came off the ‘keeper and bar in the second. Scored a brilliant goal after a superb first touch, and young Harry looks like he really wants to fight for his place in the first eleven.

Roberto Soldado -6- Missed an early opportunity and you thought it might be another one of those days for the Spaniard. Made up for it with a great goal in the 74th. Didn’t take the time to think, just nailed it into the corner. Should’ve had a nice header assist on the Kane near miss. Hopefully, this boosts his confidence.

Subs

Nacer Chadli -6- Provided a bright spot after coming on for Paulinho in the 59th minute. Made an immediate impact by blasting down the left hand side. Had a nice cross to set up Kane’s chance that did everything but go in.

Mousa Dembélé -6- Came on in the 66th minute and controlled play pretty well.

Erik Lamela -7- Instant impact from the Argentine. For his first assist, he brilliantly chipped it into the path of Roberto Soldado who made no mistake. Had another assist on Harry Kane’s goal. He changed the game completely when he came on. Man of the match material from Erik.

Overall, a pretty tame first half performance that came to life in the second, especially when Lamela entered. With Kane’s impressive performance, a surge to Soldado’s confidence, and quality minutes from some World Cup participants, Sunday’s team selection should be pretty interesting. It’s never dull as a Tottenham supporter!

 

Very well explained article, good stuff. Glad that Soldado scored, few of the returning players getting a run out. Should be a goal fest at WHL ! Be interesting to see Poch's best EPL eleven emerge into a settled best starting line up. Guess we can look forward to thursday night spurs action now. Coys.

 

To be fair, this was a game that Spurs could have won 5-2, at least, on the balance of (good) chances.

The team started brightly early on, in a game where the conditions, including the weather and pitch, left a lot to be desired. And although the team seemed rattled by the goal they inexplicably conceded, on the 14th min mark, for the rest of the 1st half, Spurs did well to rally after the break and go on to dominate the rest of the game.

Pochettino would have learned a LOT from this match, and depending on how he reacts to what he (must of) witnessed, will determine how well Spurs do this season.

Because if he believes Paulinho's inept display was anything to do with a lack of fitness/match sharpness, Spurs are going to suffer - and suffer BIG time!

The Brazilian is a liability, as things stand. Pure and simple! Believe me, I take no joy from saying that, as I actually believe there IS real potential there (providing he is given a role that suits him and clear instructions of what is expected of him on the field) but the Brazilian has shown little willingness to curb his adventurous/ naive ways.

Pulling out of 50/50's, and ducking out of defensive walls aside, Paulinho has looked to me like a frustrated/wannabe no10, ever since Spurs lost to Arsenal at the Emirates last season. It's like a switch just flicked all of a sudden, and the Brazilian thought "f$£& it!, I'm gonna do things my way and to hell with the consequences".

2 managers, and a dreadful World cup campaign later, and it seems very little has changed.

Now, I know it's only one game that he's played since returning from his holidays, but the things that shocked me today had NOTHING to do with rustiness, match fitness or even commitment, and EVERYTHING to decision making/ tactical awareness/positional sense.

In a game where Spurs started Paulinho in a CM 2 next to 19 year old Bentaleb:

Bentaleb Paulinho

Townsend Holtby Kane

Paulinho would frequently find himself amongst the forwards, too early:

Bentaleb

Townsend
Holtby Paulinho Kane

Meaning that:

• The defence struggled to find an out-ball other then Bentaleb, without going long.

• Other players such as Holtby had to drop deep despite, supposedly, playing in a more advanced position than the Brazilian to try to link play. Effectively leaving the German to try and play 2 roles.

• The team was left WIDE OPEN any time play broke down in the middle/attacking third, with only Bentaleb left desperately outnumbered in the midfield, on the counter.

• The Brazilian was clogging up the space the likes of Holtby, Townsend, Kane and Soldado had to work in, by dragging more bodies into their area of the pitch.

To be honest, this is schoolboy stuff, and Paulinho should know better. Therefore it was no surprise to see the teams fortunes improve once the Brazilian had left the field of play to be replaced by the impressive Chadli.

It was clear that Mauricio had spoken to the Brazilian at the break about his gung-ho/kamarkazi approach, because Paulinho was more disciplined during the 2nd half. The problem Pauli has though, is, if he is not in attack mode/getting in, and around, the box, he seems to disappear from the match entirely!

Time will tell, exactly, what Poch made of the Brazilians display today, but IF Paulinho is to stay at the club beyond the current transfer window, something is going to DRASTICALLY have to change if he is to play, and Spurs are to be successful!

Tough game today. I think AEL surprised everyone, including the lads with how they performed for the last 35 mins of the 1st half. They were athletic, good technically, well-drilled and committed to making life for Spurs difficult.... and they succeeded.

On the plus side, Tottenham responded extremely well to what must of been stern//strong words from MP at half time. The substitutions, again, had a major impact, and the two assists made by Erik Lamela will do his confidence the world of good heading into the QPR game.

Chadli looked very good, I thought. And ideal for the fluid interchanges among the forwards we can expect to see once the team has perfected/improved upon the high-pressing style Pochettino is trying to implement.

Harry Kane has been REALLY impressive, for me, since returning to the camp for pre-seaon. I have always admired the work Kane has done up till the 18 yard box, but how good he ultimately becomes will be determined by how effective he can be inside the oppositions penalty box. He is NOT the natural finisher Soldado is, relying more on instincts than a heightened sense of composure, but confidence can take a player a LONG way!

All in all, a good win which helps maintain/build the momentum ahead of our 2nd London Derby of the season against QPR. There were timely returns for all the lads that returned late from the WC, and as far as I'm aware no injuries. Soldado scored a SUPERBLY hit, trademark volley, and Spurs once again showed the type of character/resolve that can only bode well for the weeks and months ahead.

BRING ON THE R's!!!!

 

See your posts are getting a bit shorter my dear Ramos, how do you fit so much in ! Jokes aside, agreed with much of what you said. Many Spurs fans appear disgruntled with our present squad and i just hope that this season one or two can emerge to satify the desire for flair and elan that is our trademark. Coys.

 

I maintain that Paulinho is the worst Brazilian player I have ever seen. This current generation of Brazilians are embarrassingly bad. I hope Poch saw what we all saw and buries him on the bench or finds someone naive enough to buy him from us. How a player can to this level and have such poor instincts is a mystery to me.

 

Hopefully soldado is allowed a follow up start v QPR Sunday as last season on many occasions is reward for scoring was a session on the bench Cardiff springs to mind here. Personally I would like to see us play two up top this week at home to poor opposition who don't know their best 11 and formation. If go with lamela dembele capoue eriksen with ade n soldado up top!

 

Lol.....

I actually like our squad a lot. It's just Paulinho (really) that I have a major issue with!

Him playing the way he does has a MASSIVE knock-on effect on the whole team, and as things stand, looks completely out of his depth in the Spurs engine room.

When I saw him play in the Confederation Cup, he looked the part. Strong, tactically aware, energetic, combative, and an adept at TIMING his runs into the oppositions box.

Ever since he's signed for Spurs though, he's looked the complete opposite of all of those things!

Perhaps he began to believe his own hype, after finishing the tournament as the 3rd best player.... My god that seems like a LONG time, ago!

Hopefully, Poch can either sort the lad out, or flog him! But one things for sure, Paulinho is not going to regain his place in the Brazilian national side on the form he has displayed thus far, for our club.....

(There you go. Short and sweet )

 

I havnt seen the game or even the highlights yet but from what ive read hear and elsewhere it seems as tho that Paulinho has not changed from last year and he is indeed a wannabe n010 who often does little more than stroll around the field and then gets in the way. he scores the odd goal but most of them are simple tap ins because he's always so far up the field leaving defensive duties for others to deal with. My personal opinion of the player is that he does in fact believe his own hype and thinks he's better than the club and not prepared to put in the effort.

 

Paulinho stock is so low now that I doubt Levy will be able to sell him. He will not take a loss at this time, if ever, so it will be a project for MP. I think up until Poch gives up on Brazilian we have to get used to seeing him in starting XI. There is no way to work with player if he is on the bench. He may not start EPL matches but will be used in early stages of Europa, and, hopefully, upon improvement later.

As Ramos correctly argued, Paulinho problem is between his ears. He is not the worst Brazilian ever, he, arguably, wasn't the worst from Brazil in the match (Cyprus side had a few un- remarkable players from there). MP has developed an expertize to open up talent. I think he may succeed. The only question is whether Spurs can afford such a project going long. The time will show (time is being December transfer window).

 

Another big problem with Paulino is that he always tries to play the safe side or back pass.. rarely do i see him verticalising play.. i see no urgency in him to get the ball up around the oppo box.. on the other hand we have home-grown Bentaleb who from the outset has shown he is capable & willing to carry the ball forward rather than AVB-esque sideways or backwards.

With Capoue, Sandro, Nabil and Moussa as holding, there really is no place place for him in that part of the field.. the only hope left for Paulino is to act as backup for a position further up front, but there too, he is way back in the pecking order.

 

Not sure about Paulinho being the worst ever Brazilian
Does anyone remember Gilberto?
He was a donkey!

 

Paulinho and dembelle are players that no longer suit the football that is now developing. No longer is the boring spanish possession football in fashion.

We should go back to a solid midfielder like sandro or capoue partnered with a flair footballer such as erickson or carroll.

This worked with the carrick/parker and modric era.