Post-match thoughts: Lamela shows what he can do - AEL 1-2 Spurs

The Europa League returned tonight and has provided us with another opportunity to see a new look Tottenham Hotspur under the stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino.

With Kaboul, Lennon, Eriksen and more left at home, Pochettino provided others the chance to force themselves into Sundays starting XI.

Tough Watch

I’ve never been a big fan of the early stages of the Europa League, especially away from home. We’re always playing a team that you’ve never heard of, travelling ridiculous distances and generally putting out poor displays.

Tonight’s game was made worse by the fact that it wasn’t even televised but having stumbled upon a less than stellar online stream, I watched in the hope that there would be a change from last season.

Sadly, the 1st half was poor. Pretty poor. From what I could tell, Kane was the only player who put a decent shift in. Paulinho and Vertonghen looked understandably rusty, and they were to blame for Limassol’s goal, but Holtby, Townsend and others did not fare that much better.

The 2nd half did not immediately improve, that is until the introduction of a certain player.

Introducing Erik Lamela

Our record signing. A first season hampered by injuries and poor management. Rumours of a move away. Lamela, hasn’t had the best time at Spurs so far it must be said.

Tonight however, Lamela did more than show glimpses of quality, he delivered. Yes, it’s a poor side from a poor league, but he must be credited nonetheless.

Signs in pre-season have been very positive and his two assists tonight show that he’s beginning to carry that form into the real thing. In truth he probably should have scored himself but it was a very impressive cameo and something that will boost his confidence no end.

Hopefully he can reproduce these sorts of performances in the Premier League and become a major player for us this season.

Europa League – Yay or Nay?

The Europa League has always been a bit of an enigma. Fans are often split down the middle as to whether we should go all out or simply toss it aside.

Are the (potential) injuries worth it? Do the games have a negative effect on our Premier League campaign? Is winning a trophy better than finishing 4th?

There is no clear consensus on this amongst the Spurs faithful.

Personally, the fact that this season’s winners gain passage into the Champions League is reason enough to take the competition more seriously than we have been doing in recent seasons.

Finishing in the top 4 will be harder than it ever has been so it would be foolish to completely disregard the Europa League.

In fact, I’d argue that winning the Europa League is a more realistic proposition than finishing 4th. The teams in the competition aren’t that much better than us, if at all, and unless a big team suffers a shock exit from the Champions League, we will remain one of the best teams in the competition.

Ah, but our players get fatigued I hear you say. The Thursday/Sunday schedule is too hectic.

Maybe, but isn’t that why we have a huge squad in the first place?

Soldado, Kane, Holtby, Naughton, Davies, Townsend, Sandro, Chadli – those are just some of the players that aren’t guaranteed starters in the Premier League that we could rotate to play in the Europa League.

The quality of the opposition is often so poor that our second string should comfortably allow us to progress from the group stages (and even beyond if the draw is kind) without having to tire out the players who play consistently in the league.

I hope we take this sort of approach to the Europa League this season as I’d love for us to go all the way. We’ve always been a cup team but that well has dried of late, just a handful of trophies over 2 decades or so, and the Europa League provides us with a realistic opportunity of lifting a trophy come May.

A Job Well Done

With 2 away goals, we’ve put ourselves in a comfortable position going into next Thursday’s 2nd leg at White Hart Lane. With goals from Soldado and Kane and a positive performance from Erik Lamela, there are plenty of positives to take from tonight’s game.

Here’s hoping we see a more consistent performance on Sunday.

 

Agree. Awful performance but finished off with 2 very well taken goals, good on Robbie and Harry. Lamela was a star from what I could make out on the rubbish feed I was straining my eyes to watch capped off by it suddenly skipping 8 minutes between 74 and 82 thereby missing the goals.

I think Poch has to start lamella and Soldado who looks a better player when Erik is playing.

Also get shot of Chadli and Paulinho who are both terrible in my opinion.

 

Lamela. So so so great to see him play so well, must start vs QPR as should Soldado. Didn't expect much of Lamela vs West Ham anyway, much too physical a team - the likes of David Silva struggle at Upton Park because of the thuggishness of the opposition, but hopefully against a less physical team he'll be a star. If Lamela scores against QPR, expect a big season. I've always said he'd come good - and if recent performances are to go by, he is.
I would also love to see our second string players boss the Europa League, Poch needs to make them want to play in it, players who play well in Europa league should start the following weekend. The thought of us yiddos winning the Europa League would be an achievement we could all be proud of. And, it'd be one over the Arsenal. COYS

 

I hate this Europa debate. People honestly believe we will finish or challenge for the top four without Europa? Come off it!! There's no way we can compete with Chelski and Man City. And that leaves you with 3rd and 4th up for grabs with Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd all looking stronger than us at the moment with more money to spend on world class players.

Our time of top 4 is done for the moment I'm afraid. We couldn't capitalise on one of the worst Arsenal teams in years, the decline of Liverpool, the one-off bad seasons of Chelsea and Man Utd.

I sure as hell would rather win something that call a 4th place finish success. I want to see Spurs WIN something! We're in danger of becoming our most hated rivals by calling 4th place a trophy. Sky Sports has pulled the wool over your eyes.

Go for the Europa! Go for the glory!! Champions League comes with it! COME ON YOU SPURS!

 

Agree with Soldado being a better player with Lamela, they seem to have an understanding. In fact, i would say that the whole attack plays better when sodlado is in the team. Adebayor just doesn't seem to have the qualities that Soldado has to make the team tick. When Soldado plays it seems the attacking 3 behind him are all on the same wavelength, even Lennon!

 

I agree that we must go all out to win this competition as finishing with a trophy and qualifying for the champions league has to be seen as a massive achievement and I still do not believe we will be any where near good enough to finish in the top four this season as pochettino will need to do a lot of rotating and without a consistent eleven in the league, I just can't see us getting in the top four. If we do, then great, but the Europa league seems a much more realistic proposition.

As for Paulinho being rusty, he looked rusty all of last season and looked nearly corroded in the World Cup. If pochettino can get the best out of him, whatever that actually is, then he really will be a legend!!

 

Guys we need to remember that our average wage per week per player is about 13.5 k

Thiers is about 2 k

We should shame this type of team home and away.

Tottenham v Yoevil nothing more.

 

Nick, true. But look at Atletico's wage costs vs Real Madrid's and Barca's and tell me who won the Spanish league last season...

In an away leg at 30 degree heat on a terrible playing surface, we didn't do too badly. We won and we didn't play well.

 

renal got? 2 1 palace Thats a bit different this lot are not much more than conference, but a win is a win. QPR, Liverpool and Sunderland. Sorry but i want 9 points for true signs of team progress not at the end of the season. NOW i want league wins NOW. QPR HOME. SUNDERLAND AWAY. LIVERPOOL HOME. Three was here and i will be happy, ps i still think this year we can win the league.

 

Although its a very tough competition I agree with others that this could be our best opportunity to win a decent trophy as well as gain a spot in next years CL a lot will depend on how we cope with injuries and rotation, I can understand Poch fielding strong teams at this stage and I was happy to see that Lamela got some time as I think he needs it as well as players returning from the WC but im hoping for a sensible approach to the competition as far as giving squad players some opportunities to prove themselves thru the early stages, this will be a real test of Poch's abilities as a manager of a big club and playing in Europe. Interesting setup for this game im hoping that I don't see Paulinho and Benteleb starting in the middle too often, could be the end for Sandro by the looks of things.

 

The point was made well in this blog. Europa FOR argument may not be valid next season, but it is absolutely valid for this one. No sense to debate any further. COYS!

I think Lamela's dominance in competitions with less physicality than that for EPL should make him a starter in Europa fixtures, not just a substitute. The injury fear is an obvious reason to be cautious for Spurs, but at some point it should retreat.