Blunt Spurs need investment. PLAYER RATINGS: Man United 1-0 Tottenham

After the 5-0 win over Swansea and a 3-1 win in the week, there were some signs that Spurs had finally started learning how to create clear cut chances. And convert them. But in all honesty, the last 2 games were against poor oppositions.
Today we travelled to a bang average Manchester United and I fully expected Spurs to fly out of the blocks and really attack the opposition.
Spurs certainly had a lot of possession but as, all too often this season, the possession led to little in front of goal but for an Eriksen free kick that drew a smart save from De Gea.

Harry Kane offered little and was far too isolated throughout the game. His only contribution to the game was to softly give the ball away in the middle of the park and set United on their way to a 1-0 victory. Lloris went to ground far too early leaving the striker to blast high and into the roof of the net.

Alli was at the centre of much of what was bad about Spurs today. His ball control was wayward and I'm surprised he played the full 90 minutes.
Rose ran miles for the cause today but he just couldn't get Spurs going. Wanyama went backwards and was guilty of missing a gilt edged chance when he only had the keeper to beat in acres of space.

De Gea made another save from an Eriksen free kick and Spurs best chance of score no seemed to come when Sissoko came on. Much maligned he added pace and strength down the right but still an equaliser looked a long way away.

Lloris - 7 - Made a couple of good saves but should have stayed on his feet to make it more difficult to score.

Walker - 7 - Played as a right midfielder but couldn't deliver a final ball of any note. He and Rose both worked hard.

Alderweireld - 7 - Solid on his return.

Vertonghen - 6 - Slow for the goal. Look more comfortable with Toby back at his side.

Rose - 7 - Worked his socks off and clearly frustrated at the lack of attacking intent from his teammates.

Eriksen - 7 - A couple of decent efforts at goal from free kicks and at least made the keeper work.

Wanyama - 5 - Vinny Sideways! Sideways, backwards, nowhere. Had a golden chance to score but fluffed his lines terribly.

Alli - 5 - As bad as he has been. Really frustrating today. Added nothing and should have been taken off.

Son - 5 - The headless chicken returned today. Totally overrun and kept giving the ball away.

Dembele - 6 - A shadow of last season. Seems to have lost his attacking intent.

Kane -6 - A rare shocker for our Arry. Not helped by the managers tactics and totally isolated. Needlessly gave the ball away for the goal. Off the pace.

Winks - 6 - Hardly a game changer but did okay on what time he had.

N'Koudou - N/A - Why give him only 8 minutes. I'm not sure why we bought him if he isn't going to be given a real chance.

Sissoko - 8 - Actually Spurs best player today. Gave Darmian a nightmare. Fair play to him.

Pochettino - 5 - Once again his tactical naivety was laid bare. Set his team out far too tight with not enough width. Still no plan B!!!!

Today's game summed up our season thus far. Slow and in the final third lacking in any cutting edge.

 

Blunt. Pedestrian. Toothless. Bottlers.

Alli was awful - woeful passing and needs to be dropped. Only positive was Sissoko... And about bloody time!

Sick of trying to pull out decent takeaways. It's results that matter and we are now 10 points behind Chelski. Pathetic and all too Spursy.

 

Big disappointment from our offensive play today. Why Delle has played the full 90 minutes? Dembele had tout stay on the pitch with wanyama. Sissoko on the right wing with Eriksen on the left and he had to offer a chance for nkoudou to play up front with Kane. That would have been Good for the Last 15 minutes and That would have give some pace near the Last 16 meters and Some quickness around Kane. That would have been a real plan B... because our tactical was to easy to be controlled by manchester... pocchetino is a very Good coach but he is still not a great one ! COYS

 

Well the run didn't last long , lol , putting 5 past a poor Swansea is one thing .... We all know where our problems lie and there's not going to be a miracle cure .... Wasn't a brutal performance , was a typical , toothless Spurs 16/17 performance ... Lack of quality in certain positions compared to the sides around us is obvious ... If Utd are bang average , then what are we .....

 

i'm not one for suggesting to buy players on the back of. A poor result/performance, I'm surprised today why we couldn't do back to using Dier/Dembele through the centre, Wanyama has played well this season, but in my opinion to the detriment of moving the ball more quickly to the forward players. Saying that, I'm also of the opinion Ali should be dropped, and or Eriksen to. Today Eriksen gave me the impression he was scared of the ball and was handing..Which made me physically sick. Kane was poor throuout.If we go back into the market I would get both Defoe and Lennon back to the Lane, or if not use N'Koudou, we did buy him to play football right.

 

A dreadful performance am not sure what they were trying to achieve here. Toothless and to make an under pressure team like Man seem competent and efficient takes some doing. I never expected anything today and nothing ever came close to changing my mind. Serious problems here. Very lightweight and powderpuff. We never scored enough goals anyway but when kane plays that bad ( who played today like he didn't want to upset man u) then we have a major problem. If we can't finish fourth which we won't not with this team. Then let's target a trophy!!

 

Lets not panic to much, 13 more points and we will avoid relegation.

 

This was not a poor day at the office it was a typical toothless modern Spurs display.

At 1 point Alli got a fortunate ricochet to him in the utd box and within 3 passes it was back to our defence on the half way line.

Everytime Utd went forward with pace width n looked dangerous the exact polar opposite to Pochs 'philosophy', which is getting duller by the game.

Anyone that still wants to dream about title challenges and top4 again are seriously deluded.

Bang average Spurs led by bang average Poch.

Awful!

We have absolutely no idea how to create chances, how to cause problems, how get into dangerous areas, how to do anything remotely positive.

Danny Blanchflower-

"Its about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom"

At the moment our style is based around boring ourselves to death let alone the opposition.

 

We're currently on target for 68 points, which is generally good enough for 5th, our normal finishing spot for most of the past decade (unless the usual suspects take a year-long breather like last season, creating the illusion that our 3rd marked real improvement - which it didn't!). We're already back in the EL, and where is this 'progress' that Pochettino gets so much credit for? We're well into the third year of the Five Year Plan, and if Kane hadn't suddenly turned from a plodder into a goal-scoring machine (and been given a chance by Pochettino only after Soldado had spent the first three months of 2014/15 conclusively demonstrating how easily 26 million quid can be thrown away), I doubt whether Porky would have made it into a second year at the helm. We're treading water yet again, and I'm blowed if I can see anything to suggest that Pochettino has enough about him to make us serious contenders, let alone champions.

 

So we 3 points behind Man City who have the money to buy any player in the world and arguably have the best coach in the world in Pep.

3 Points ahead of the greatest Premier League club, who have bought the most expensive player in the world and a manager who has won practically everything there is!

For me, we are in the league where we should and more than holding our own against the teams around us.

Reading all the comments, you would think we would be in a relegation fight.

Just be realistic.

COYS

 

So we 3 points behind Man City who have the money to buy any player in the world and arguably have the best coach in the world in Pep.

3 Points ahead of the greatest Premier League club, who have bought the most expensive player in the world and a manager who has won practically everything there is!

For me, we are in the league where we should and more than holding our own against the teams around us.

Reading all the comments, you would think we would be in a relegation fight.

Just be realistic.

COYS

 

Was always going to be difficult , they're a decent side , improving all the time I.m.o , I don't buy the " they're bang average " story at all ... Maybe by their own standards but not in the context of this league ... They absolutely licked Arseholes a couple of weeks back and threw it away in the end and have generally been the better side in all their recent games ... I can see them going on a run and I don't think they'll loose too many at old Trafford so a wee bit of context .... Some expected us to be challenging for a league and are upset with how it's turning out but ultimately it was yee that overrated our team and players ... Someone above is calling for us to bring back Defoe and Lennon , lol get a grip .... Next couple are far more winnable then this was so let's see what happens but at this stage Its looking a difficult task to get back into that 4 again .... We're a decent side , but no more then that , we're very strong in some areas but average- poor in others ... This is what happens when teams overachieve , people get carried away and start expecting things that the team just aren't capable of .... Personally I don't see us finishing above Man U either so we need to catch 2 teams above us to get back in there , the odds are firmly against us at the moment ... All of a sudden the Europa is looking our best option ... But we all know things can change fast in this game , we live in hope ....

 

As per usual Poch insists on keeping Alli on the pitch no matter how badly he plays. I think people are being harsh on Son today, before Sissoko came on he was the only one who looks a threat.

Back to Alli - firstly we need to stop playing him as No10 as it is clear whether anyone else wants to admit it that he is not the guy for that position. Secondly - It we must stop playing him on the left or right or anywhere in that kind of attacking position, it's not that he he hasn't got attacking prowess but he is better as a box to box man. If Poch is going to insist on keeping him on the pitch when he's having a shocker it is better that when we substituted Dembele we dropped Alli in the Dembele role and bring Eriksen into the No10 position which I beleive he plays far better than anyone else in our squad. We could could have the brought on Sissoko on the right with Son on the left. We would have had pace and penetration then.

I believe our defence looked a little shaky today this maybe because Wamyama was below par, Dier's pace over Wamyama may have helped even though Wamyama is the better CDM.

For me Poch is too rigid with his thinking and due to this we will throw more games we should be winning,

 

My main gripe/concern is the sheer lack of a plan going forward, its not a 1 off its becoming the norm.

No positive runners, no pace, no quick thought of play, no width, no movement in the final 3rd, nothing!

How do they possibly think they're going to win matches or score goals lacking all of those basics?

The build up is so laboured, the rare times we get in behind a defence its like a default setting to stop the play imediately and go backwards.

I dont get the style, the philosophy, the plan its not remotely entertaining and its not getting better its getting worse.

What exactly are the wonders Poch is doing and the progress weve apparently made coz i cannot for the life of me see it.

This is no better than AvB and look at the disjointed side he was working with, Poch has arguably on paper 1 of the most balanced sides weve ever had yet is serving up sh;te.

Its clear we need a better supporting 3 or god forbid a formation change, something/anything just not this Toothless predictable snoozefest.

 

The truth is for me we are a good side but we are a good side with a lack of strategy too often so become too easy to play against. We have struggled against many teams because I believe we play too marrow with only Son or the full backs being the outlets. Even with this as much as I like Walker (he has been one of our players of the seasons) he often cuts his run short so have to deliver that little cross ball centrally to a player who is well marked.

N'koudou is there to provide width, Sissoko for width, Son can give width so already we have 3 options. A game like today I believe we would made greater impact having 2 wingers with pace and then this would mean Rose and Walker for that matter not having to push too high and getting caught out of position or when pinned back we have no outlet for them to utilise. I do recognise many of us are arm chair managers but for me the lack of width is obvious and the the effect of using width would be obvious too. Again against Chelsea I think pace down both wings not just the one would have pinned the likes of Moses back and cancel a big part of their game.

We are far from in a desperate state and doing fairly well for a team who haven't got super expensive players but I do think tactical naivety is our main problem.

Spurs forever!!!

 

Nothing quite like the spurs fanbase after a defeat, is there?

United were better than us today. Pogba got the better of Dembele multiple times, we missed our only big chance, and created very little. We didn't deserve to win today, we were lethargic and poor.

Sissoko is coming good (hopefully) because he's finally fit. The guy missed preseason and has been behind fitness wise compared to the others. Hopefully these performances improve.

Alli was dreadful. Nothing more to say about him.

The substitutions confused me. We were at our best when direct runners got on the ball - yet Son was taken off early, and Nkoudou on too late.

A Dembele-Dier midfield pairing is certainly our best one, but doesn't really explain why we lost. Not enough desire to win the game.

 

This this is another weak and poor display. We are good against poor mediocre teams and anything else we fail to deliver. Ponchettino should go to that job in Spaini am sick and tired of his post mortem post match philosophy and reasons for losing. He has no idea of being creative and how to inspire imagination to kill off teams. He always says - we did well we learn and we are strong!!! Really that is hogwash. The players were RUBBISH and lacked ideas, WAKE UP SPURS FANS WE ARE NOT TITLE CONTENDERS NOR ARE WE GOING TO WIN THE PL.
We spent money on **** RUBBISH nonentities who do sweet FA . JANSSEN , ALLI. , LAMELA AND WANYAMA NOT TO MENTION THE SUMMER BUYS SHOULD ALL BE OFF LOADEDIN JANUARY. We got kicked out of the CL and league cup and had a chance to go 4th and 9 Ptsc clear but we do not have that character to grasp the nettle and finish off teams and be ruthless and robust.
Lack of ideas is killing us. I remember when George Graham was at Spurs for a season we would be tight compact and clinical we won a trophy but shallow minded Spurs supporters said he was "too arsenal" so we got rid of him and got noddles who ended behind sacked ! We need a mind like graham who can wear down teams and grind out results forget about attractive it has not served us well. So fellow fans we r right back where we started - inconsistent , collapsing and toothless. Let us get used to being outside the top 4 because that is where our fate lies unless some thing miraculous happens and SOON!

 

I don't believe we are too easy to play against at all , I think it's the opposite really , we are one of the most difficult to play against , hence we've only been beaten twice and conceded less then everyone else , our problems lie at the other end of the scale , we are too easy to stop ....... We are toothless up top , and it's ultimately because we lack quality players in them positions ... Someone above says Ali's not a no 10 , I couldn't agree more , just like Erikson , he's not one either .. They're both midfielders I.m.o .... It's a vital position in this system and its hurting us badly I.m.o ...... I'm not sure I buy this Dier and Dembele argument either , I.m.o Victor can do everything Dier can but he's a better footballer so I don't buy that and as for Dembele , well he's had 1 good season and hes just not the same player so far this year , that's the big problem there .... In fairness to him I don't think he's ever been 100% fit this season so that doesn't help ..... Just my opinion of course and I get more wrong then I get right ....

 

Whichever way you slice it and dice it, today was total shite. Son, Alli, Dembele, Kane.....it set the tone for a painful watch.

So it's an odd goal defeat, gifted by HK being very sloppy, but this absolutely is a very average Manure side and we couldn't make a mark on them.

Poor everywhere for me. That's my honest view. I text the kids at 80 minutes.."the simple fact is we are just not good enough" was what I sent.

We simply cannot win big games, or difficult away games, Chelski, Manure this term. So many in the past.

Short of pace or penetration, and we've purchased two right footed wingers ffs.....

I love the club, we all do. But we've got some sorting out to do. Was Kane ever in the box, apart from when we had corners.

You wait all weekend, then we play like that. So poor.

Can't even muster a COYS.....

 

I agree with every point, burnt, except for Dier vs. Wanyama comparison. Should Dier be in Wanyama spot on that homework free kick set-up, there would be 1:1. Dier's aerial is the best in the team, arguably. Wanyama has a better engine, which is , I agree, huge difference for the position, but Dier is better in other aspects, so it is not a clear cut..
The other point everyone here appears to be missing, is schedule. Spurs play as soon as Wednesday. Poch was forced to capitulate not able to tie by 75 minute, because Eriksen and Dembele were needed for Hull tie in 3 days. 3 points Wednesday is better than 1 point Sunday and 1 point against the Tigers. Hull City were coming for ya!!! COYS!!!!