The man we missed at Leicester... (Its not who you'd think)

Countless times in our tepid 1-1 draw with Leicester City, our promising attacking plays were let down by a distinct lack of creativity as we progressed into the final third. There was clearly something missing.

At this moment, many would find it easy to point out the culprit for our lack of imagination in the attacking third of the pitch. The inclusion of a typically lacklustre Erik Lamela in place on an injured Christian Eriksen would be what the majority would put down to the gut-wrenching late show at the King Power Stadium – but I believe the answer may not be so obvious.

I believe the problem came from much further back – left-back, to be precise.

In seasons gone by, our very own Danny Rose found himself as some kind of makeshift scapegoat to cover over obvious ambient problems at the club that led to a period of somewhat ‘depression’ at White Hart Lane. However, the reinvigorated Rose has taken after his own surname and escalated to dizzying heights in the Spurs pecking order.

And today, at Leicester, we missed him more than anyone. Even the endlessly lovable Christian Eriksen.

Petrified

Albeit against a confidence brimming Riyad Mahrez in the City side - who could stake a claim for being the second coming of Jesus judging by his faultless early displays for the Foxes – Rose’s deputy Ben Davies seemed shook from the first minute of the game.

Mahrez eventually capitalised on Spurs’ lack of concentration, helped by a fairly limp Jan Vertonghen challenge that would scarcely injure a passing flea, to cancel out what would have been a hard fought Dele Alli winner.

However it wasn’t just Davies’ defensive misconceptions that cried out for the England-selected 25-year-old, the final-third failings can also be accredited to a lack of pace and drive from wide. Too many times Davies was skipping gently through a swimming pool of treacle where Rose would have been demanding that the ball be sprayed crossfield into open Leicester territory; patrolled only by an uninspiring Ritchie De Laet.

While Rose has by no means the Mahrez-style biblical status, he does offer something that unfortunately, our £10million purchase from Swansea simply cannot deliver – a willing, dedicated, “take no s***” run. Rose would have pulled the Leicester side as far left as humanly possible, sending the Delap-wannabe De Laet into the far stand to open up acres on the right. Which Erik Lamela would have exploited, of course…

I was delighted with the signing of Davies last summer, coinciding with the acquirement of Michel Vorm in place of Gylfi Sigurdsson, however the youngster has so far failed to live up to the expectations that his senior has improved upon boundlessly.

Viva Danny Rose.

COYS.

 

I suspect Poch will be sacked around Oct. To persist with playing the white elephant Lamela and lack of width will lead with his sacking. Not considering De Yedlin for a midfield role is criminal, as well as not even having N'Jie or Pritchard on the bench today. It smacks of a lacking manager who needs to be sacked!

 

Another underwhelming performance; when will Levy et al learn? Get the business done early - every1 else can see it but them. How can the board have serious aspirations of challenging a top four finish?

As for Danny Rose, I don't think he would have made much of a difference. Let's be honest, there are wider issues here.

Two points from a possible nine - pathetic.

 

Yet again an uninspiring game and performance. No matter who is introduced into the team the performances does not improve and will continue like this, unless Pochettino changes the system of play. The team has no width and pushing the ball sideways and back does not create anything. Possession is absolutely the wrong measure in the case of Spurs as they have possession but nothing is done with that possession. Time and time again the team is crying out for wide players. In addition team selection is questionable. Both Walker and Davies had under performed in previous games. If it does not work why not change? This is the idea of having two players for each position to create competition for places. Why keep Rose and Trippier warming the bench? Alli should also be on the field from the beginning. Pritchhard just signed a new contract and yet did not make the bench. Sadly Pochettino does not seem to be flexible or willing to change and thus i cannot see much improvement until he is changed.

 

Poch isnt going to be sacked as he is instigating Levys 3 year plan.....assess the team (last year) clear out deadwood and bring in youngsters (this year) improve the players as they settle into a team and stadium gets built (next year). So dont expect a serious top 4 challenge. We havent the resources yet of the teams that can challenge so we tread water till we do. And it helps if supporters dont make stupid comments....N'Jie has had ONE training sessions at Spurs (on Friday, a very low key day for trainng) and Pritchard is just coming back from serious injury. Personally I would have played Alli instead of Lamela.....but we're trying to sell Lamela so he has to be seen as a first-teamer. We still have 2-3 crucial signings to make.....and Poch doesnt sign the cheques. So lets calm down and actually support the team.

 

Top four finish !!!???? not even if we were playing in the Championship could we manage it. Rubbish football.from Spurs give the man a one way ticket back to Argie.At least when we had Harry we was playing attractive football and getting results. Mr. Levy sober up and get the man back Please leave Spurs let us be competetive. Let us become a top club again.

 

No creativity and no pace, we need a decent attacking midfielder and another attacker and fast. Hopefully N'ije will give us the pace and we get an attacker will sign this week, Berahino or Charlie or both. Try Yedlin in midfield? but we need a midfilder who can see a forward pass an not just sideways.

 

We have no chance of a top 4 finish, lower reaches of the bottom half of the table at best. That can only really change for the better, if we buy a striker who can score goals, midfield and defensive generals. But playing with no width and no "up and at them" attitude is why I feel Poch will be sacked by Oct!

 

Are u for real suggesting our problems lie at left back. Jesus wept! Played three games with one CF. New signing don't even make bench wtf!! Embarrassing!

 

I'm sick of jan vertonghen's lack of ergantsy, he thinks he's better than he actually is and hasn't had a good game in a long time

 

This is why Poch will be sacked by Oct! A man under pressure, and not responding to the situation! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34030307

 

Calm down? Really? You undermine your own point - i.e. "crucial" signings to make.... Yet we are 3 games into the season and losing ground on others? The fans have every right to be frustrated and angry. It's simply not good enough and costs us every May.

How can we only have one season Kane as our only CF? Not fair on him and its shocking that we are in this position...

 

3 year plan!!! Levy said he had a five year plan in 2001,!!!!

 

Erick lamela doesn't have a football brain and yet he is still starting games. Let's just take a loss and move him on, we need players to perform now not players who might or might not perform in the future. We also need width, leaving Lennon out in the cold is criminal when we are including guys like lamela who doesn
understand the defensive side of football or the attacking side of things by the looks of things. Bring back the days of the flying wingers

 

When we missed out on Benteke there were Plenty saying it would be crazy to spend 32.5 million on him. Yet two years earlier we spent 2.5 million less on a player who had done okay in Italy, and okay for his country!!! Go figure.

Can I please refer you all to a little while ago and the quote from the incoming Spurs manager, Mauricio Pochettino.
" we will not need to worry about the opposition because will play fast, attacking, flowing football."

We play slow, boring ****.

 

He would have been tasked by Levy to get the best out of Lamella due to the £30m we shelled out for him. Yedlin is raw and not ready to play PL football. What has Pritchard actually done in football? Idiots like you need to be sacked but with such little intellect you probably sign on anyway. Tool.

 

De boer or hoddle as next Spurs manager????

 

Yes you are absolutely right, and in my view we play with no width. The interview poch ave to me looks like a condemned man. But if we use the remaining days of this transfer window, to buy the players we need and Poch employs his mantra and wakes up to the use of width then things could look much brighter for us. Otherwise he will go the same way as other previous Spurs managers!

 

Redknapp had a team with a world class spine King, Mordic, Van de Vaart, Bale, with other quality players surrounding them. He still majorly under performed and the football wasn't as good as it should have been. We currently don't have a single world class playe. How on earth you can blame the manager is beyond belief.

Walker has been excellent in every game. Rose isn't 100% fit. Trippier is cover end of.

Of course we have no chance at a top 4 finish. We were not that close last season and UTD have spent about another £100m to add to the £100m they spent the year before to ensure they stay there. City, Arsenal, and Chelsea were all better than us last season and will strengthen before the window closes.

We will finish roughly where we finished last year which is normal given our comparitive transfer spend and wage bill.

Calling for the manager's head is assinine in the extreme!

 

When was the last time you saw a Spurs manager give a 'man under pressure interview'? Most likely just before he was sacked!