Looks more like Tactical Ineptness than Wembley Curse

Today was going to be the perfect match to follow Wednesday's result against Dortmund. Against a team we scored eight goals against last season, us supposedly stronger than last term, Swansea were perfect to achieve back-to-back wins and finally bury the myth that there is a curse over us at our new Wembley home.

Unfortunately, nobody told Poch and the players. Let's start with the players. Most of them looked like they needed a rocket up their backsides. Side to side passing, all at a walking pace was bad enough, but add to that a starting line-up that clearly didn't know what the game plan was, it was little short of 90 minutes of dross.

So there's the players and then there is Poch. So we decide to bin the tactics that proved so useful in midweek, dispense with Aurier and Davies and add two "wingers" in Son and Sissoko. On the face of it this was intended to add pace, but in fact it had the opposite effect, with an opening half devoid of any pace at all. Add to that Dele was absent, closely followed by Eriksen, then you get a stumbling, pedestrian performance.

Then, as if to introduce some confusion into the pot that was our tactical mix for the Swansea cake, we introduced Aurier and moved Trippier to left back. I played football until I was too old to carry on and have been an avid watcher and fan for coming up 60 years.. When you need pace in your side, do not add players of average ability, then place them on the wrong flank. A pedestrian pace, became snail pace. It was so painful to watch. It's one thing to lack game changing personnel, but to lack a decent game plan, either A, B or X, will almost certainly mean that even apparently easy games become difficult or impossible to win.

I haven't bothered to watch Poch's post match interview. I rarely do. I can imagine its content. Swansea made it difficult, luck wasn't with us, their goalkeeper played very well, the ref missed a definite penalty. All true, but largely irrelevant. Let's hope that what he says and what he really knows are two different things. One hopes he knows he's got his tactics and substitutions wrong, even if he doesn't admit it in front of the cameras.

Play like this at Wembley then my own forecast of 40 home points, means only dropping ten more points over 16 games. I might have to revisit the forecast.

COYS

 

I agree with the article it wasn't Wembley this 1 is down to poch ! 1st of all why play a right back at left back when u have a left back on the bench u could clearly see how unbalanced and 1 sided our team was.. then u have poch saying after the game, the reason why Davies was on the bench is he was carrying a knock to his ankle??? Well then poch if he's carrying a knock where he's not fit to play any part why was he even on the bench???? Also the game was crying out for Dembele to grab the game by the scruff of the kneck and go past players and that would give more space for the likes of eriksen,son,Alli to make something happen???? But your excuse for dembele was he was too tired??? So wtf was he doing on the bench as well? Do the players not do fitness tests before games??? Then after a very poor game from alli U fail to bring him off and should of put Lorente on earlier and gone more direct and try and snatch a 1-0 but yet u bring llorente on and don't change the way we played or anything. So it's not Wembley or tiredness or the referee!!! this game was down to u!!! Inept to change things when it's not working and no plan b again!!! Very f*****g frustrated. Coys

 

I couldn't agree more. It was awful to watch and almost a repeat of the Burnley performance where we lacked ideas and got tactically out done.

The Dortmund game was interesting. It reversed our usual pattern and we had less possession but were clinical for a change.

You make some great points and I think as fans we have a right to question what we are seeing. How about our failure to use Llorente at all once he came on?

There will be lots more games like this throughout the season. We need to learn fast or we're in trouble.

 

I didn't see the match just the highlights so can't comment on performance.

Disappointing result, I was at another event last night but left the pub just after Kanes free kick in the 1st half thinking its only a matter of time. I was surprised when I checked later that we hadn't breached the Swans defence.

Sounds like we had the classic when plan A doesn't work syndrome yesterday and had nothing to change it. No game changers it's the reason we fell short the last 2 seasons and will be again. And buying 70million pounds worth of defenders 2 of which are kids and an over the hill striker won't change that.

Luckily Liverpool and Arsenal look sh;te so we still have 4th to fight for else this would be another season of undoing.

 

Everything that's been said is correct, especially about the lack of an alternative plan.
Poch needed reminding that Swansea are propping up the league and there should have been an all out attack.
Look how City demolished Watford yesterday, speed, speed and more speed in attack.
If teams decide to park the bus you have to play like you're one nil down and be quick and direct. Not the twenty five passes before a shot over the bar route.
Yes, we were unlucky yesterday but in all fairness we would have been equally lucky to get a win because of the tactics and team selection.
I'm sorry but it's time to stick a fork in Sissoko, he's done. Sell him on at a loss rather than torment the fans by playing him in an effort to increase his value. I suspect Levy's sticking his finger in this pie.
Time for Poch to take a long hard look at his players and at his tactics.

 

My pre-season prediction was that we would drop 15 points at Wembley. That sounded harsh after only dropping 4 last season but now I'm really worried that we could drop maybe 20 or more. We are going to have to face facts that we may be looking at our first season at the new WHL as Europa league entrants at best. The scenario could be bleak with a whole host of our best players wanting away. I desperately hope I'm wrong. For me Wembley doesn't feel right, the crowds of 60-70,000 are good but whole blocks of empty seats doesn't create that heavy intimidating atmosphere that WHL did. The fans are trying so hard to get the atmosphere right but it's not easy. I'm praying for that trigger that will turn things. Let's hope it arrives soon.

 

I ant believe in this day that a pro footballer is tired! No disrespect but we play Barnsley on Wednesday so surly that's the time to change things! No dele on Wednesday we looked ok! He plays for himself so often megnuts and trying to take the player on 3 or 4times! Don't get me wrong the player is class but he should have benched him and kept the same starting 11! We also missed wanyama in the centre of the park! I'm fed up with 2 holding midfielders at home! I agree with the other comments this one is solely on poch! He was not very magic yesterday

 

Really good article. Poch has a lot to answer for. Son was rubbish in the "experiment" last year, yet it was repeated, Trippier failed to put in a single cross (his strength last season) all game, and as for moving him to the left .......! Dele didn't turn up for the game - probably has had his head turned with all the talk of mega agents. The less said about Sissy the better apart from "don't play him again!", Eriksen is still struggling to find the target, and yet again, failed to tackle anyone all match. It must be quite comforting for the opposition to know that if they have the ball they can forget completely about Eriksen. Aurier massively improved things when he came on (rather too late), but the team didn't seem to understand that Llorente needs the ball in or near the box when has was eventually put on. He's a big guy and therefore some longer balls to his head might have been an idea? Wembley is a big pitch so "parking the bus" should be less of an issue than WHL, but to get the best out of a bigger pitch you have to use the width, and we didn't - everything came back through the congested middle. I worry for the future, and really feel for some homegrown players like Harry Winks and Marcus Edwards who are unable to get on the pitch/bench having to watch the dire rubbish that was on display yesterday.

 

I take a differing view then most of the comments here. Blaming Poch?? Why?? In all 3 PL games at home we have been the better team, more possession, more chances, more passses etc etc than our opponents including Chelsea. Yesterday something like 25 shots , 8 on target - not exactly like we aren't creating is it!?? So whose to blame Poch or the players ??? So much dross gets written after a couple of games when we don't win at home . Reality check !!! Support the manager and the team for godsake!

 

Yeah i agree. Poch got the team selection and tactics wrong. Perfect chance to build some momentum but the team selection got posted and my heart sank.
What's going on with Dele Alli? He is woefully out of form.
No coincidence that he didn't feature against Dortmund and we won.
Is he being affected by all this talk of super agents who are trying to win him as a client?
He's a supremely talented lad, can play footy better than I could ever hope to, but for the love of God keep it simple!
Chooses a blind back heel over a simple 3 yard pass, losses possession and breakdown attack. Tries audacious pieces of skill instead of a simple 3 yard pass, losses the ball, either throws himself to the floor or arms go up acting incredulous and berates the referee.
We can all see what he's trying to do but outrageous bits of play like that have 5% success rate. Play the odds and keep it simple.
Poch needs to tell him that sometimes he needs more Scott Parker in his game and a little less Ronaldinho.
Trippier is not playing well at all, I'm surprised he played given how well Aurier performed on Wednesday. He can cross the ball better than Walker could ever dream of, but his lack of pace and attacking intent are hurting us.
And why the hell are we still being subjected to Mousa Sissoko?! He is stealing game time from and harming the development of players like Harry Winks and GKN. He offers nothing on the pitch, if anything he actively hampers the team. I was all for giving him a chance this year with the world cup coming soon and thinking he'd have to up his game to make the squad but its not going to happen. We should cut our losses in January and move him on. He's cost us enough points and caused us enough embarrassment, let him be another teams problem.
We're desperately missing a fully fit Wanyama, Dier is adequate cover but still half the player Victor is.
On the bright side though Sanchez looks like the Columbian reincarnation of Ledley King.
And Lamela will be back soon unlocking stubborn defences with his through balls no-one else in the team is capable of playing (oh how we needed him yesterday).

 

He has been absolutely shocking. Visibly devoid of confidence, he just wants to give the ball away. Did not take anybody on.

 

I wish you would ALL stfu.
We play 7 games in 21 days. So the squad was rotated a bit. Those that played should have been up to the job.
So we drew!
It's NOT the end of the world.
It's ONLY 5 games in.
Things happen.
Swansea came for a point and got it!
They did not gave a single shot on target. NOT 1. They're keeper was magnificent. We struck the crossbar. We had 2 if not 3 definite penalties denied.
We even played with just 1 defender for large periods of the second half trying to get the necessary goal.
So to say Pochettino didn't try to change it up is pure ignorance and a bunch of baloney.
Come Christmas all of you gonna be kissing up to the coach like you had faith in him all along.
Judging by the comments you idiots have no faith in him or the team.
If so....go support the goons.
A bunch of people jumping on the media bandwagon you are.
It was unfortunate that we didn't win.
NOT tactical ineptness as you say or NO plan b.
Even with a piss poor Sissoko and even worse Trippier (the same Trippier you all were oohing and aahing over not to long ago
I NEVER rated him. If he doesn't get in a rare good cross he is useless).
Tottenham could have and should have won that game.
So all you prophets of doom. Take a seat.
When we are on top by Christmas, DON'T come back all of a sudden and say you believed all along.
STAY in your negative corner.
COME ON YOU SPURS!
#COYS

 

You'd expect us to be the better team, we're at home and we were runners up last season, playing Burnley and Swansea, as for supporting the manager or the team, there is no shortage of support for them, but when you play like that against a side who lost their two best players you deserve to have criticism directed at you. For the most part it was shite. The lack of pace is embarrassing.

 

Dele Alli has been rubbish in every game this season. His play is so lethargic and irresponsible. It is like he is half committed and doesn't have a care in the world. There is no way he should be picked for important games, until he demonstrates some loyalty and passion for Spurs. He is getting away with winging it on his image, which is over hyped.

It is a shame that Winks is still affected by his injury and not ready to play. We could have done with his passing to break through Swansea's defence.

Our squad still looks short in terms of depth.

Sissoko is a joke and I cannot believe my eyes every time I see him on the ball. Is he really playing for our great team?

 

He may have changed it, but not for the good. The players were poor for him , Dele & Sissoko particulary, but using Trippier on the left and failing to make use of Llorente sums up the ineptness. it was there in front of us.

 

I've watched him closely since his extended game time, looking for some sign that he can do what he did in the Euros. Not once, not once. It is very embarrassing. VERY.

 

After Dortmund game I visited this blog time and again to see if there is a praise or anything positive for the performance of the team and now singings. Nothing. Not a word, not a line . Now that we were unlucky in a match all the experts of the football world came out with all negative nagging.
This walking footballers had 9 shoots on target and %70 positions and that is a prove of a good performance. Someone who played and watched the game for 60 years should now that this is football.
A useful review addresses the positive and negative not always nagging and nagging.

 

Swansea would have been delighted with this point/performance yesterday and anything less for them would have been an absolute travesty. Bearing in mind that this is a side who we love to beat and indeed they havent managed a league win against us since 1982, so the game plan was to definitely take a leaf out of Burnleys book and park the bus with the hope of nicking an unlikely winner via a set piece. The fact that Spurs couldnt find the magic formula after wednesdays great performance doesnt surprise me..i have seen this so many times in the past particularly in the Redknapp era when i remember the Lillywhites losing to Wolves at WHL following a successful Europa night. I do agree with the condemnation of Sissoko though and one or two others. Why are they still being selected over home grown talent? I have a feeling that our away form will reap rewards more often than our "watching paint dry" efforts at Wembley but watch this space fellow Yids!

 

FERI - it is an open Forum why didn't you post after Dortmund if you feel that strongly about it???

--> Submit your positive blogs here <--

Your not the 1st and won't be the last to dig at the writers but you won't take the Time out to put something up yourself.

Believe it or not I too visit the site hoping someone has put a good post up about our win but none of the glass half full posters are interested.

To you and others who like to dish this view out why don't you write????

 

We must be in dire straits if we have supporters who can't wait to get Lamela back.