Title Pretenders

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Too big for cups?

We're concentrating on the big prizes........

Midweek we chop change because the cups are meaningless, 'we are concentrating on bigger things'

So key players rested and ready for UTD away chance to go second........

Of course the Tottenham that 'hope' to be up there turned up.

This was dull at the best of times. Without Kane we looked devoid of any attacking prowess.

At best the game plan was to nick a point because the all round set up and play of the team was painfully negative.

I can forgive Spurs for losing 0-1 to a Big side if we've given it a good go but we played so within ourselves it was poor.

How many sideways/backwards/ safe passes did we play - when we had possession?

There was a very evident Huge Kane shaped Void in the side and the supporting Cast did nothing to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Eriksen is quality but it's games like this where he needs to step up and be counted.

Alli spends more time on the floor or getting into scraps then he does influencing a game.

Son gave what he could to the cause but was isolated and had little support or service.

Then the Subs came on-

Moussa Demsideways and the Spanish Cart horse to save the day.

Why buy a Big slow striker for a plan B then put absolutely no service into him in the dying minutes of a game your losing???

The mind does boggle sometimes.

1 plus to the game is Ben Davies for me MOTM has really grown into the LB position well and is maturing/improving all the time.

Poor showing today, Big game mid week gonna need to be a lot better than our last 2 showings that's for sure.

Perhaps we'll put the pressure on City towards the end of the season and all our players and fans will be beside themselves with nothing to show for it.

 

Too much effin Winks.. give me a break now please! I remember Pochettino having a similar obsession with another young English midfielder named Mason. Winks is about the same class.. Hull.

 

Spurs have conceded goals late in the second half 3 times this season. If there is any ambition to win something, this must be stopped.

The team's performance and selection in the loss to MU showed lack of belief, of desire, and application. It was such a shame really, after all the talks of resilience, solid defending, and attacking football.

Perhaps Spurs need to learn how Leicester won the league against all odds. Perhaps Spurs must learn to win instead of to make better players.

 

Yesterday was poor. We played without belief and real committment against a decidedly average MU side. Away from home we will get lot of spaces to exploit, yet we just didn't make use of it.

The goal was a car crash, Alli should have used his left foot, Eriksen was lightweight for me, again.

Against the top sides you need to win, and if you can't beat them, then DO NOT LOSE. We've played two top sides and lost to both.

Difficult not to be critical after that performance.

 

Not going to touch too much upon llorente as I'm going to prepare an article on the cart horse himself. However when the busy yet starved of service Son was replaced for the Spaniard and also to a lesser extent Sissoko we had no pace and no out ball. The united defence could step up a few more yards and squeeze play to deserve their victory.
Compare that to United's more positive step of replacing pace with yet more pace and two up top and Mourino shows why he is still the master and Poch a mere apprentice.
On Sissoko.... When did he become s first team regular especially in such big games!!! Poch wanted a centre mid pre season and it wasn't delivered. With wanyama seemingly out for the season it's bitten us on the backside likewise not signing a capable striker. Winks has looked promising but probably a game too many yesterday given the games v Madrid and Liverpool he looked in need of a rest but we have no alternatives other than Dier.
On Dier... When the lineups were announced at old Trafford I assumed it would be a back four and Eric and winks would be a double pivot with three supporting Son up top. I can understand that set up. However we lined up with a back three and as strong as that back three can be it lacks one thing. Pace. Now you don't want to be lacking pace when your opponent plays two quick forwards and later brings martial on. So to leave Sanchez out who has pace in abundance and physicality and was presumably 'rested' midweek with this game in mind was another strange one. I'd like to think for utds goal Sanchez would have got across much quicker than Dier.
With Dier played at the back rather than midfield it left a tired Winks practically on his own against two strong combative mids in matic and Herrera. Strange decision no three that was.
It's fair to say We got a lot wrong and they got a lot right.
Jose 1 poch 0.
We have now lost two out of three against teams supposedly challenging for the CL spots which is a concern.
Come may how much will the failure of the board to deliver the centre mid and centre forward cost us in points,position and league and also money if we do not finish in the top spots or win silverware??

 

Where did you hear the news about Wanyama being out for the rest of the season???has that been confirmed??if it is then Levy will have no choice but to get another player in the jan window to fill the void,a striker will be a lot harder to find and will cost a shed load of cash if we could find one who will play along side Harry or sit on the bench behind him if Poch continues with one up front,now the problem with Sissoko a disgrace to even consider him in our shirt again..COYS..

 

The United game was yet another example of Spurs flattering to deceive - a good run or a particularly good performance being followed by a seriously damaging result like yesterday's, and Pochettino's 'tinkerman' tactics only add to the problem. Instead of 'take each game as it comes' (far too many shades of 'Arry there!), Pochettino seems always to be looking at the one after that, or even the one after THAT, and very often seems to end up with the wrong team playing the wrong tactics, with results like the Fiorentina/Chelsea double defeat of two years ago. I suppose he'll get his team selection, use of subs and tactics right eventually, but there's plenty of room for improvement - Mourinho he ain't!

 

Not been confirmed on wanyama. But watched Sunday supplement today and it was said his knee injury his highly serious and unlikely to play again.
When I assess spurs I think like this. Whether it be a bk three or a four we don't seem to concede many goals over the last two seasons had the best defensive record so no problems there. In centre mid when all fit we are a match for anyone. I think dembele the best in league and you could partner him with any from winks Dier wanyama and there's no problem. After them boys we lack depth with Sissoko not good enough,Alli to indisciplined to play centre mid just yet and eriksen too lightweight. An additional cm is necessary.
Beyond that solid base I think we're are the goals going to come from?? Well we know Harry will score 30+ given he is fit. Alli will hit around 20. Eriksen is 10-15 goals.
Which brings me to Son. He is often the bridesmaid often the Scape goat. Hauled off midweek and again yesterday. Left out v Madrid. Very rarely gets full 90mins yet scored over twenty last year. Many important ones at that and numerous assists.
If I were in charge id be thinking I've got to get this lad in the side somewhere as I cannot sacrifice twenty goals a season . If that means a flat bk four then so be it.

 

Not being English I am immune to the understandable bias of the local gentry when it comes to overhyping their own. That being said, I'm more than happy to debunk the Winks myth for those who've fallen for all the platitudes. This is just another pet Poch project, a player promoted to the first team for the manager's own self satisfaction. Winks is a standard player, a recycler of possession, nothing more. He doesn't make the team more potent nor resilient. I have nothing personal against the lad, he seems like a nice fellow with a good attitude, but when he's starting every game ahead of clearly more talented players, it's frustratingly obvious the manager has an agenda other than simply winning. Let it be said, Winks is not remotely in the class of a Wilshere or a Barkley or an Alli.. or indeed several other central midfielders who have represented England in the recent past.

Further contrary to popular sentiment, Sissoko is actually a good player, a pure confidence player, but a good one nevertheless. You don't start with the French national team, a side far stronger than England's in modern times, if you're rubbish, as many Spurs fans attest. He's big, strong, fast, dynamic and versatile. His touch can be mercurial at times but it's clear when on he's a quality footballer. He should be a regular starter in a Spurs squad that lacks pace and physicality. Tottenham stalled when he and Son left the pitch yesterday.. poor tactics from a manager who is starting to become too clever for his own good.

 

Interesting view on Sissoko. He does feature in a French side that is better than England and was the start in the Euro's. I can only hope that being a "confidence player" means that one day his confidence is high enough to deliver some value.

 

Not being English I am also immune to other more subtle prejudices shared by the local gentry.

Sissoko has been one of Tottenham's consistently best players this season.. what games have you been watching? Or are you just reading the match reports of similarly minded pundits?

I remember Lamela getting equally panned by the Spurs faithful (despite his clear talent) while those fans, in the same breath, would champion Ryan Mason.. Mason plays for Hull.

Better to draw your own conclusions than follow an ignorant groundswell of populist thinking.. particularly in football where opinions are like..

 

Jam I rarely miss a game, and there is no way that Sissoko can be credited with being one of our "consistently best". I don't base any of my opinions on reading match reports, period.

 

Sissoko has improved to an -acceptable bang average at best level of late, for 30 million pounds and being in our top 3 most expensive players he's simply not been good enough.
Which brings me on to Lamela who is also bang average at best and extremely injury prone.

We would do well to shift both for the same money we paid for 1 (even in an inflated market) both serious let downs have not produced the goods, neither scare teams or win games for the team with MOTM performances.

 

Gawd.. well don't take my opinion for it.. take the manager's. Then again maybe don't.. he's not always right either.

What can I say? take a pool of players.. you pick your team and I'll pick mine.. if you think guys like Sissoko and Lamela are of'average' quality hen I fancy my chances every day of the week.

The price is ultimately irrelevant. If you somewhat overpay for a good pair of shoes then I can appeciate you being a little annoyed.. they're still a good pair of shoes.

 

Price is very relevant you don't pay Mercedes prices for an unreliable Citroën performance.

 

Should I be overjoyed every time Dele Alli scores a goal because we paid a pittance of what we should have for him? I don't think so.

Whether we overpayed 5 or 10 mill for Sissoko two deadlines ago is irrelevant in the context of a discussion regarding his qualities as a footballer.

As a Spurs fan, I look forward to his continued contributions this season and then, as with all of Spurs' players, seeing him flourish at the World Cup.

 

Most definitely! Bargain

Jam- I don't think you quite grasp the concept of Value for money.

 

Jam, you say that you are not English - which planet do you come from then?
Sissoko class! Winks only fit for Hull! Wherever it is you come from, the drugs are obviously very cheap.

 

I think Sissoko can offer more. But I can't say the same for Winks.
Sissoko, if on form, is a really good player. We saw that when he played for the barcodes.
Winks is average/good at best. he has no real forward thrust to his game. Or if he does, he needs to use it more.

having said that....it is always great to pop back in here now and again....especially when we lose to a top team at their ground (when they have a jolly decent record at home this season).
Love to catch up on the doom and gloom ha ha

 

To think we sent Janssen out on loan and yet we keep Sissoko.....