Pochettino: Playing the Tottenham Way and Having Plan B

Until we have played a good few games in the season, the jury is going to be out on the new White Hart Lane gaffer, but he is definitely saying all the right things and wants the fans to see exciting, winning football;

He said:

“For me, it is about exciting football. Pressing high and playing with flair. We want to put these things in place. The result is important, but just as important is the ride you take to get to the result.”

Flair

I think if we were all being honest, we all pine for the glory, glory days at Spurs but we also want to win games and trophies by playing exciting football.

Pre-season has given an early indication that Pochettino has a certain way of playing and will stick to his principles. It will be interesting to see if he does have a plan B should things not go so well.

The Tottenham way

Every club constantly moans when things are not going well, that the team must play the right way. Even when winning I hear fans complaining on phone-ins about how their team won four nil, but still say the football was poor! Look, if Tottenham win the Premiership but occasionally play dirty and dull, I really couldn't care less, but playing with flair certainly makes it more enjoyable!!

So, can Pochettino get Spurs playing the Tottenham way? I think he can and will. Lamela will be key this season and I think he could be high in the scoring charts. In pre-season he looks full of confidence and will also have the added bonus that, because he did not play much last season, defender's will pay him less attention until the rest of the Premiership realises just what a talent he really is.

The Saint

One thing Pochettino will need to do is to shore up our leaky defence and that also means that the midfield need to do their job as well. When teams counter attacked against us last season, Paulinho just stood and watched from midfield and even Sandro was left floundering when he played. I believe that is why Pochettino has been playing Capoue in pre-season, as he wants protection for the back four.

Not all good

Whilst I am a huge fan of Pochettino, what I saw with the Saints last year was that they had a bit of a Tottenham bad habit and none more so than at the Lane. They were on front and to be honest it looked like they were going to add to our list of hidings, but they didn't change tactics and allowed us to come back and take all three points from them. Sound familiar? Yes, that is the Tottenham way!!

New beginnings

Forget my Tottenham bias, Spurs is a massive club. Spurs should be challenging for the league and cups EVERY season. Forget the stadium size and all that nonsense, this is a club with history and a tradition of playing fast and attacking football. This is a club that is ready to hit back and start proving its ambition. This is a club that has, in my opinion, finally chosen the right man to kick us into shape and take us forward.

Whilst I still believe that this season may be about introducing his style onto the squad, I also think that if things click very quickly, we are about to see glory back at the Lane.

Pochettino certainly says the right things, but now the talking stops. Time to do the right thing and bring glory back where it belongs. Glory back to the shelf.

It is time that the Cockerel crowed loudly again.

Come on you Spurs!!!!

 

Here is more from the Pochettino interview that adds more optimism to the fire!!
Pochettino added: "For me it's an honour to be head coach of Tottenham. It's a big club. They have big facilities, big fans. It’s a club for achieving things and being successful.

"I am ambitious. Now we start to develop our style and our philosophy. The most important thing is to believe in that.

Lamela is one of those players who could provide flair for Tottenham but there were few signs of it last season as he struggled to adapt to the Premier League following a switch from Roma.

However, he has impressed in pre-season and Pochettino is convinced that his fellow Argentine is now ready to make a mark in English football.

"We know Erik Lamela from Argentina and Italy," Pochettino said. "But he is still young and the Premier League is the most difficult league to play, the style, the language, and to adapt, but now after one year in Tottenham we think and we believe that Erik is ready to show his quality."

Pochettino has deployed Lamela both centrally and out wide in friendly games and wants his attacking players to be fluid in their positioning.


Mauricio Pochettino tells Sky Sports he's very happy with the balance of the Tottenham squad.

"It depends on the situation whether Erik will play as the No.10 or wide," he explained.

"My philosophy is to give a freer style with a good organisation. Not only with Erik but with other players, unbelievable players, on the ball to create a different action.

"The most important thing is to create a good organisation and a good shape for our players to be comfortable and to show their real qualities.

"It is important to know that he is still young and he moved to England and it is difficult to adapt. This league is the most competitive league in the world."

 

I couldn't agree more. He seems honest in his philosophy for how he wants us to play. I also like the way he talks about the players. He speaks about them as spurs players rather than leaving what he says open to interpretation by the circus that is the British media. He has said when speaking about daws that he is the captain and will remain that way. Whether he leaves remains to be seen but that is good man management on pochettino's behalf. Of the bits I've seen pre season I have been impressed by the pressing style we adapt. Holtby looks to have taken to the style well. Lennon has looked a different player in what appears to be a free role. I pray to my lillywhite god that lamela takes the wandering scum from woolwich to pieces and destroys chelscum!! Whatever the new season may bring I believe we have the ingredients to be very succesful. We undoubtedly will see us lose games but as long as the passion is there and you can see they are trying to play a certain way then I will be happy. Well not happy they've lost as it ruins my weekend but I don't want see us lay down and die like we did a lot last season!! As ever Audere est facere and Tottenham till I die!!!

 

"It depends on the situation whether Erik will play as the No.10 or wide," , Hmmm... Lamela as No. 10?

I've only seen one of the preseason games, the Toronto game, but from what I saw, and from what I saw last season, Lamela should not play No.10. Yes, he did make 2 goals in the Toronto game, but he also threw away quite alot of balls - his passing was generally not good at all. Dont get me wrong, I think he is potentially very good on the wing - fast and with good technical skills. Having him playing a fluid wing, with the freedom to move into the central area would be ideal the way I see it. Him as No. 10, not so much.

I would prefer Eriksen as No. 10 any time (assuming 4-2-3-1) - at least against non-top 5 teams. For a more physical central mid line-up, I would perhaps move Eriksen to the wing, depending on the opposing line-up, and the Spurs formation. I cant imagine that I would play Lamela as No. 10 though.

Again, I only have 1 pre-season game and the games he played last season (as I recall them) to base my opinion on. Am I wrong? Can any of you guys see him as a No. 10, delivering quality passes on a consistently high level?

 

I would see Lamela as a wide man to be honest. Eriksen has to be the number ten for me, but whether Pochettino might switch them around from game to game will be interesting to see.

 

Dont think this season will be easy, it never is ! If we can get off to a good start, beat the orrible hammers then QPR we face the scousers ! We can beat most in the prem, as we proved last season, even when not at our best we have too much attacking strenght. Teams will 'park the bus' at the lane and eleven determined organized athletes of whatever shirt are not easy to break down. So the excitement has to be tempered with patience. Can Spurs do better against the top top sides ? Of course, we have to believe. Coys.

 

I cant believe we still havent bought a proven powerful hungry prem striker, to think were heading into another campaign with the 2 misfits spear heading the attack again is laughable. As Stevethespur just said teams will park the bus at the lane thats when you need a power striker to force and carve opportunities, Ade is inconsistant and Soldado who people seem to think is going to come good but forget how he got bullied and vanished in the Prem last season i cant see him changing where effort, strength, pace is concerned.
Why season after season we never make a move for our potential 20+ goal Prem striker????

 

I am curious to know what everyone thinks is the "Tottenham Way" of playing.

What specific style or styles makes up this identity? Is it a general way of attacking football or is there something specific like playing from the outside in with crosses galore?

 

If anyone has a long history supporting the club I would especially appreciate if you would give me a theory

 

http://tottenhamhotspur.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/rip-arthur-push-run-rowe-manager-1951.html?m=1

Michael have a read of this Arthur Rowe was the blue print for our style of play, later used by Bill Nicholson both Legendary managers that set the bar for all successors to live up to. Push and Run, Pass and Move, quick positive forward passing on the deck and movement. Aiming to dictate the play and beat the opponent in style.

 

So why in the last few years, have spurs played a style where when in possession around halfway -pass the ball sideways or backwards thereby losing advantage allowing opposition to regroup or attack??? Hopefully we'll never see that 'style' again!

 

Because AVB and Timmy were both awful managers- AVB was a control freak who had 2 game plans strangle to death or get spanked. And Sherwood had 2 game plans play Bentaleb and get spanked.
Poor Appointments purely based on both being the cheapest option for the Accountant