Spurs (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

[threespires]

I wish some of the fucking boomers in this thread would stop lecturing about our past and focus on the current situation. I am astonished to see some boomers consistently bringing up how shit we were either to show everyone they are a top blue or to excuse the current issues in the squad.

I think there's a balance to be had, absolutely the 'old' City should not be the benchmark against which we measure ourselves these days, but equally some of the hysteria on here is completely unwarranted. Saying 'well at least we're not watching Lee Bradbury' might not be great but then neither is throwing our toys because we might 'only' get a CL spot this season. Football is cyclical, both big and little cycles, the fact we are not currently emulating the Centurions in either performance or results is disappointing but hardly a cause for suggesting that we are complete shite.

It doesn't matter who you are, no one is entitled to win trophies we've seen the cautionary tale of the rags fanbase on where that entitlement gets you. For all the fact that we are misfiring currently and it would appear that some change is required to get back to our best, the reality is we remain second in the self-proclaimed toughest league in the world. So yeah, performances no cause to happy clap but equally we're hardly in D Fens territory.

For what it's worth I'm not writing the season or even the league off yet, that might change after the two Arsenal games but until then I'll withhold judgement. Something's not right but I don't necessarily buy the dressing room has gone type theories. Relative to other players in the league, our players are expected to perform a high wire act so I don't think it takes too much of a drop off for it to look quite dire. Equally some of our squad are aging but I don't think they're quite shot yet. There's clearly some issues (and I will buy the one that Pep needs support) and whether they are fixable within season I don't know, possibly not; but even if they aren't, we are too stable and well run overall as a club for us not to be there or thereabouts in the next few years so that's why I don't get too despondent after rubbish days like yesterday.

Edit: Just seen the 100 charges. Disregard the above, now is the time to go full D Fens :-)

 

[ScottSinclair]

Good post. Poch or Luis Enrique not on your list of candidates?

I wouldn't hate the idea of any of them, but Pochettino especially I get the feeling that big jobs with big expectations just swallow him, a bit of a loser attitude. Enrique is very good from a style perspective, but there really isn't anything in his career that would make me sure we would be in the safest hands possible unlike say a Tuchel.

Replacing a once in a generation genius like Pep is hard, you need someone with slightly different ideas and the ability to get through to the players immidiatly. In our situation a potential manager needs to get the best out of Haaland and Foden as well for obvious reasons, and Tuchel history of getting the best out of Mount (only manager he actually lived up to hype under) and Aubameyang (not quite Erlings level but fairly similiar in style) bodes well for that.

I fear the best option and true heir to Pep went to Old Trafford in the summer.

Anyway, we've been here before. Circa november 2020 I was sure he was done, after one lacklustre season finishing a million miles away from Scousers and an even worse start to the season. The players looked even more mentally done with him then than they do now, and he looked depressed on the sideline. And then it all changed over night. I won't rule that out happening again

 

[Dribble]

and don’t forget, our one attacking player with insane pace is constantly making great runs which are ignored by the whole team every time.

I also think Alvarez needs to play on the right to compete with Mahrez, not play centrally unless he’s the main man up top which will never happen while the big man’s around.

The whole LB scenario is nothing short of neglect. Having said that though, I still think we’ll win the league, but if we do we still have a massive amount of ins and outs to happen in the transfer window. I think there will be 4 out, and we need to replace them all, plus replacements for Gabby, Zinny and Cancelo.

Big year ahead!

Teams have sussed out how we use Haaland. Stop the supply of through-balls from central areas & Haaland can make as many runs as he wants. They'll either close down the space, or cut out the pass.

Spurs had SEVEN players centrally in their 5-4-1 formation, totally surrounding Haaland. The only times he lost them was when he dropped deep.

Spurs also had 5 strung across the back, but crucially they kept their wingbacks wide, denying Grealish & Mahrez space & the chance to go around them.

It's simple. We were out-thought, plain & simple. It's the latest Premier League chess move to counter Guardiola. It's not something we haven't faced before, & I believe we're facing a 2017/18 scenario where big changes to personnel will be required.

 

[Holcombe bloo]

Grealish isn't quick enough for the centre of midfield. His first touch is exactly why he gets fouled so often. He's need to play as a ten.

To play as ten you need goals in you, I’m not sure jack has that sadly. He’s putting a real shift in for sure but he’s a 100m round peg in a square hole on LW. central attacking mid be much better for him especially when Bernie leaves in summer if agent actually comes up with a reasonable offer

 

[lazerblue]

On BEin Andy Gray (ffs) called Rico a continuity player. Maybe he was right for once. He's a hard worker and never gives the ball away, but he rarely if ever seems to pass more than 5 yards. The issue is that he is not creative, he will rarely assist or score.
I have no clue what the problem is, but yesterday was poor, with only Grealish and Ake having a decent game. The midfield were not at it, and I feel for Haaland. He makes the runs and........ back we go. Time to lighten up on this possession is all bollocks and start to take some chances in the final third. Imho.

the lad is out of his depth in midfield, fuck knows why pep keeps on with this experiment god knows, its not like we are short of midfielders, we had three internationals on the bench ffs plus international defenders that could play in a back four

 

[SJT]

So Dias and Laporte at the centre of def - with KDB and Foden playing, wouldn’t have been better that that tinker fest...I mean please.

 

[lazerblue]

I'm not bored with them, but we've become one dimensional & don't seem to have anyone who'll risk losing possession now & again, by having a go...

we're making a pretty good job of losing possession

 

[JewelZee]

Red devil?

Grow up...

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

Hmmmmm but who are they fans of?

Anyone but City.

 

[bluesince76]

I meant on the wing... :-/

Grealish then, but we only get to see his pace when he's tracking back to cover the non-existant left fullback. Going forward, he's only allowed to walk before passing it backwards or sideways

What I'd like to see us try is swapping Grealish and Mahrez. We had it with Sane and Sterling, partly because the injury to Mendy meant there was no width from fullbacks. We've got a similar situation now and, whilst I know Pep likes his inverted wingers, back on their natural wings they've got the ability to beat a man and something in the middle to aim for. We don't have to do it every game, we don't even have to do it for a full game but could we try something different