Spurs (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[bondsman]

But there are no guarantees that major surgery and new signings will work over night

Obviously not but the players we have currently simply are not good enough. Some have been superstars and are legends imho but they’re not that level now. Some just aren’t the level we need. That squad is bereft of pace and power.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

i admire your faith but Pep's strategy pretty much hangs on having an effective defensive midfielder and with Rodri crocked I just cannot see who can step into that role. If Stones could stay fit he would be my pick but if he plays 50% of the remaining games I will be surprised. We could buy someone in January but it is a big ask for anyone to hit the ground running - Rodri certainly didn't.

I was pretty disappointed at how the game went seeing as Pep and team had two weeks to prepare for it. When the games start coming thick and fast there will be limited scope for trying new things. I am confident that things will improve but now regard success as a top 4 place and a decent run in the cups. I hope that you are telling me to eat my words come the end of the season.

You and me both.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

We constantly give the ball away as it is these days and from players that we don't normally expect the likes of Bernie in particular. The fact of the matter is that O'Reilly can do no worse than what we already have been doing.

I thought he had a cracking second half against Spurs away in the cup he showed real promise and he's a tough nut to knock off the ball, Bernie, Rico and Gundo has to be one of the lightest midfields we've seen in a long time.

I prefer Wright atm, but understand the desire to see O’Reilly play. Have nothing against the lad, merely stating why I think Pep doesn’t trust him yet.

Pep has had a decade of the luxury of not needing to play players whom he doesn’t fully trust. The problem is earning that trust by getting a run of games and showing him you can fit in and thrive. A prime example is how Nunes put in a few MOTM performances when given a run of games. Now, sadly, sidelined again.

I wouldn’t mind giving O’Reilly and Wright half a game each, tbh. Sooner or later we have to blood these youngsters and let them learn from their mistakes. Our problem, however, has been that anything less than a win is the start of the next crisis.

This is what living in the high cotton has come to. Play bang average, get beat and the world is ending. Everyone sees that it’s not the world ending, though, it’s the careers of players we’ve relied on for years!

Time and tide wait for no man and for players like Walker (whom I believe was at fault for 3 of the goals, albeit not the person who precipitated the turnovers, that was Gvardiol & Grealish!) to have 5 yards on Werner, then literally let him run past him and get in a cross for a goal, the time has arrived and the tide has well and truly gone out!

And he’s not the only one!

 

[john blue]

Last week, I said to my brother-in-law that while he polishes the Premier League trophy in anticipation of Liverpool's inevitable win, I’m so confident we’ll still win it that I’ll place a bet: I’ll send him a bottle of Jameson when they [Liverpool] win. But I also look forward to receiving the bottle myself when we win, come May.

Slightly regretting that now

Tell him, you meant bleach.

 

[Penworthamblue]

We constantly give the ball away as it is these days and from players that we don't normally expect the likes of Bernie in particular. The fact of the matter is that O'Reilly can do no worse than what we already have been doing.

I thought he had a cracking second half against Spurs away in the cup he showed real promise and he's a tough nut to knock off the ball, Bernie, Rico and Gundo has to be one of the lightest midfields we've seen in a long time.

I'd love to see Nico given a chance, can't be any worse than watching gundo struggle as he is. I agree with you on his second half performance in the cup against spurs, thought he was really good.

 

[chickaroon]

The midfield has no one who can drive with the ball, we need someone who can get hold of it and run with the fucker, proper energy

That is what Nunes does best.

 

[chickaroon]

Is Jacob Wright good enough to start?

 

[JewelZee]

All these posts about "Pep won't change, he only knows one way of playing", bollocks.
Anyone thinking that needs removing from a football forum. Unfortunately, he is applying the shit way.
Pre the Trebble and since he arrived, the Pep way was, possession based, passing securely and quickly and often, ant like movement, tiring opponents out, recovering to ball quickly in 2s and 3s etc. Then success, The Treble, the following season we lost our shape, our work ethic, our system. Yes we hung on to win a 4th! but the trajectory was evident and it's come home to roost in abundance. Injuries speeding the process up, along with aged and not good enough players. A perfect shit storm.
Perhaps it's managed and we're recalibrating and timing a new look team with the end of the charges and new stand? But the fall off from what was worked towards, is vast.

What we are seeing at this time is 100% self-inflicted. It's the culmination of a variety of poor decisions made over the past 18 months, basically post treble.

 

[MadchesterCity]

I never said you couldn't question it but in this case that's not the problem, it's a too easy accusation to make.

It's part of the issue though, Pep said himself about players not running. I can't excuse players pulling out of 50/50 challenger or 80/20 challenges for Savinho

 

[john blue]

We wouldn't beat chelsea if we played them now , the chelsea we beat were a chelsea team still tweaking to there new set up.

chelsea are playing like we used to play.