I wouldn't call spurs a very very good team (they are no better than us) - we actually played the better football but they hit us where its clear we are weak. Lots of people said it before the game. What Pep needs to do if he cant change the personnel (which he cant at present and in the future if he has to play those same combo of players again) is to play in a different way out at least ask certain players to do some things different - Im hoping this is what he will do as if he doesn't Spurs, Liverpool and Arsenal will all have a field day against us.
You cannot ask fernando to play out from the back...he is so slow he gets caught out...also it causes a problem for the centre halves as his movement ahead of them when they have the ball at the back isn't good enough.
Kolorov at left back needs to be told to concentrate on defending . I think he has always been overrated as an attacking influence but that aside both our fullbacks were pushing so high up the pitch that when we lost the ball they couldn't recover...these movements forward need to be tempered at least as it leaves us wide open......again against better teams who are going to rob us of possession in the centre circles the full backs should be further back than this at this point (against the weaker teams its not necessary but against spurs etc it is) - so there starting positions at certain points in certain games needs to change.
When we play navas he needs to be told to stop coming inside...he wastes everything and slow s everything down (strange for a player of such pace - well not that strange looking at his decision making!) He is so wasteful....when we break he should immediately break high and wide but he doesn't always do that and often gets in the way in central positions. Im also not sure what he was doing defensively yesterday as he offered no cover for Zabaleta. (this is not usually a problem with Navas)
The biggest single problem however is fernando in midfield as it has a knock on effect al over the rest of the pitch from the back four having less options to pass to, to this then isolating david silva (especially combined to when KDB doesn't play) to losing the ball int he centre circle simply because he isn't mobile enough and not quick enough of thought.
Pep needs to change things to sort out this. I don't know if Garcia is ready (my guess is not quite) which is a shame.....yaya isn't an option despite the ongoing feud with he agent as he would potentially have the same problems (though at least his use of the ball is better.) moving sterling inside into the kdb role is one option..it frees up fernandihnio to do the job fernando was trying to do...the one we have seen ferna do very well where he drops between the centre halves.....sterlings movement should be good enough to give options to pass to.
He could have started Sane yesterday...(though I'm not sure about this lad yet) and moved sterling inside - or vice versa) to play instead of kdb/..but pep chose to move ferna up and put fernando at the base of his midfield..this is where we lost it in the main along with the basic school by defending of Kolorov who for a pro not being able to use his right foot is shocking....2 goals in two games purely cause of that.
Cracking summary!
For me the tactics where not the issue yesterday it is was the personnel. I am not one who wants whole sale changes and believe what we did this window was exceptional, but I do think next season we will see a lot of change in defence.
We have players clearly a step down from the Bayern, Barca players that Pep is use to and I'm not just talking first team but squad players too. For me Kolarov, Clichy, Fernando, Ota (possibly squad bit not first team), Zaba, Sagna (again possibly squad for this season), Yaya (now), Navas and yesterday we had 5 of those players out of 6 and the drop in quality showed.
We do have potential with Garcia, Angelino, Maffeo this season to show if they have the potential to take over from some of these players. We also have options in the squad with Gundogan (getting back to match fit and a lot of games), Sane (needs time) then the injuries and suspensions, but you will always have them. Nolito was silly in getting sent off and I'm not saying the result would have been different if he had played, but ultimately having Navas and Sterling swapping sides did us no favours.
The main issue is the quality at the back is lacking for a play out at all costs scenario, as this focuses on our weakest area. Against lesser opposition who allow us to play out then it gives more possession to our strongest area, that they will need in order to help against the packed defences. However, against this type of opposition the question is did it provide our best players enough possession in dangerous areas, that it was worth it. I think we can all see that if it was done right, we would have been able to attack Spurs in good positions with space available. My opinion on Pep is that he is not one to change on this aspect, he will want to improve so it works as opposed to admitting to the weakness and having a season off waiting for the right players. Which I agree with as for us to truly develop as a team all the players need to get use to playing this way.
