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Benfica Post-Match Discussion Thread

Cochise

Cochise

Steve Carr
Ok I've just got home and need to have a proper moan, but it will be constructive.

1) We can't allow Naughton to play left back anymore. He dribbles on his natural side and it makes it so easy for him to be tackled, not only that but it makes it harder for him to pass it straight up the line. We had two left footed defenders on the bench ffs.

2) Sandro. I know this guy is a legend and much loved by all (myself included), but does no one else get the feeling that we really need to get someone in his position that is comfortable on the ball?? I mean forget the fact that he was hamstrung from the get go after receiving that yellow card, can anyone really say he is all we need back there. Yes it would be ideal if we had a ball player like Modric in there, but then Modric could do the work of two players in there with his passing and movement. I want to see someone in there with better distribution skills.

3) Paulinho. I've seen enough now to realise this guy isn't a player who can do his business in our third of the pitch. The guy breaks down the opposition in their half quite well and he does start counter attacks, but he doesn't do enough to warrant a spot in front of the defence. He's a combative number 10 who will score some goals but not much else, I honestly feel he has become a passenger in our team.

4) Sherwood's notion of funneling across can go do one. I lost count the number of times tonight where I saw us in a 3v4 or a 2v4 down our flanks thanks to a quick switch of play. Neither Kane nor Adebayor have it in them to keep up what Sherwood wants for 90 minutes. In the first half our defensive shape held and we frustrated them limiting them to counter attacks. Second half we tired and it all fell apart. The 4-4-2 and its many derivatives have a place in football but tonights game was not one of them.

5) Eriksen oh Eriksen our one shining light. Build a team around him instead of cramming him out on the wing where he barely gets a look in.

6) WTF is the deal with away fans being able to book out large numbers of seats in the Home end?? Really felt like we were the away team tonight and I wouldn't be suprised if a few ****ed up Spurs fans went out looking for vengeance on the away fans sitting a few seats away.
 
Cochise said:
6) WTF is the deal with away fans being able to book out large numbers of seats in the Home end?? Really felt like we were the away team tonight and I wouldn't be suprised if a few ****ed up Spurs fans went out looking for vengeance on the away fans sitting a few seats away.
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Can't get into the other comments because I have done it in other threads but have to agree with you on this. From what I could see there was a section in the north side where Benfica fans had three rows for about 30 seats in the top right corner. There was also a three wide section in the west upper and I saw fights or something in the east upper. So you do have to wonder how they got such big blocks of tickets. They were also not ejected even though it was obvious they were not home fans.

On a related side note. My brother in law is a Benfica supporter. He wanted to go to the game and even though it was possible for me to get two tickets I said to him it would not be a good experience as the home fans would not accept it. It is a crazy shame that you cannot go to some games with family or friends who support the opposition on occasion.

Why is it so different to rugby? I went to see Saracen's at Bath two weeks back and had no problem being an away fan in the stadium. Also rugby fans are allowed to drink in their seats. I have been to Wembley for rugby and drunk my point in my seat. But for an Enghland game no chance so rush drinking at half time.
 
I've literally had enough this season now and am seriously considering not attending sundays match which would be the 1st home NLD derby I've missed in 17 years, were going to get absolutely ****ing drubbed and I cant handle their fans giving it

What has happened to us lately, I feel Levy has set us back 10 years with his actions

I want my Tottenham back !!!

oh and playing Harry Kane istead of Soldado was the final straw for me with Sherwood too
 
1) Naughton is not good enough even for a squad player. He made a mistake in the first goal and conceded a stupid foul which led to the 3rd goal. Playing him out of position (on the opposite wing) always costs us hugely. On his native wing he's just average and contributes little to attack.

2) Firstly, I didn't like Tim's decision to bring Kane into the strarting squad. However, I suggested it had something with his work on trainings and desire to show his best on the pitch. But to put a young squad player in the starting list of one of the most important matches is always a doubtful decision. Yes, he had positives and didn't drop from the game. He also won a free-kick for Eriksen. But what always worried me about Kane are his sloppiness and sluggishness. He often needs a lot time to decide what to do with the ball and team suffers from it (as it was just before the 2nd Benfica's goal when Lloris saved a shot for a corner kick).

3) Benfica overran us. They were so much better without the ball, that it seemed we played our 3rd match in a week, while they appeared to be absolutely fresh. There was a moment at about 80 min when Soldado, who just came on a sub, picked up the ball on our half and ran directly to their half. There was only Adebayor supporting him. And 7 Benfica players, most of whom were on our half attacking a few moments before. You can't create much opportunities when your team is being overran and your attacking players are being overcrowded near the opponent's box.

4) Total disorganisation during set-pieces. I don't know who is the main problem of it: our players who can't mark opposition players properly; Lloris who defenitely lacks communication with his defenders and sometimes is woeful with his clearances; coaching staff which doesn't seem to work with set-pieces (we provide any danger only with free-kicks: Eriksen scored a few and I remember Walker scoring against ManUre), but we're are total sh*t when it comes to deliveries from free-kicks or corners. The chaos which often happens in our box during opposition set-pieces is indescribable. Watch Mertesucker scoring against us from a set-piece for third time in 4 matches...

5) When AVB was fired, I didn't catch any hype about our temporary results improvement in the league. I always thought it will be a miracle if we achieve anything in the end. And I don't blame Tim for it, because he's a young coach who couldn't do much in this situation. Besides he was given a contract, we all knew he's more of a caretaker manager than a manager for future. We lost our best player, which affected our style of play (not the brightest to be fair) and mood of the collective. We bought a sh*t load of players, who: a) need more time to show they're top material; b) just average. We sacked our manager during the season. We suffered lots of injuries, as usual. We suffered from playing on Thursdays, as usual. There were too many factors which played against us in such competitive league.

Now players (at least who still care) don't need to think about any aims of the season. They just need to sort their heads out and to show their best in one fixture at a time. Not for their careers, but for the fans who suffered enough shocking blows during one, still not finished season.
Levy needs to sort his head out as well. Needs to think twice about next manager appointment and transfer policy. Needs to drop the persuasive idea of reaching top-4. We had several chances to stake out a place their, but fcked all of them (by our own fault or with the help of circumstances, doesn't matter). However, it can become even more difficult in the next season.
 
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If you want to look at just how well drilled they were as a side, you only need to look at the fact that they appeared to have more players than us all over the park. They pressed together, defended together, and attacked together with purpose. They were everything we are not. If we could play that effectively as a counter attacking side we'd be right up there in the league.

Right now, we're lacking a game plan. No direction. No style of play. When Lennon goes to press he does it alone. Same with Ade. Sandro is isolated as a central midfielder, constantly outnumbered.

Everyone says our attacking game plan was poor under AVB, it remains poor now. But what's worrying is now our defensive work as a unit has completely disintegrated. I remember watching early on in the season watching the combination of Dembele and Capoue doing really well, and being largely responsible for a quick turnover in possession. Now we are all at odds, no one is singing from the same hymn sheet anymore.

That for me stems from the manager.
 
Hidden said:
1) Naughton is not good enough even for a reserve player. He made a mistake in the first goal and conceded a stupid foul which led to the 3rd goal. Playing him out of position (on the opposite wing) always costs us. On his native wing he's just average and contributes little to attack.

2) Firstly, I didn't like the Tim's decision to bring Kane into the strarting squad. However, I suggested it had something with his work on trainings and desire to show his best on the pitch. But to put a young squad player in the starting squad in one of the most important matches is always a doubtful decision. Yes, he had positives and didn't drop from the game. He also won a free-kick for Eriksen. But what always worried me about Kane are his sloppiness and sluggishness. He often needs a lot time to decide what to do with the ball and the team suffers (as it was just before the 2nd Benfica's goal when Lloris saved a shot for a corner kick).

3) Benfica outrun us. They were so much better without the ball, that it seemed we played our 3rd match in a week, while they appeared to be absolutely fresh. There was a moment at about 80 min when Soldado, who just came for a sub, picked up the ball on our half and ran with good speed to their half. There was only Adebayor supporting him. And 7 Benfica players, most of whom were on our half attacking a few moments later. You can't create much opportunities when your team is being overrun and your attacking players are being overcrowded near the opponent's box.

4) Total disorganisation during set-pieces. I don't know who is the main problem of it: our players who can't mark opposition players properly; Lloris who defenitely lacks communication with his defenders and sometimes is woeful with his clearances; coaching staff which doesn't seem to work with set-pieces (we provide any danger only with free-kicks: Eriksen scored a few and I remember Walker scoring against ManUre), but we're are total sh*t when it comes to deliveries from free-kicks or corners. The chaos which often happens in our box during opposition set-pieces is indescribable. Watch Mertesucker scoring against us from a set-piece for third time in 4 matches...

5) When AVB was fired, I didn't catch a hype about our temporary results improvement in the league. I thought it will be a miracle if we achieve anything in the end. And I don't blame Tim for it, because he's a young coach which couldn't do much in such kind of situation. Besides he was given a contract, we all knew he's more of a caretaker manager than a manager for future. We lost our best player, which affected our style of play (not the brightest to be fair) and mood of the collective. We bought a sh*t load of players, who: a) need more time to show they're top material; b) just average. We suffered lots of injuries, as usual. We suffered from playing on Thursdays, as usual. There were too many factors which played against us in such competitive league.

Now players (at least who still care) don't need to think about any aims of the season. They just need to sort their heads out and to show their best in one fixture at a time. Not for themselves or their future, but for the fans who suffered enough shocking blows during one, still not finished season.
Levy needs to sort his head out as well. Needs to think twice about next manager appointment and transfer policy. Needs to drop the persuasive idea of reaching top-4. We had several chances to stake out a place their, but fcked all of them (by our own fault or with the help of circumstances, doesn't matter). However, it can become even more difficult in the next season.
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well said couldnt agree more=D>
 
Team selection from TS was very brave and usually we say its all well and good in hindsight. But the majority of us commented on it.
A £26m striker who had just got his confidence back on the bench for a youngster starting only his, whta, 4th/5th 1st team game. Bizarre decision, although he wasnt that bad himself, it was the wrong choice for me
The most bizarre was playing a RB at LB who blatantly isnt even good enough at RB never mind on the wrong side.

My final word is about Lloris. I thought this guy was in the Top 10 keepers in the world, quite frankly I think he has a f#ckin screw loose. He has turned into Gomes, but without the feigning injuries
 
Individually our players are good enough. Technically many of them are good enough. That's the reason we are 5th, sometimes you win just because individually you are better players, not because of strategy or tactics.

It is collectively where we are lacking.....literally less than the sum of its parts.

We have no flow, cohesion, game-plan, togetherness........we're just out there waiting to see what happens.....there doesn't appear to be any drive or ambition. Rudderless.

In stark contrast you have Benfica.....'this is our target.....lets achieve it'......'we believe in the game plan, the tactics and our manager.....I need TP for my bunghole'....fighting for every cause and then our talent can shine through.

Why did Kane start? And i thought it was set in stone that Naughton should never play LB.

ps. that Markovic serbian kid is some talent.
 
ricky2tricky4city said:
Individually our players are good enough. Technically many of them are good enough. That's the reason we are 5th, sometimes you win just because individually you are better players, not because of strategy or tactics.

It is collectively where we are lacking.....literally less than the sum of its parts.

We have no flow, cohesion, game-plan, togetherness........we're just out there waiting to see what happens.....there doesn't appear to be any drive or ambition. Rudderless.

In stark contrast you have Benfica.....'this is our target.....lets achieve it'......'we believe in the game plan, the tactics and our manager.....I need TP for my bunghole'....fighting for every cause and then our talent can shine through.

Why did Kane start? And i thought it was set in stone that Naughton should never play LB.

ps. that Markovic serbian kid is some talent.
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Chelsea have first refusal on him
 
ricky2tricky4city said:
Individually our players are good enough. Technically many of them are good enough. That's the reason we are 5th, sometimes you win just because individually you are better players, not because of strategy or tactics.

It is collectively where we are lacking.....literally less than the sum of its parts.

We have no flow, cohesion, game-plan, togetherness........we're just out there waiting to see what happens.....there doesn't appear to be any drive or ambition. Rudderless.

In stark contrast you have Benfica.....'this is our target.....lets achieve it'......'we believe in the game plan, the tactics and our manager.....I need TP for my bunghole'....fighting for every cause and then our talent can shine through.

Why did Kane start? And i thought it was set in stone that Naughton should never play LB.

ps. that Markovic serbian kid is some talent.
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Agree with most of that. And when you're overall performance is less than the sum of the parts, there's only one person to blame
 
metalgear said:
sherwood is making a mess of all the cup competitions isn't he
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So you'd expect us to roll through Arsenal and Benfica then? The only bad one was West Ham but then he'd only been given the job the day before, how can you know if AVB would've done any better? He'd just lost 3-0 to them, the previous season he was knocked out of the cups by Norwich, Leeds and Basel.
 
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Problems everywhere in that game

- Kane to start, its the kind of stupid idea you have for about 3 seconds then go .. nahhh ...
- Lack of cohesiveness, we tried to press at times, but not as a team, seemed very individual, very panicked
- Mess at defending set pieces
- 70 minutes before the first sub when you are chasing a game
- Walker off for Rose? why not naughton off, why not Townsend on for Sandro, Eriksen into center
- Bentaleb? really ****ing chasing a lost cause against Benfica and your plan is Bentaleb?
 
Raziel said:
- Walker off for Rose? why not naughton off, why not Townsend on for Sandro, Eriksen into center
- Bentaleb? really ****ing chasing a lost cause against Benfica and your plan is Bentaleb?
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both Sandro and Walker had minor injuries/knocks as I understood. So both are doubt for NLD
 
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