Mauricio Pochettino - Sacked

[ringo]

We had to score last week. Italian teams are notorious for parking the bus and grinding out bore draws. The high line was a calculated risk, which nearly came off (if Soldado and Fazio hadn't made individual errors)

I'm not sure that the high line was a calculated risk -it's just what Poch does. A high line doesn't help against parking the bus. Play is already compressed -it just means more players in smaller space. What you actually want to do is stretch play. That neutralises their pace and our lack of defensive cover -and creates more space for us to make chances. So Poch should have adjusted.

Maybe, if we had converted the Soldado chance, we would have dropped off a bit... but I doubt it, more likely we would have continued to press with a high line and been open to conceding ont he counter. Does Poch do park the bus tactics? I'm not sure he does. I just wonder whether he is a bit one dimensional tactically. still, hopefully he is learning.

Much us I dislike Mourinho as a personality, for example, he is quite good at adapting tactics to situations -although he can be a bit risk adverse.

 

[harr1984]

Wow. I'm a fan of Mason and to a degree don't disagree with your post. But wow, are we really now a team that feels our whole game is based around Mason of all people being on the pitch??

We play our best football when we don't spend too long on the ball. Some of our one-touch football has been the reason we've opened up opponents and created chances.
Just before xmas, against Burnley in particular. We were taking sooooo much time on the ball that it gave teams a chance to get their shape. I saw nothing of the high-tempo quick play that Poch was so recognised for!
At least lastnight, in the first half we strung some decent moves together by one-touch football, and dare i say it, even Soldado helps us in that respect. I like his neat flicks and the main beneficiary is usually Eriksen. I think he brings a better game when we are fast-flowing. It was def how we beat Chelsea and Arsenal.
If Mason enables us to play that way, then great. But it needs to be a combined effort. Just one player on that pitch taking too many touches slows the emphasis down entirely, and against Chelsea we can't afford to let them be organised!

Well you've just answered your own question there. Mason is the best at providing quick forward thinking passes....

 

[harr1984]

At least now after Sunday we will be able to focus fully on the league and a top 4 push. We are very much in the mix....

 

[Gutter Boy]

Sorry dont agree, the one area of the pitch you cant mess about with is the back 4, played in one long enough to know that it messes the whole dyamic up with 1 change never mind 2! In fact including Davies 3, really niave decision by Poch! Centre halfs dont need rotating its a total nonsense to think they do!

I'm a CH and I need rotating! I've had 2 games this week and know I'm going to struggle at the weekend, but my direct cover is out. CHs might not put in the mileage of CMs, but your body (upper as well as lower) takes a real battering. Rugby players never play twice in a week

 

[ringo]

I'm a CH and I need rotating! I've had 2 games this week and know I'm going to struggle at the weekend, but my direct cover is out. CHs might not put in the mileage of CMs, but your body (upper as well as lower) takes a real battering. Rugby players never play twice in a week

I hope you are quicker than Fazio and Verts.. or do you pull your full backs round...

 

[shaney]

I've questioned our manager all season, even after "great" wins and people seem to think we have the next messiah. Fact is we've been pretty awful all season and Pochetino has made consistently awful decisions, most of which don't pay off. Lloris Eriksen and kane have papered over so many cracks, coupled with awful form from Man U Liverpool and arsenal. But it's been clear to me how awful we've been, and how I can't see a decent team being built at all. I'm utterly unconvinced so far, and my thoughts have never wavered. And this week could ultimately typify everything by basically bottling all three competitions. Hopefully, it'll end in the sweetest fashion.

Agree 100%. Of course some people cant wait to throw abuse at anyone who dares to question Poch, even though the huge problems we have are glaringly obvious for any (unbiased) fan.

But for the moment we need to focus on sunday and getting behind everyone and winning this cup.

 

[thfcsteff]

Agree 100%. Of course some people cant wait to throw abuse at anyone who dares to question Poch, even though the huge problems we have are glaringly obvious for any (unbiased) fan.

But for the moment we need to focus on sunday and getting behind everyone and winning this cup.

Vic Reeves would be exceptionally insulted! how DARE you abuse such a fine man!!!! One tiny question for you Shaney...do you think Poch is in any way aware of where the problems are in our squad? Even a teeny tiny bit?

 

[Pirate55]

Vic Reeves would be exceptionally insulted! how DARE you abuse such a fine man!!!! One tiny question for you Shaney...do you think Poch is in any way aware of where the problems are in our squad? Even a teeny tiny bit?

One would like to think so Steff, but I am a little concerned that two of the players he brought in (Fazio and Stambouli) have absolutely no pace and I am not at all convinced they are the right choices to play in a high line, fast tempo tactical game. Head scratching for me.

Also, the lack of our striking options was always going to come back to haunt us as it wasn't addressed in any way in January.

This summer's window is now absolutely critical if we wish to progress.

 

[thfcsteff]

One would like to think so Steff, but I am a little concerned that two of the players he brought in (Fazio and Stambouli) have absolutely no pace and I am not at all convinced they are the right choices to play in a high line, fast tempo tactical game. Head scratching for me.

Also, the lack of our striking options was always going to come back to haunt us as it wasn't addressed in any way in January.

This summer's window is now absolutely critical if we wish to progress.

fair comment, but he did not get the main players he wanted, thus was were 'scouted recommendations' but i think we will see that change in the summer as if they are scouted recommendations,they will be coming from his scout! ;-)

 

[shaney]

Vic Reeves would be exceptionally insulted! how DARE you abuse such a fine man!!!! One tiny question for you Shaney...do you think Poch is in any way aware of where the problems are in our squad? Even a teeny tiny bit?

Used to love Vic Reeves...............shame what he's turned into these days.

I have no doubt Poch is aware of the problems and that he has a list as long as his arm of targets he would love to bring to the club. When Poch was interviewed for the job do you think he was told that he could have as many new players as he liked, money no option (like every manager would dream of in a perfect scenario) or living in the real world was he told that is totally unrealistic and instead told that he would have to work with at least a large proportion of the existing squad, for the time being anway. I assume he convinced them he had the ability to do this.

No manager gets a squad they are completely happy with unless they stay at a club for an eternity, as it can take years and years and years to filter out every player they dislike and recruit the perfect replacement. Every other club is in the same boat, so we are no different. The manager job is to get the best out of and improve the players he has at that moment in time. Whether that is happening or not is where we may disagree .

But today we are all united....................COYS !

 

[Joesh]

It's clear Poch missed out on some players but I guess it works both ways, Poch must be given time and the club needs time too. We can't just clear out 6-7 players and buy that many just to suit the manager. Certainly not in his first season though I'd expect when summer comes there will be more movement and backing now that he has shown what he fits in with what the club wants.

 

[africanspurs]

have never been more convinced than after this stretch of bad results....

Poch is the right man for this job. 100%........no doubt whatsoever in my mind. He is the one i want taking us into the future

Now we need to go and get him the right players. hopefully his choices and his players.

 

[GrimsbyYid]

Really? This week makes me more fearful than ever. Two half teams against europe which didn't pay off, struggling against west ham, losing today.

Same thing I say most games - sit eerie keeper have ONE save to make? We don't create chances. He played mason and Towsnedn against west ham and they are simply not good enough, they don't offer anything, he takes them off and we start playing and come back. He plays them both again today, they offer nothing and he brings them both off.

I think he has one trick, make us really fit and press. But I fear he's a tad clueless!

 

[Baleforce]

fudge me, I completely agree with africanspurs

;-)

despite the last two results this has been a great season, the progress from where we were a year ago is monumental, despite having to raid the reserves/youth for starters, I look forward to seeing what MP can do when we provide him with a decent squad

 

[indianspur]

the right man but he has fudged up the team selections for the previous 3 games because of this final. Hopefully he will learn.

out of the EL, dropped points in the league and anyway lost the cup.

biggest disappointment is going out of europe, that was a real chance of securing a trophy and CL football at the same time

 

[Spurmac1974]

I'm a CH and I need rotating! I've had 2 games this week and know I'm going to struggle at the weekend, but my direct cover is out. CHs might not put in the mileage of CMs, but your body (upper as well as lower) takes a real battering. Rugby players never play twice in a week

Laugh out very loud comparing the battering that rugby players take to playing Centre Half, this is hardly a contact sport at all anymore, in fact I despise what its becoming! Chelsea players dived 4 times in the first 5 mins and got frees everytime!

 

[Baleforce]

Really? This week makes me more fearful than ever. Two half teams against europe which didn't pay off, struggling against west ham, losing today.

Same thing I say most games - sit eerie keeper have ONE save to make? We don't create chances. He played mason and Towsnedn against west ham and they are simply not good enough, they don't offer anything, he takes them off and we start playing and come back. He plays them both again today, they offer nothing and he brings them both off.

I think he has one trick, make us really fit and press. But I fear he's a tad clueless!

maybe they aren't good enough, but that's the problem, they are still the best we have, Lloris aside our players are average at best, if he can get Levy to actually sign some good players for a change we will inevitably improve

 

[GrimsbyYid]

Progress? Where? Other than eeriness and kane baling us out in pretty much every single on one of our wins... what progress? We're fitter? That's it. I just can't see what people see. I don't get it. Bar 5 or 6 games we've been so bad, Please tell me what progress there's been?

 

[GrimsbyYid]

maybe they aren't good enough, but that's the problem, they are still the best we have, Lloris aside our players are average at best, if he can get Levy to actually sign some good players for a change we will inevitably improve

But I don't think they are. Stambouli and Demebele are FAR superior to Mason. And Dembele, Lamela, even Soldado would be preferable to Townsend.

 

[Baleforce]

But I don't think they are. Stambouli and Demebele are FAR superior to Mason. And Dembele, Lamela, even Soldado would be preferable to Townsend.

I think it's six and two threes, they've all shown themselves up in games this season, none of them are Modric or bale are they