Never Forget This...

[Libero]

The bolded bit is spot on, but i still think we ( and them) acted like a load of schoolkids and that Chelski had that planned from the start, we lost the plot and because of that we failed to win a game we should have done.

I will make a comment on your a) and b) remarks though.

a) Saying Poch has learnt a lesson is wrong ( imo) because i do not believe for one minute that he was happy/or wanted us to play the game that way, in fact he has been quoted as saying that he was annoyed with how we let the game go by losing our heads.

b) There is a massive difference between not allowing ourselves to be bullied and losing our heads, plot, a game. in the past we have had many players who could dish out retribution ( Mackay, England, Roberts etc etc) and i never saw them or most of their teammates go" into a shell".

i posted at the time that i hoped it would make/help these players grow because the look in their eyes when they came of was as losers and hurt. Thankfully they have shown that it will not happen again.

I don't regret what we did against Chelsea last season, we drew because they had a moment of magic from Hazard 9 min's from time to rescue a draw........its unlikely we would have won the title with a win there anyway after the WBA result. For far too long we have been very meek and mild in the battle and for those who were lucky enough to witness the likes of Mackay then consider yourself lucky because I can't remember having many players who would really stick it on an opponent when it was required in my 25-30 years of supporting Spurs.

At the end of the day I wanted to win and kick lumps out of them too........ we only achieved one of those things but if that is what has given us the extra resilience this season and going forward then by GHod it was absolutely worth it.

However, what happened at Stamford Bridge should have had no bearing whatsoever on those final two fixtures and the players were totally to blame for that. Feeling sorry for themselves and not being professional and finishing the job off.......only required a point against Southampton in the end really. I agree with you too that Poch will have felt let down by what happened against Chelsea last season and it wasn't for him to learn from but the players instead but I think he has used that period to his advantage and as have the players and I think in some respects it has turned out to be the best learning curve we could have had.

 

[thfcsteff]

In the spirit of friendly discussion I shall respond back in the post/boldface

The bolded bit is spot on, but i still think we ( and them) acted like a load of schoolkids and that Chelski had that planned from the start, we lost the plot and because of that we failed to win a game we should have done.

I will make a comment on your a) and b) remarks though.

a) Saying Poch has learnt a lesson is wrong ( imo) because i do not believe for one minute that he was happy/or wanted us to play the game that way, in fact he has been quoted as saying that he was annoyed with how we let the game go by losing our heads.

Oh I think he learnt a lot about his squad. He might not have liked how it happened, but he learnt that we were not going to be bullied by anyone, that our players were not going to be pushed around and that as a team they would fight for each other. He not only learned that, he was able to focus it into a disciplined and focussed attitude.


b) There is a massive difference between not allowing ourselves to be bullied and losing our heads, plot, a game. in the past we have had many players who could dish out retribution ( Mackay, England, Roberts etc etc) and i never saw them or most of their teammates go" into a shell".


If you look at the era of player you're quoting (players we were privileged to see -well, I was a tad too young for Mackay!) you'll note it's pre-Prem. Since the Prem began, we have not ever shown real fight and fortitude when met with aggression and bullies. We were always too polite. We're not anymore. We play like a team that not only has style but refuses to lose any battle. IMO, the true step in that learning curve came at the Bridge. Again, for me, Poch does not let mistakes happen twice.


i posted at the time that i hoped it would make/help these players grow because the look in their eyes when they came of was as losers and hurt. Thankfully they have shown that it will not happen again.

Agreed. We might disagree on the sum total of ingredients involved in this process, but what a pleasure that we're here! COYS!

 

[thfcsteff]

I don't regret what we did against Chelsea last season, we drew because they had a moment of magic from Hazard 9 min's from time to rescue a draw........its unlikely we would have won the title with a win there anyway after the WBA result. For far too long we have been very meek and mild in the battle and for those who were lucky enough to witness the likes of Mackay then consider yourself lucky because I can't remember having many players who would really stick it on an opponent when it was required in my 25-30 years of supporting Spurs.

At the end of the day I wanted to win and kick lumps out of them too........ we only achieved one of those things but if that is what has given us the extra resilience this season and going forward then by GHod it was absolutely worth it.

However, what happened at Stamford Bridge should have had no bearing whatsoever on those final two fixtures and the players were totally to blame for that. Feeling sorry for themselves and not being professional and finishing the job off.......only required a point against Southampton in the end really. I agree with you too that Poch will have felt let down by what happened against Chelsea last season and it wasn't for him to learn from but the players instead but I think he has used that period to his advantage and as have the players and I think in some respects it has turned out to be the best learning curve we could have had.

I think it's tough to divorce those games from each other. Newcash was horrific, but my main comfort was knowing that this manager is not just a learner but a teacher, and that he would simply not tolerate such a thing again. I think he would've placed all three in the same bracket, and I think he himself would've taken some responsibility.

 

[parklane1]

In the spirit of friendly discussion I shall respond back in the post/boldface

As you say mate we may disagree on a couple of points but its old news now, what matters is that we have learnt from it and its onwards and upwards

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

I wasn't at all unhappy at coming third and I think sub consciously the player weren't either. Imagine after all these years coming nowhere only to finish ahead of Arsenal, City Chelsea, Liverpool and United only to come second to....Leicester City. I'm happy for the Scum to have that honour and you know what, I think it has affected Wenger and his squad's psyche in a negative manner, a rare opportunity squandered.