OMT Spurs - Fulham

[Bedfordspurs]

We're never going to have the ball for the whole match. Sissoko performs to his brief and is a viable CM choice whoever the opponent is, as long as the rest of midfield is balanced accordingly. It just goes to brick when he's deployed as a RW attacker - again, it doesn't really matter against whom.

If his brief is mark space, cover for Aurier and then pass like a crab
That may be the case
As I’ve said it’s no coincidence that our best recent performance came when we had players on the pitch with a footballing intelligence he lacks

 

[billyiddo]

What games were they

Had to check but yeah that's fake news, post edited

 

[billyiddo]

We're never going to have the ball for the whole match. Sissoko performs to his brief and is a viable CM choice whoever the opponent is, as long as the rest of midfield is balanced accordingly. It just goes to brick when he's deployed as a RW attacker - again, it doesn't really matter against whom.

You do not need to have two holding midfield players against weak opposition - at least not when one of them is as limited on the ball as Sissoko. Hojbjerg + Ndombele is perfect for the majority of games we play

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Had to check but yeah that's fake news, post edited

I assume they meant United and Southampton?
Either way it’s a poor return
Have to wonder what the half time message is
We know what Jose tells us it is...

 

[Bedfordspurs]

You do not need to have two holding midfield players against weak opposition - at least not when one of them is as limited on the ball as Sissoko.

This
This
This
Not that anyone is going to go back and watch the Leeds game but the difference in midfield was huge
It was different first half yesterday too and people commented on how it looked positively

 

[billyiddo]

I assume they meant United and Southampton?
Either way it’s a poor return
Have to wonder what the half time message is
We know what Jose tells us it is...

It can only be what the evidence suggests : tightenup, concede possession and limit attacks to counters and dont over commit.

He can say whatever he wants at full time - but he's either sending them out to play that way, like he done at Chelsea and United or he can't get his ideas across to the team - either way it's not sustainable and he either sorts it out quick-sharp or he jogs the fudge on

 

[Bishop]

Quite scary that the favourites to win the league this season have the best defence in City. Although everyone sees their attacking threat they have kept so many clean sheets

They keep clean sheets because of both their attacking threat and quality use of the ball in possession. What they don't do is sit in a compressed low block after they've scored a solitary goal and play with no Intention of scoring again.

They are not cowards, we are.

 

[Bishop]

We have problems, it is not fair on Sissoko digging him for being picked, this is classic Mourinho.
Sissoko does his best and is big-hearted and I love that.
But he's not a right attacking forward bless him.

He's not a football player period.

 

[billyiddo]

This
This
This
Not that anyone is going to go back and watch the Leeds game but the difference in midfield was huge
It was different first half yesterday too and people commented on how it looked positively

You don't need your 3rd attacking player to be on the pitch for his defensive abilities either.


Honestly Sissoko in for Berwijn last night says all that needs to be said on the manager and what his philosophy is all about.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

You don't need your 3rd attacking player to be on the pitch for his defensive abilities either.


Honestly Sissoko in for Berwijn last night says all that needs to be said on the manager and what his philosophy is all about.

I thought it would be an attacking diamond...
As in Aurier outside of him rather than behind him
We had that on the left... on the right it was just brick
Scary thing is sissoko was signed as a right winger. It’s where he played for Saudi Sportswashing Machine yet we have converted him into a destroyer of football.
Bergwein needs to up his goal return but his play with the ball is very good

 

[billyiddo]

I thought it would be an attacking diamond...
As in Aurier outside of him rather than behind him
We had that on the left... on the right it was just brick
Scary thing is sissoko was signed as a right winger. It’s where he played for Saudi Sportswashing Machine yet we have converted him into a destroyer of football.
Bergwein needs to up his goal return but his play with the ball is very good

We bought him off the back of the international tournament where he played as a box 2 box type iirc and was a last minute panic buy fall back option to missing out on Wijnaldum. I dont think he was signed to play RWF.

Bergwijn does need to up his productivity and yes he is good on the ball, but its telling that when he needed replacing in the XI that we put in a player whose strong points are all defensive - and left 4 attacking players capable of playing that role on the bench. The RWF position is there for defensive solidity first and foremost and above all else, that much is clear.

 

[LincsSpur]

I’ve read this kind of comment a few times in this thread post-match.

The fact is we WEREN’T out of sight by half time. No point saying that we should have been. We were 1-0 up, as we have been in a number of games this season in which we eventually threw away points - and we did exactly what we did in those previous games. Sat deep and invited the opposition on to us, without making any changes from the bench until it was too late.

Very frustrating - and terrible to watch.

I’m happy to stick with Mourinho until the end of the season in the hope that he gets us across the line with a trophy. But this style of play won’t get us anywhere near winning the PL, and it won’t be accepted by most fans when they are back to paying £50 or £60 a pop to watch it in the stadium.

Yes it was annoying and avoidable and we’ve seen it before
No argument from me on that

But you can’t blame Jose for the chances missed by players who should have done much better

I don’t think he’s forgotten what happened against West Ham and clearly doesn’t trust many of our players
In certain cases I agree with him
Sanchez
Dier
Aurier
Winks
Sissoko
Lamela
Bale
Dele
Etc

All need to be shipped out although I like Lamela and Sissoko’s attitude

Given what he’s got to work with I think Jose is doing well
Chance of top four
League cup final
Progressing in the FA Cup
Early qualification for the Europa

But it isn’t pretty on the eye sometimes I’ll give you that

 

[Bedfordspurs]

We bought him off the back of the international tournament where he played as a box 2 box type iirc and was a last minute panic buy fall back option to missing out on Wijnaldum. I dont think he was signed to play RWF.

Bergwijn does need to up his productivity and yes he is good on the ball, but its telling that when he needed replacing in the XI that we put in a player whose strong points are all defensive - and left 4 attacking players capable of playing that role on the bench. The RWF position is there for defensive solidity first and foremost and above all else, that much is clear.

Not gonna attempt to argue the matter part as it’s right (although it’s not how I expected us to play and i do think we didn’t play that way first half)

I think we brought him off the back of his performances against us playing RW
He done us damage twice home and and away and we couldn’t get near him. But again that’s just my opinion


Either way the guys a key squad player but shouldn’t be near starting against sides where we have the ball. And that’s a lot of sides in this league.

 

[Bishop]

Yes it was annoying and avoidable and we’ve seen it before
No argument from me on that

But you can’t blame Jose for the chances missed by players who should have done much better

I don’t think he’s forgotten what happened against West Ham and clearly doesn’t trust many of our players
In certain cases I agree with him
Sanchez
Dier
Aurier
Winks
Sissoko
Lamela
Bale
Dele
Etc

All need to be shipped out although I like Lamela and Sissoko’s attitude

Given what he’s got to work with I think Jose is doing well
Chance of top four
League cup final
Progressing in the FA Cup
Early qualification for the Europa

But it isn’t pretty on the eye sometimes I’ll give you that

But we can blame him for starting a match with Hojberg as DM yet still starting Winks AND Sissoko. That is actually inexcusable.

He should be starting Ndombele next to Hojberg but ok thats a little too attacking possession orientated for Mou. So ok play one of the Winks or Sissoko (preferably Winks). To still shoehorn Sissoko into the side to play RM is actually for me a sackable offence.

We can't afford to have so many mediocre players in the side.

 

[LincsSpur]

But we can blame him for starting a match with Hojberg as DM yet still starting Winks AND Sissoko. That is actually inexcusable.

He should be starting Ndombele next to Hojberg but ok thats a little too attacking possession orientated for Mou. So ok play one of the Winks or Sissoko (preferably Winks). To still shoehorn Sissoko into the side to play RM is actually for me a sackable offence.

We can't afford to have so many mediocre players in the side.

Agree you can’t play Winks and Sissoko together

Not too many options atm though

 

[Diamond Lights]

Yes it was annoying and avoidable and we’ve seen it before
No argument from me on that

But you can’t blame Jose for the chances missed by players who should have done much better

You're taking one game though.

Saudi Sportswashing Machine. West Ham. Crystal Palace. Wolves. Fulham.

Maybe West Ham was a freak result, but Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Palace, Wolves, Fulham, is a pattern. It's not an accident, it's the same story each time and sorry, that sits with Jose and no one else. He didn't learn after Saudi Sportswashing Machine. He didn't learn after Palace. Since then you'd have thought he would have made adjustments to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Instead, it happened against Wolves and now Fulham. THAT is on Jose. It's not one game.

 

[LincsSpur]

You're taking one game though.

Saudi Sportswashing Machine. West Ham. Crystal Palace. Wolves. Fulham.

Maybe West Ham was a freak result, but Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Palace, Wolves, Fulham, is a pattern. It's not an accident, it's the same story each time and sorry, that sits with Jose and no one else. He didn't learn after Saudi Sportswashing Machine. He didn't learn after Palace. Since then you'd have thought he would have made adjustments to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Instead, it happened against Wolves and now Fulham. THAT is on Jose. It's not one game.

Saudi Sportswashing Machine was daylight robbery and that penalty against Dier would never be allowed now

Doubtless Jose makes mistakes and is still finding out things about his squad but as I’ve posted elsewhere his options are as limited as our squad

You hear commentators banging on about how deep our squad is

Laughable really
Needs an overhaul

 

[Baleforce]

But we can blame him for starting a match with Hojberg as DM yet still starting Winks AND Sissoko. That is actually inexcusable.

He should be starting Ndombele next to Hojberg but ok thats a little too attacking possession orientated for Mou. So ok play one of the Winks or Sissoko (preferably Winks). To still shoehorn Sissoko into the side to play RM is actually for me a sackable offence.

We can't afford to have so many mediocre players in the side.

I don’t trust Ndombele to do the defensive side of that role yet, I don’t think Jose does either.

Lo Celso would be a better option imo but I’m happiest with Sissoko there to be honest.

 

[billyiddo]

Saudi Sportswashing Machine was daylight robbery and that pelanty against Dier would never be allowed now

Doubtless Jose makes mistakes and is still finding out things about his squad but as I’ve posted elsewhere his options are as limited as our squad

You hear commentators banging on about how deep our squad is

Laughable really
Needs an overhaul

If we didnt throw away points in the 2nd half of matches due to the managers tactics this squad of players would be close to, if not outright top of the table - doesn't strike me as one which needs much overhauling

 

[Baleforce]

If we didnt throw away points in the 2nd half of matches due to the managers tactics this squad of players would be close to, if not outright top of the table - doesn't strike me as one which needs much overhauling

I agree the squad is fine.