OMT - Spurs v Burnley

[Pirate55]

Have you watched the highlights and looked at the passages of play that I am referring to?

Nothing I have seen there (or elsewhere) gives any credence to your statement that Davies played in a back three for much of the game.

 

[thfcsteff]

Nothing I have seen there (or elsewhere) gives any credence to your statement that Davies played in a back three for much of the game.

Are you suggesting that Davies was pushing up? He clearly was not deployed as a primary attacking source last night, only an occasional supplemental one. As for the comments (not yours) that Davies spent a lot of last night passing backwards to Lloris/teammates, that might be a major factor as to how we achieved a clean sheet. Simple defending/football in our own final third.

 

[Finney Is Back]

It definitely wasn't a full wonky or the same as we did last season. Doherty played a lot deeper than Aurier was in that system last year but his average position was more advanced than Davies. Davies was playing a lot closer to Dier and Dier and Alderweireld shifted across during some passages of play. I think that we were trying to keep the three of them close out of possession to minimise the risk from Burnley's high balls.

I’m really not sure it was.... I think Davies got up and down a bit more than Doherty, but I didn’t see us forming a 3 with Davies at all.... that would’ve seen Son pulling into the LWB type position and that just didn’t happen.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I've watched the extended highlights again, I think that we were tucking our opposite side fullback in tight but that their better chances came down the right, so Davies is there more, with Doherty tracking his man.

https://hdmatches.net/2020/10/26/vi...otspur-highlights-full-match-26-october-2020/

3mins
19mins
37mins

Are all occasions when Davies is very close to Dier. His runs when we lose possession were all back to a central position but Doherty's tended to be too.

Yep.... that is standard 4 at the back defending.... tuck in when the ball isn’t on your side of the pitch.

 

[milo]

I’m really not sure it was.... I think Davies got up and down a bit more than Doherty, but I didn’t see us forming a 3 with Davies at all.... that would’ve seen Son pulling into the LWB type position and that just didn’t happen.

Have a look at the link to the highlights I posted earlier. I gave timings for a few times it happened but there were more.

I think that it was primarily playing our fullbacks tight on the non-attacking side and a lot of their best chances coming down our right.

On watching the game again, it was clear that our fullbacks were running back to a central position when we lose position unless they were tracking their man.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Not true Deano Austino, they had 2, as I stated.
At ~55 minutes Tarkowski had a free header from 4 yards, from a corner, when Dier lost his run and was beaten.
At ~70 minutes Tarkowski had a free header from 4 yards, from a corner, when Hojbjerg was beaten but Kane cleared it.

Burnley are very good at maximising this sort of scoring opportunity.

I was annoyed that Hugo didn’t come and claim both of those.... both were in the keeper’s zone.

 

[thfcsteff]

I’m really not sure it was.... I think Davies got up and down a bit more than Doherty, but I didn’t see us forming a 3 with Davies at all.... that would’ve seen Son pulling into the LWB type position and that just didn’t happen.

I would have to see the "maps" and all that, but Davies did not seem to be getting forward that much at all, let alone more than Doherty?

 

[thfcsteff]

I was annoyed that Hugo didn’t come and. Liam both of those.... both were in the keeper’s zone.

In fairness, his dominance late on was perfect.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Have a look at the link to the highlights I posted earlier. I gave timings for a few times it happened but there were more.

I think that it was primarily playing our fullbacks tight on the non-attacking side and a lot of their best chances coming down our right.

On watching the game again, it was clear that our fullbacks were running back to a central position when we lose position unless they were tracking their man.

Yes, see my post immediately above this one.... absolutely standard 4 at the back defending.

 

[milo]

Yep.... that is standard 4 at the back defending.... tuck in when the ball isn’t on your side of the pitch.

Playing the fullbacks tight was one of the first changes that Mourinho made when he came in and was a key change from Poch. We saw a bit less of it with the wonky and this season with two attacking fullbacks. So this was a change to what we have been doing. I'll need to watch the full match rather than the highlights but on first viewing, I thought that Davies stayed tight (or was slow to get back in position) in the next phase of play.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I would have to see the "maps" and all that, but Davies did not seem to be getting forward that much at all, let alone more than Doherty?

See the pass maps on previous page.

 

[milo]

Nothing I have seen there (or elsewhere) gives any credence to your statement that Davies played in a back three for much of the game.

You have misunderstood what I was saying then. I thought that I'd been pretty clear that I wasn't saying that we played with a back three. I said that he made up a three in some passages of play and that our fullbacks played tighter than we have seen so far this season.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

You have misunderstood what I was saying then. I thought that I'd been pretty clear that I wasn't saying that we played with a back three. I said that he made up a three in some passages of play and that our fullbacks played tighter than we have seen so far this season.

What do you mean by tighter? Closer to the CBS?
I’d agree with that but only because Burnley’s attacking came from long central balls rather than using width so it made sense for them to support the CBS aerially. Jose even said that’s why he started Davies in his post match comments

 

[Finney Is Back]

In fairness, his dominance late on was perfect.

I wonder if anyone had a word after the one off the line, as there was a clear change from Hugo after that....

 

[thfcsteff]

See the pass maps on previous page.

Interesting to see and I obviously saw that wrongly. Funny. I distinctly remember feeling that neither FB was getting forward nearly as much. I suppose more than anything this amplifies the work Hojberg does in covering!

 

[thfcsteff]

I wonder if anyone had a word after the one off the line, as there was a clear change from Hugo after that....

Very possible. I'd put my money on Dier if that was the case, though again, Davies can be assertive too. I have to say, bar that rather strange decision to try and flick it back over this shoulder when he got a free-kick off Wood, I thought Dier was so strong and solid last night.

 

[milo]

What do you mean by tighter? Closer to the CBS?
I’d agree with that but only because Burnley’s attacking came from long central balls rather than using width so it made sense for them to support the CBS aerially. Jose even said that’s why he started Davies in his post match comments

That was the observation. He did the same when he first came in because we were conceding goals at the far post early last season too.

This discussion started with you criticising Davies attacking play and I said that he was being asked to play a different role to Reguilon. I agree that he is not as much as an attacking threat but he's a useful option and better suited to some games.

 

[thfcsteff]

I have to say, I perversely enjoyed seeing us play such a solid, patient and somewhat stodgy game in a stodgy environment like that. I always felt we'd score. I wouldn't like it every week, but these are the precise things we need to know how to do.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

That was the observation. He did the same when he first came in because we were conceding goals at the far post early last season too.

This discussion started with you criticising Davies attacking play and I said that he was being asked to play a different role to Reguilon. I agree that he is not as much as an attacking threat but he's a useful option and better suited to some games.

Attack wise he is as blunt as sissoko
Defensively he is average
He looked better playing at CB the other day as all the play was in front of him
this is a player who 3 season ago had the best chances created record of any defender. The guy can play but he seems to play within himself more and more

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I have to say, I perversely enjoyed seeing us play such a solid, patient and somewhat stodgy game in a stodgy environment like that. I always felt we'd score. I wouldn't like it every week, but these are the precise things we need to know how to do.

But we won’t play a team playing with 9 men behind the ball at all times
This weekend will be very interesting because for me we’re playing the best footballing side in the division who only play one way, and we’re playing the, off the back of an away European game