• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

*** OMT Spurs v Fiorentina 1st leg ***

It would not make sense for Poch to play a full strength team next Thursday after not starting Kane and Mason tonight. Think the team will be near enough the same as it was tonight. Chelsea game takes precedence I'm afraid.
 
Soldaldo had such a good first half, he was finding a way to get most crosses in to him in to a good shot on goal. A shame he couldn't find another goal as you feel if we had scored again in that period of dominance it would have stopped us turning to complete brick.

The last half hour or so we were a real mess, in terms of finding one and another with the quality of our passing and also the system we were using. Seemed like every time they attacked us on their left they had an extra man, but when we got in to their half we couldn't find any option.
 
Jurgen the German said:
It would not make sense for Poch to play a full strength team next Thursday after not starting Kane and Mason tonight. Think the team will be near enough the same as it was tonight. Chelsea game takes precedence I'm afraid.
Click to expand...

Team selection for Thursday will tell us where the Club priorities lie.
 
milo said:
If Soldado had not made a lunge on 40 mins I doubt that we would be having this conversation.
Click to expand...
Soldado was right to make that foul. THere are places where players should make a foul and take a booking. And where Soldado brought that guy down was one of them
 
Spurmac1974 said:
The empathy towards this does my head in! Far more likely way to get into the Champions League than through the extremely unlikely route of the league, and to be fair if we cant win it why do we even deserve to be in the Champions League....pointless exercise! So sloppy in the 2nd half, passing was shocking especially Lamela who was turgid when he came on!
Click to expand...
True.
IMO it would have made more sense to focus on this leg as CL is difficult either route.
A good result today allows us to play the fringe players in the second leg, who with the carrot of the final would try hard. If things aren't going well then you bring on first choice players and they don't have to play the whole game.

I think too much is being made of our fitness, lack of injury list, getting a result is far more important. However, first half it looked like we we would walk it, poor finishing and running out steam pressing second half probably cost us.
 
Kandi1977 said:
He's been on par with the rest of the team, and better than Eriksen. But you hate him for some reason, and only look for him to do something wrong, and won't see the good things he does.
Click to expand...
Sorry I thought you were being sarcastic.

I don't hate any Spurs player. How could I? They've done nothing to me personally. However I do think Paulinho is an awful player and plays like a coward. And I'm not even talking about his lack of tacking which is something I have come to expect from him, but more that he takes no responsibility on the pitch whatsoever. All he has to do is look 5 yards left to the player he's just passed to to see what is required of a CM playing for Spurs. If you cannot see the reason why he is disliked then sorry I won't be able to explain it to you.

I will conceed that Eriksen was very poor tonight as were quite a few others, but Paulinho will not escape without criticism.
 
Poch took a gamble with his selection and for the first half-hour, it looked a good gamble . We had some good chances to totally demoralise them in the tie and should've been 3-0 up before they got their equaliser. I do feel we've also to got give credit to Fiorentina for their turnaround as well as looking at our own failings.

Winning out there and to then follow it up with a winning performance three days later in the League Cup final is a big ask . If it's one or the other, I'd rather the Wembley win.
 
wiziwig said:
Poch took a gamble with his selection and for the first half-hour, it looked a good gamble . We had some good chances to totally demoralise them in the tie and should've been 3-0 up before they got their equaliser. I do feel we've also to got give credit to Fiorentina for their turnaround as well as looking at our own failings.

Winning out there and to then follow it up with a winning performance three days later in the League Cup final is a big ask . If it's one or the other, I'd rather the Wembley win.
Click to expand...

Cast your mind back to the year we got 4th AND CL. We had some very tough asks then, and answered! COYS!!!!!
 
Armchair Expert said:
I agree. the subs didnt help either. everything was disjointed and completely lacking fluidity.

anyone who genuinely thinks paulinho was good today seriously watched a different game. he was as abject as always. the past few weeks we've been attacking well and scoring against good sides: paulinho comes back into the middle of the park and we cant get to the edge of the opponents box again.

i still think we can do them in italy, but not if we dont play our better players. lamela's cameo was woeful today, really bad.
Click to expand...

This second half performance just demonstrates for me the importance of Dembele in front of Bentelab and Mason.

He provides the fulcrum pivot and high pressing around which the front three can perform. Paulinho just doesn't do this ( or much else tbf). Also, Lamela just crowded out the middle when he came on and without the width of Chadli and Townsend we just kept going down blind avenues.

We really don't have any game changers from the bench. I suspect we will regret big time not making any signings in January to supplement the team at the business end of the season.
 
Jurgen the German said:
West Ham is bigger. The league represents our best chance of top 4 and the league cup is our best chance of winning a trophy
Click to expand...

Winning the tournament also gets you into the CL and directly into the group stage I think. We should be able to beat any of the teams left over 2 legs.
 
Mumorn said:
Carling Cup
Top 4
Europa League

in that order.
Click to expand...

This is what I hate, everyone always slams the Europe League, it's a premier competition that I'd love to win. Also one we have a good chance of winning.

Having the final straight after 2nd leg needs to be looked at really, it's not fair. Chelsea have a whole week off.
 
P.D. said:
This is what I hate, everyone always slams the Europe League, it's a premier competition that I'd love to win. Also one we have a good chance of winning.

Having the final straight after 2nd leg needs to be looked at really, it's not fair. Chelsea have a whole week off.
Click to expand...

The same Cheat$ki that bored their way to a CL win and entry into the competition with a 6th placed league finish at our expense. I hope we smash 'em.
 
Chelsea on their day will beat us - Fact. Plus whatever happens they will be more rested / prepared for the game due to rest

We have to manage the squad until the final but if we go OTT we lose against West Ham, Get Knocked out via Fiorentina and Lose the Final.

If we beat West Ham and get through against Fiorentina we can have a go against Chelsea knowing we still have other things to play for. Blowing the season for a Carling Cup final we are favourites to lose is madness.
 
AdamB said:
Soldado was right to make that foul. THere are places where players should make a foul and take a booking. And where Soldado brought that guy down was one of them
Click to expand...

My point was more that the goal was very much against the run of play and that if they had not had that opportunity it was hard to see a way back into the game for them. Up until that point, the team selection appeared to be vindicated.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back