OMT Spurs v United

[Bishop]

Yet people think we need more DMs too so what is right?!?!?
The CM yesterday IMO was fine and they actually did use the ball well enough. Sissoko was barely passing First half but was solid in that aspect second half
But if your passing to a no 10 who takes literally 5 touches when 2 would do you can’t spring a quick attack... it stops dead there and then

I do think we need a DM because the guys we play there now are rubbish at the job and it takes 2 of them at that. There's also nothing to preclude an actual DM having more courage than Winks on the ball and being a better passer than Sissoko (not hard at all).

 

[Finney Is Back]

I was talking for the near future. Don't know man. We all know how good Kane and Son can be, and this kid is looking good. Must admit I am optimistic up front, we just need a substitute for Kane ffs.

Ah ok. I see. I agree that Stevie looks decent. I think those three would actually be far better in a 4-3-3 with Son and Bergwjin largely freed from defensive duties. Problem is we don't really have a proper middle of the park central midfielder or a defensive type right back to make that work.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I think that we showed United too much respect. They are about the same level as us, I wouldn't have a problem sitting back against a good team. Son and Bergwijn are wasted spending most of the game protecting our fullbacks.

Jose Mourinho had us sitting back at home (with fans) to Norwich in the FA Cup (a Norwich team without Pukki as well). I look forward to our counter attacking game at home to AFC Dons in the 3rd round of the FA Cup next season.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Have you seen where Aurier was when we were attacking
He was forward and wide
We needed someone to cover for him, although I’ll add he didn’t get caught out

I think there were four times that Aurier got on the ball in good positions wide right. Once he hit the right cross but it was cut out by Man Utd's left back, once he hit a first time shot (which I didn't mind as controlling it would've seen the defender back covering and twice it looked as though he had to delay his cross because we had only one player in the box marked by three Man Utd players. If we're going to push Aurier up on the right then 3 of the 4 of Son, Kane, Bergwijn and Lamela have to be keeping up with him and getting themselves into the box.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Because no-one else really delighted, and we didn’t hold on to the win.And it was a very, very good save.

The one with his feet from Rashford in the first half was also decent.

 

[fernadez]

If Lamela released the ball early there were at least 5 occasions when we would gave sprung on them and created goal scoring opportunities.

We're desperate for Ndombele to get fit/apply himself/bribe Mourinho cause put him #10 yesterday and we'd have been at least 2 goals up.

 

[Finney Is Back]

If Lamela released the ball early there were at least 5 occasions when we would gave sprung on them and created goal scoring opportunities.

We're desperate for Ndombele to get fit/apply himself/bribe Mourinho cause put him #10 yesterday and we'd have been at least 2 goals up.

History has told us that Lamela never releases the ball early so I have no idea why Mourinho wants him as the number 10 in our small club, low block, counter attacking game.

 

[Mikey10]

I’ve always been pretty defensive of Lamela but I’m done with him now really. We need better than him.

I worry about Kane , think injury’s have taken their toll and his best days are gone sadly.

He’ll need to continue to adapt his game as he grows older but there’s a lot still to come. He hasn’t played a competitive fixture in many months and he’ll need some time.

 

[Finney Is Back]

I’ve always been pretty defensive of Lamela but I’m done with him now really. We need better than him.

He'll be injured within the next week or two anyway.

 

[milo]

History has told us that Lamela never releases the ball early so I have no idea why Mourinho wants him as the number 10 in our small club, low block, counter attacking game.

He played him as a striker in some of the practice games. I wonder if we might see him off the bench, replacing Kane once Dele is back. Kane is going to need careful management through the remaining games.

 

[Finney Is Back]

He played him as a striker in some of the practice games. I wonder if we might see him off the bench, replacing Kane once Dele is back. Kane is going to need careful management through the remaining games.

Last night's use of Kane was anything but careful. He could barely even run after about 65 minutes yet was still on there lumbering around.

 

[milo]

Last night's use of Kane was anything but careful. He could barely even run after about 65 minutes yet was still on there lumbering around.

I agree. He needs games to get match fit but we can't risk him getting injured. It's a real risk with a congested fixture list. He was a passenger for most of the game last night.

 

[Mosquito_Coasting]

I think last night showed one of the difficulties that Mourinho will have working with this team. If we'd won 1-0, you'd have said "okay it's not pretty but that was a Mourinho masterclass. Got a goal, soaked up pressure and allowed them few chances."

The problem is, Aurier was good but had a couple of pretty big brainfarts particularly the one that led to the non-pen (I don't think it was a foul). Sanchez was excellent but had a massive brainfart in the first half when he gifted Rashford a very good chance. Dier had a brainfart on the penalty and Winks was defensively careless and naive. Hugo and Davies were really, really good. Close to flawless defensively but we all know Hugo has mistakes in him.

Even when our defence is good, like last night, there are just too many big mistakes in them.

Agree with all this. Davies was superb. Aurier I just want rid of despite the talent he does have. He blasted one incredible cross field ball but I want defenders who don’t make mistakes every game. Tanganga and Davies look like the only ones for the future we have.

 

[djp82]

I’ve always been pretty defensive of Lamela but I’m done with him now really. We need better than him.



He’ll need to continue to adapt his game as he grows older but there’s a lot still to come. He hasn’t played a competitive fixture in many months and he’ll need some time.

I hope so Mickey, just this style of football won’t help him

 

[Legohamster]

I do think we need a DM because the guys we play there now are rubbish at the job and it takes 2 of them at that. There's also nothing to preclude an actual DM having more courage than Winks on the ball and being a better passer than Sissoko (not hard at all).

I was a big winks fan, but he needs to start taking control of games or we need better

he hides

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Did we look capable on the counter attack? I didn't see that. When Man Utd upped the pace in the second half all we could do was turn the ball over to them within 1 pass of getting it.

I agree re: Kane. It was clear from just after half time that he was running on fumes (and even before then when he wasn't the Man Utd centre halves completely dominated him).

Hopefully the next match will see only one of Winks or Sissoko, Dele or Ndombele as the number 10 and Lo Celso as the second midfielder alongside Sissoko or Winks (I'd probably have Sissoko and leave Winks on the bench).

I thought we did look capable, certainly in the first half
But second half we retreated
And we have to get Lo Celso in the team if he can play even a half
I’d certainly look at him in midfield and dele in at 10

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I do think we need a DM because the guys we play there now are rubbish at the job and it takes 2 of them at that. There's also nothing to preclude an actual DM having more courage than Winks on the ball and being a better passer than Sissoko (not hard at all).

United played with 2 DMs... if you can call them that and apparently their a brilliant side according to the press

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think there were four times that Aurier got on the ball in good positions wide right. Once he hit the right cross but it was cut out by Man Utd's left back, once he hit a first time shot (which I didn't mind as controlling it would've seen the defender back covering and twice it looked as though he had to delay his cross because we had only one player in the box marked by three Man Utd players. If we're going to push Aurier up on the right then 3 of the 4 of Son, Kane, Bergwijn and Lamela have to be keeping up with him and getting themselves into the box.

Hence why I said we had to cover. It wasn’t a critisism of his play
His cross field pass also was outstanding
But he did switch off a few times and the last penalty was really really poor from him. Luckily the refs incompetence got shown up
I thought the defence played well

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He was standing off players most the game and didn’t engage - he had 10 touches in the first half.

He did a


We had chances but we fluffed it. Lamela had a number of chances but fluffed the pass or took an extra touch.

Our midfield isn’t creative - which is why it needs an overhaul.

Lamela isn’t playing midfield in that set up. He is playing a no 10 role and his lack of speed in his passing cripples the attack

 

[Spur of the moment]

8 player massed ranks really doesn't say anything for defensive quality or strength. We've seen that numerous times when we've struggled against hunkered in opponents. Sheer numbers can restrict chances, there's nothing special about doing that.

In principle I have nothing against sitting deep and hitting on the counter but you need to have correct players. We had pace in the wide areas but no one capable of playing them into space.

Winks is too safety first, Sissoko can't pass more than 5 yards and only sideways or backwards and while Lamela does have the vision his passing execution is bloody horrible.

I don't really know how Jose expected to get the ball forwards, there was no one on the pitch able or willing to play a ball into space with a little bit of backspin. Pretty much the only time the ball broke ino space freely for one of our attackers in Beegwijn he scored from it. Otherwise we created very little and seemed to be relying on one of Son or Beegwijn to beat 2 or 3 players on the run. That's just not a realistic expectation to have.

Come back Christian, all is ...

Only joking. Sadly it looked like Jose was happy to rely on Lloris to get the ball forward - which to be fair he succeeded in doing for our goal. But what we really needed was a fit and firing Lo Celso or turbo-charged Tanguy from the off. Or better still, both.