***OMT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs KAA Gent***

[the dza]

I don't think i'm allowed

although taking the guaranteed wins is very much my MO

I think I did Sunderland away, so I can't do one for awhile. C'mon you qunts, get one up!

 

[MfB]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

 

[Spurs7891]

So, another unconvincing performance and result in Cup matches. Not sure how Pochettino prepares the team for the Cup matches but it surely is not working. We played virtually all our best players and yet we couldn't perform. Our goals seem to have dried up lately as well. We have not scored any goal from open play in 4 matches now. In fact, since drawing with ManCity away and then going to Barcelona for training, we have only scored 3 goals from open play in 5 matches and all those 3 were against the mighty Wycombe at home ! It seems like we always lose our form after playing ManCity. Or maybe the team are still in holiday mood after going to Barcelona. Maybe we should send back the team to ManCity and Barcelona to find back their form and goal scoring boots !

All our key players were poor yet again, just like against Liverpool. We needed big performance from Kane and Alli but both were missing for most of the match. Kane really should have done better instead of just hitting the post early in the second half. Similiarly, Alli had 2 chances to score but couldn't hit the target. Son was not even involved in any goal scoring chances. With all our main goal scorers playing badly, we didn't look like scoring the whole match.

I think we were let down by our midfield. For all their hard work, Wanyama and Dembele just couldn't lift us. As usual, Dembele showed his dribbling skills but had nothing to show for it. He had 1 long shot at goal but it went direct to the goalie. Wish Dembele can add a few goals and assists to his name. Maybe we would have done better if Eriksen had started instead of Winks. I am still not fully convinced of Winks. He worked hard but lacked the real quality to make the difference for us.

Our defence conceded another goal which we should have stopped. The Gent player dribbled past our defence too easily to score the goal. Dier was at fault again for letting the ball go through his legs. But others like Alderweireld and Davies should have been more alert as well. In fact, Alderweireld made a few uncharacteristic mistakes as well. It is clear we badly miss Vertonghen and Rose in defence. Hope both will come back soon.

Well, atleast we only lost 1-0 to Gent. But we will need a much better performance in the return leg to overcome this score and progress to the next stage. Let's hope Pochettino will have better tactics in the return leg.

 

[DTA]

So, another unconvincing performance and result in Cup matches. Not sure how Pochettino prepares the team for the Cup matches but it surely is not working. We played virtually all our best players and yet we couldn't perform. Our goals seem to have dried up lately as well. We have not scored any goal from open play in 4 matches now. In fact, since drawing with ManCity away and then going to Barcelona for training, we have only scored 3 goals from open play in 5 matches and all those 3 were against the mighty Wycombe at home ! It seems like we always lose our form after playing ManCity. Or maybe the team are still in holiday mood after going to Barcelona. Maybe we should send back the team to ManCity and Barcelona to find back their form and goal scoring boots !

All our key players were poor yet again, just like against Liverpool. We needed big performance from Kane and Alli but both were missing for most of the match. Kane really should have done better instead of just hitting the post early in the second half. Similiarly, Alli had 2 chances to score but couldn't hit the target. Son was not even involved in any goal scoring chances. With all our main goal scorers playing badly, we didn't look like scoring the whole match.

I think we were let down by our midfield. For all their hard work, Wanyama and Dembele just couldn't lift us. As usual, Dembele showed his dribbling skills but had nothing to show for it. He had 1 long shot at goal but it went direct to the goalie. Wish Dembele can add a few goals and assists to his name. Maybe we would have done better if Eriksen had started instead of Winks. I am still not fully convinced of Winks. He worked hard but lacked the real quality to make the difference for us.

Our defence conceded another goal which we should have stopped. The Gent player dribbled past our defence too easily to score the goal. Dier was at fault again for letting the ball go through his legs. But others like Alderweireld and Davies should have been more alert as well. In fact, Alderweireld made a few uncharacteristic mistakes as well. It is clear we badly miss Vertonghen and Rose in defence. Hope both will come back soon.

Well, atleast we only lost 1-0 to Gent. But we will need a much better performance in the return leg to overcome this score and progress to the next stage. Let's hope Pochettino will have better tactics in the return leg.

Thanks for the effort dude.

 

[milo]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

I wouldn't read too much into it. Some people on here get very sore after any defeat and go a little overboard.

 

[scaramanga]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Thanks.

How is the BT Sport 3 Cup regarded in Belgium?

 

[DubaiSpur]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Yeah - to be fair, I got pretty heated at losing the game in general, and I took it out (in part) on your team, which I have nothing against. You beat us fair and square, and deserved it to boot.

Yes, in an ideal world, Iosing against your team or against any club in the Belgian first division is something I don't want to have to even consider (which is where part of the frustration came from) - but you always *have* to earn your wins, no matter your opponent. Your team did, our team didn't. Your team deserved to win, ours didn't. Simple as.

As for being the bigger club, don't tell us - see if you can get our players to believe it, because they certainly don't on the evidence of that first leg. Alternately, maybe they believed it too much.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Once we've flaked out it's too late to start being clever. That's what we did last year.

Son and Winks are our only squad players worthy of the name and even they are a fairly big drop from Lamela/Dembele in terms of ability.

We need a much better squad before we can even consider competing on all fronts, let alone going flat out in every game. Until we have that squadwe'll just have to pick the competitions we want to prioritise (league and CL) and muddle through on the rest.

Sent from my SM-G925F using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

Well, I'd say the flakeout last year was only partially the issue - equally bad was our slow start, without which we would probably have finished far closer to Leicester than where we eventually ended up. And while the late burnout points to a need for better game management, the slow start points to the need for a mentality that aims to win the game in front of you, 100%, no compromises. Personally I rate the need for the latter over the former at present.

I disagree on Son and Winks being the 'only' squad players worth using - I think Dier may actually have been knocked onto the 'squad player' list by virtue of Wanyama's ever-present status in the first eleven, and he's certainly good enough to form a solid option. Trippier isn't bad either, and Vorm's a solid pair of hands. Still, I agree that those five or so players aren't what we need if we want to seriously go guns blazing in the league or in all competitions more broadly with a chance of winning the big ones at the end. However, to my mind that calls for more of a focus on winning every game (and suffering a spell of late burnouts if it comes to it) rather than less of a focus - because it's clear that our squad depth isn't good enough to win the CL or the PL, but it's plenty good enough for the FA Cup, or the League Cup, or the EL. And we could probably sustain a deep run in those competitions while putting up a respectable fight for 4th in the league.

We will not get the chance to put together any deep runs in those competitions, however, if we do not give our all in every game - precisely because we're not good enough to throw out a ramshackle eleven or even an unmotivated first team and expect them to beat the players in front of them. And if we don't win anything, we will not develop a winning mentality - just game management skills. We will move into the new stadium, probably build a fine, talented squad like Arsenal (filled with talent, more deep than ours is atm)....and remain mentally weak and unable to win the biggest titles, much like Arsenal. Just on a slightly higher level than we are now.

Win first, then learn how to win consistently.

 

[glasgowspur]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Thanks for MfB.
I for one never expected this to be an easy tie.

 

[glasgowspur]

So, another unconvincing performance and result in Cup matches. Not sure how Pochettino prepares the team for the Cup matches but it surely is not working. We played virtually all our best players and yet we couldn't perform. Our goals seem to have dried up lately as well. We have not scored any goal from open play in 4 matches now. In fact, since drawing with ManCity away and then going to Barcelona for training, we have only scored 3 goals from open play in 5 matches and all those 3 were against the mighty Wycombe at home ! It seems like we always lose our form after playing ManCity. Or maybe the team are still in holiday mood after going to Barcelona. Maybe we should send back the team to ManCity and Barcelona to find back their form and goal scoring boots !

All our key players were poor yet again, just like against Liverpool. We needed big performance from Kane and Alli but both were missing for most of the match. Kane really should have done better instead of just hitting the post early in the second half. Similiarly, Alli had 2 chances to score but couldn't hit the target. Son was not even involved in any goal scoring chances. With all our main goal scorers playing badly, we didn't look like scoring the whole match.

I think we were let down by our midfield. For all their hard work, Wanyama and Dembele just couldn't lift us. As usual, Dembele showed his dribbling skills but had nothing to show for it. He had 1 long shot at goal but it went direct to the goalie. Wish Dembele can add a few goals and assists to his name. Maybe we would have done better if Eriksen had started instead of Winks. I am still not fully convinced of Winks. He worked hard but lacked the real quality to make the difference for us.

Our defence conceded another goal which we should have stopped. The Gent player dribbled past our defence too easily to score the goal. Dier was at fault again for letting the ball go through his legs. But others like Alderweireld and Davies should have been more alert as well. In fact, Alderweireld made a few uncharacteristic mistakes as well. It is clear we badly miss Vertonghen and Rose in defence. Hope both will come back soon.

Well, atleast we only lost 1-0 to Gent. But we will need a much better performance in the return leg to overcome this score and progress to the next stage. Let's hope Pochettino will have better tactics in the return leg.

I thought winks was our best player.
We were missing rose, verts, lamela and Eriksson, hardly almost all our best players.
Dier wasn't great for the goal but son stood on the edge of the area no more than 10 yards away picking his nose instead of going and closing down the man or the pass.
Dembelle has reverted to his old self, beat a man draw men to him but not release the ball into the space he has created.

 

[Baleforce]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Great to have some proper info, the commentary on our local broadcast claimed your side had been rotated heavily as you were focusing on making top half before the split.

It doesn't surprise me at all that BT Sport were innacurate.

What are the feelings about the second leg, does the game being played at wembley make it a bigger deal than it would be at the lane?

 

[Baleforce]

I thought winks was our best player.
We were missing rose, verts, lamela and Eriksson, hardly almost all our best players.
Dier wasn't great for the goal but son stood on the edge of the area no more than 10 yards away picking his nose instead of going and closing down the man or the pass.
Dembelle has reverted to his old self, beat a man draw men to him but not release the ball into the space he has created.

we lost those players at points last season too with no drop off in performance and imo this slump started before the verts injury

dier has been a long way off his best all year

if dembele is injured why is he playing at all?

i've made this point before but expectations increase with a ratchet action, as performances reach a new level they become the new baseline of what we accept

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Great to have some proper info, the commentary on our local broadcast claimed your side had been rotated heavily as you were focusing on making top half before the split.

It doesn't surprise me at all that BT Sport were innacurate.

What are the feelings about the second leg, does the game being played at wembley make it a bigger deal than it would be at the lane?

No intending to answer for Mfb - but I read this morning that next Thursday will be Gent's 100th game in European competitions - what better venue to celebrate such an anniversary.
No offence @MfB, but that's one celebration we have to prevent!

 

[paxtonwolf]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Good post. I think you should drop a line to BT Sport, because the way the commentator (forget his name) was talking about Gent was embarassing and I thought very disrespectful.
Either he had not done his homework on you, or was just plain stupid

 

[Modric THFC]

Hi guys!

I read some false things here about my team I want to clear up here .
First of, we played the best team we had available.
Yes Koulibaly started on the bench but he almost didn't train this week.

Second, yes we are currently mid-table but are placed below our level.
Last time we beat Zenith, Valencia and Lyon in the CL.
This season we lost a couple of key players but still outplayed Braga (Portugal) at their stade (1-1 but far the better team).
We aren't world beaters but are definitely not a bad team when we are in the mood.
Yes you guys are a bigger club and should've won purely based on the quality of the players but don't call us suckers.

Lets be honest half the people on here saw Gent 8th in the Belgian league and thought we could roll you over with our second string.

There's a reason you are 8th though. You rested players in the League earlier in the season to concentrate on the Europa. You've also had a bit of a clear out since last season. As long as you finish 6th in March and get into the Championship play offs you'll be happy.

You brought in 7 new players in January only 3 of which can be registered to play in the Europa.
This led to the English commentator saying you left starters out.

 

[balesleftboot]

Thanks.

How is the BT Sport 3 Cup regarded in Belgium?

New age football fan, competitions only matter if SKY say they matter. Personally I'd rather we rested players in the league - which we are not going to win - and play full sides in all the Cup games.

 

[balesleftboot]

Really frustrated by our lack of tempo and desire in these games, funny how teams with far succesful histories like United and Liverpool don't treat this competition as beneath them yet somehow we do. I was pleased when I saw the team news and thought that we would really go for this, but the players all played at 50%. Maybe it was complacency. I can see us going out of this now, they score one goal and we will need three.

As for the debate as to whether winning Cups will lead to bigger things, either way winning Silverware, Cup finals, these are the best days as a football fan. If all we really care about is finishing top 4 to qualify for an 'elite' tournament that quite simply we are not good enough for anyway then what is the point?

 

[Bullet]

“Generally I think they wanted it more than us, they were sharper, more motivated than us,” said Dembele.

“I hope this game has opened our eyes. I hope we double our attitude next week. And that we really want it.” Asked by Belgian reporters whether Tottenham underestimated Gent, who are eighth in their domestic league, Dembele replied: “I think so. I think this loss was deserved.”

I feckin told ya so. Twunts and twerps

 

[parklane1]

Out of interest @parklane1 what was the stadium like? Watching the game it seemed like the crowd was very far back and at quite a high level to the pitch. It seemed quite an odd design for a modern stadium.

Well the view was not very good from where we were sat, quite a way up and restricted by dividing screens between the stands. But overall i have been in much worse stands. They are supposed to have a first class resturant but we never got round to that as we dined elsewhere.

 

[parklane1]

I thought winks was our best player.
We were missing rose, verts, lamela and Eriksson, hardly almost all our best players.
Dier wasn't great for the goal but son stood on the edge of the area no more than 10 yards away picking his nose instead of going and closing down the man or the pass.
Dembelle has reverted to his old self, beat a man draw men to him but not release the ball into the space he has created.

Never really been any different really, i have always said he promises so much but very rarely delivers goals or assists. Drives me crazy because there is no doubt he has ability but he never seems to deliver as often as that ability suggests.