OMT - Tottenham Hotspur vs West Bromwich Albion

[Finney Is Back]

Which should be the vast majority of our games. Apart from City and Liverpool, we should cede ground to no team - and starting Sissoko is the most visible, transparent indication that we are setting up to be cowards and lose.

And for City and Liverpool, would *still* rather have Ndombele. Or, in the worst case, shuffle Dier back up there because his center-back experiment has failed, imo.

But play Sissoko again, we will lose again.

Let's not be shuffling Dier back anywhere other than the substitutes bench in case of injury at centre back please!

 

[Finney Is Back]

Both are much more effective on the counter (and in general) than Bergwijn so hopefully one keeps their place v City

The problem is that both are far worse than Bergwijn in terms of their defensive nous. So in a game like the Emirates Marketing Project one is likely to be Jose may value that more.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Let's not be shuffling Dier back anywhere other than the substitutes bench in case of injury at centre back please!

Agreed
And I defend the guy

 

[billyiddo]

The problem is that both are far worse than Bergwijn in terms of their defensive nous. So in a game like the Emirates Marketing Project one is likely to be Jose may value that more.

i don't really see it with Bergwijn on or off the ball and regardless, for the most part, we need our attacking players to be in the team for their attacking abilities first and foremost

 

[glasgowspur]

Jose is pragmatic, to your point, we needed the points and the win .. that comes first.

For me, the game highlights a bunch of things the current lazy narrative doesn't match
- Kane being there makes a difference, it would be even more of a difference if we had Reguilon & Gio as well
- Lamela made a difference and perhaps is an interesting view of the current challenges, i.e. PEH & Ndombele are a given, the third midfielder is perhaps the most important to our balance, too defensive and we get "clueless", too timid and we get "too slow/predictable", Lamela brought PEH type attitude plus ability to go forward and pass (held on to the ball a lot less than he has in the past as well)
- We still haven't solved the CB problem
- Bale needs to earn his spot, it's his head now, not his body that is the issue

PEH brings lamela types of attitude, lamela has been here longer and level any criticism you want at him it can never be said he didn't try or care.
A bit pedantic, but that's just the mood I'm in today

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

PEH brings lamela types of attitude, lamela has been here longer and level any criticism you want at him it can never be said he didn't try or care.
A bit pedantic, but that's just the mood I'm in today

You can never doubt Lamelas attitude or commitment, hes one of the most frustrating players I've seen at the club, he has ability but his decision making is scratchy and his inability to use his right foot is a big disadvantage to him and the team, that said we looked a lot better with him in the team.

 

[Finney Is Back]

i don't really see it with Bergwijn on or off the ball and regardless, for the most part, we need our attacking players to be in the team for their attacking abilities first and foremost

He is way more diligent at tracking his man. For all his work rate Moura switches off at that quite regularly, Lamela charges around after the ball and is very often wrong side of his man. Matters not in a game against a cannon fodder type team but quite a lot against the best team in the league.

 

[braineclipse]

We've always had at least 4 attacking players available to play in a front four and Hojberg + Ndombele have been fit all season i believe, so yes it has been available. That's the main point.

Dier being dropped is just a recent thing due to poor form but it shows that he isn't a blind spot.

Unless you don't count Ndombele as an attacking player when used as a #10 four "attacking players" has been the standard for us this season. Occasionally Sissoko has played wide, sometimes we've played a back 3/5, but Kane, Son, Ndombele and one of Bergwijn, Lucas or Lamela has been a fairly standard approach for us.

Ndombele has been available, but I don't think he's been fit enough to play deeper all that time, and he obviously hasn't been deemed ready for that role until rather recently. I think that's understandable.

 

[billyiddo]

Unless you don't count Ndombele as an attacking player when used as a #10 four "attacking players" has been the standard for us this season. Occasionally Sissoko has played wide, sometimes we've played a back 3/5, but Kane, Son, Ndombele and one of Bergwijn, Lucas or Lamela has been a fairly standard approach for us.

Ndombele has been available, but I don't think he's been fit enough to play deeper all that time, and he obviously hasn't been deemed ready for that role until rather recently. I think that's understandable.

ive been watching us play all season and rarely seen four attacking players on the pitch - you might see Bergwijn or Ndombele in the line up but they are more often than not playing in midfield with Son and Kane the only two playing attacking roles.

 

[braineclipse]

ive been watching us play all season and rarely seen four attacking players on the pitch - you might see Bergwijn or Ndombele in the line up but they are more often than not playing in midfield with Son and Kane the only two playing attacking roles.

Leaving two players up as attackers when defending is a fairly high number imo.

We have less possession and having 3 or 4 players high up the pitch when defending deeper seems strange to me.

I would like to see us play higher up the pitch more of the time. I don't think Mourinho is happy with our performances either. But I'm fine with us defending deeper at times, even if that means that it looks like players nominally in attacking midfield roles looking like they play in midfield when we do.

 

[billyiddo]

Leaving two players up as attackers when defending is a fairly high number imo.

We have less possession and having 3 or 4 players high up the pitch when defending deeper seems strange to me.

I would like to see us play higher up the pitch more of the time. I don't think Mourinho is happy with our performances either. But I'm fine with us defending deeper at times, even if that means that it looks like players nominally in attacking midfield roles looking like they play in midfield when we do.

im not equating attacking players to players being left high up the pitch when defending. Lamela & Moura v West Brom, on the ball played with an attacking intent that neither Ndombele and Bergwijn have shown so far this season - maybe it's just that those two players are more direct by nature and the tactical improvement im hoping for wasn't actually there?

 

[braineclipse]

im not equating attacking players to players being left high up the pitch when defending. Lamela & Moura v West Brom, on the ball played with an attacking intent that neither Ndombele and Bergwijn have shown so far this season - maybe it's just that those two players are more direct by nature and the tactical improvement im hoping for wasn't actually there?

Ndombele for me has definitely been direct in a lot of games when playing as a #10. Running at people, forwards passing, high risk high reward moves when under pressure to get past people.

Bergwijn hasn't been as direct, and has at times had a rather thankless defensive role.

I think we agree that we need to play on the front foot more. That the balance between defending deeper and other approaches isn't right at the moment. Where I think we might disagree is where that balance should or can be to be at an acceptable level.

Perhaps we also disagree with the causes of that. I think we agree that Mourinho's caution first approach is a factor. But I also think that the imbalances and shortcomings of our squad is an important factor.

 

[paxtonwolf]

What a relief to get back on track. I assume something like this happened.

"Hi Dr Tottenham, its Sam Allardyce. I heard you have helped out Jurgen, Thomas and Graham recently"

"Yes, that is correct"

"Well, what it is. My lads keep conceding 4 and 5 goals a week, and have only won twice all season. Can we come to your surgery on Sunday around 12 noon and help us get a much needed 3 points"

"You can Sam, but in all fairness, I am just a doctor. What you need is a miracle worker..."

 

[Spurs7891]

This is a badly needed win. We played well and could have won by more goals if we had been more clinical in front of goal. Credit to Kane and Son for the goals and Hojbjerg and Moura for the assists. Our attack looked much better with Moura and Lamela starting instead of Bergwijn and Bale. WBA used to be our jinx team, so was worried when we failed to score in the first half. Fortunately for us, we scored at the start of the second half which helped to calm our nerves. Happy to see us keeping the clean sheet despite Sanchez starting in defence. But WBA did score 2 goals which was correctly ruled off side. Let's hope this win will help us go on a winning run to get us back into the top 4 race.

 

[We are Tottenham]

Bale needs to have good hard think and go to a lesser league and play regularly and get properly match fit.

pardon me...but you don't have to play matches to get match fit...whats he been doing in all these months of training?