***OMT Tottenham v Dinamo Zagreb***

[Gazza Dazzla]

Now I know how Ajax fans felt after the Semi final. However, at least they were the better team on the night.

Better team on both nights !

 

[Kandi1977]

I don't think these players can win things with Spurs anymore and frankly Kane and Son deserve better.

They're as much part of it as anyone else.

 

[Mr Gogolak]

If it's just up to the players then the coach himself is utterly pointless. The purpose of a coach is to train the players to perform and to use whatever methods necessary to get the best performance out of the group.

I have to disagree with you. Between 1997 and 2004, we've had Gross, Pleat, Graham and Hoddle at the helm. Different personalities, different tactical approaches and, probably, different coaching styles. At the end of the day, they all failed miserably.

Seven years on, once we were finally rid of the nucleus of what was, in my opinion, one of the most toxic and useless squads in my time as a Spurs fan, results began picking up. Of course, you could argue that Jol was the difference maker but I don't think the rest of his career marks him a tactical genius or a great motivator. Of course, I wasn't on the training ground, but I'm certain the problem has been the players all along.

Also, got to laugh at these 'most embarrasing performance ever'. Bolton, League Cup 4th round 1996, anyone? Or that masterpiece of football, losing 7-1 to Saudi Sportswashing Machine in December 1996? We lost 6-1 to them a couple of years later, IIRC. And that's just out of the top of my head. It's a disastrous result but it's just one of many. I think the last few years have turned a few people's head...

 

[Mosquito_Coasting]

They're as much part of it as anyone else.

Don't really disagree but they have the chance to go to clubs where the general mentality is strong and win things, and who'd blame them if they did?

 

[Daisuk]

Absolute shambles. The manager is responsible for the players. Motivating them is part of the job. fudging embarrassing tonight. Mou out.

 

[Pirate55]

99% of people on this board have said that numerous times . Yet 15 million notes a year to manage can’t see it .Just have to laugh really. The fact you play that CB pairing with Winks and Sissoko in front of it is scary.

But Toby isn't capable of playing every game.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

But Toby isn't capable of playing every game.

And TBH the CBS didn’t play that bad today
The room he had for the first goal was bad (Doherty woken have got mullered for that)
And Sissoko for the last two goals was scarily slow and bad. He failed on the own thing he is meant to be there for

 

[SpurMeUp]

Credit to Zagreb. They deserved that win. We were hapless.

We don't have an effective midfield and we are weak at CB.

Then the team were so panicked, no one showed any composure. We didn't pass well, we didn't have a shape that the players understood - which helps with passing and movement.

There have been some dismal performances under Mourinnho and this probably wasn't quite the worst, but it was the most disappointing. Not sure he can stay on after this. Levy will be thinking about alternatives.

The problem for me, since Poch, has been our midfield. Ndombele is an asset no doubt, but he is a maverick. You have to construct the team around him. With no Hojberg too our midfield is championship level or worse. Winks did fine, and he's a great squad player for us. But with inexperienced CBs and weak midfield we are missing a lot in the middle. No Eriksen-type to knit everything together in attack, and weak defensively through the middle too.

Where this performance was so disappointing though, was in the familiar contradictory Mourinho setup. Take the game to the opposition, while setup and practiced to contain and defend. In the end we don't have a slick attacking movement and committment, and eventually, our cautious underpinnings catch up with us and turn into fear and hesitance.

 

[Bishop]

And TBH the CBS didn’t play that bad today
The room he had for the first goal was bad (Doherty woken have got mullered for that)
And Sissoko for the last two goals was scarily slow and bad. He failed on the own thing he is meant to be there for

Sissoko is brick I've fudging said it a million times, he's not even a good DM and lacks defensive awareness. He's only useful when we sit the entire team deep and then he can run around making challenges but it's not because he has any defensive nous. He's just literal body in the way and that's it.

The fact he plays any games at all says everything there is to say about how low our standards are.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Sissoko is brick I've fudging said it a million times, he's not even a good DM and lacks defensive awareness. He's only useful when we sit the entire team deep and then he can run around making challenges but it's not because he has any defensive nous. He's just literal body in the way and that's it.

The fact he plays any games at all says everything there is to say about how low our standards are.

I agree

 

[Baleforce]

Sissoko is brick I've fudging said it a million times, he's not even a good DM and lacks defensive awareness. He's only useful when we sit the entire team deep and then he can run around making challenges but it's not because he has any defensive nous. He's just literal body in the way and that's it.

The fact he plays any games at all says everything there is to say about how low our standards are.

Yet there is a correlation between his place in the starting line up and PotS elect Hojbjergs performances.

Since putting Ndombele in there with PEH he’s been noticeably worse.

 

[Mulletperm]

Sissoko is brick I've fudging said it a million times, he's not even a good DM and lacks defensive awareness. He's only useful when we sit the entire team deep and then he can run around making challenges but it's not because he has any defensive nous. He's just literal body in the way and that's it.

The fact he plays any games at all says everything there is to say about how low our standards are.

He has regressed massively under Mourinho. Was brick when he first came to the club, improved under Poch but has gone backwards to how he was originally.

 

[billyiddo]

If it's just up to the players then the coach himself is utterly pointless. The purpose of a coach is to train the players to perform and to use whatever methods necessary to get the best performance out of the group. They can do this by being system based or motivation based or any combination of the two but that is their role and putpose. If you think that's not possible then there is no need for a coach and instead we should just send a random set of 11 players on to the pitch.

Motivation comes from the coach. meteorology is a reflection of the coach's ability to impart that upon the players. That was Mourinho primary strength earlier in his career. That seemingly has deserted him now.

That was all he needed when he was at the top clubs in each league - but in the modern day PL with its high level of coaching almost across the board you need a different approach - the old Mourinho is not fit for purpose in this league

 

[thfcsteff]

The manager needs to send the players out to try to win the game instead of sending them out to try not to lose them. The last manager was sacked after 4 solid years of overachieving. This is on both Jose who has made us a lot worse and Levy who took a brilliant manager and failed to back him.

Absolutely.
There was absolutely NO plan.
BTW, why in earth did he start Kane? We should be able to get a goal without Harry Kane starting a game. Instead, we flog him for 122 minutes. He should've been used as a sub.
His subbing tonight was as poor as I have seen from a manager. Clueless. No tactical plan. You take off a wide player who tracks back at a moment in the game where you might be thinking "10 more mins" and replace him with someone who doesn't track properly?
Sorry, this is the side he has bred in terms of their demeanor and confidence. I put Sunday down to an off-day. I put tonight on him.

A side note...this was the first time I looked at Dele and realized he is broken at this club. I think he will rise again, and the k him for trying, but he is broken and not playing well. Winks too. Jose has broken them both. It earmarks Sanchez as a tough motherfudger, and someone I would persevere with myself.

 

[thfcsteff]

Y'all think it is the manager. Really. This is the first time the players have badly performed when all they needed to do was see it out. Remember Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Remember the European losses Vs Genk? I can't emotionally support these players any more.

Remember Real Madrid? Remember Emirates Marketing Project? Remember Ajax? Remember Dortmund? Remember 86 points in 2017? Yes mate, the manager has an effect.

Has Mourinho won a proper "big game" with us? A Prem 6 pointer? A proper cup tie against quality opposition?

 

[Mikey10]

They're as much part of it as anyone else.

Spot on. Turned into flat-track bullies?

He has regressed massively under Mourinho. Was brick when he first came to the club, improved under Poch but has gone backwards to how he was originally.

He was brick when he arrived. He was brick under Poch. He is brick under Mourinho. He will be brick until he retires.

 

[90291Spur]

Remember Real Madrid? Remember Emirates Marketing Project? Remember Ajax? Remember Dortmund? Remember 86 points in 2017? Yes mate, the manager has an effect.

Has Mourinho won a proper "big game" with us? A Prem 6 pointer? A proper cup tie against quality opposition?

We thrashed Marine. Away.

 

[billyiddo]

We thrashed Marine. Away.

Got a quality bye away to Orient too iirc

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Remember Real Madrid? Remember Emirates Marketing Project? Remember Ajax? Remember Dortmund? Remember 86 points in 2017? Yes mate, the manager has an effect.

Has Mourinho won a proper "big game" with us? A Prem 6 pointer? A proper cup tie against quality opposition?

No
But have we had any under him so far?
I don’t think that’s the measure TBF
I mean reversely he has us top for a total period longer than all the previous prem managers combined.. and now look where we are. And that included beating the guys who will walk the league
But the issue isn’t the big teams it’s as much the lesser sides of they just pressure us and simply work harder. We just fold
It’s weak

 

[Mulletperm]

He was brick when he arrived. He was brick under Poch. He is brick under Mourinho. He will be brick until he retires.

Have to agree to disagree.