The Defence

[parklane1]

Players make mistakes its the nature of the game, however one thing is for sure we are a lot tighter in defence then we have been for a while.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think what you saw was our players taking a rest during the game. At half time it was done and dusted and I, much like our team, relaxed and got a bit sleepy. Villa got a very lucky goal to give them a sniff. Then the team, much like me in my computer chair, took a little bit of notice and then put the brummies down. Our defence is great because it involves the whole team.

Exactly

That Game was won after the 2 minute in our players heads

It was a spurs fuel warm up for Anderlecht and was in reality a cruise

Villa had one shot in the first half, hit the post with their best effort in the second and got the lucky deflection

What was key was that other than gestedes header they created nothing after their goal and we stepped it up and we're professional with the defence holding comfortably firm

 

[glorygloryeze]

Thoughts on the last few goals we've conceded; Is the lofted ball into the box a weakness that perhaps clubs are starting to try and exploit (albeit, against L'Arse they were doing it out of lack of choice)?

 

[NorwegianSpursFan]

I think it's more down to the fact that Gestede and Giroud are amongst the hardest players in the league to come up against in aireal duels, and Anderlechts forward was also massive.

So I don't think it's percieved as a weak point, it's more that they were playing to their strenghts.

 

[braineclipse]

I think it's more down to the fact that Gestede and Giroud are amongst the hardest players in the league to come up against in aireal duels, and Anderlechts forward was also massive.

So I don't think it's percieved as a weak point, it's more that they were playing to their strenghts.

Probably. But it's also the case that neither Vertonghen or Alderweireld are particularly strong in the air for centre backs. We don't have a Skrtel/Vidic/Terry type CB that generally wins duels against the strongest target men in the league.

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The current worry for me defensively is our set piece defending. I know Arsenal scored from open play, but other than that kinda fluky goal they mainly looked a threat from set pieces. Liverpool and Anderlecht also looked a threat from set pieces. With our centre backs + Dier as well as Dembele, Kane, Walker all solid in the air we should be able to defend better.

Hopefully Poch gets it sorted out.

 

[parklane1]

I think it's more down to the fact that Gestede and Giroud are amongst the hardest players in the league to come up against in aireal duels, and Anderlechts forward was also massive.

So I don't think it's percieved as a weak point, it's more that they were playing to their strenghts.

I don't know how to use the like button.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Probably. But it's also the case that neither Vertonghen or Alderweireld are particularly strong in the air for centre backs. We don't have a Skrtel/Vidic/Terry type CB that generally wins duels against the strongest target men in the league.

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The current worry for me defensively is our set piece defending. I know Arsenal scored from open play, but other than that kinda fluky goal they mainly looked a threat from set pieces. Liverpool and Anderlecht also looked a threat from set pieces. With our centre backs + Dier as well as Dembele, Kane, Walker all solid in the air we should be able to defend better.

Hopefully Poch gets it sorted out.

I didn't think Liverpool looked a threat at all to be honest but agree completely with your other comments

 

[billyiddo]

https://forensiconions.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/che-pochs-revolutionary-insurgency-advancing/

Interesting article which suggests the biggest reason for our up turn defensively this season is the front four and the press as opposed to the defence itself

 

[Gazza]

verdict .... not guilty

 

[braineclipse]

https://forensiconions.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/che-pochs-revolutionary-insurgency-advancing/

Interesting article which suggests the biggest reason for our up turn defensively this season is the front four and the press as opposed to the defence itself

Didn't read the whole article, but it's an opinion very close to my own I think.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

https://forensiconions.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/che-pochs-revolutionary-insurgency-advancing/

Interesting article which suggests the biggest reason for our up turn defensively this season is the front four and the press as opposed to the defence itself

It makes a huge difference as it allows the defence to Remain organised and not stretched and for me when we had players like Chadli last season doing nothing defensively we looked stretched and it made Mason/Benetelab job harder in new/unfamiliar positions. If one player doesn't do it whole system fails and for me Chadli was consistent on scoring but consistent in offering nothing defensively. The improvement with the 4 there this year is massive

But Dier coming in and cleaning up everything and been a big improvement too and for me it's a combination of both aspects

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Hi Fellas

As the author of the article I hope you don't mind me replying on here. As I said in the article, I think it is a number of factors, but the biggest IMO, is that Pochettino has now got a front four working harder and more cohesively, which drip feeds back down through the structure, meaning the CM's jobs are more simplified and and the high line defence less exposed.

The best teams throughout history IMO, always had a hard, cohesive work ethic without the ball and nearly always defended well from the front.

It's an oversimplification of a more complex tactical equation(s), but IMO the best teams attack as whole teams and defend as whole teams. Not in isolated factions.

Hence why England struggled against Spain with clearly some players prepared to do the hard work (if that was in the plan) and others ready to sit back and soak it up ... You need a style and it has to be ingrained in all the player for they system to work. It's why I highlight the failings last season it's Chadlis lack of defensive effort. One weak link and the chain breaks

 

[Modric THFC]

Hi Fellas

As the author of the article I hope you don't mind me replying on here. As I said in the article, I think it is a number of factors, but the biggest IMO, is that Pochettino has now got a front four working harder and more cohesively, which drip feeds back down through the structure, meaning the CM's jobs are more simplified and and the high line defence less exposed.

The best teams throughout history IMO, always had a hard, cohesive work ethic without the ball and nearly always defended well from the front.

It's an oversimplification of a more complex tactical equation(s), but IMO the best teams attack as whole teams and defend as whole teams. Not in isolated factions.

I dont buy it. The front 4 were running their asses off last season too. But we were conceding.
The difference is either Alderweireld or Dier.
It looks to me that Alderweireld is running that defence. We havent had a decent defender capable of organising things back there since Ledley went.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

I dont buy it. The front 4 were running their asses off last season too. But we were conceding.
The difference is either Alderweireld or Dier.
It looks to me that Alderweireld is running that defence. We havent had a decent defender capable of organising things back there since Ledley went.

I think our front 4 last season only started running their asses off Xmas onwards when we went on that run of last minute winners. Funnily enough that co-incided with our introduction of Kane (rather than Soldado or Ade), and our removal of Paulinho from the team. With a front 4 of Kane, Chadli, Lamela and Eriksen we improved greatly, but Eriksen visibly tired towards the end of games as did Chadli.

I think the difference is that our whole team knows what it is doing better either by replacing the weak links (Toby for Kaboul/Fazio) or because they have now got much more used to the system because there are no weak links (Kaboul, Capoue, Paulinho and Ade).

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I dont buy it. The front 4 were running their asses off last season too. But we were conceding.
The difference is either Alderweireld or Dier.
It looks to me that Alderweireld is running that defence. We havent had a decent defender capable of organising things back there since Ledley went.

The corner flag did more defensive work than Chadli

Make no mistake his goals were vital but his lack of defensive cover particularly down the side left Rose massively exposed at times

 

[parklane1]

We are playing more as a unit/team then we were that's for sure, but the main reason we look more secure is the introduction of Toby at the back and playing a CM player who has a defensive mindset ( unlike our CM players last season) Notice I have not said a DM so as not to get Scara knickers in a twist again

 

[Raziel]

I think our front 4 last season only started running their asses off Xmas onwards when we went on that run of last minute winners. Funnily enough that co-incided with our introduction of Kane (rather than Soldado or Ade), and our removal of Paulinho from the team. With a front 4 of Kane, Chadli, Lamela and Eriksen we improved greatly, but Eriksen visibly tired towards the end of games as did Chadli.

I think the difference is that our whole team knows what it is doing better either by replacing the weak links (Toby for Kaboul/Fazio) or because they have now got much more used to the system because there are no weak links (Kaboul, Capoue, Paulinho and Ade).

Actually think our defense has improved because

- Toby & Dier (both are simply better defensively than the people who were in their roles last season)
- Shape and tactics, we fall back now when we don't have the ball for a certain period of time, and additionally we very rarely end up with both FBs up pitch and the CBs exposed like we did last season (better coverage from midfield, better tactics re FBs).

We still have work to do on set pieces and long ball/deep crosses, but we look so much more solid.

 

[braineclipse]

The corner flag did more defensive work than Chadli

Make no mistake his goals were vital but his lack of defensive cover particularly down the side left Rose massively exposed at times

Not only Chadli.

Adeabyor started 9 games for us last season. Townsend started 10. Paulinho started 3 with another 12 sub appearances. Soldado started 7. (all those league appearances, not all competitions.)

In addition to that we had Walker either off form or out injured for most of the season leaving us much weaker at right back. There's also been significant improvements in our pressing this season in terms of the quality of it as a result of Pochettino having had a full year working with the team.

The "either Alderweireld or Dier" explanation seems way too simplistic to me.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

Actually think our defense has improved because

- Toby & Dier (both are simply better defensively than the people who were in their roles last season)
- Shape and tactics, we fall back now when we don't have the ball for a certain period of time, and additionally we very rarely end up with both FBs up pitch and the CBs exposed like we did last season (better coverage from midfield, better tactics re FBs).

We still have work to do on set pieces and long ball/deep crosses, but we look so much more solid.

I think we agree! I said we replaced the weak links with Toby and that our players have got used to the system a lot more

 

[Modric THFC]

The corner flag did more defensive work than Chadli

Make no mistake his goals were vital but his lack of defensive cover particularly down the side left Rose massively exposed at times

Like I said its not down to the front four. Chadli not playing in games this season has not improved our defensive record.
In our league games with Chadli we concede a goal every 101.66 minutes. Without him its a goal every 49.25 minutes.