Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield Utd League cup semi Final first leg

[braineclipse]

Agree with this fully.

It seems to have been entirely missed that it's possible to be happy with the win but critical of both the performance and the scoreline which, if we had played anywhere near our ability, would have been much better.

Agreed too.

But I think it's also important that although this was a League One side it was a League One side that have beaten several PL sides, including some fairly good PL sides. They seem like a team much better suited to a game against a team like us than against some League One cloggers.

I think expectations were a bit high going by what some posted before the game in this thread. Sheffield deserve a lot of credit, although some criticism aimed at us isn't uncalled for.

 

[Robspur12]

Agree with this fully.

It seems to have been entirely missed that it's possible to be happy with the win but critical of both the performance and the scoreline which, if we had played anywhere near our ability, would have been much better.

You have to make a distinction between posters who make objective and fair criticism and others who moan at every performance. I could see how tired players were yesterday that affected the technical performance. Eriksen's set piece deliveries were appalling. But in the critical posts this hardly mentioned while posters are going on the attack against Poch. I said to my dad last night leaving the lane that Poch would get slated for the performance he was incredulous as he thought the manager has been doing well. He supports Fulham so I'd say there is someone with something to moan about!

 

[glasgowspur]

As good as our front 4 are/can be I feel we sometimes miss a maverick. Someone that will do something unpredictable. We are very staid up front. Chadli has a bit of it and Lamella but I think his confidence is low.


Sitting on my porcelain throne using Fapatalk

 

[Robspur12]

Btw you could see how tired Chelsea looked vs Liverpool the other night in the second half. They were basically hanging on at the end. Of course ours was a different game with a different level of opposition but the same applied to us in terms of tiredness. We basically struggled to string 2 passes together. Oh and we now have another cup game on Saturday which poch will be expected to win playing brilliant expansive football.

 

[braineclipse]

Btw you could see how tired Chelsea looked vs Liverpool the other night in the second half. They were basically hanging on at the end. Of course ours was a different game with a different level of opposition but the same applied to us in terms of tiredness. We basically struggled to string 2 passes together. Oh and we now have another cup game on Saturday which poch will be expected to win playing brilliant expansive football.

Very good point. And our run has been at least as tough as theirs.

Difficult for Poch when several players underperform. Thought both Davies and Mason were poor by their standards. Eriksen and Kane were both more anonymous than they can be at their best and Ade was a bit meh. Townsend was good in sparks, but all the old flaws were there to see as well.

 

[The egyptian]

This game showed why PL teams which regelate, always struggel to promote again. Many of our players are not suitable to physical games- Eriksen and Davies - and others with their main advantages disappear -Kane and Mason-.

 

[NWND]

But you have to be sensible sometimes, nothing wrong with clearing the lines rather than putting another defender in trouble. I don't agree that the best teams take risks. They may try to pass their way out of trouble more often than not as opposed to hoofing it, but that's different to taking risks. I don't see Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project, Scum etc taking the same risks as we do and making the same mistakes.

EDIT: Ok perhaps scum, but not the other top teams.

They take the same approach, its just that Chelsea & City have better players so the play on the edge of their own box isn't as great as the chances of their players giving the ball away is less.

Arsenal & Liverpool routinely take the same 'risks' you point out. Actually, when we played Chelsea at WHL, we punished them exactly by pressing them so aggressively and high up the pitch that we often turned over possession by cutting out their attempted 'risky' through-balls from the back.

The process of playing out from the back has slowly been drummed into PL teams to the point where the continue doing it regardless these days, particularly the top teams. Its why you get so many skewed scorelines in games against two good teams. With the style of play where most teams try the aggressive press when not in possession and playing out from the back when on the ball, if one team has a bit of an off-day and the other is 'on it' then you often see one fairly evenly matched team completely wipe the floor with another on-paper evenly matched team.

It's my theory anyway. Teams used to play the percentages in the PL, but now they play riskier but 'high reward' football, for the most part anyway.

 

[paxtonwolf]

1-0 is always a good result, the perfect score, celebrate the clean sheet

The key stat amongst all the doom and gloom. When you are at home in the 1st leg, a clean sheet is massive

 

[glorygloryeze]

Happy with the clean sheet; shame we didn't make the 2nd leg more redundant.

However, THEY will have to come out and attack US so that may be to our advantage.
We wil have to win the pgysical battle first though, but barring us "Doing a Spurs" we are in a good position to progress.

 

[Kandi1977]

I wrote before the game that this would not be easy, and that there will ALWAYS be a different mind-set when facing a League One side compared to a PL side. But I was dismissed with comments such as
- "We are blatantly superior in every department"
- "no way complacency will set in"

When will people learn? I'm very relieved we actually got the win with a clean sheet. It's still not over, but I'm fairly confident we will score at Bramall Lane, and I don't think they'll manage to score 3.

 

[stinkfoot]

I wrote before the game that this would not be easy, and that there will ALWAYS be a different mind-set when facing a League One side compared to a PL side. But I was dismissed with comments such as
- "We are blatantly superior in every department"
- "no way complacency will set in"

When will people learn? I'm very relieved we actually got the win with a clean sheet. It's still not over, but I'm fairly confident we will score at Bramall Lane, and I don't think they'll manage to score 3.

I agree.

 

[stinkfoot]

The **** with these double posts!!

 

[Kandi1977]

BTW, just realised that the away goal rule only is applied after extra time in the league cup.
13.5 In the Semi-Final ties, if the aggregate score is level at the end of the second game an extra half-hour shall be played. If the aggregate scores are still level at the end of extra time the tie shall be decided by goals scored away from home counting twice. If the teams remain equal after this procedure the tie shall be determined by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the Laws of Association Football.
Read more at http://www.capitalonecup.co.uk/competition/rules/#IQJTtIWXPBE2KkSf.99

 

[thfcsteff]

It wasn't good enough, we struggled to create chances despite having all the ball and showed again that we still struggle to break down sides that park the bus and got a goal from the only decent bit of play.


Happy with the result, not happy with the performance.


We really need Levy to get in a forward/creative player to help Christian and Harry or we will collapse

You see, I heartily wish this was the thrust of criticism.

It is clear to everyone that we lack pace right now in terms of moving the ball out of defense/midfield quickly. In reality, the player we rely on too much right now is Bentaleb, because without him, the ball simply does not shift quickly enough in those areas. That is where we need an upgrade and some help IMO. I've seen it said that Bentaleb 'loses possession' more than, say, Dembele. That is because the man looks for a quick pass and some action in the channels/outside more often than not. Plus, in fairness to Dembele, he should be either wide or in the hole if he plays at all.

I believe the manager is doing a fine job all told. We need to give him better tools where he wants them.

 

[thfcsteff]

You have to make a distinction between posters who make objective and fair criticism and others who moan at every performance. I could see how tired players were yesterday that affected the technical performance. Eriksen's set piece deliveries were appalling. But in the critical posts this hardly mentioned while posters are going on the attack against Poch. I said to my dad last night leaving the lane that Poch would get slated for the performance he was incredulous as he thought the manager has been doing well. He supports Fulham so I'd say there is someone with something to moan about!

=D>

Well said that man.

 

[thfcsteff]

Agree with this fully.

It seems to have been entirely missed that it's possible to be happy with the win but critical of both the performance and the scoreline which, if we had played anywhere near our ability, would have been much better.

Lacks context. Of course that is true. Sheff Utd are in League One and we are a top Premiership side. But there are a raft of details missing from that appraisal, not the least of which being the speed at which some of our very talented players move the ball.

As I said earlier, my personal preference after 60 mins again a League One side (this is the critical bit, it might be one of the only times you could get away with 4-4-2 in the modern game now) would be to go very direct 4-4-2, Lennon and Townsend, get behind and put crosses in for strikers to get on the end of. Having said that, with Davies having an off-night, perhaps Poch thought it best to sneak the win and keep the vital clean sheet. One goal for us up there makes it very very hard for them. It was not pretty, but I remember games such as Exeter in the 6th round 1981 at home (2-0 in the end) which were ****e too! It happens.

 

[glasgowspur]

I'm not being cheeky or looking for an argument but I've never understood this get behind policy when teams are sitting in. 10 defenders between the penalty spot and 30 yards from goal there's not much space beyond to get into,?


Sitting on my porcelain throne using Fapatalk