Ange in or out?

[Silly McSilly Face]

Was a very interesting interview where some older players actually bemoaned the use of play out the back because "by giving defenders so much more of the ball, you are in fact taking away ball time from the most technical players in the squad (midfielders)"

This is a big problem with our current approach, Romero gets on the ball, everyone runs forward to do the overload waiting for the Romero "ping", the Romero ping either gets cut out or is a % ball that gets cut out...Romero is now facing an overload against him as our team are ahead of the ball. Doesn't seem to be much better if the deepest lying player takes it off him, tends to be Bissouma or Bentancur who again have everyone just running ahead of them for a *ping*. Early days in Ange's reign we used to get Maddison on the ball in the middle far more often than we do now but a lot of the time recently midfield just seem to be passengers in matches....as time goes on the more it looks for me like those relatively competent opening games were down to the players not fully following instructions.

 

[Jordinho]

Was a very interesting interview where some older players actually bemoaned the use of play out the back because "by giving defenders so much more of the ball, you are in fact taking away ball time from the most technical players in the squad (midfielders)"

I think we've reached a point now where so many teams are doing it and most have figured out how to counter it. Players aren't getting dragged out of position, they just hold their formation and wait for the right moment to start their press.

We are the absolute worst the way we end up with our FBs at the corner flag with nowhere to go or pass. Being so incredibly slow at getting the ball forward just allows the opposition to settle and when we do work it forward we compress play so much we're not able to get it to anyone in a dangerous area.

 

[billyiddo]

matches....as time goes on the more it looks for me like those relatively competent opening games were down to the players not fully following instructions.

Bingo

Although I'd frame it as not up to speed rather than not following instructions.

I think it was similar with Conte, came in midway through the season so had little time to impart his style of play so would have just tinkered with how we were playing, then after his furst preseason the turgid football really set in as we moved closer to his style

 

[parklane1]

So I finally changed my vote last night - and gave it more consideration this morning (in case I was being biased after seeing the scousers celebrating (obviously better than it being the gooners but still a sickening sight, albeit it I was more than a tad jealous as well)) and am sticking with Ange Out. Tbh I know it’s the only viable outcome and I also know that has been the case for some time but I was hopeful things might change and having missed a big chunk of our games during the first three months of this year I wanted to see for myself how things looked once I was back going to/watching games. And it’s clearly no change or improvement overall.

The irony is that yesterday’s game was one where I had absolutely zero expectation in terms of result (like most of us I suspect), even more so given the game was just a few days before our SF which I expect to be given priority. Yet it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Not because we lost but because of the manner in which we lost. No fight (maybe players saving themselves for EL?). Our defending is abysmal. We don’t look coached or drilled. Our midfield is hit and miss (not intending to criticise either or Archie or Bergvall yesterday, just generally). We don’t cover our defenders but we don’t have the passing or creativity to make something happen often enough. Our attacking is totally predictable and therefore easy to defend against. Let us play out wide and by the time we’re ready to play the ball into the box, or cut-in, the opposition defence is there waiting for us. I don’t even have a tactical bone in my body - I just enjoy football and love Spurs but even I can see some of the flaws. It’s just so depressing and even if Ange does somehow lead us to EL victory, the thought of more of the same way of playing next year doesn’t bear thinking about.

I feel quite sad about it as he seemed like a breath of fresh air, and his philosophy is exactly what I would like to see play out. And it feels singularly wrong to dispense of a manager if he wins us a European trophy. But it just isn’t working. I mean win the EL and maybe he gets a shot next season (see I’m softening already!) but then if (or most likely when) it all goes wrong again we will probably have missed out on getting a preferred replacement in, no pre-season for that person. And we will start to see players downing tools I am sure.

So I’m afraid end of season is time to part ways.

Just to add : listening to various news items today talking about Liverpool securing the title after “thrashing” Spurs was particularly galling.

Post of the thread and sums up how i feel about it all.