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Mauricio Pochettino - Sacked

Last season, too often, Poch watched a timid display and did nothing until 75 minutes, and was criticised on here.

However Poch started the season brilliantly and either made formation changes or early subs to change the game i.e. if we were starting to look fragile, he changed it.

Today, he just sat and watched a timid display for 75 minutes, when it was obvious we were breaking. Maybe he was too hot to make a decision?

“It’s so painful to concede two goals like we did and it’s so painful that the first half looks like a friendly,” Pochettino said. “We needed to go out there like a lion. But it was like: ‘OK, we play football, we play football.’ Show aggression!

“When you score, you keep going, playing the same way but we started to change and play long balls. Then we conceded two goals that if you want to be a contender, you cannot concede. You need to show your strength. The reality is that if you want to be a contender, today we needed to win. And win easily because everything was ready to win the game.

“We need to show more respect to this competition and compete much, much better. It’s difficult for me to understand. It was very painful. I think it’s a good wake-up call for everyone.”
 
In terms of the ability of our players, I have no problems with us not signing anyone.

Where we could have a problem is the possibility of staleness. Poch might find it more difficult to get a reaction from the same faces. We'll probably rely on youngsters (Winks, maybe Amos and KWP) and our relatively new players (Moura) to give us a bit extra.
 
the dza said:
In terms of the ability of our players, I have no problems with us not signing anyone.

Where we could have a problem is the possibility of staleness. Poch might find it more difficult to get a reaction from the same faces. We'll probably rely on youngsters (Winks, maybe Amos and KWP) and our relatively new players (Moura) to give us a bit extra.
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With Kane misfiring we were short of firepower on the bench yesterday. Llorente is just not up to it. Okay Son and Lamela who were absent can do a job but they are not out-and-out strikers. Our top six rivals all have two or three more decent strikers they can call upon.
 
Spur of the moment said:
With Kane misfiring we were short of firepower on the bench yesterday. Llorente is just not up to it. Okay Son and Lamela who were absent can do a job but they are not out-and-out strikers. Our top six rivals all have two or three more decent strikers they can call upon.
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Still can't believe he missed that header from 7 yards
 
Bullet said:
“We need to show more respect to this competition and compete much, much better. It’s difficult for me to understand. It was very painful. I think it’s a good wake-up call for everyone.”
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I agree with the vast amount of what Poch says, but the respect thing I think could be thrown back at him given that he picked a team with one CM in it (and one with a questionable fitness record at that) rather than the two which he played against Man U
 
DubaiSpur said:
I really liked how we were using Dembele for the first two games - as our second-half tactical ace, brought on to take control or to wind things down.

But the man can't start games anymore - I really don't think he can. So don't use him that way.
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Could not agree more, as soon as we heard the team we were worried that without Dier and only Dembélé in there we would have problems. I know a lot on fans on here rave about Dembélé strength but he is not up to the job he was supposed to do.

Coming on for the last 30 mins to see a game out is fine asking him to perform for 90 minutes is stretching it ( imo). One of the reasons i said i would not have been bothered if he had left in the summer was because while he is still here we are going to be in a half and half position with him ( ie do we play him from the start or use him as a game finisher).
 
Whilst I agree he didn't play at his best yesterday, I don't feel like him being our sole central midfielder was a main contribution to us losing the game? Indeed I thought we dominated the game for most of the 90 minutes, in terms of possession and keeping Watford away from our goal - we just lacked quality in the final third (which wasn't due to Dembele as our sole CM), and defended two set pieces badly (which wasn't due to Dembele as our sole CM).

I know he gave away the FK that led to their first goal, but personally I thought that was a harsh decision, and he was in the perfect defensive position to deal with the threat.
 
There seems to be an unwillingness to sub certain players which for the most part I understand. But on Sunday, out of the front 4 players Lucas was the only once having some sort of impact.

Why couldn't one of Alli, Kane or Eriksen be taken off to firm up the midfield. There's nothing wrong with subbing your best players early if the game requires it. For me we made 'easy' subs, not the right ones.

Dembele needed help, to blame him after the fact again is easy.
 
fernadez said:
There seems to be an unwillingness to sub certain players which for the most part I understand. But on Sunday, out of the front 4 players Lucas was the only once having some sort of impact.

Why couldn't one of Alli, Kane or Eriksen be taken off to firm up the midfield. There's nothing wrong with subbing your best players early if the game requires it. For me we made 'easy' subs, not the right ones.

Dembele needed help, to blame him after the fact again is easy.
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My posts do no mean i was blaming Dembélé for us losing and being stretched in M/F, Poch made the decision to make him our only CM player and if any blame is to be made it should be in his court. (and i am a big fan of Poch).

We lost the game because as you say most of our players were not at their best, but we helped by not playing a stronger C/M ( imo)
 
Spur of the moment said:
Quite an insightful analysis but it makes no reference to form. Toby and Verts are both looking slower on the turn these days whilst Sanchez has become more erratic recently, suggesting these are also pointers to our increasing vulnerability at the back.
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Agree on Toby and Jan although I thought Toby was one of our best players at OT and Jan was one of the few to come out of Sunday with any credit.

But Sanchez has been erratic since he got here. He had some King-esque performances last season (Arsenal at their place for example) and some Vega-esque ones too (Liverpool at Anfield and Juve in Turin). He’ll get better though.
 
I'm not sure any team that has lost to Watford in a PL season since their promotion in 2015 has ever got top 4...:(

Oh well, i guess if we miss out there can be zero fingers pointed at Poch imo
 
Spur of the moment said:
With Kane misfiring we were short of firepower on the bench yesterday. Llorente is just not up to it. Okay Son and Lamela who were absent can do a job but they are not out-and-out strikers. Our top six rivals all have two or three more decent strikers they can call upon.
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Do they?
 
glorygloryeze said:
I'm not sure any team that has lost to Watford in a PL season since their promotion in 2015 has ever got top 4...:(

Oh well, i guess if we miss out there can be zero fingers pointed at Poch imo
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I’m not sure that any team who has whacked United 3-0 at OT in the league has failed to get top 4 or even win the thing.

It’s one really bad result and performance that I’m still seething about but I have faith in the manager and players. Whack the Bindippers and all will be well with the world.

COYMFS.
 
SteveAWOL said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1036555354597990401
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Thanks for the article, a very interesting read. 2 things stand out for me.
1. Several of us had identified the right side of defence as vulnerable last season, the stats in the article back that up. As good as Trippier is going forward he is not great defensively and the midfielders are not covering him as well as they should be.
2. Poch is often criticised (a little unfairly imo) for leaving subs late. This article suggests that this could be because he is not just considering the value of personnel changes but of formation too and their impact on the whole system of attack and defence.

Interestingly the article points out that the system was working against Watford with them creating very little and sucker punching us with 2 set pieces. That's probably why Poch didn't change it when fans feel he should have.
 
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