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***OMT EPL TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Manchester United***

Everything felt very blunt. I thought Richarlison battled well but lacked quality in his touch (great goal though). Johnson really frustrating, Timo just landed. Midfield controlled the game well but just lack that spark. Not really sure how Bentancur got man of the match probably based on stats and because there were no other standouts.

I’m already super excited for next season. Another 6 months of ironing out the creases, getting players fit (and consistently fit) and a couple more quality additions in the summer transfer window and I think next season we have a real chance. Not that I’m writing off this season.
Great goal from Bentancur, all round good performance. No other standouts perhaps.

Given the circumstances (players actually playing) I thought the midfield did as much as can reasonably be expected. Lacking our entire starting trio from earlier in the season in Bissouma, Sarr and Maddison. But then also missing the natural replacements for Maddison in GLC and Kulusevski. Kulusevski and Son missing in the front three. Real lack of sub options, illness in the squad...

I share your excitement for next season. But I'm also really excited to see what this team can do when we have most of our first choice players back.

Edit: Just to be clear, not disagreeing with you at all.
 
I think some people are getting a little carried away that just because Bentancurs return came out of nowhere, all of a sudden every other player is going to make a magical early return to the side....

There was a lack of training photos and videos this week. With 2 new signings I thought there would be a lot more showing them settling in.

Keeps us guessing, and who ever we are going to play

Even more a remarkable performance than I realised. Sickness in the camp with Skipp and Udogie being under the weather all week. Rust can be excused for Romero and Vdv. Werner not really match fit yet.

Udogie doesn't surprise me. He had a good game, but we didn't see him get forward as much.
 
This pass from Romero to start the move for the second goal.

Not sure there’s another CB in the division that would see it, let alone make it.

Fantastic.

There were others too, perhaps not quite as standout as that one, but still really good. And in just about every situation on the ball composed, useful touches and passes. He really is so important to us, particularly when we're missing a few players further forward.

Perhaps situations where he should have done better defensively once or twice? (not entirely sure about that) But mostly just slotted right back in being his dominant self again. Great to see.
 
Great goal from Bentancur, all round good performance. No other standouts perhaps.

Given the circumstances (players actually playing) I thought the midfield did as much as can reasonably be expected. Lacking our entire starting trio from earlier in the season in Bissouma, Sarr and Maddison. But then also missing the natural replacements for Maddison in GLC and Kulusevski. Kulusevski and Son missing in the front three. Real lack of sub options, illness in the squad...

I share your excitement for next season. But I'm also really excited to see what this team can do when we have most of our first choice players back.

Edit: Just to be clear, not disagreeing with you at all.

Yeah, I think the performance very much matched the players in the team. Johnson the only one that I'm disappointed with -- every else played about to their ability or better. Add just one or two of Maddison, Kulusevski, Son or Lo Celso and I think we win that quite comfortably.
 
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Yeah, I think the performance very much matched the players in the team. Johnson the only one that I'm disappointed with -- every else played about to their ability or better. Add just one or two of Maddison, Kulusevski, Son or Lo Celso and I think we win that quite comfortably.
Johnson was very... Johnson.

Up against a really good full back defensively, and we were lacking some creativity in midfield to perhaps give him more service.

Release Johnson with a good through ball or into a footrace with a defender and he'll usually be dangerous. His crossing is good, but not great, so usually will be a bit hit and miss. If he gets into a lot of those situations he'll look good and create things. If it's only a couple his effectiveness rests on his crossing in those few moments.

Give him the ball in other situations and he'll usually be fairly cautious. Find a fairly easy pass to keep possession, but not really all that useful. But will be a threat, stretch play, be someone opponents have to watch out for. Because him getting in behind once could easily lead to a big chance.

If he's to develop past that he'll need quite a bit of time I think. He too imo played pretty much to his current standard level given the situations he found himself in. For now it's the player he is and he'll have games like this one where he's only very rarely in those situations he thrives in.
 
Everything felt very blunt. I thought Richarlison battled well but lacked quality in his touch (great goal though). Johnson really frustrating, Timo just landed. Midfield controlled the game well but just lack that spark. Not really sure how Bentancur got man of the match probably based on stats and because there were no other standouts.

I’m already super excited for next season. Another 6 months of ironing out the creases, getting players fit (and consistently fit) and a couple more quality additions in the summer transfer window and I think next season we have a real chance. Not that I’m writing off this season.

As a general summary, we controlled the game (won every stat and limited them to 2 shots on target at Old Trafford), 2nd half we basically owned the field. That said, we didn't have enough threat going forward.

When you realize 5 of the front 6 starters were missing and we could not even fill the bench (only 8), what was on the bench was GK x2, academy players x3, plus a new player who probably trained with team once. Our bench was effectively Gil, Royal & Dragusin, the lack of bite is quite understandable.

Bentancur got man of the match because we absolutely dominated the game via the midfield, having a midfield that also had Skipp & PEH in it, when have we ever dominated a game/possession with Skipp & PEH in midfield? His calmness, his ability in tight spaces, his ability to break the lines (pass or run) is a level above.

Fully fit, this is a top 4 side, add another box to box/goalscoring midfielder and a true #9 and the ceiling is something more.
 
As a general summary, we controlled the game (won every stat and limited them to 2 shots on target at Old Trafford), 2nd half we basically owned the field. That said, we didn't have enough threat going forward.

When you realize 5 of the front 6 starters were missing and we could not even fill the bench (only 8), what was on the bench was GK x2, academy players x3, plus a new player who probably trained with team once. Our bench was effectively Gil, Royal & Dragusin, the lack of bite is quite understandable.

Bentancur got man of the match because we absolutely dominated the game via the midfield, having a midfield that also had Skipp & PEH in it, when have we ever dominated a game/possession with Skipp & PEH in midfield? His calmness, his ability in tight spaces, his ability to break the lines (pass or run) is a level above.

Fully fit, this is a top 4 side, add another box to box/goalscoring midfielder and a true #9 and the ceiling is something more.

Agree with all of that. Amazing that Utd can't get a tune out of Fernandez - he would have been a cult hero for us by now if we'd got him and not Gedson Fernandes instead!

It got mentioned above that Udogie didn't get forward as much - he and Porro were part of the plan to compensate for the lack of midfield strength last night - they tucked in as usual but didn't advance as much as usual, especially when Rashford started causing Porro issues. This meant we outnumbered them all the time in there.

We were not helped by having two wingers who went backwards rather than having the confidence to take on their man - in Werner's case it was a lack of sharpness, which is understandable, in Johnson's case it feels like he's timid - almost like he needs some big characters around him to gee him up. What's Sandro doing these days?
 
Agree with all of that. Amazing that Utd can't get a tune out of Fernandez - he would have been a cult hero for us by now if we'd got him and not Gedson Fernandes instead!

It got mentioned above that Udogie didn't get forward as much - he and Porro were part of the plan to compensate for the lack of midfield strength last night - they tucked in as usual but didn't advance as much as usual, especially when Rashford started causing Porro issues. This meant we outnumbered them all the time in there.

We were not helped by having two wingers who went backwards rather than having the confidence to take on their man - in Werner's case it was a lack of sharpness, which is understandable, in Johnson's case it feels like he's timid - almost like he needs some big characters around him to gee him up. What's Sandro doing these days?

United can't get a tune out of anyone, long may it continue

Udogie shut down Garnacho completely (he's arguably been their player of the season)

FWIW, Sandro is usually hanging out at Spurs stadium most match days ..
 
Everything felt very blunt. I thought Richarlison battled well but lacked quality in his touch (great goal though). Johnson really frustrating, Timo just landed. Midfield controlled the game well but just lack that spark. Not really sure how Bentancur got man of the match probably based on stats and because there were no other standouts.

I’m already super excited for next season. Another 6 months of ironing out the creases, getting players fit (and consistently fit) and a couple more quality additions in the summer transfer window and I think next season we have a real chance. Not that I’m writing off this season.
Trust me...it's going to get exciting THIS season... we'll be rolling along come Feb
 
Trust me...it's going to get exciting THIS season... we'll be rolling along come Feb
if we get to the root of the injury problem. hopefully udogie, porro and vicario are able to last the season without serious time out. i don't think we have good depth in those positions
 
What's really impressive, which other posters have also mentioned, is that we play the same way regardless of who is on the pitch. And, more importantly, at a high level too. Maybe not as high as when our first choice players are out, but still at a level that allows us to go toe to toe with any team, even dominate. This is a far cry from the past (even under Poch) when 3-4 changes to the starting lineup resulted in a significant drop-off in our performance.

This manager we have is really something.
 
What's really impressive, which other posters have also mentioned, is that we play the same way regardless of who is on the pitch. And, more importantly, at a high level too. Maybe not as high as when our first choice players are out, but still at a level that allows us to go toe to toe with any team, even dominate. This is a far cry from the past (even under Poch) when 3-4 changes to the starting lineup resulted in a significant drop-off in our performance.

This manager we have is really something.
This bodes well for next season.

We can switch things up in cup games without having the turgid performances and thinking everyone who took part is sub standard (ie brick):).

The way we've dealt with adversity and the fact that's given nearly everyone in the squad plenty of minutes...is going to have a massive carryover.
 
This bodes well for next season.

We can switch things up in cup games without having the turgid performances and thinking everyone who took part is sub standard (ie brick):).

The way we've dealt with adversity and the fact that's given nearly everyone in the squad plenty of minutes...is going to have a massive carryover.
That's a good point. The injuries have given game time to a lot of players, which has also helped. Next year it will be proper rotation, hopefully, and not injuries that achieve this.
 
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