OMT ** Tottenham Hotspur v AZ 13.03.2025 **

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Talking about players playing in the wrong part of the pitch, I can't understand for the life of me why Son is in our penalty area defending corners and free-kicks. He is an absolute liability defensively. If he were deployed further up the pitch it would not only give us a potential out-ball but also it would take two to mark him thus nullifying the opponents threat in our own penalty area. It seems such a no-brainer to me.

I have never understood why we do that, what use is a player who can't win headers or tackles defending set pieces?

 

[lurker of old]

Did we get lucky with the second Odebert goal, he must have been close to offside? (Not that it matters one jot, but it's good if we are finally getting some luck. Got to say though, that to play so open once we went ahead is insane. Parrot nearly scored, as did their other guy going for the rebound off Vic's save. I love Ange the philosopher but when you only have a one nil lead, in the closing minutes, why on earth leave the team so open to a counter? It's bonkers really........... can anyone on here defend that?

 

[K.D.D.D.D.Soc]

Did we get lucky with the second Odebert goal, he must have been close to offside? (Not that it matters one jot, but it's good if we are finally getting some luck. Got to say though, that to play so open once we went ahead is insane. Parrot nearly scored, as did their other guy going for the rebound off Vic's save. I love Ange the philosopher but when you only have a one nil lead, in the closing minutes, why on earth leave the team so open to a counter? It's bonkers really........... can anyone on here defend that?

I understand but isn't the reverse you sit back and let them attack and we've always been very good at that.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Did we get lucky with the second Odebert goal, he must have been close to offside? (Not that it matters one jot, but it's good if we are finally getting some luck. Got to say though, that to play so open once we went ahead is insane. Parrot nearly scored, as did their other guy going for the rebound off Vic's save. I love Ange the philosopher but when you only have a one nil lead, in the closing minutes, why on earth leave the team so open to a counter? It's bonkers really........... can anyone on here defend that?

The was their only attack in the half besides the one they scored from which was super lucky

 

[lurker of old]

I understand but isn't the reverse you sit back and let them attack and we've always been very good at that.

But does it have to be so black and white? Can't we try and keep the ball in their half but still have some defenders back closer to goal and make sure the DM/number 6 is in our half and facing forward?

 

[tommysvr]

But does it have to be so black and white? Can't we try and keep the ball in their half but still have some defenders back closer to goal and make sure the DM/number 6 is in our half and facing forward?

I’d say the plan is something similar to that - though push high rather than drop deep. However, when a team is on the verge of being knocked out of a competition, they’re going to push forward and create chances. That’s inevitable. From memory, it was really only the last 15 mins when we conceded the main chances, and that was having made 2 changes at CB too.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, giving the ball back to them from long goal kicks every time didn’t help either.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I’d say the plan is something similar to that - though push high rather than drop deep. However, when a team is on the verge of being knocked out of a competition, they’re going to push forward and create chances. That’s inevitable. From memory, it was really only the last 15 mins when we conceded the main chances, and that was having made 2 changes at CB too.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, giving the ball back to them from long goal kicks every time didn’t help either.

We really didn’t concede many chances
It was just fan felt pressure because a panic kinda sets in with fans (lack of control)
They had 2 shots in target including the goal

 

[Bedfordspurs]

But does it have to be so black and white? Can't we try and keep the ball in their half but still have some defenders back closer to goal and make sure the DM/number 6 is in our half and facing forward?

Depends how compact you are
That’s how it should be with inverted full backs
You should win the midfield
Our DM is nearly always facing forward.,, the issue is they don’t run back or they let the man run off them

Just focusing on the last goals we have conceded
Yesterday - the DM was clearing the ball and it hit his own player. That can and does happen to anyone
Bournemouth’s first goal… came from the full back making a woefully executed pass and his opposite number letting his man get inside (Spence’s man). DM doesnt stop that because of where the pass was made and the initial error
Second goal they played great football right through the middle and a DM (we didn’t know who was playing that role at that point) could have done something. Great goal though
Last Thursday - OG
City game - not stopping cross wide
There are obviously loads and I fully agree a real DM will be beneficial but the current knock on having a weaker player there isn’t huge. It’s an area of opportunity though

 

[Muttley]

Bournemouth’s first goal… came from the full back making a woefully executed pass and his opposite number letting his man get inside (Spence’s man). DM doesnt stop that because of where the pass was made and the initial error

Yes, but if we had a holding midfielder, they would normally be sitting protecting the backline but a little biased to the side that we're attacking That is because the full-back on the other side would normally hold. For the first goal, Spence did actually stay at LB when Porro foraged which means Biss in a conventional system should be sitting tucked in on the right. He wasn't, as Ange wants these guys to go and find space. His starting position as we lost the ball was over the other side of the centre circle, much closer to LB than RB.

In most tactical systems Biss would have just sprinted over to Kirkez and been there as he crosses the half way line. Obviously, Ange knows best. We don't need a 6, 8 and 10. We need two 8's and a 10. Then these moments happen over and over.

Also, Spence was so lackadaisical about defending all game. There was no getting back, resting behind the ball and marking his player. He spent way too much time just ambling back. He was also the most likely out the 4 to keep them onside. I hope this stuff comes more naturally to him at RB. That shouldn't have been goal based on the manager and the players.

As I say, Ange knows best.