OMT *** Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford FC ***

[Mikey10]

3 more points than we have now would have us 7th, so that different approach you are wanting, would have us barely any further forward...

4 more points and we’d be 5th. It’s tight in that middle section.

Edit: Decent discussion in the first 15 minutes here about how PL teams are now all so well resourced and coached that they are cancelling each other out, leading to a scramble for marginal gains (mostly through set pieces) and a lot of games which resemble fixtures from the early to mid-90s (i.e. with the ball in the air a lot of the time and possession often happily ceded).

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[thfcsteff]

3 more points than we have now would have us 7th, so that different approach you are wanting, would have us barely any further forward...

I was discussing from the perspective of the squad quality only. I keep reading how average and poor this squad is. I think even with the current availability it is 7th with a different approach. The margins are fine for sure, and I believe with a different approach to play we’d have 6-7 more points.

 

[billyiddo]

I was discussing from the perspective of the squad quality only. I keep reading how average and poor this squad is. I think even with the current availability it is 7th with a different approach. The margins are fine for sure, and I believe with a different approach to play we’d have 6-7 more points.

6-7 additional points would put us 4th - do you think that's a fair reflection of our team/squad quality comparative to the rest of the league?

 

[Finney Is Back]

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Thanks mate. I knew what I was seeing with my own eyes, good to see it proven with stats.

 

[thfcsteff]

6-7 additional points would put us 4th - do you think that's a fair reflection of our team/squad quality comparative to the rest of the league?

I think Emirates Marketing Project and Arsenal have demonstrably better technical squads than the other 18 teams below them. Next would be Chelsea, who have an abundance of very technically gifted yet raw and young players. After that, I think there’s a lot of parity. Villa are punching above their weight with a really well-oiled and aggressive style of play plus the talent of two or three talents driving them on. Liverpool Tough to tell; not geling right now and with serious defensive issues due to age, however there is no doubt at all that Wirtz, Ekiteke and Isak (when fit and firing) are elite players for sure (Soboszlei too perhaps).

Running that metric in real time, I’d say it certainly would’ve been achievable, yes. The bigger issue is how far we are from those top 2 positions. I suspect the rest of the division feels the same. I also think this is a bunk year for Liverpool and they’ll be back next season. Chelsea? With the right manager…which would leave us battling for 5th?

One thing I forgot to say in reply to the previous point you made about how the different approach I want would not have us that much further forward. One, we’d still be further forward, but more importantly, it would be watching entertaining football in a style I believe vefots this coub and be showing me a destination style-wise which I believe in.

 

[braineclipse]

Very telling indeed. I thought Bentancur was our best performer vs Brentford, and to be honest, I also sat with a feeling that he played like a man possessed, almost angry. Due to the role he has been given, or due to the situation we're in? External factors? Not for us to know, and it may very well be my far to creative imagination making up stuff. But surely he used to smile every now and then, even in thight games...?

I think several of our players have looked frustrated/angry recently. As you say impossible to know if actually true and what the reasons are.

 

[braineclipse]

3 more points than we have now would have us 7th, so that different approach you are wanting, would have us barely any further forward...

That's just the league still being close, no? Top 3 and bottom 3 have somewhat separated out, other than that it's all very close still. Fairly close below us too.

Good news is that if we can put a run together climbing significantly up the table is very much possible. But can we make that happen?

 

[thfcsteff]

View attachment 21114

Of course, I thought the reason for signing Palhinha was to free players like Bentancur even further and allow them to be even more creative…

 

[Finney Is Back]

I think Emirates Marketing Project and Arsenal have demonstrably better technical squads than the other 18 teams below them. Next would be Chelsea, who have an abundance of very technically gifted yet raw and young players. After that, I think there’s a lot of parity. Villa are punching above their weight with a really well-oiled and aggressive style of play plus the talent of two or three talents driving them on. Liverpool Tough to tell; not geling right now and with serious defensive issues due to age, however there is no doubt at all that Wirtz, Ekiteke and Isak (when fit and firing) are elite players for sure (Soboszlei too perhaps).

Running that metric in real time, I’d say it certainly would’ve been achievable, yes. The bigger issue is how far we are from those top 2 positions. I suspect the rest of the division feels the same. I also think this is a bunk year for Liverpool and they’ll be back next season. Chelsea? With the right manager…which would leave us battling for 5th?

One thing I forgot to say in reply to the previous point you made about how the different approach I want would not have us that much further forward. One, we’d still be further forward, but more importantly, it would be watching entertaining football in a style I believe vefots this coub and be showing me a destination style-wise which I believe in.

Watching Villa play through Chelsea’s (very well drilled and executed) press in the second half of their game the other week was a sight to behold. It was a thing of beauty. Every player creating a passing option and then being brave on the ball. Superb coaching from Emery with the players being allowed, encouraged even, to be brave.

It was the exact opposite of our performance against Brentford where we got deeper and deeper and even less brave as the game went on, with lots of hoofed clearances.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

4 more points and we’d be 5th. It’s tight in that middle section.

Edit: Decent discussion in the first 15 minutes here about how PL teams are now all so well resourced and coached that they are cancelling each other out, leading to a scramble for marginal gains (mostly through set pieces) and a lot of games which resemble fixtures from the early to mid-90s (i.e. with the ball in the air a lot of the time and possession often happily ceded).

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Good listen and pretty much sums up my thoughts on it. I called a reduction in overall quality whilst seeing a rise in the quality of the lessers, was way last year on the PL thread and I got pummelled for it, but I maintain that and I certainly do so now watching the PL this season. The overall quality is on the floor but other sides are now fighting above their weight because they have worked the system and other markets and realised there are gems out there in football land. That aside tactically everyone now sets up almost exactly the same as each other and the football, along with being dire quality across the board, its cancelling each other out.

Arsenal and Emirates Marketing Project are the best sides in the league and I wouldn't put them anywhere near the top 10 entertaining teams in PL history, to rehash the old saying, I wouldn't watch them if they were playing in the end of my garden. thats where this league is, thats why I don't see this "we are so dire, everyone else is playing a better style than us" because from what I can see, they ain't, some just have more money to do it more efficiently.

I am curious to see if a new manager comes in to play Champagne Tottenham way, they will have to given the noise about the style, how effective that will be in this current era of drudgery, only time will tell

 

[SteveAWOL]

Of course, I thought the reason for signing Palhinha was to free players like Bentancur even further and allow them to be even more creative…

It would seem he’s become an exemplar for how we progress the ball in Frank’s Horseshoe of Death!!

 

[Daisuk]

View attachment 21114

Would look even worse if 23/24 was in there as well.