***OMT - Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United, Mon May 11th, 8pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium***

[Muttley]

This is the problem... When Villa beat us we were the shadow of a team but Villa were excellent. They played through us. We did the same to them this time, and still had more players out than them.

We play with the same attitude again we can make Leeds look poor too. Our players are better. I have been saying this all season that we have a good squad. RDZ is setting then up to play. When we beat Leeds people cannot be saying it was a poor Leeds team.

Brighton were the form team and it took mistakes for them to get their two goals. We were by far the better team. They were not poor, they were outplayed.... And very lucky.

I think there are some key differences here.

Firstly, there is something about Villa that we wouldn't even recognise since Poch days. Emery should be able to rotate players because that entire club has stability and a relatively long tenure of manager. That football philosophy has been set deep into the foundations of that squad. Even after 2 years Ange couldn't rotate players successfully. The entire squad hadn't got his game plan down second nature. For me, that's what made the Villa result even more enjoyable. I could look at their line-up and see that on paper that it was strong. We then knocked it aside. We didn't let them play Emery's game at all.

Secondly, the other factor is probably age. Emery has done what it takes to get his squad together over a few years. Now he has 15 players who are 28 or older. He has 8 players in their thirties and you can just see the writing on the wall unless they freshen things up. RDZ knew exactly what he had to do with Villa. He used that age profile and fatigue through number of games into consideration. He got us playing with an intensity they couldn't match.

Now take Leeds as a comparison. They only have 9 in that older age group and only 3 over thirty, only 1 outfield player. So where I hope you're right about us beating Leeds is watching RDZ change things up again. He won't be able to sweep them aside through fitness and intensity. We may see something different if we are to win this. It will be on what you say i.e. ur players having more technical ability so if we match the intensity then we could prevail. I think it will be a close game actually.

 

[indospurs]

I think there are some key differences here.

Firstly, there is something about Villa that we wouldn't even recognise since Poch days. Emery should be able to rotate players because that entire club has stability and a relatively long tenure of manager. That football philosophy has been set deep into the foundations of that squad. Even after 2 years Ange couldn't rotate players successfully. The entire squad hadn't got his game plan down second nature. For me, that's what made the Villa result even more enjoyable. I could look at their line-up and see that on paper that it was strong. We then knocked it aside. We didn't let them play Emery's game at all.

Secondly, the other factor is probably age. Emery has done what it takes to get his squad together over a few years. Now he has 15 players who are 28 or older. He has 8 players in their thirties and you can just see the writing on the wall unless they freshen things up. RDZ knew exactly what he had to do with Villa. He used that age profile and fatigue through number of games into consideration. He got us playing with an intensity they couldn't match.

Now take Leeds as a comparison. They only have 9 in that older age group and only 3 over thirty, only 1 outfield player. So where I hope you're right about us beating Leeds is watching RDZ change things up again. He won't be able to sweep them aside through fitness and intensity. We may see something different if we are to win this. It will be on what you say i.e. ur players having more technical ability so if we match the intensity then we could prevail. I think it will be a close game actually.

and Leeds recent record isn't too shabby - definitely cannot take lightly, they have done well to come up and stay in the EPL

BUT we do have experience and can pick our time well with the experienced players we have - something Gray and Bergval can learn from Biss and Bentancur i still feel

 

[Muttley]

and Leeds recent record isn't too shabby - definitely cannot take lightly, they have done well to come up and stay in the EPL

BUT we do have experience and can pick our time well with the experienced players we have - something Gray and Bergval can learn from Biss and Bentancur i still feel

Exactly, and I also think this one game a week cadence is perfect for RDZ to embed his tactical system into the players. That includes the fitness required to do it, knowing that we are well stacked with midfielders at this point. We literally have Palhinha, Bents, Biss, Sarr, Gallagher, Gray and Bergval all fit and fighting for places. That 90 min midfield intensity could be the difference in relegation avoidance.

 

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

I absolutely agree.
These players were never as bad as people suggest.

They are not bad players I question their commitment, we have all been told to work in ways we don't like or agree with but we have to do it in the best way we can and not sulk. Too many appeared to be happy to hide behind the manager, they are not alone, we see it at many clubs. Modern players don't seem to get it not about how they feel it's about how we feel.

 

[thfcsteff]

They are not bad players I question their commitment, we have all been told to work in ways we don't like or agree with but we have to do it in the best way we can and not sulk. Too many appeared to be happy to hide behind the manager, they are not alone, we see it at many clubs. Modern players don't seem to get it not about how they feel it's about how we feel.

A very fair percpective for sure.
I'd say that they've been dragged through two very different approaches, plus I personally think some were confused that having won a trophy the club heirarchy decided to start again with a new path and that said-manager then publicly talked them down. I'm not looking to relitigate opinions on the whole thing, just that I do think some had a hard time adjusting, readjusting and then essentially being told they weren't up to it.
I do think the era has a lot to do with it for sure...

...one side note. Watching the Bayern PSG 2nd leg, the sheer levels of fight and application from star players was superb. I have not seen us do that this season before DeZerbi came in, and since Brighton, I've seen it increasing. I thought the platform for Sunday was in that, and it is why I feel that as long as we do not let our own very recent standards slip, we will be fine.

 

[El Dante]

I just think we need to keep our own powder dry and do what we do, I was fully invested in the Brentford game at the weekend but not again, its now on us. I am seeing loads of online polls and crap about "would you like WHU to beat Arsenal etc"..............ridiculous

Mate of mine who supports lower league team asked me if I’d want Arsenal to win the UCL if it meant that we would be safe from relegation.

I said no. I want us to survive on our own merits and not rely on factors outside of our hands. If West Ham lose their remaining three matches then that’s great BUT we have to focus on ourselves. We have to beat relegation because we’ve done enough and not because others haven’t.

So let’s go focus on and beat Leeds.

 

[tommysvr]

They are not bad players I question their commitment, we have all been told to work in ways we don't like or agree with but we have to do it in the best way we can and not sulk. Too many appeared to be happy to hide behind the manager, they are not alone, we see it at many clubs. Modern players don't seem to get it not about how they feel it's about how we feel.

I worked for a company that was bought out by another. Incoming management was absolutely awful. I spent the next few months doing as little as possible until I found somewhere else to go. I'm sure we all do it.