Tottenham Hotspur V Aston Villa

[Baleforce]

Villa got Cardiff at home

We’d have been a different number right, they are listed alphabetically aren’t they?

 

[stratnumberone]

With half a team and dogbrick tactics we were still in the game .. that's the frustration (to add to the point of the draw will likely be kind)

That’s part of the frustration for me: despite the media fanfare I thought that Villa were very average and if we’d had absolutely anything about us at all we’d have won the game, or at least gone to ET. Definitely an opportunity missed.

 

[Dicko]

We’d have been a different number right, they are listed alphabetically aren’t they?

You are right, oops never considered that before. So the whole draw would have been different wouldn't it. *mind blown*

 

[Baleforce]

You are right, oops never considered that before. So the whole draw would have been different wouldn't it. *mind blown*

(any excuse to post this)

 

[Mikey10]

No, he needs a squad of fit players available for selection.

He had that for the run-in last season/the opening of this. Results were inconsistent at best. Added to that, he’ll never have a squad full of fit players in the PL because of how he plays. Might have worked in Scotland, won’t work here.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

That’s part of the frustration for me: despite the media fanfare I thought that Villa were very average and if we’d had absolutely anything about us at all we’d have won the game, or at least gone to ET. Definitely an opportunity missed.

I thought they were very beatable
But to beat a team you have to work hard no matter what and you can’t waste chances

 

[Muttley]

That’s part of the frustration for me: despite the media fanfare I thought that Villa were very average and if we’d had absolutely anything about us at all we’d have won the game, or at least gone to ET. Definitely an opportunity missed.

Yep, and Antony Taylor was his normal arrogant, incompetent self. Useless ref.

 

[Bishop]

I thought they were very beatable
But to beat a team you have to work hard no matter what and you can’t waste chances

I had a sly feeling that we would actually win this game beforehand and watching the game I kind of think we might actually be better than them but we don't have their ability to grind out results. We really have to be at our absolute best to win games and that's just not very sustainable given the style we go for. It's a way of playing that's harder to match levels consistently.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I had a sly feeling that we would actually win this game beforehand and watching the game I kind of think we might actually be better than them but we don't have their ability to grind out results. We really have to be at our absolute best to win games and that's just not very sustainable given the style we go for. It's a way of playing that's harder to match levels consistently.

We beat Brentford by grinding it out
What we can do is give teams an easy head start

 

[Bishop]

We beat Brentford by grinding it out
What we can do is give teams an easy head start

A one off. Villa have done it multiple times this and last season.

But yes we make it incredibly easy to beat us, as you know I've complained all through last season that we just make it so easy to score against us.

 

[Muttley]

A one off. Villa have done it multiple times this and last season.

But yes we make it incredibly easy to beat us, as you know I've complained all through last season that we just make it so easy to score against us.

I scratched my head on this one a lot. Some theories were based on no proper number 6, inverted full-backs and opposition getting down our flanks and lack of being tight enough in key moments of matches. What I've been watching more lately is "the defensive line". That requirement of our manager to hold it higher than feels natural to some of our players. Then their inability to hold it allowing the opposition to push in all areas leaving some defenders higher than others. Completely compounded by the same midfield problem of not having a shielder that can help. Davies and Gray have both suffered when holding a line that is not in their comfort zone. Latest is new guy Danso. Mostly though the full-backs seem to get it.

If we are going to look for solutions, I think Ange has to solve this one. If he insists on playing his way defensively regardless of where he holds the line then he needs to get the line system into every defenders comfort zone. They need to trust that the flag will go up like Porro, Romero, VDV and Udogie did before we chopped and change the defence. To be fair, you didn't see Dragu play many players onside. He had spent since last January learning the system.

Then Ange needs to look for the other part of the solution in the midfield and up front. No point talking about players we haven't got yet, so he has to make those 5 centre mids comprehend his system better. Those forwards need to take responsibility as well for defending from the top.

I might be clutching at straws but I thought our goals conceded column pre-injury crisis looked like it was trending the right way. I think Ram mentioned on the pod this week that the other big conversation was on chance conversion. We're scoring goals, but could be scoring more. If we can somehow start getting the first goals in matches, the holes will appear.

Perhaps I'm being too optimistic but I think we'll see a trend in a good direction from this point.