*** Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds Leeds Leeds ***

[Bedfordspurs]

You cannot judge the performance of a player who is outnumbered. Many on here used to think Danny Rose was poor. However he had Chadli in front of him who did zero defensive work. I thought Rose was a very good player even back then as he coped as well as anyone could with constant 2 v 1s, as soon as our shape improved, Rose was instantly a good full back.

Our team is so unbalanced at the moment, we actually have a lot of decent players but too many who play for themselves. We have an extremely poor centre back in Dier and no adequate partner for Hojbjerg in the centre of midfield. We could improve at right and left back but both positions are a good few signings down the list of priorities. We could put peak Neville and Irwin in this team and still it would look like we had two poor fullbacks.

Hojdjberg yesterday should have been off
He was awful
Tried hard but looked lost and knackered

 

[StephenH]

Bale is a conundrum.
He is now the epitome of the flat track bully.
Not knowing what Levy's plans are it's hard to call the Bale situation.
I personally wouldn't want an expensive part-time Bale.
Spend the money elsewhere.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Bale is a conundrum.
He is now the epitome of the flat track bully.
Not knowing what Levy's plans are it's hard to call the Bale situation.
I personally wouldn't want an expensive part-time Bale.
Spend the money elsewhere.

He is 100% a flat track bully
But that’s a role in itself
The issue of course is all the excitement it causes then means people call for him play against better sides
And the he the wanders around waiting for one one else to do the leg work for him
Yesterday he won a couple of defensive headers brilliantly so I thought I’d check his stats... when I did he had made 14 passes. Then he got subbed. That’s an embarrassment for a player for his qualities

 

[Baleforce]

i can't understand I think that I am a better football fan than the rest of you on here knocking Bale. He is a World class player allthough older...and still has scored more goals than any other Spurs player per time on the field. You dont expect him to be Michael Johnson charging up and down the pitch for ninety minutes. He is still very quick on the ball. We played some good football in the first half and were taking the game to a very good Leeds Team. They were fortunate to have scored before half time as they were starting to tire..IMO.
Its a wonder Bale was not blamed for Leeds third goal as well.

I expect all of our outfield players to charge up and down the pitch until the game is won.

 

[Baleforce]

“A clear out” is easy to say but not so easy to implement with our severely limited funds.
It will take considerable care to make sure we don’t throw the baby out etc.

They are all insured right, can't we just "break" them?

 

[StephenH]

They are all insured right, can't we just "break" them?

Lets start with Lamela.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I expect all of our outfield players to charge up and down the pitch until the game is won.

I expect all our players to put in a minimum standard of effort
The level has to be that of the opposition otherwise the talent will not shine through
Bale being outshone by Jack Harrison should be a cause of embarrassment
Guess they are both on loan though so maybe that’s why

 

[glasgowspur]

He is 400% a flat track bully
But that’s a role in itself
The issue of course is all the excitement it causes then means people call for him play against better sides
And the he the wanders around waiting for one one else to do the leg work for him
Yesterday he won a couple of defensive headers brilliantly so I thought I’d check his stats... when I did he had made 14 passes. Then he got subbed. That’s an embarrassment for a player for his qualities

So for £200k a week we can only play him at home against lower level teams who don't press or attack us.
What's that, a dozen games a season?
And if we need bale to beat these teams in tge first place then the rest of the squad can fudge off.

 

[SteveAWOL]

He is 400% a flat track bully
But that’s a role in itself
The issue of course is all the excitement it causes then means people call for him play against better sides
And the he the wanders around waiting for one one else to do the leg work for him
Yesterday he won a couple of defensive headers brilliantly so I thought I’d check his stats... when I did he had made 14 passes. Then he got subbed. That’s an embarrassment for a player for his qualities

Even with Madrid contributing most of Bale’s wages he’s still the highest earner in the history of THFC, so I’d expect more for the money than this

 

[Bedfordspurs]

So for £200k a week we can only play him at home against lower level teams who don't press or attack us.
What's that, a dozen games a season?
And if we need bale to beat these teams in tge first place then the rest of the squad can fudge off.

As I say it’s an area where you need to have some options
We have struggled against weaker sides

 

[Hotshot-Tottenham]

I'll start by saying that I think Jose was the wrong man and I think Alli can still be a star again for us.

However, if rumours are true that Levy forced him to keep Alli and Winks, that's not on. The manager has to be allowed to manage and breaking up a group that has underachieved for years needs to be done. Levy needs to keep out of that unless the manager is proposing to trade Kane in for magic beans or something. However if he suggests trading Dier or Aurier for magic beans, I think that's a reasonable swap.

Isn’t it weird to think that when Jose was at Man U Dier was touted as a £50m target.

 

[Pirate55]

Hojberg has been good value. But agree with your point....

Hojberg has some good qualities but is chronically slow. I was shocked when I first saw that in the first game against Everton. I think Mourinho noticed it too. That is why during our best period he protected PEH with Sissoko's althetisism and power in the middle and asked his two wing forwards (Son/Bergwyn and Lucas to play deep. ). With this formation we actually achieved first position in the league in December. However as soon as Mourinho let the handbrake off slightly and brought in NDummy, LoCelso, Winks and Sanchez our defensive side cratered and Hojberg was again left exposed chasing shadows (slowly). I think he would be fine paired with a strong partner but is always likely to flounder if paired with one of NDummy, Winks or LoCelso in a CM two.

We really need a powerhouse to play next to him next season. I am not sure whether Skipp is that man.

 

[Pirate55]

You cannot judge the performance of a player who is outnumbered. Many on here used to think Danny Rose was poor. However he had Chadli in front of him who did zero defensive work. I thought Rose was a very good player even back then as he coped as well as anyone could with constant 2 v 1s, as soon as our shape improved, Rose was instantly a good full back.

Our team is so unbalanced at the moment, we actually have a lot of decent players but too many who play for themselves. We have an extremely poor centre back in Dier and no adequate partner for Hojbjerg in the centre of midfield. We could improve at right and left back but both positions are a good few signings down the list of priorities. We could put peak Neville and Irwin in this team and still it would look like we had two poor fullbacks.

And add to that a hold up type CF. For all Kanes wonderful qualities of goalscoring and playing the quarter back role, he has gone severely backwards in his ability to lead a line when long balls are pumped up and get in defenders faces like he used to. When we have defence who are so easily pressed that they have to hit it long, Kane virtually never manages to compete successfully with the oppositions centre halves any more. That is why I suspect Mourinho desperately wanted an Abramovitz, Drogba, Costa, Lukaku type player to play alongside (as well as instead of) Kane. Vini clearly isn't the answer.

If Kane had a beast to play up front with and take a lot of the physical elements way from him I think he would benefit enormously. Similarly the defence would also have a rest as the ball wouldn't keep coming back so quickly as it does now.

 

[DeanoAustin]

Isn’t it weird to think that when Jose was at Man U Dier was touted as a £50m target.

It's nuts. And most of us didn't want to lose him. He keeps getting picked by Southgate which I cant understand. The lad is a decent player, seems a good guy but he's just not good enough even for top 6/top 8.

 

[parklane1]

“A clear out” is easy to say but not so easy to implement with our severely limited funds.
It will take considerable care to make sure we don’t throw the baby out etc.

Of course it will not be easy ( no one is saying it will be), but if we do not do so we will be having the same problems next season. We have several players here who have let 3 managers down and will continue to do so under whoever comes in next.

 

[billyiddo]

Of course it will not be easy ( no one is saying it will be), but if we do not do so we will be having the same problems next season. We have several players here who have let 3 managers down and will continue to do so under whoever comes in next.

When you say 3 managers are you including Mason?

 

[Raziel]

So my view (kept away post match)

Mason got a little schooling
- Leeds look better coached (hard to put on Mason as he's only had a couple of weeks)
- We look better on individual moments
- The issue was around taking the "don't change a winning side", it is super clear Leeds will press/harass at pace all game long, carrying both Bale and Dele (yes, people are going to talk brick about him being a possession player, he isn't), leaving the midfield at a numeric disadvantage was never going to work

Nothing we haven't known for two years or so
- CB area still a problem
- Our first choice FBs are decent but need protection
- fudging side is ala Redknapp days, all about individual brilliance, not much actual coaching (no fudging way Leeds should knock the ball around us)

 

[Finney Is Back]

Hojdjberg yesterday should have been off
He was awful
Tried hard but looked lost and knackered

Agreed. I think he also still needs a partner. Neither Ndombele or Lo Celso look like players who can play as one of the midfield two to me. If we added at least 1 (and probably) 2 proper centre backs and a physical (but skilful) specimen along side Hojbjerg in the midfield two (Soumare please!) such that Hojbjerg only has to cover one side of the pitch and not try to have to cover 2 then I think we could let Ndombele, Kane, Son + 1 (Moura/Bergwijn, perhaps Dele ghosting in from a wide position, or maybe even Lo Celso doing this?) do their thing in attack with the two fullbacks bombing on to support and provide the width. I think this would give the team a better balance between defence and attack.

IMO we NEED 3 signings this summer from where we are now + Skipp and Sessegnon coming back.... 2 x CBs and 1 x proper CM. The right players for those positions would actually give us a good team and deep enough squad. There are further bits of fiddling around we could also do to improve (i.e. backup keeper, backup CF, right back competition, RWF) but the other 3 signings are the absolutely essential ones I think and, if not done, we'll be scambling around for a 6th to 9th place PL finish again.

 

[glorygloryeze]

We certainly need more 'press-resistant' players like the old Dembele...

 

[Finney Is Back]

So my view (kept away post match)

Mason got a little schooling
- Leeds look better coached (hard to put on Mason as he's only had a couple of weeks)
- We look better on individual moments
- The issue was around taking the "don't change a winning side", it is super clear Leeds will press/harass at pace all game long, carrying both Bale and Dele (yes, people are going to talk brick about him being a possession player, he isn't), leaving the midfield at a numeric disadvantage was never going to work

Nothing we haven't known for two years or so
- CB area still a problem
- Our first choice FBs are decent but need protection
- fudging side is ala Redknapp days, all about individual brilliance, not much actual coaching (no fudging way Leeds should knock the ball around us)

I agree with a lot of this but thought that Dele was our best player after Lloris. Was surprised that he wasn't in the MoTM poll. He was involved in everything good that we did.

Our Harry Redknapp team was also pretty well coached I think. We didn't see our players getting isolated 2 on 1 as was the case often out wide both sides on Saturday.