*** Tottenham Hotspur vs. Leicester City *** OMT

[Gazza Dazzla]

It's good in theory but when does it ever really work like that? We had a whole week off before the utd game (first time we had that sort of break for months is imagine) and gave our worst performance of the season. I'm sure i remember a similar scenario at the start of the season as well, international break, 2 weeks with the squad, only a few who were called up for their country and we put in a poor performance again.

The guys have played plenty of matches with this system / personnel, mostly to good effect, but it didn't work in the slightest at the weekend and it was highlighted to everyone exactly how you nullify and harm us. I don't think it would be any worse to try a couple of changes.

 

[SteveAWOL]

Well hopefully Pochettino can fine tune his system during the week to deal with those pesky Foxes, as this is just the sort of fixture that has cost us dearly over the past decade.

Looking through the tables on www.statto.com, I thought it was quite telling that we are on course to surpass the Goons' points tally in fixtures against top half sides for what would be the 6th time in 7 seasons. However it's been their ability to ruthlessly dispatch struggling teams which has kept the Goons ahead of us and in those lucrative €hampions League spots over the past decade.

 

[braineclipse]

It's good in theory but when does it ever really work like that? We had a whole week off before the utd game (first time we had that sort of break for months is imagine) and gave our worst performance of the season. I'm sure i remember a similar scenario at the start of the season as well, international break, 2 weeks with the squad, only a few who were called up for their country and we put in a poor performance again.

The guys have played plenty of matches with this system / personnel, mostly to good effect, but it didn't work in the slightest at the weekend and it was highlighted to everyone exactly how you nullify and harm us. I don't think it would be any worse to try a couple of changes.

That's a very small sample size mate. Didn't work out away to United, so abandon our plans and try something different? Don't get it...

Well hopefully Pochettino can fine tune his system during the week to deal with those pesky Foxes, as this is just the sort of fixture that has cost us dearly over the past decade.

Looking through the tables on www.statto.com, I thought it was quite telling that we are once again on course to outscore the Goons in fixtures against top half sides this season. However it has been their ability to ruthlessly dispatch struggling teams which has kept the Goons ahead of us and in those lucrative €hampions League spots over the past decade.

Solid observation and important to keep in mind going into the last 9 games of the season with only 2 of those games against the current top 6.

We have struggled against smaller teams earlier this season too. But if we can put a good run together and sort out some of those issues towards the tail end of the season there's still a lot of points to play for.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

That's a very small sample size mate. Didn't work out away to United, so abandon our plans and try something different? Don't get it...

I'm not suggesting forever! we've played Leicester twice and probably should have lost both matches, with the same formation and essentially the same players that played against utd.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel, but exchanging an under performing player or two wouldn't harm and possibly mixing up certain players positions I doubt would hurt either, e.g. Eriksen centre mid against a team likely to play 4-5-1 where we'll have loads of possession could be an option, or playing soldado off Kane for similar reasons of anticipating we will likely dominate possession and territory so having 2 players who are a direct goal threat (no soldado jokes pls!) in and around the box rather than just one who tends to get isolated could also improve us?

 

[braineclipse]

I'm not suggesting forever! we've played Leicester twice and probably should have lost both matches, with the same formation and essentially the same players that played against utd.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel, but exchanging an under performing player or two wouldn't harm and possibly mixing up certain players positions I doubt would hurt either, e.g. Eriksen centre mid against a team likely to play 4-5-1 where we'll have loads of possession could be an option, or playing soldado off Kane for similar reasons of anticipating we will likely dominate possession and territory so having 2 players who are a direct goal threat (no soldado jokes pls!) in and around the box rather than just one who tends to get isolated could also improve us?

Not saying that we can't or shouldn't make one or two changes. Quite the opposite.

I would start Mason and Bentaleb again. Quite well suited to a game like this I think and we haven't started them all that many times against "smaller teams".

Not sure about Soldado. Wouldn't mind, but he's let us down a lot of times. Not sure he deserves a starting spot ahead of Chadli who has delivered a lot more often and Lamela/Townsend.

 

[Modric THFC]

I thought Dembele looked a good option for the United game. They were likely to have a lot of possession. Demebele's defensive impact, athleticism and strength would be a good fit. His problems on the ball would be less noticeable. Leicester pose a completely different challenge, what we need (imo) are players capable of moving the ball quickly with purpose and moving well off the ball.

Lamela for Townsend for those reasons. Fazio for Dier as I think Dier's confidence might have dropped and he's a young player still developing, no need to play him through a rough patch.



Agreed. First time in months where we'll have a chance to actually properly develop our play on the training ground over the full week between each game. More towards the extreme of what Poch wants to do, not less.

Are we gonna use the full week training though? Start of last week the players were all flying off on mini breaks.

 

[braineclipse]

Are we gonna use the full week training though? Start of last week the players were all flying off on mini breaks.

I'm assuming you have some kind of point to this? Or are you genuinely wondering if I in particular know anything about goes on at the training ground at the moment?

 

[Pirate55]

Well hopefully Pochettino can fine tune his system during the week to deal with those pesky Foxes, as this is just the sort of fixture that has cost us dearly over the past decade.

Looking through the tables on www.statto.com, I thought it was quite telling that we are once again on course to outscore the Goons in fixtures against top half sides this season. However it has been their ability to ruthlessly dispatch struggling teams which has kept the Goons ahead of us and in those lucrative €hampions League spots over the past decade.

Very interesting. It just demonstrates that the key is to find a style and system that dispatches the lesser sides. Unless we have real quality like our rivals in the front four forward positions we are always going to struggle with just four forwards against massed defences. Hence my reservations about a double defensive central pivot in these games when one could be deployed much more effectively in a more forward position to assist our potency.

 

[The_Midlands_Yid]

Must win on Satuday. Simple as that. Nothing but a win is good enough, Leicester are bottom at the end of the day and running out of time quickly so we need to make sure we control the match and score at least twice before we hit the last third of the match.

Also i really can't deal with my mates (LCFC fans) riding me for the rest of the season about doing us twice at the lane ....so COYS

 

[diego_maradona]

If we can find the same intensity we approached the Swansea game with we should be ok. We could and should have spanked them

 

[Mr_B]

our players looked jaded at OT, they know they won't be in the CL next season and know we're already in the EL so not much incentive, Leicester are cack and can't score so we'll probably win an ugly game 1-0, if you can sell your ticket for this game, I would recommend you do that

 

[braineclipse]

Very interesting. It just demonstrates that the key is to find a style and system that dispatches the lesser sides. Unless we have real quality like our rivals in the front four forward positions we are always going to struggle with just four forwards against massed defences. Hence my reservations about a double defensive central pivot in these games when one could be deployed much more effectively in a more forward position to assist our potency.

What do you mean by "double defensive central pivot"?

 

[parklane1]

our players looked jaded at OT, they know they won't be in the CL next season and know we're already in the EL so not much incentive, Leicester are cack and can't score so we'll probably win an ugly game 1-0, if you can sell your ticket for this game, I would recommend you do that

Great support.

 

[braineclipse]

If we can find the same intensity we approached the Swansea game with we should be ok. We could and should have spanked them

Very true. We seemed to lack intensity against Manu for whatever reason. Hopefully we'll rediscover the spark against Leicester and get at them straight from the kick off.

 

[90291Spur]

Very true. We seemed to lack intensity against Manu for whatever reason. Hopefully we'll rediscover the spark against Leicester and get at them straight from the kick off.

Nice spirit there, Brain! I'm with you. Despite all the years of dashed hope I love this club so f ucking much.

 

[Spur of the moment]

You wouldn't call Leicester a bogie side but in recent times we've been every bit as likely to lose this fixture as to win it.

PL era vs Leicester at WHL (all comps): P10 - W4 D2 L4 - GF17 GA16

Just saying.

 

[SteveAWOL]

...
Solid observation and important to keep in mind going into the last 9 games of the season with only 2 of those games against the current top 6.

We have struggled against smaller teams earlier this season too. But if we can put a good run together and sort out some of those issues towards the tail end of the season there's still a lot of points to play for.

If Poch can safely guide us through the run-in, it would be the first time that Spurs have gone unbeaten against the bottom 6 in the league since 1995-96. A potentially quite remarkable feat considering how inexperienced this squad is.

Very interesting. It just demonstrates that the key is to find a style and system that dispatches the lesser sides. Unless we have real quality like our rivals in the front four forward positions we are always going to struggle with just four forwards against massed defences. Hence my reservations about a double defensive central pivot in these games when one could be deployed much more effectively in a more forward position to assist our potency.

Aye, whilst ARSEne may lack a plan B against the top sides his plan A works annoyingly well against the lesser teams.

http://www.statto.com/

 

[Modric THFC]

I'm assuming you have some kind of point to this? Or are you genuinely wondering if I in particular know anything about goes on at the training ground at the moment?

No its just we were all hopeful that the extra time we had between games would be used on the training pitch. But Poch gave them extra days off. Players decided to jump on the first flight.

 

[braineclipse]

No its just we were all hopeful that the extra time we had between games would be used on the training pitch. But Poch gave them extra days off. Players decided to jump on the first flight.

Fairly standard approach isn't it? I really struggle to think how you can criticise Poch or not pushing our players hard enough or our players for not putting the effort in at the training ground this season. A copule of days off when we had the chance for the first time in months might do us well for the remainder of the season...

 

[indianspur]

No its just we were all hopeful that the extra time we had between games would be used on the training pitch. But Poch gave them extra days off. Players decided to jump on the first flight.

like who and where?