( . Y . ) Tottenham v Chelsea | OMT ( . Y . )

[vkn17]

What about splitting the wall - two small walls left and right with the keeper in the middle of the goal with a view of the ball?

Logically if the kick is taken through the middle it would be on power, not placing the ball which would result in a big risk of deflection.

 

[Jurgen the German]

I haven't read the thread, I couldn't get on the site yesterday.

Interesting that some pundits thought we played well and were unlucky -- I don't feel that way. I don't think we created that much because Chelsea defended well (in a very defensive setup). Our main threat came from Harry making chances for himself, though Dele did a nice bit of skill to set him up when he hit the post first half.

Probably the worst game I've seen from Wanyama, just terrible.

Was very disappointed with how we started the game, first ten minutes. Just allowed Chelsea to walk the ball towards our goal and cross into our box at will, no intensity from us -- set a very bad tone for the game. Morata should have put them 1-0 up during this period, missed the easiest chance of the game imo.

After that period, we controlled possession but we still seemed lethargic against a team that were there for the taking, with players missing and on the back of a terrible first game.

And yet still, at 1-1, we gave ourselves a chance to win the game, yet every player seemed to make bad decisions and contrived to get Chelsea back infront. Once again, in a big game, Hugo is found wanting imo. I honestly think that in these big games, he is our weakest link. When I think of his errors, they always seem to come against top sides where we just can't afford any gifts. As our captain, you'd hope he would be raising his game on these occasions.

Gutted really -- but if we bounce back strong against Burnley, then we can go into the international break with 6 points from 9, a Wembley win and hopefully be ready to get into our stride. We need to get on a good run of wins, like we did last season, but do it early so we can get to the top of the table instead of chasing. We are capable

Good analysis mate.

Definitely agree with your comments re Lloris. Given our wage bill it would be difficult to find a better keeper who we could attract unless we went for a young up and coming keeper but he makes too many mistakes in the big games; I go back to both North London Derbies in the 2015/16 season when he cost us points, last season those two howlers against Emirates Marketing Project, the mistake against Liverpool at Anfield last season, yesterday's 2 mistakes for their 2nd goal. It isn't just every now then, it happens too frequently in these big games. I say this as a big fan of Lloris and he makes some unbelievable saves but I don't see Courtois or De Gea making the kind of errors on a frequent basis against the top sides.

 

[Rorschach]

Logically if the kick is taken through the middle it would be on power, not placing the ball which would result in a big risk of deflection.

No more so than powering a shot to the open side of the goal I would think.

There is probably a good reason why this hasn't been tried. It is just an idea.

 

[StephenH]

He stood where every keeper would. The wall is there to deal with the near post but it is impossible to do that with a ball that goes over the wall and then dips like that. It was a really good free kick, it happens.

Maybe he need to change and adapt to any weakness in his game and stand more to his left?
Hugo is a great/good keeper with superb reflexes and excellent anticipation.
I know he's not going to stop everything but the similarities between the Willian's goal in the simi and yesterdays is very strange.
I'm not Hugo biggest fan, but he is as good as we are going to get for the foreseeable future.
I would though like to see Vorm given a more games.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Good analysis mate.

Definitely agree with your comments re Lloris. Given our wage bill it would be difficult to find a better keeper who we could attract unless we went for a young up and coming keeper but he makes too many mistakes in the big games; I go back to both North London Derbies in the 2015/16 season when he cost us points, last season those two howlers against Emirates Marketing Project, the mistake against Liverpool at Anfield last season, yesterday's 2 mistakes for their 2nd goal. It isn't just every now then, it happens too frequently in these big games. I say this as a big fan of Lloris and he makes some unbelievable saves but I don't see Courtois or De Gea making the kind of errors on a frequent basis against the top sides.

Courtois is not great IMO and makes plenty of mistakes. Helps he has spent his whole career in defensive sides

He is weak on shots form distance and actually doesnt command the area either

De Gea is better I agree

Hugo makes mistakes but it's no coincidence their in the very top games as their the best teams we play

What was the mistake vs Pool?

 

[milo]

Maybe he need to change and adapt to any weakness in his game and stand more to his left?
Hugo is a great/good keeper with superb reflexes and excellent anticipation.
I know he's not going to stop everything but the similarities between the Willian's goal in the simi and yesterdays is very strange.
I'm not Hugo biggest fan, but he is as good as we are going to get for the foreseeable future.
I would though like to see Vorm given a more games.

If he does that, then he is leaving himself more open to a far post goal (which is easier for the attacking team to score). I think that you just have to accept that if the ball goes over the wall and dips from a free kick aimed at the near post, then a goal is likely but that 9 times out of 10, the don't do that.

I think that he is more culpable for the second goal. His feet were all wrong and couldn't get down quick enough.

 

[StephenH]

But all you will here is Conte's tactics masterclass, usual biased one eyed press

They were "weakened" as many thought on here and yet the they won AGAIN!
Conte put fire in Chelsea bellies, Pochettino put a team out that didn't start playing for the first 15-20 mins, another terrible slow start.
Yes the press are "one eyed" as you say but we do little to dispel all the old Tottenham tiresome cliche.

 

[vkn17]

No more so than powering a shot to the open side of the goal I would think.

There is probably a good reason why this hasn't been tried. It is just an idea.

I was thinking that if there is a gap in the middle the ball can deflect in both directions, depending on which player on the end of both walls a ball hits , if that makes sense. If a shot is powered to the open side of the goal with a "normal" wall, it is most likely to only deflect to the right of the goal (assuming yesterdays wall setup).

 

[StephenH]

If he does that, then he is leaving himself more open to a far post goal (which is easier for the attacking team to score). I think that you just have to accept that if the ball goes over the wall and dips from a free kick aimed at the near post, then a goal is likely but that 9 times out of 10, the don't do that.

I think that he is more culpable for the second goal. His feet were all wrong and couldn't get down quick enough.

The first goal is moot, I agree.
Second you are correct.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Courtois is not great IMO and makes plenty of mistakes. Helps he has spent his whole career in defensive sides

He is weak on shots form distance and actually doesnt command the area either

De Gea is better I agree

Hugo makes mistakes but it's no coincidence their in the very top games as their the best teams we play

What was the mistake vs Pool?

The kind of mistakes Lloris makes are basic ones though, makes me think that it's a mentality issue rather than poor technique.

The mistake for the 2nd goal vs Pool, he failed to keep hold of a shot when he could/should have either caught it or parried the shot over the bar rather than directly to a Liverpool player who then set up Mane to stick it in the net.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Hugo was set up as your coached a season you say and it's what you would expect

You can always be more Central but then you run the risk of doing a joe hart vs Scotland

And for the second goal it's genuinely the hardest place to save as you can't get your hand down there and to move your feet quickly is hard too a short their your base

What wasn't most frustrating for me was his choice of pass to Victor, how poorly Victor dealt with it and the lack of tracking of Alonso.

The second goal was savavble, but far from easy. Alonso was what 4 meters away - almost no time to get down. Hugo did get a hand to it but it squirmed under him.

As you say what's more disappointing is that we gave them the chance. Luiz has been immense against us last 2 games and he closed Wanyama down. Imo Wanyama wasn't awful but was closed down often. It was his first game back and he looked shattered by the end.

Did anyone know Alonso is fortunate not to be banged up now for murder/ manslaughter?


Sitting on my porcelain throne using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

 

[Daisuk]

From close range, yes, but from 25+ meters I think it might be worth trying with only 1-2 players in the wall, and packing the penalty area. Would still take a wonder strike to score. The GK will have better vision. How many long range shots go in with 10 defenders in front of goal? Not many!

Yeah, maybe. A hard shot into a packed area could cause a lot of dangerous deflections though. But yeah, would be interesting to see as an experiment. Would be a good idea for a TV show - have viewers send in their strategy suggestions and have teams that try to replicate the strategies to see how they work.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Even when we got the equaliser, I was never confident that we would hang on. I knew that those clams would find a goal and they did, there is a feeling of inevitability about it.

We were going for the win. Whipped up by the atmosphere and our dominance. A little more patience in the first half not to foul and at the end to retain possession when knackered, and we'd have won. Easy to say in hindsight. Poch wanted us to go into the game with high intensity and passion and we did! Just need a bit of balance with it.


Sitting on my porcelain throne using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The kind of mistakes Lloris makes are basic ones though, makes me think that it's a mentality issue rather than poor technique.

The mistake for the 2nd goal vs Pool, he failed to keep hold of a shot when he could/should have either caught it or parried the shot over the bar rather than directly to a Liverpool player who then set up Mane to stick it in the net.

I honestly don't remember much of that game other than we were awful

 

[diego_maradona]

ICYMI, Jenas on MotD2 last night analysing the lack of penetrating runs from our full backs...

Good analysis from Jenas

 

[Jurgen the German]

One thing I admire about Poch and the team is how we have constructed a blue print over time in how to swat aside the teams outside the top 6. Maybe tempting fate a little as I realise we play Burnley at home this week But you only have to look at our record last season at home. We almost always lose at least once at home against a pony side like WHU or Saudi Sportswashing Machine. Last season our home record was phenomenal with no brain farts against mid-table opposition.

But it's the games against Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project, United, Liverpool and to a lesser extent Arsenal where we need to improve exponentially, especially away from home. When I think of our wins against those sides in recent years, almost every win was the result of a 9 out of 10 performance from almost every player whereas Chelsea can play a mediocre game, even against the top sides and still have that knack of winning big games. I realise it's not something that happens overnight but I seriously hope Poch and the team have learnt a lot over the last 2 seasons because we will not win anything this season if we don't bridge that 5% or 10% gap that turns teams from very good sides to trophy winning teams. Even Arsenal have managed to win 3 FA cups out of 4 with the most average side that Wenger has had during his tenure.

 

[the dza]

Good analysis mate.

Definitely agree with your comments re Lloris. Given our wage bill it would be difficult to find a better keeper who we could attract unless we went for a young up and coming keeper but he makes too many mistakes in the big games; I go back to both North London Derbies in the 2015/16 season when he cost us points, last season those two howlers against Emirates Marketing Project, the mistake against Liverpool at Anfield last season, yesterday's 2 mistakes for their 2nd goal. It isn't just every now then, it happens too frequently in these big games. I say this as a big fan of Lloris and he makes some unbelievable saves but I don't see Courtois or De Gea making the kind of errors on a frequent basis against the top sides.

I think the same, I don't think we could necessarily go out and get a better keeper and in most games, it's not an issue. But he seems to get nervous or something in these games against the top teams. I do criticise his distribution, I think he makes bad decisions when it comes to that (the throw to Wanyama a prime example). It is so important to not make these mistakes against the best teams.

 

[SteveAWOL]

 

[diego_maradona]

One thing I admire about Poch and the team is how we have constructed a blue print over time in how to swat aside the teams outside the top 6. Maybe tempting fate a little as I realise we play Burnley at home this week But you only have to look at our record last season at home. We almost always lose at least once at home against a pony side like WHU or Saudi Sportswashing Machine. Last season our home record was phenomenal with no brain farts against mid-table opposition.

But it's the games against Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project, United, Liverpool and to a lesser extent Arsenal where we need to improve exponentially, especially away from home. When I think of our wins against those sides in recent years, almost every win was the result of a 9 out of 10 performance from almost every player whereas Chelsea can play a mediocre game, even against the top sides and still have that knack of winning big games. I realise it's not something that happens overnight but I seriously hope Poch and the team have learnt a lot over the last 2 seasons because we will not win anything this season if we don't bridge that 5% or 10% gap that turns teams from very good sides to trophy winning teams. Even Arsenal have managed to win 3 FA cups out of 4 with the most average side that Wenger has had during his tenure.

if we can beat the rest it puts us in contention (with a good chance) of top 4 at the least. In a year of transition in the grand scheme of things, that would represent success in my eyes.

However in terms of keeping this side together it will be difficult. They want to win things but also ultimately want to get paid

 

[StephenH]

Is Hugo untouchable?
Should we be looking in for a new No.1?