Spurs v Barca - Match Thread | Page 10 | Vital Football

Spurs v Barca - Match Thread

To be fair if Barca took their chances we would have been 5 down at the break. We were pretty lucky it wasn't a hammering.

We showed some grit second half but not much else.
 
No I ain't having it. Sissoko was being pressed, the player was on his heels. He had to take a ball in the air bouncing a yard or so in front of him while on the run, crazy for Lloris to invite pressure with Barca players tight on us.
 
There was a gulf in class as we knew. So let's look at the positives. Kane scored and looked strong and lively, he contributed all over the pitch. Lamela looked good, hope his injury is not serious. Moura did well and nearly scored. Winks grew into the game. The team showed grit and fought .
 
Nick Real Deal said:
No I ain't having it. Sissoko was being pressed, the player was on his heels. He had to take a ball in the air bouncing a yard or so in front of him while on the run, crazy for Lloris to invite pressure with Barca players tight on us.
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You are spot on mate it is ok going on Sissoko band wagon, Lloris and the whole back 4 were guilty of so called fucking playing from the back. It really annoys me we should have just gone long to the strikers. I blame POCH should know by now sometimes you should change your tactics
 
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philspurs said:
You are spot on mate it is ok going on Sissoko band wagon, Lloris and the whole back 4 were guilty of so called fucking playing from the back. It really annoys me we should have just gpone long to the strickers. I blame POCH should know by now sometimes you should change your tactics
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Easy target to blame Sissoko. We bring Llorente on and play out from the back with 2 minutes left ? Get it up the pitch, he could nod one down for Kane or Moura.
 
Still scratching my head what is happening on the training ground with the full-backs. Why are they so close all of the time to the centre halves when we're defending? That's OK when you get your wide player to cover the wider space but that's not happening either. We're getting picked off every single week by easyish balls. It's subtle but they only need to move 5 yards wider and we will look way more tighter defensively and won't leave a gap between centre half and full-back.

That brings me to Moura and Son. Defensively, they just haven't got the brains that Eriksen and Dele have. It's all panic sprints to get goal side rather than engage the brain in the first place. Son was probably the worst outfield player on the pitch tonight. I say outfield, because Hugo had a mare and wins that accolade hands down. Poch is also culpable for the overplaying from our keepers. It's all 3 of them in every match this season and that comes from the training ground.
 
Nick Real Deal said:
There was a gulf in class as we knew. So let's look at the positives. Kane scored and looked strong and lively, he contributed all over the pitch. Lamela looked good, hope his injury is not serious. Moura did well and nearly scored. Winks grew into the game. The team showed grit and fought .
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Wanjama showed signs of getting back to his best, considering our injuries I'm not too disappointed.
 
We gave it a better try than I thought we had in us (especially after the first half). If we put some of that second half grit into our league matches we'll be smashing teams. The problem is we have to be playing a top team AND have our backs against the wall before the pride gets the adrenaline flowing.

Watch as we labor for a result against Cardiff this weekend. (Fair enough, there'd be a let down even if we won).

Hope Lamela's alright, he played his heart out tonight. I actually liked the fact that Wanyama was bulldozing a few of their players over, shows that he's possibly stopped worrying about his injuries. (Now there was a glass half full statement, because he didn't really have a good game did he).

Now we've pretty much got to win all of our remaining games to have a prayer of getting to the knock-outs...we've done well in the group stages before (topping the group and being unbeaten).

Let's start afresh and go after the glory...COYS!!
 
Nick Real Deal said:
The pass through us for the first goal was in Dier territory, he protects. Our MF was better with him. He reads the game better than Wanyama. If he had started I question that goal happens.
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Did anyone see Dier pointing out to Moura that he was leaving space for Barca to attack. The game played out exactly as I and a few on here said with our total inability to protect a shakey central pair and relieve pressure by keeping the ball earlier in the game killing us. Davis was a liability as was Son and Wanyama looked what he is under cooked for that level of intensity. Kane was for the first time in months Kane. Two decent players two in the window and our whole season looks different by the way if we don't have a forwardon our books 18-23 Not better than Llorente then I'll bloody ask for a game. Bravo Levy and Pochettino. Oh and we should just go buy Butland. Loris my be about end up the wrong side of that weird line he rides between great and atrocious.
 
Nick Real Deal said:
No I ain't having it. Sissoko was being pressed, the player was on his heels. He had to take a ball in the air bouncing a yard or so in front of him while on the run, crazy for Lloris to invite pressure with Barca players tight on us.
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If Sissoko had his body in line with the ball when it was played to him the defender would have had to play through him to get to it and potentially concede a foul. This boils down to the player receiving the ball not being proficient enough in possession to protect and keep it.
Why oh why, are we playing out into a technically deficient player when deep in our half late in the game, as you said crazy.
 
RichmondSpur said:
The same ‘Dier territory’ that teams have been exploiting since the start of the season, hence why he was dropped to the bench.
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I think Poch started with the wrong tactics and team selection. We needed to contain them first half.Son was poor anyway. Would have been better with an extra defensive player, then bring Son on later perhaps ?
 
Nick Real Deal said:
I think Poch started with the wrong tactics and team selection. We needed to contain them first half.Son was poor anyway. Would have been better with an extra defensive player, then bring Son on later perhaps ?
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Whatever tactics we started with were thrown out the window when we concede another avoidable goal after 2 mins. Dier’s presence would not have prevented the error and he hasn't been good enough since the start of the season anyway. He was one who I saw as being a potential booking and red card candidate if he had started and that scenario had more time to play out.
 
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RichmondSpur said:
If Sissoko had his body in line with the ball when it was played to him the defender would have had to play through him to get to it and potentially concede a foul. This boils down to the player receiving the ball not being proficient enough in possession to protect and keep it.
Why oh why, are we playing out into a technically deficient player when deep in our half late in the game, as you said crazy.
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This may be the most accurate and truthful analysis you've ever posted here.

Like a Unicorn.

But 100000000000000000% correct.

.
 
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