20/21 Match thread - Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United - PL

[Spursex]

I hope Sanchez keeps his place.

He had a stinker, no doubt, last week. But in the weeks prior to the international break he was the highest scoring defender on VS ratings on quite a few occasions. He was definitely improving.

We've seen too many players dropped for making a single mistake or having a bad game when prior to that they were playing well. It destroys confidence and breeds a fear of making a mistake.

I can't help likening him to Rio Ferdinand, for the first 2-3 season at Manure he was all over the place - great game one week, horroendous the next, back to good and so on and so - he always had a mistake in him, and once he made one he was flustered and panicked.

But he had the skills and bit by bit as he gained experience and matured, he became one of the best.

I still think that when you play a deep defensive block you have to do it with highly experienced defenders who are in their prime, do it with relative youngsters at this level, and don't be surprised if they're inconsistent.

I'm sure that Jose knew/knows this and hence why he'd kept Toby, but as we know the defensive tactics simply put too much pressure on our defence and confidence and constant changing of the guard undermines consistency and performances.

I would show trust and faith in him in this game and keep him in!

But I would go with a back three.

 

[Matic]

If Jose is still as good as he claims, he really should not need to change the back four. It's he who has not given any combo of players a chance to settle and despite the issues in the last game we do feel like we have an opportunity to let one settle.

 

[Spursex]

we can win this game, but we have to press from the first minute, they'll have a post-Europe hangover, we have to take advantage of it.

 

[meee93]

I hope Sanchez keeps his place.

He had a stinker, no doubt, last week. But in the weeks prior to the international break he was the highest scoring defender on VS ratings on quite a few occasions. He was definitely improving.

We've seen too many players dropped for making a single mistake or having a bad game when prior to that they were playing well. It destroys confidence and breeds a fear of making a mistake.

I too hope he plays but I really do worry for his long term future. The last goal we conceded is just so typical of him. He and Foyth are both guys who seem promising most of the time and then find themselves in the middle of a farcical mess up.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

I too hope he plays but I really do worry for his long term future. The last goal we conceded is just so typical of him. He and Foyth are both guys who seem promising most of the time and then find themselves in the middle of a farcical mess up.

He took the brunt of the blame for that goal and Tanga to a far lesser extent, yet I though PEH was equally culpable. It was a non-existent tackle on the edge of the area. How did the Newcastle player get past him so easily? It was so unlike him and if there was one person you would want in that situation it was PEH.

 

[Real Deal]

Play our best players and just let them play with some god damn freedom.

 

[steveperryman]

He's our best defender so he ought to play.

 

[stupops]

Joses pressers are brilliant.
'The points are on the grass'
If we win its back on.
No.
Seriously.
It is.
All is forgiven.

 

[muttley]

Joses pressers are brilliant.
'The points are on the grass'
If we win its back on.
No.
Seriously.
It is.
All is forgiven.

This week's pre-match presser was a complete non-entity. The only thing I gleaned from it was the injury update. The rest was empty.

 

[total spurs]

Lose this then IMO the odds on getting top 4 are totally gone, even if not on paper. Also if we lose this by playing anti football or trying to hang on to a draw/win... then why keep hold of Jose? Let an interim come in and see if we can get some pride back in the final!

 

[Departed]

GAME DAY!!!

COYS!!!

 

[Matic]

Results have completely gone against us this weekend, even if we do win. The last game was our final chance to make a push for top 4 and we missed it. We are totally reliant on other teams being worse than us now.

 

[Matic]

As expected, Jose has swung his axe and punished Japh and Sanchez.

Lloris, Aurier, Rodon, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

And there it is. Sanchez dropped not only from the team but from the squad itself. I give up.

 

[muttley]

Just when you think Jose couldn't tinker with the back four anymore.

Sanchez dropped from the squad completely whilst Tanganga is back on the bench for the returning Aurier. Dier starts alongside Rodon.

Bergwijn nowhere to be seen again.

 

[Matic]

Why coach players to improve them when you can blame entire results on them and drop them until all other players have been dropped and their turn comes around again.

Sigh.

 

[Critical_Spur]

And there it is. Sanchez dropped not only from the team but from the squad itself. I give up.

Nothing rational about Jose's tinkering. Desperation stuff. So who's gonna be the scapegoat today?....back to Dier?.

I see Toby makes the bench.

 

[Matic]

Jose has set Rodon up to be the fall guy today. Jose's tactics always force the wingbacks too far forward without cover from CM. Rashford is going to have too much space to just run at Rodon. Unless Dier is the RCB, in which case it will be him.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

That's an attack minded line up. This could be lively. Aurier gets forward more than Tanganga and Dier is a better passer than Sanchez. Ndombele needs to have a big game, throw everything into the first half with Dele waiting to take over the assault.

 

[stupops]

That's an attack minded line up. This could be lively. Aurier gets forward more than Tanganga and Dier is a better passer than Sanchez. Ndombele needs to have a big game, throw everything into the first half with Dele waiting to take over the assault.

Thats a best case scenario.
I am not sure its going to work out that way.