Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
That's so right. When your whole system is designed around your wingbacks and you have to substitute both of them in the same game, that tells you something.
Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
It's swings and roundabouts though. If you have a CF that barely moves, that doesn't try and find space, that doesn't bully the opponents' defenders, that basically just stands there for the whole match waiting for the perfect opportunity, then it's very hard for the players behind him to create an opportunity.
Son and Kulu struggled all afternoon but you could see that they were at least trying to make things happen.
Early in the second half I would have taken Kane, Sess and Royal off, and replaced them with Berg, Moura and one other CB (switch to a back 4 with Romero and Davies as FBs). It's always a risk making three substitutions so early but at that point, it's clear, we were going nowhere and there was nothing to lose.
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Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
A couple of things:
1. Conte played with a 3-5-2 at Inter. He even talked about this week and how it took Eriksen time to understand his role in that formation after playing behind the striker at Spurs (I don't where he got that from. He clearly wasn't watching the role Eriksen was being asked to play for the last couple of years of his time at Spurs).
2. Collectively Inter were a far better team than the Spurs team Eriksen faced yesterday.
SmithAndJones
Vital 1st Team Regular
It is very difficult to be objective where this current Spurs team is concerned, because of the Jekyll and Hyde nature of everything we see from them.
Based on the last two rounds of fixtures, Arsenal vs Chelsea and United, Spurs vs Brighton and Brentford, where we may reasonably have been expected to pull further away, Arsenal are the better team. They may not have the better players, but they've looked better managed, better organised, better motivated, and they've played better football, That may all change however by the time we play them in May, that's the way the season has been.
CL is still in our own hands. If we win our remaining five games we finish fourth. Anybody want to bet on us beating Liverpool and Arsenal, and not slipping up against Leicester, Burnley or Norwich? Personally I think that the Brighton and Brentford games have cost us CL football next season, but as I've said before, our being in the Europa League won't necessarily be a bad thing.
My biggest concern is that I don't get the impression that anybody inside the Club (other than probably Levy) cares as much about what the Club achieves, than the guys on here. Dier's post match interview yesterday made my blood boil. I would have expected him to be angry, embarassed, apologetic, optimistic, just something. Instead he was just sort of 'what will be will be'.
As for Conte, over the course of the last two games he's just looked drained of all of his natural energy. I think he's on the train to Paris already. The next big talking point will unquestionably be whether Pochettino is on the one in the other direction.
Based on the last two rounds of fixtures, Arsenal vs Chelsea and United, Spurs vs Brighton and Brentford, where we may reasonably have been expected to pull further away, Arsenal are the better team. They may not have the better players, but they've looked better managed, better organised, better motivated, and they've played better football, That may all change however by the time we play them in May, that's the way the season has been.
CL is still in our own hands. If we win our remaining five games we finish fourth. Anybody want to bet on us beating Liverpool and Arsenal, and not slipping up against Leicester, Burnley or Norwich? Personally I think that the Brighton and Brentford games have cost us CL football next season, but as I've said before, our being in the Europa League won't necessarily be a bad thing.
My biggest concern is that I don't get the impression that anybody inside the Club (other than probably Levy) cares as much about what the Club achieves, than the guys on here. Dier's post match interview yesterday made my blood boil. I would have expected him to be angry, embarassed, apologetic, optimistic, just something. Instead he was just sort of 'what will be will be'.
As for Conte, over the course of the last two games he's just looked drained of all of his natural energy. I think he's on the train to Paris already. The next big talking point will unquestionably be whether Pochettino is on the one in the other direction.
Real Deal
Alert Team
A really poor performance.
No desire to win from our manger or players. They clearly don't get the clubs motto.
It's pretty obvious Conte is a very stubborn manager. He has been out smarted quite often this season. He got lucky yesterday. Brentford looked the better team.
Eriksen, Henry and Tony would walk into this team on yesterday's evidence.
No desire to win from our manger or players. They clearly don't get the clubs motto.
It's pretty obvious Conte is a very stubborn manager. He has been out smarted quite often this season. He got lucky yesterday. Brentford looked the better team.
Eriksen, Henry and Tony would walk into this team on yesterday's evidence.
witchspursfan
Vital Newbie
Just disappointed yet again. Watching this team looking so disinterested, no pressing when the opposition are attacking, slow in our attacks, sloppy passing, too many players standing around and no one tackling with any conviction. As for Royal every thing said above applies to him. So on to the next one, one thing most Spurs fans have is hope.
Was it all that bad ?
I didn’t see the game , havent seen any “‘highlights “.
I guess when you don’t have one shot on target over the last two games ,….. is was that bad .
I didn’t see the game , havent seen any “‘highlights “.
I guess when you don’t have one shot on target over the last two games ,….. is was that bad .
total spurs
Predictor Champion 2022/23
My real concern is I'm not even sure we won't feck up 5th place as well. We are spurs the masters of grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory. It's conceivable we may get only 4-5 points more, especially if Harry & Co continue to play as if it don't matter enough...well Harry it fecking does.
total spurs
Predictor Champion 2022/23
There were no highlights....well not from us anyway.
total spurs
Predictor Champion 2022/23
When I was a kid I used to read a story in a comic (Hotspur? Victor?) about a rich guy who played football and scored brilliant goals, but wanted the ball at his feet...didn't want to run for it. That far too often is our Harry.l
He shouldd be setting the tempo on the pitch, but he is fast becoming just another glory hunter
He shouldd be setting the tempo on the pitch, but he is fast becoming just another glory hunter
SheringhamNo10
Vital Squad Member
Sorry Gary, what I meant was that Kane finds it very difficult when he comes up against a man marker situation.
Last week at Brighton, Bissouma sat in that are between the defense and the midfield that Kane like to roam into and didn’t give him a kick. Kane was ineffective all game.
This week, he was marked tightly by Pontus Jansson who bossed him all game. I can’t remember a meaningful ball or header than Kane won.
It reminded me of the 3 games verse Chelsea earlier in the season. The same thing happened with Rudiger. He didn’t give Kane an inch in any of the games and Kane struggled as a result.
I appreciate that there is a perceived issue about Kane’s work rate but surely Conte is happy with him as he plays the full game every week regardless of how well he performs.
My problem is that, goals win you games, shots on target get you goals. If Kane is ineffective at creating opportunities in games then the wingbacks need to step up and create from wide positions. Our current bunch can’t do that so a change of formation/personal is needed.
Bergwijn and Moura need to be introduced as at least they carry the threat of a goal or assist.
From yesterdays starting 11, we only really expect a goal to come from Kane, Son or Kulusevski.
I agree about returning to a back 4, considering the lack of ability in our FB’s to play the wingback role effectively. My guess however is that Conte doesn’t trust any of our current CB’s to perform in a back 4 so the only other option is to play Bergwijn or Moura at RWB. At least they will run at and attack the opposition.
Lloris
Sanchez Romero Davies
Bergwijn Hojbjerg Bentancur Kulusevski
Kane
Moura Son
That’s what I’d like to see. The wingbacks attacking. Kane in the 10 role with Sonny and Moura pressing from the top end of the pitch.
muttley
Alert Team
No, Conte won't be happy at all with Kane. That's just a cliche fans say to give players an out. It's not as if Antonio can publicly chastise the England captain. I bet inside he wants to though. The only player that can stop himself from being man marked and ineffective is Kane himself. It's called running.
The problem is there is nothing Conte can do until Fabio sorts the issue out in the transfer market. It will take either other players of high calibre being in our squad or Kane leaving before we all get to see a credible work rate from a centre forward at Spurs. I bet they have showed Kane comparative stats to other strikers in the division and even comparative stats to his earlier career. I bet they have appealed to his better nature and showed him video analysis of where he is not showing the commitment. He is just sticking the middle finger up to all of us.
That's why the only thing Jeckyll and Hyde thing about the club right now is the results. It isn't the performances. They've been quite consistently bad all season. We are just falsely flattered because better teams than us have been fluffing their lines as well at the top of the league.
Kane was as lazy in the Villa and Newcastle games as he's been in the Brighton and Brentford games. We shouldn't be building anything around him. We should just stick him right up front and let him do his lazy thing until next season.
vinniecopenhagen
Vital Football Hero
Same her TQ,Iv been doing it for the last 45 years,lost touch with my beloved Spurs in the 80s when I was travelling and living abroad but fell back in love with them in the 90s, I just can't take much more of the false dawns and being constantly let down. I couldn't give a toss if Kane,Son and Conte fucked off tomorrow,there's something rotten with our clubs mentality that badly needs a clear out from top to bottom. Another weekend ruined.I have invested so much into this club emotionally over 60+ years of supporting them I'm not sure I have much if any more to give now.
Spursex
Alert Team
They out-thought us; both their players and their manager - smartly played two banks of five when they had to and we had almost no creativity to break it down, nor the smarts with our WB's to go past them.
Our passing was for the most part pedestrian which enable them time and time again to rebuild ther formation and snuff us out when crisp quicker passing and thinking could have opened them up.
It's strange but after our great progress recently, we suddenly look like we've hit a tactical and physical brick wall, whereas a few weeks back our balance looks good, now we're once again failing to do some of the basics that made us play so well against others.
I can't account for it, something has changed.
I'll watch the recording later as often I've come away with a wrong impression and find when I then watch it later that you can then spot more readily where we got it right/wrong.
Our passing was for the most part pedestrian which enable them time and time again to rebuild ther formation and snuff us out when crisp quicker passing and thinking could have opened them up.
It's strange but after our great progress recently, we suddenly look like we've hit a tactical and physical brick wall, whereas a few weeks back our balance looks good, now we're once again failing to do some of the basics that made us play so well against others.
I can't account for it, something has changed.
I'll watch the recording later as often I've come away with a wrong impression and find when I then watch it later that you can then spot more readily where we got it right/wrong.
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Gary Onedaysoon
*Prediction Champion 20/21 & 21/22*
So the question is, S10, why? Why is a relative journeyman pro defender able to mark Kane out of the game so easily? Ditto Brighton last week and other teams before them.
It's not so long ago that Kane bullied the PL's very best defenders. Yet now he allows himself to be bullied out of the game by run-of-the-mill defenders.
So, either he hasn't got what it takes anymore or he's just picking and choosing when and against whom he decides to turn it on. Either way having a player like this in the team - and the untouchable aura that comes with it - is a barrier to progress. I genuinely think we'll progress much faster next season if he's no longer part of the setup.
Spursex
Alert Team
Tottenham have no problems playing against teams who attack them and leave gaps open in the process, with the wins over Man City and Leeds prime examples of this. However, the issue for Spurs is when they come up against defensive teams who sit behind the ball to try and frustrate them.
"Yeah, I think that in the last two games we've struggled offensively because we've found two teams that are very good defensively," explained Antonio Conte in his post-match press conference. "Without the ball these two teams defended very deep, with the whole team, with all their players. When you find this type of situation you need to create the space, also to have players to beat their man in one vs one, to create the superiority.
"I think this aspect we are working on, because this week, after the game against Brighton, we worked on this aspect to try to in training find 10 players behind the ball. In the end I think this is a consequence when you score many goals, you start to become a dangerous team and the opponent pays more attention.
"They try to have more balance when they face you. I think today we wanted to get three points but the draw was fair and we have to accept this result and to try to continue to work and improve in the situations we can improve."
So how exactly do Tottenham fix the issue with five games in the season remaining and a place in the Champions League at stake? Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Spurs defender Eric Dier delivered an honest assessment on the team's performance and what he and his teammates must do.
Although Dier plays at centre-back and his main priority is to stop the Lilywhites conceding goals, he does also have an important role in the team's attacking play due to his range of passing and ability to get the ball forward to his teammates. He knows it's something that needs to be fixed ASAP or else Spurs will be pipped to the final Champions League spot by their rivals.
“At this stage of the season, a point is never enough. We came here to win and haven’t managed to do that," said Dier when speaking to Sky Sports after the game. "Last week we should have finished 0-0 and we didn’t, so at least this week we didn’t get complacent at the end.
"They made it difficult throughout, but we made it difficult for ourselves. We didn’t create enough chances. So it’s a bit of both. We had no shots on target again, but that’s down to me, down to everyone, if you don’t give the forward players the ball in the right positions.
"It’s not what we expect, the way we’ve been attacking. We haven’t been as fluid. Sloppy in possession, though we got better as the game went on. We’ve got no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to win all our games."
The games certainly don't come any easier with a home game against Leicester City next up before the team travel to title challengers Liverpool. Managing to get back on track after their final third struggles towards the end of Espirito Santo's tenure looked set to cost them a Champions League challenge, Tottenham cannot let the same happen once again at such a pivotal stage of the campaign.
"Yeah, I think that in the last two games we've struggled offensively because we've found two teams that are very good defensively," explained Antonio Conte in his post-match press conference. "Without the ball these two teams defended very deep, with the whole team, with all their players. When you find this type of situation you need to create the space, also to have players to beat their man in one vs one, to create the superiority.
"I think this aspect we are working on, because this week, after the game against Brighton, we worked on this aspect to try to in training find 10 players behind the ball. In the end I think this is a consequence when you score many goals, you start to become a dangerous team and the opponent pays more attention.
"They try to have more balance when they face you. I think today we wanted to get three points but the draw was fair and we have to accept this result and to try to continue to work and improve in the situations we can improve."
So how exactly do Tottenham fix the issue with five games in the season remaining and a place in the Champions League at stake? Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Spurs defender Eric Dier delivered an honest assessment on the team's performance and what he and his teammates must do.
Although Dier plays at centre-back and his main priority is to stop the Lilywhites conceding goals, he does also have an important role in the team's attacking play due to his range of passing and ability to get the ball forward to his teammates. He knows it's something that needs to be fixed ASAP or else Spurs will be pipped to the final Champions League spot by their rivals.
“At this stage of the season, a point is never enough. We came here to win and haven’t managed to do that," said Dier when speaking to Sky Sports after the game. "Last week we should have finished 0-0 and we didn’t, so at least this week we didn’t get complacent at the end.
"They made it difficult throughout, but we made it difficult for ourselves. We didn’t create enough chances. So it’s a bit of both. We had no shots on target again, but that’s down to me, down to everyone, if you don’t give the forward players the ball in the right positions.
"It’s not what we expect, the way we’ve been attacking. We haven’t been as fluid. Sloppy in possession, though we got better as the game went on. We’ve got no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to win all our games."
The games certainly don't come any easier with a home game against Leicester City next up before the team travel to title challengers Liverpool. Managing to get back on track after their final third struggles towards the end of Espirito Santo's tenure looked set to cost them a Champions League challenge, Tottenham cannot let the same happen once again at such a pivotal stage of the campaign.
Spursex
Alert Team
At his best, you have to worship him for achieving what he can, but yesterday he was again frankly abysmal and we're back to that old can of worms all over again - in a bigger team, he'd have been hauled off and replaced with someone with more desire or energy - Conte can't bring himself to do what is still required, which is to just that; haul him off and make him sit out half the game.
They are too scared he is going to demand a move, we are not in control of the situation, he still is., and that is our basic simple problem - a lack of control of teh situation.
We have to take the lead here and if we miss forth (as now seems likely), put him up for sale and perhaps go back to the past to rebuild our future step by step.
Nick Real Deal
Vital Football Legend
Kane had the only decent chance with a high difficulty bicycle kick and almost pulled it off. He was in position to do it in the box. That's why you don't take him off if you need a goal. Nobody else came close.
