Match Thread - Fulham FC vs Tottenham Hotspur - PL

[Spursex]

It feels both Son and Kane are going through the motions.

I bet both are looking for the exit in the summer.

I told 80 months ago that Son was looking for a move, his agent suddenly got very active and then went very quiet, almost like he'd found his move.

Harry had the Euro's on his mind, stay fit for that and do well and there are a couple of moves that might be open to him.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

Kane only really looks interested now when he's got the ball. A chance to shine. He's doing nothing off the ball to help the team.

Son flatters to deceive with his running (off the ball). He usually responds too late and when he arrives he doesn't do anything anyway. He just doesn't want to tackle. Never has done.

There was one passage in the first half last night when a Fulham defender was bringing the ball out and Kane and Son were in close proximity. There should have been no way through but it was like the parting of the Red Sea. The defender just waltzed his way through the pair of them.

They've become the untouchables it seems.

Poch totally indulged Kane in particular and Eriksen and Dele to a slightly lesser degree. They were never substituted or dropped when their form merited it. And when returning from injury they went straight back into the first team usually at the expense of players who were playing well.

Jose needs to be stronger than Poch.

 

[Spursex]

Once again we played too deep, we could have, and of course, should have got a second, but sometimes you can't expect your forwards to score every opportunity.

As we played at the edge of our area we again conceded the midfield space and allowed them to run at us and play as they liked in that area. Dumb really, but as I watched where PH was playing, I knew he was playing more as an auxiliary CB and not a DM'er who needed to be breaking up play 10-15 yards higher up the pitch.

Why does this happen? Because our wing-backs offer absolutely no real attacking threat; I really do not want to see any more of Doherty, we have alternatives and we have to use them.

Davies won tackles but his forward passing thinking and movement is so poor anyone up against us will know that they can pressure our WB's and walk past them. That forces our CB's to play deep, which pulls in PJH and N'dom back to fill the holes.

Tactically, it's a mess and so when we don't take our chances we step back even further and start hoiking the ball as we have no hungry midfield.

Jose has to pull his head out of his arse, if he can't cure this defensive mindset and set up that sooner or later we'll start conceding goals again that we shouldn't.

I really thought Jose had learned what we're doing and would counter it but maybe he's still encouraging it.

Once again I fear for us and I know that Jose is to blame for it, as a tactician it is absolute dispairing to watch.

Right, back to bed for me - have a good day all.

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

A settled PL starting line-up is necessary

Japhet and Reggie must be our regular backs/wing backs....all this rotation does is allow Braindead Doc and Davies wasted game time - use them when injuries dictate....you don't see other clubs dropping their first choice defenders s in the name of rotation. Likewise with Toby and Sanchez...let them settle into a run of games partnership - and use Dier and Ron similarly...we need a settled defence

Although we got 3 points against fulham it was tough. Our wingbacks must be capable of offensive quality play else we lose width and our forwad play stutters.

Jose seems to think he has to tweak and change and use most players at his disposal to earn his corn and support his tactical mindset ...trying to be too clever. Settle the team FFS unless injuies occur. Tweak by all means for Europe if you must play around Jose but not PL. Then the main squad will feel loved and comfortable and get some semblence of togetherness and grow in confidence.

Out of our current squad in my mind a settled starting lineup/team given what we have is ...

Loris
Japhet
Sanchez
Toby
Reggie
Ndom (or lo Celso)
Hodj
Dele
Son
Bale
Kane

 

[Spursex]

Kane only really looks interested now when he's got the ball. A chance to shine. He's doing nothing off the ball to help the team.

Son flatters to deceive with his running (off the ball). He usually responds too late and when he arrives he doesn't do anything anyway. He just doesn't want to tackle. Never has done.

There was one passage in the first half last night when a Fulham defender was bringing the ball out and Kane and Son were in close proximity. There should have been no way through but it was like the parting of the Red Sea. The defender just waltzed his way through the pair of them.

They've become the untouchables it seems.

Poch totally indulged Kane in particular and Eriksen and Dele to a slightly lesser degree. They were never substituted or dropped when their form merited it. And when returning from injury they went straight back into the first team usually at the expense of players who were playing well.

Jose needs to be stronger than Poch.

The issue is once again 'match management' if Son and Kane press too high up the pitch they know instinctively now, that the midfield and backline isn't closing the space behind them and so they give up chasing shadows - our pattern of play is exactly this and so the huge problem we have is seemingly tactically Jose is clueless how to fix it.

It's an U-11's problem that kids coaches fix by working on the whole team pattern, regardless of how poor our wingbacks are.

It's infuriating, but it's clear to me now that Jose's days as a top coach are finished.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

The issue is once again 'match management' if Son and Kane press too high up the pitch they know instinctively now, that the midfield and backline isn't closing the space behind them and so they give up chasing shadows - our pattern of play is exactly this and so the huge problem we have is seemingly tactically Jose is clueless how to fix it.

It's an U-11's problem that kids coaches fix by working on the whole team pattern, regardless of how poor our wingbacks are.

It's infuriating, but it's clear to me now that Jose's days as a top coach are finished.

There's no doubt that's partly the problem. It was quite instructive (or embarrassing) watching how Fulham pressed collectively, particularly on our FBs, blocking their options and forcing them to play it long and concede possession. And compare that to our press where Fulham could play out from the back so easily.

 

[Timbo1882]

RE my earlier post Timbo, the ref was Shocking.

You called it early, Vinnie. He was worse 2nd half which is why I will not criticise our team. How often did we see Hoj and Ndombele sandwiched between two fulham thugs who were holding at least one arm and the other had the shirt. Ref laughed it off every time.

 

[Pompey Yid]

Well! oh happy ones, justifiable it seems, I can't really add to what has already been said, esp the criticism of JM, which does lead me to something I read in the early hours of this morning....
There was an article written, I forget by whome, about JM and his stance, attitude, tactics etc, regards Spurs, jesus! then came the backlash of posts saying, one example of how it went, I quote...Spurs fans are racist in their criticism of the greatest manager on the planet! this was backed by many, I kid you not, for once in my life I was gob smacked, you just couldn't make it up.

 

[muttley]

I called it 5 mins into the second half. Dele would be blowing out of his arse because Kane, Bale and Son didn't pull their weight all first half. They just played for glory moments. I knew Dele would have to be substituted and then everyone would say he's not yet 90 minutes match fit. The truth is different.

I get the argument for gaps behind them but don't like that as an excuse. Bale, Kane and Son need to share the workload better than they did last night, especially Kane in the central areas.

As for Son, he wouldn't be looking forward to meeting with me this morning at THFC. There would be a montage of video clips showing him going through the motions. Pulling out of tackles, half-hearted in headers and at one point he even just stopped and watched as his teammates had to do the tracking back after his half-hearted tackle. I get that the prior red cards might have taken the edge off his aggression. I also get that fans in stadiums might fire him up again. Perhaps the contract status is troubling him. All poor excuses though.

Does he think that because he gets goals and assists that's he's above the ugly stuff?

 

[Nick Real Deal]

Kane has to play nearly every game so he paces himself. He is in the team to score and create goals. He could or even should have scored a hatrick last night. A poor header, a slightly overstretched stab straight at the keeper and a denied pen.
Jose cant win, he is urged to play Bale who then plays shite. Reggie is not fully match sharp and has to be eased back, Tanganga cant play every game and the RB and LB positions are rotation hotspots ,3 games in 7 days dictates it even more.
Sanchez has been poor but Jose has given him the opportunity to prove himself despite this and has improved ( I'm not convinced yet).
Once again we created enough chances to be out of sight but the players failed to convert. That's not Jose's fault.The players were in position to score.
I considered suggesting resting Son for the game but he provided the cross for Dele to fluke our goal !!
Fulham played well and have improved of late. They are fighting for their lives, each game is a cup final.

 

[muttley]

Kane has to play nearly every game so he paces himself. He is in the team to score and create goals. He could or even should have scored a hatrick last night. A poor header, a slightly overstretched stab straight at the keeper and a denied pen.
Jose cant win, he is urged to play Bale who then plays shite. Reggie is not fully match sharp and has to be eased back, Tanganga cant play every game and the RB and LB positions are rotation hotspots ,3 games in 7 days dictates it even more.
Sanchez has been poor but Jose has given him the opportunity to prove himself despite this and has improved ( I'm not convinced yet).
Once again we created enough chances to be out of sight but the players failed to convert. That's not Jose's fault.The players were in position to score.
I considered suggesting resting Son for the game but he provided the cross for Dele to fluke our goal !!
Fulham played well and have improved of late. They are fighting for their lives, each game is a cup final.

Why can't Tanganga play every game? Is he still injured or is your comment based on nobody is able to play each game with the fixture congestion?

I was hoping that he'd be really fresh and raring to go at this stage of the season.

 

[USAFSPURS]

May have jumped on the bandwagon too soon...oh well we did get the 3 points

 

[USAFSPURS]

Kane has to play nearly every game so he paces himself. He is in the team to score and create goals. He could or even should have scored a hatrick last night. A poor header, a slightly overstretched stab straight at the keeper and a denied pen.
Jose cant win, he is urged to play Bale who then plays shite. Reggie is not fully match sharp and has to be eased back, Tanganga cant play every game and the RB and LB positions are rotation hotspots ,3 games in 7 days dictates it even more.
Sanchez has been poor but Jose has given him the opportunity to prove himself despite this and has improved ( I'm not convinced yet).
Once again we created enough chances to be out of sight but the players failed to convert. That's not Jose's fault.The players were in position to score.
I considered suggesting resting Son for the game but he provided the cross for Dele to fluke our goal !!
Fulham played well and have improved of late. They are fighting for their lives, each game is a cup final.

I argue Kane doesn't and shouldn't play every game...this is poor management. This is simply a manager grasping at straws and panicking...you know holding on the the one thing he thinks is a sure deal...Kane.

If we don't get other players on the pitch and get them going...then we will never move forward. I look at other teams...hell Ings didn't even start the other day...

In my opinion we are not much better than when we were a few season ago...stagnating with the same damn lineup...we don't bring young players in to freshen the squad and keep competition high.

Mark my words...this team is in for a massive wake up call when Kane and even Son leaves...Bale will not be retained...Dele could and should leave as well.

I think this team will look massively different after this season...and I CAN'T WAIT!

**and don't give me the "the grass isn't always greener on the other side bullshit...sure this is true...but if you don't try...you never know.

 

[SmithAndJones]

I think this team will look massively different after this season...and I CAN'T WAIT!

**and don't give me the "the grass isn't always greener on the other side bullshit...sure this is true...but if you don't try...you never know.

Providing that it is a new start with a different manager. It is difficult to see any of the players you mention wanting to stay under the current regime, and equally difficult to envisage them wanting to await another new dawn. I think that this season was last chance saloon where these players were concerned. There's still a European trophy to be won, but if that doesn't happen ...........

 

[Critical_Spur]

How the hell can he make the attacking players we have look that shit?

IMO, he negated their impact by not having Aurier + Reggie. Their respective replacements added nothing to the set up and zero forward support. So the back 4 + Hoj just pi$$ed about at the back and pressed to hoof.

On the whole our movement and passing was atrocious. Burnley gave us oceans of space unlike young whippets of Fulham who harried us all over the park.

 

[Spursex]

To turn this on it's head: think about an opposition report i.e. you're the coach/scout that has to watch us and work out (no matter who the picks for us are and the varying formations) how to beat us - show what you think our weaknesses and strengths are - then compare the tactics we're employing and why the opposition appears to dominate the midfield for so many or so much of our games.

Then for the next game explain how you'd set up and why.

Then the piss poor game management/selections of Jose will hit you square in the face.

We cannot keep hiding from it, Jose is tactically stuck back somewhere whereby just having players who are the best in the World, or close to, do the thinking and game management for him.

like it or not, he's past his useful date and needs to retire as quickly as he can with his rep partially intact.

We're scraping through games again that we should win and win with some style.

 

[Spursex]

Providing that it is a new start with a different manager. It is difficult to see any of the players you mention wanting to stay under the current regime, and equally difficult to envisage them wanting to await another new dawn. I think that this season was last chance saloon where these players were concerned. There's still a European trophy to be won, but if that doesn't happen ...........

Son and Harry are for the off - although Spains top two clubs have a huge financial burden to resolve now and that may rule them out of silly money purchase for a good while, Harry would be an ideal replacement for Lewandowski, beyond that the only other clubs who could come knocking are ManC and Manure - although I'm told that he's been backdoor approach by the chav's.

 

[SmithAndJones]

Son and Harry are for the off - although Spains top two clubs have a huge financial burden to resolve now and that may rule them out of silly money purchase for a good while, Harry would be an ideal replacement for Lewandowski, beyond that the only other clubs who could come knocking are ManC and Manure - although I'm told that he's been backdoor approach by the chav's.

Woudn't PSG surely be a big candidate. I'm sure that both Poch and Harry would like to resurrect their love affair.

 

[Spesh-Spur]

Son and Harry are for the off - although Spains top two clubs have a huge financial burden to resolve now and that may rule them out of silly money purchase for a good while, Harry would be an ideal replacement for Lewandowski, beyond that the only other clubs who could come knocking are ManC and Manure - although I'm told that he's been backdoor approach by the chav's.

Surely DL won't entertain a (COVID induced) reduced fee at this point in time?

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

So IFAB are amending the handball law from the 1st July. Accidental handball that leads to a team-mate scoring a goal or having a goal-scoring opportunity will no longer be considered an offence. Under the new rule Fulham's goal last night would have stood.