Tottenham V Crystal Palace Preview

[Departed]

Spurs are a mess? That is an outrageous statement.

Take a quick look at Pollo’s comparison thread. We are ahead on both counts compared to last season.

And then........if you’re so inclined, take a look at where we are in the Champion’s League.

We are smoking hot.

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

80 having witnessed the performance yesterday in the flesh...we were a 'mess in yesterdays' match. We won only due to the defensive covering of Dier and Verts and the goalie and one touch of magic from Son, plus the fact that Palace were dire and could not take the chances that Aurier seemed to want to give them....this of course is based on this one game....I expected it after the euphoria of Wednesday last and it happened....BUT we won and won dirty and got the three points.

Why this performance?
Simple...

We do not know how to break down teams who park the bus at Wembley - we have major % of possession but no or litttle end product.

Chelsea did it to a greater extent than we would have expected.
Burnley did it
Swansea did it
Palace did it...but at least we sem to know how to just grab the points now.

So no were are not a mess in overall terms, but to concur with 10Hoddle, we were yesterday!.

 

[Matic]

A mess? It looked like a typical post-massive CL game to me. A bit average, some out of form players being given a chance to impress mixed with a bit of fatigue. Winning these types of games in that manner is the mark of a top team. The international break has probably come at the best time for us. I just hope we get some of the injuries sorted in time for our next league game because the medical room is getting a bit too full.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

IMO we were playing with 2nd choice RB and LB, 3 rd choice keeper, 2nd choice CB, 2nd choice and 3rd choice MF, 2nd choice AM. So it's difficult to assess the true state of us from that game. Add into that Alli missing , Eriksen poor and Kane probably tired. Son poor apart from the goal.

Some rest and injury returns after the break hopefully will help.

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

Wh they are fully paid up profeesional members of our first team sqaud in a top club, so we should expect them to rise to the occasion, not be an excuse.

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

Greavswasthegreatest - 6/11/2017 09:54

Wh they are fully paid up profeesional members of our first team sqaud in a top club, so we should expect them to rise to the occasion, not be an excuse.

In fact only the goalie was an untried player...and he played very well....no excuses

 

[gus poyet]

Taricco the yid - 5/11/2017 18:19

I think citeh will run away with the league unless we can do something when we play them. I think we have the best chance to beat them as we have a really good defence.

Its a battle for 2nd imo.

I see it ending in a 3 way fight with united and Chelsea for 2nd with City running away with it.

Might as well throw everything at the CL and hope we get some lucky draws.

 

[Spursex]

Greavswasthegreatest - 6/11/2017 09:54

Wh they are fully paid up profeesional members of our first team sqaud in a top club, so we should expect them to rise to the occasion, not be an excuse.

Both Aurier and Rose still look woefully short of match fitness, and it showed (again!).

The new 'Gazza' started shaky and got better, he's got a bright future ahead of him.

Winks , Eriksen and Kane shouldn't have played; all looked heavy legged to me and looked like they were struggling to put the hard yards in (confirmed by the post match distance covered stats as all had their lowest of the season). It sounds like Winks has taken a heavy knock.

We bossed possession again, but were once again less than incisive where it mattered; that said, until we went ahead, they not only parked the bus, but built a human brick wall as well - getting to grips with clubs whose only game plan is 'absorb pressure, break or hope we get lucky' is tough - even more so when Delle is missing and Eriksen is treading water.

Son should have had three, but when he's one on one, he stills panics.

So we're still lacking that 'special' talent that can open up defences when we're not all on song -

Llorente is a statue - I seriously would have 2MP back - he can still graft and knows how to make a nuisance to himself, whereas I think Llorente has well and truly shot his bolt.

 

[Real Deal]

I think the worry is at Wembley this season against teams like Palace we have really struggled. Drawing at home to Burnley, Swansea, three jammy wins against Barnsely, Bournemouth and Palace show we have some problems that need addressing.

Very foolish to just dismiss we don't have any issues.

 

[Big Chiv]

Agree with Ex on Llorente, he offers nothing when coming on or starting, I would seriously sooner have kept Vinnie and think he would be the better option this season.

 

[Departed]

There will always be issues. It is the fortitude to still get improved results that matters. And we have improved results despite our goals against being marginally worse than last season.

 

[Taricco the yid]

Madrid have a garbage defence and a crap DM. Its easier to play these sorts of teams than palace. I didnt think palace could be that good at the back b7t they proved me wrong.

Most smaller clubs play at wembley like its a cup final, thats why we are finding it difficult. The top teams who attack we will fare better against.

 

[Spursex]

Taricco the yid - 6/11/2017 14:52

Madrid have a garbage defence and a crap DM. Its easier to play these sorts of teams than palace. I didnt think palace could be that good at the back b7t they proved me wrong.

Most smaller clubs play at wembley like its a cup final, thats why we are finding it difficult. The top teams who attack we will fare better against.

Spot on. :1: :1:

 

[whiteghost]

Kinygerbils - 5/11/2017 17:23

Real Deal - 5/11/2017 17:22

Great goal from Sonny. Reminded me of Ginola's goal against Sheffield Wednesday 20 years ago.

Gazza made some good saves as well but for me he looked shaky on some crosses and at times looked like he could easily give a penalty away. I suppose for a third choice keeper you can't expect better but some are getting a bit carried away with his performance.

Wins a win but this hangover performance from us is happening a bit to often for my liking. A mentality issue we must address. Against a real team we won't get away with it.

Compare us today with City.

In fairness we have a lot of injuries

What a real team like Real Madrid or Liverpool?

 

[Nick Real Deal]

Spursex - 6/11/2017 11:39

Greavswasthegreatest - 6/11/2017 09:54

Wh they are fully paid up profeesional members of our first team sqaud in a top club, so we should expect them to rise to the occasion, not be an excuse.

Both Aurier and Rose still look woefully short of match fitness, and it showed (again!).

The new 'Gazza' started shaky and got better, he's got a bright future ahead of him.

Winks , Eriksen and Kane shouldn't have played; all looked heavy legged to me and looked like they were struggling to put the hard yards in (confirmed by the post match distance covered stats as all had their lowest of the season). It sounds like Winks has taken a heavy knock.

We bossed possession again, but were once again less than incisive where it mattered; that said, until we went ahead, they not only parked the bus, but built a human brick wall as well - getting to grips with clubs whose only game plan is 'absorb pressure, break or hope we get lucky' is tough - even more so when Delle is missing and Eriksen is treading water.

Son should have had three, but when he's one on one, he stills panics.

So we're still lacking that 'special' talent that can open up defences when we're not all on song -

Llorente is a statue - I seriously would have 2MP back - he can still graft and knows how to make a nuisance to himself, whereas I think Llorente has well and truly shot his bolt.

Not excuses. Suggested reasons by me for a lack lustre performance. I was pleased to get the 3 points and see our new keeper, Rose to come through and that's about it.

 

[Departed]

I neglected to mention Jan Vertonghen deserving significant accolades for his efforts in this game.

He has been on fire lately.

 

[freundorfoe]

Jan and Dier were great.

Gazza made good saves but came off his line really late for the Zaha chance. Can't believe Zaha missed either, still want him but doesn't look very clinical!

Sonny really really really needs to be trained in what to do in 1 v 1s. I think he'd easily have 10-20 more goals for us if he could put them away and I don't think I'm exaggerating.

 

[10Hoddle]

80deg16minW - 6/11/2017 04:26

Spurs are a mess? That is an outrageous statement.

Take a quick look at Pollo’s comparison thread. We are ahead on both counts compared to last season.

And then........if you’re so inclined, take a look at where we are in the Champion’s League.

We are smoking hot.

If you think our performance was smoking hot V Palace, you're delusional.

That was a dis jointed mess I witnessed, and if we were playing any team worth their salt, we'd have been embarrassed. We allowed Palace to emulate a team that was certainly not bottom of the table. We were a mess.

Aurier was a mess. Not sure why he was picked ahead of Trippier.

Don't get me wrong happy clapper, we have a wonderful team and manager, but just so consistently inconsistent, which is why we will not win anything this season.

Not a stats man. I can see where we improve, and see areas that need work. Last season is history.

I do pray for silverware, but that's not us right now. I'll be happy with 2nd again, but we'll need to get rid of these stupid performances like the Palace game if we're to keep the wolves from the door. :7:

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

and the Wolves are at the door.......

Top of the Championship currently

 

[Departed]

10Hoddle - 7/11/2017 02:32

80deg16minW - 6/11/2017 04:26

Spurs are a mess? That is an outrageous statement.

Take a quick look at Pollo’s comparison thread. We are ahead on both counts compared to last season.

And then........if you’re so inclined, take a look at where we are in the Champion’s League.

We are smoking hot.

If you think our performance was smoking hot V Palace, you're delusional.

That was a dis jointed mess I witnessed, and if we were playing any team worth their salt, we'd have been embarrassed. We allowed Palace to emulate a team that was certainly not bottom of the table. We were a mess.

Aurier was a mess. Not sure why he was picked ahead of Trippier.

Don't get me wrong happy clapper, we have a wonderful team and manager, but just so consistently inconsistent, which is why we will not win anything this season.

Not a stats man. I can see where we improve, and see areas that need work. Last season is history.

I do pray for silverware, but that's not us right now. I'll be happy with 2nd again, but we'll need to get rid of these stupid performances like the Palace game if we're to keep the wolves from the door. :7:

There are absolute measurements, in which case we are ahead of last year. And there are relative measurements in which case we are not. We are 3 points behind last year.

City need to improve their defence. There isn’t a team in the league that doesn’t have deficiencies.

And if thinking Spurs are mentally tough enough to get through a few rough moments on the right side of the ledger makes me a happy clapper then so be it.

But to say the club has gone from beating Real Madrid to being a mess in the matter of 4 days is hyperbole of the first order. Crystal Palace was Boxing Day for the players. And we came out on top.