Tottingham Hotspurs v Aston Villa PREMIER LEAGUE Saturday 10th August 17.30 k.o. | Page 38 | Vital Football

Tottingham Hotspurs v Aston Villa PREMIER LEAGUE Saturday 10th August 17.30 k.o.

What's annoying me now is that if Deano thought that was our best side why he never once played it in pre-season?

So the G-word goes out the window for me.

I have to be honest that team selection wasn't one many if any Villans saw coming and that is always a worrying sign for me.

Either these new players are better or they aren't, no debate over Heaton or Engels, some of them never made the bench which is strange as all were declared fit bar Chester.

I like Deano but he got this one all wrong for me, even down to the subs El Ghazi was crap and he takes off Trez who was offering a threat.

Lots of little things annoying me, Heaton kicking every ball into touch over ElGhazi WTF was that about?

Oh well it's done now and we move onto Bournemouth, hopefully, we have learnt from that
Reference new signings - Deano doesn't think they are quite ready yet, we will see them blended into the team over the next few fixtures. He has also said that it would be counter preoductive to morale if he just ditched all the existing squad, so he's playing the long game.

Reference subs - Trez was blowing hard, not used to this pace of football. Deano makes the decisions and we don't ultimately, that's how he saw it on the day and he is the one that ultimately lives and dies by the decisions he makes. He was honest enough afterwards to say he would analyse his own decisions.

Don't think it mattered what team we put out today, or what substitutions we made, Spurs were a class above. Just congratulate them and move on. We competed for 80mins and we will get better - no-one said this was going to be easy.
 
I agree with everyone who mentioned fitness levels. I know it’s harping back to the past but there are lessons to be learned in the way Ron Saunders approached each season. He made sure that no one could live with a Villa team for endurance. Dean hasn’t had long to get some of these new players up to the level he’d want but I’m sure he can get them somewhere near to SJM’s stamina levels.
 
I agree with everyone who mentioned fitness levels. I know it’s harping back to the past but there are lessons to be learned in the way Ron Saunders approached each season. He made sure that no one could live with a Villa team for endurance. Dean hasn’t had long to get some of these new players up to the level he’d want but I’m sure he can get them somewhere near to SJM’s stamina levels.

There were only 3 new outfield players on the pitch and Deano has been here since October and most of those players since at least January.

Engels looked very good, so really we are talking about Wes and Trez the rest were part of a side that played twice a week last season. In a league that is based on work-rate more than skill.

So if they are not fit now they never will be any fitter.

What we have to do is actually get hold of the ball and not spend 75mins chasing it
 
There were only 3 new outfield players on the pitch and Deano has been here since October and most of those players since at least January.

Engels looked very good, so really we are talking about Wes and Trez the rest were part of a side that played twice a week last season. In a league that is based on work-rate more than skill.

So if they are not fit now they never will be any fitter.

What we have to do is actually get hold of the ball and not spend 75mins chasing it

yep it's very odd - we're way behind on quality versus in this case a weakened Spurs side but there is no excuse to be lacking fitness if that's really the case.

Some of the other arguments for not introducing new signings don't make much sense either (unless they aren't good enough obv.) but onwards and upwards hopefully
 
Who says we are lacking fitness. I just don't buy that.

You use so much more energy when you are chasing the ball , which is what we did all second half so we were bound to tire. I would be more upset if we weren't tired as it would mean a lack of effort.

Running 10k + at high intensity is hard work you know.
 
Fitness isn't an issue. We are no more or less fitter than other teams. Not in 2019 with the sports science nowadays

The issue is not holding onto the ball giving it away and having to chase for 90 mins. Top sides like spurs are a cut above because they press and pass you to death.

It's why top teams always seem to get late goals and win games late so often because they keep going and going and the opposition will tire . What happened to us Saturday is not a fitness problem in general it was specific to playing a top top side. We won't look unfit against the 'weaker' sides .
 
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Who says we are lacking fitness. I just don't buy that.

You use so much more energy when you are chasing the ball , which is what we did all second half so we were bound to tire. I would be more upset if we weren't tired as it would mean a lack of effort.

Running 10k + at high intensity is hard work you know.


Exactly was typing the same!
 
Fitness isn't an issue. We are no more or less fitter than other teams. Not in 2019 with the sports science nowadays

The issue is not holding into the ball giving it away and having to chase for 90 mins. Top sides like spurs are a cut above because they press and pass you to death.

It's why top teams always seem to get late goals and win games late so often because they keep going and going and the opposition will tire . What happened to us Saturday is not a fitness problem in general.
So no team is "fitter" than another in 2019, but lesser teams will "tire"?:shake: I do know what you are saying there MD, just made me chuckle.

It is mental fatigue as much a stamina. When you are backed up the way we were it would have been a monumental effort to keep Spurs out. As DS said post match, we have seen the standard and we need to develop coping mechanisms (one of which was to keep the ball better)
 
So no team is "fitter" than another in 2019, but lesser teams will "tire"?:shake: I do know what you are saying there MD, just made me chuckle.

It is mental fatigue as much a stamina. When you are backed up the way we were it would have been a monumental effort to keep Spurs out. As DS said post match, we have seen the standard and we need to develop coping mechanisms (one of which was to keep the ball better)

What I meant was that tbe lesser teams wont pass us to death and have the ball so much so we wont tire like we did Saturday.
 
What I meant was that tbe lesser teams wont pass us to death and have the ball so much so we wont tire like we did Saturday.
Yeah, the speed and movement of Spurs was phenominal, a joy to watch for the neutral. I know we lost, but this is a level above and sometimes you just have to stand back and applaud it. Pass, move, recycle. We will get there.
 
Yeah, the speed and movement of Spurs was phenominal, a joy to watch for the neutral. I know we lost, but this is a level above and sometimes you just have to stand back and applaud it. Pass, move, recycle. We will get there.

Yes. I hate losing , but sometime you have to take your hat off and say Spurs were pretty good in the second half.
 
One thing I noticed about Spurs was the strength of their players absolutely mullered our midfield and Wesley. Winks looks a weed but he was too strong for SJM and Jack , Hourihane is a fanny anyway but we know that
 
One thing I noticed about Spurs was the strength of their players absolutely mullered our midfield and Wesley. Winks looks a weed but he was too strong for SJM and Jack , Hourihane is a fanny anyway but we know that

Yes , we were bouncing off them. God knows what they feed them.
 
Yes , we were bouncing off them. God knows what they feed them.

This was also apparent against RBL where I think (ignoring the result) our midfield looked lightweight

Been crying out for a big athletic yaya toure kind of player, not sure that either of the new midfielders is that - time will tell
 
Mornings, one half of squad doing "suicides", goal line to top of the 'D', while other half doing jog, sprint, jog sprint, jog, sprint around a full size pitch, then swap over after an hour. Finish of with an hour practising one-two pass and move.
Lunch
Afternoons, spent on pass, control, speed of movement for two hours, then an hour at dead-ball situations, both defending and attack.
Stamina building in the mornings, it wouldn't take too long before the squad were fit enough to 'chase the ball' for 90 minutes.
 
This was also apparent against RBL where I think (ignoring the result) our midfield looked lightweight

Been crying out for a big athletic yaya toure kind of player, not sure that either of the new midfielders is that - time will tell

That bloke they paid £70 million for is an absolute beast.
 
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This was also apparent against RBL where I think (ignoring the result) our midfield looked lightweight

Been crying out for a big athletic yaya toure kind of player, not sure that either of the new midfielders is that - time will tell

Marvelous is supposed to be a bit of a terrier.
Luiz I think will prove to be a better CB than DM in the long run.