Four weeks of hell.

[Cogito]

Our best and strongest team last season was:

Kane
Eriksen - Alli - Lamela
Dembele - Dier
Rose - Vertonghen - Alderweireld - Walker
Lloris
​

Do you want to guess how many times that line up has played this season? Zero.

Alderweireld is a BIG loss but Wimmer is a pretty decent alternative. I know Dier wanted to play as a CB but (a bit like Bale converting from left back) he converted well to midfield.

I really like Wanyama, I think he has been a great signing and shown to be a lot more than what a lot of us thought he was but when on form, he is no Eric Dier in the way we play. I don't want to go as far as to say Wanyama has affected our style of play because he's been effective himself but Dembele/Dier last year was one of, if not the best central midfield pairing in the country and they worked well. Dier's quick forward passing allowed us to transition into attack quickly whilst Dembele moved forward WITH the ball effortlessly. This season, Wanyama doesn't pass forward as incisively as Dier did, but he's arguably a lot better without the ball, I also feel him and Dembele don't work as effectively as Dembele and Dier (though they haven't played nearly as enough)

I still think Wanyama is an accident waiting to happen.

Central midfield is the most important position on the pitch. We haven't had a settled central midfield pairing. From starting off with the VERY defensive Dier/Wanyama to then going with Wanyama/Dembele to Wanyama/Alli and then back to Wanyama/Dembele again - it's not settled. Wanyama now seems undroppable in the eyes of Pochettino.
I just wish I could see us field that starting eleven again.

The other big problem is that both Rose and Dembele are becoming too prone to injury.
Davies is OK but not quite the player Rose is. When a cross does arrive from e.g. Rose or Walker there's bugger all Tottenham players near the oppo's penalty spot to cater with it!

 

[Totti]

Alderweireld is a BIG loss but Wimmer is a pretty decent alternative. I know Dier wanted to play as a CB but (a bit like Bale converting from left back) he converted well to midfield.


I still think Wanyama is an accident waiting to happen.



The other big problem is that both Rose and Dembele are becoming too prone to injury.
Davies is OK but not quite the player Rose is. When a cross does arrive from e.g. Rose or Walker there's bugger all Tottenham players near the oppo's penalty spot to cater with it!

I think Alderweireld is a bigger loss than all of us realise - the problems with our goalsoring all seemed to stem from when he got injured, which may surprise many considering he's a defender. Kane got injured and we scored 4 goals in our next 2 games. Alderweireld is crucial to our play simply with his passing alone. I don't see Dier as a centre half and still think he is much better then Wanyama in midfield, however I can't fault Wanyama at the moment and deserves his place ahead of Dier (even if the chemistry isn't the same).

I think Dembele just has deep-lying issues. Not as serious as Ledley but I think Dembele will always have knocks here and there, he always either seems to have problems with his hip or his ankle, probably due to not having surgery on them when needed or playing through it in the past - so he has to be treated carefully. Rose should be starting every single game for me. So should Walker, they are crucial to how we play.

 

[Cogito]

, however I can't fault Wanyama at the moment and deserves his place ahead of Dier (even if the chemistry isn't the same)..

Seems like we agree on most points except the value of Wanyama!!:eriksenlol:

 

[Boltonspur]

Chemistry is shot mate.

Dier and Alli last season would kill for one another in midfield. Dier has been relegated for wanyama. As much as I like wanyama I see no chemistry. Walker is suffering from having no buddy in front of him.

Eriksen looks bereft. No one around him to play off.

It's a mess alright

Well put... fella. Dier was key last year. Somehow he's fallen behind wanyama. Like you, I think Victor is a top lad. But there's something missing without Dier & Alli playing in their positions & building so much both offensively & defensively as they did last year. Walker had his worst game in a Spurs shirt tonight. But it's been coming.

I thought eriksen was ok tonight though? He's there all the time & doesn't shy away. But at times he does look lost out there when there is no outlet. Taking pot shots like he was???

 

[Mr S Pippo]

lets see were we are in 4 weeks time. NLD is a good game to have next. there is NO hiding.

 

[Pochecinno]

I agree with Totti We are yet to play our best XI this season. At the end of last season and during pre-season Spurs fans were generally in agreement that our first team was set and that it didn't need any changes - we just needed cover and greater depth in certain positions.

I think with the new arrivals and promotion of certain youth players Poch is trying to be too clever in rotation, mixing it up and getting players to play in different positions. Adaptability is great but should only need to resort to it when we have to. Plan B and all that. Of course, injuries have forced his hand somewhat but there is a sense that he should just play our best XI every game. When the fixtures become congested then we will need pre-emptive rotation, no doubt. But at the moment we just need to keep it simple.

There is of course the psychological thing. I still don't think we have recovered from the way last season ended. The West Brom and Chelsea games seem to have really scarred some of the boys. England's shitshow at the Euros compounded it as well, of course.

In all though as Yid7 says we've never had it so good in our recent history. I, for one, still remember the 90s.

 

[Eskimo]

If we're honest we've been shit 95/100 since we kicked off against West ham in March .

 

[AberdeenYid]

This is the best period of sustained form in my lifetime

Did you not see us play last season? You missed yourself. I'd certainly say we were in much better form for most of last season than we are now. Apologies if that's melting.

 

[suburbanexile]

This is the result of the manager's attrition style of play and training methods. The players are simply knackered.
Expect it to get worse as the season progresses.

 

[Eskimo]

That's what was said last season, and it was proved untrue then.

Really? Look at the results from march onwards maybe?

 

[suburbanexile]

That's what was said last season, and it was proved untrue then.

Yes, it's now a case of third season syndrome. Mourinho does the same to his sides. Last season really was their chance...

 

[suburbanexile]

I think you've been reading too many Martin Samuel articles

I've not actually read any of his articles.
As I see it, the problem is simple: Fatigue.
This is the problem with Poch's methods. When a human being is fatigued, they start making sub-optimal decisions.
And last night's performance was simply the result of 11 fatigued players making sub-optimal decisions.

 

[suburbanexile]

This post has more melts than a good "raclette".
Shame on you all.
This is the best period of sustained form in my lifetime, I'm 48 for fucks sake.
Yes, we lost tonight, yes, we need Kane, yes, we need goals.
Just fuckin remember, when twitchy took over we were going through probably the worst time in our history. Eight years on, we are competing on a regular basis. Please don't turn into that lot down the road, thinking that we are entitled, we are not entitled.
I would rather be where we are now than where we were pre 2007.
COYS.

Did you miss our last adventure in the Champs League, when we killed it in the group stages?

Redknapp's side was better than this one.

 

[Yid7]

Did you not see us play last season? You missed yourself. I'd certainly say we were in much better form for most of last season than we are now. Apologies if that's melting.

Did you miss our last adventure in the Champs League, when we killed it in the group stages?

Redknapp's side was better than this one.

The "Best Period" that I'm referring to is the last 8/9 seasons, not just the present season. It is the best sustained period in the time that I have been following Spurs. I started my toxic relationship back in 72. I include the European and domestic honours won in that time because whilst we were winning trophies, we were pretty erratic in the league. That has changed since Redknapp and Poch got involved, that's all I was getting at.

 

[suburbanexile]

Mourinho struggles in his third season because his players start to realise what a cockwomble he is, our players have a tailor made fitness regime to ensure they have more stamina and strength than other sides, how the hell can they be fatigued 2 months in to the season?!

Because the majority of them were playing in the summer Euros. They have had at most 1 month's rest. Add to that the intensity of the play towards the end of last season, and you get one thing, Fatigue.

It's not just Poch's sides which get fatigued. His mentor Biesla also knackered his sides out, so that they didn't really win anything.

Poch needs to change if he actually wants to win something, but I don't think that is going to happen.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Not a win, barely a goal. In defence, Walker is making too many mistakes. Dier isn't looking like a CB. Trippier and Wimmer look like they should get a chance.
Midfield, Sissoko looks like crap, Wanyama is a red card waiting to happen. How much did we spend on the non-appearance of Nkoudou? Dier looked pretty O.K. there last season. And we could have probably bought Joe Allen as a better bet than the 3 we bought.
Son always looks busy but his final touch is invariably one touch too many. Either shoot or pass...
Janssen, it's about time he actually kicked the ball towards the opposition goal rather than just from the penalty spot.
Eriksen? compared to last season, he's providing nothing.
The only decent signing we've made in the last couple of years is Alderweireld oh and Ali but he needs to learn to not fall over.

Hey Buddy! My new album is out this week, it might help??

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

Because the majority of them were playing in the summer Euros. They have had at most 1 month's rest. Add to that the intensity of the play towards the end of last season, and you get one thing, Fatigue.

It's not just Poch's sides which get fatigued. His mentor Biesla also knackered his sides out, so that they didn't really win anything.

Poch needs to change if he actually wants to win something, but I don't think that is going to happen.

You could write Poch a letter mate. With your expertise, knowledge and infinite wisdom on Sports science I'm sure he will be all ears. Or are you getting your info from the tabloids and their narrative building?

 

[Neumanator]

Did you not see us play last season? You missed yourself. I'd certainly say we were in much better form for most of last season than we are now. Apologies if that's melting.

Apparently, if you're not predicting a 3-0 win every week then you are a melt. At least when we get turned over by the Wanderers on sunday the 'thought police' who patrol this forum won't be able to bring up the 'we still haven't lost in the league yet' statement, like it has any relevance at all.

 

[Pochecinno]

Apparently, if you're not predicting a 3-0 win every week then you are a melt. At least when we get turned over by the Wanderers on sunday the 'thought police' who patrol this forum won't be able to bring up the 'we still haven't lost in the league yet' statement, like it has any relevance at all.

Of course it has relevance. It demonstrates that as shit as we have been in scoring goals our defensive solidity has continued to win us points. It's boring as fuck and painful to watch but it isn't irrelevant.

 

[Neumanator]

Of course it has relevance. It demonstrates that as shit as we have been in scoring goals our defensive solidity has continued to win us points. It's boring as fuck and painful to watch but it isn't irrelevant.

Yeah, 3 points out of 9 in the last three matches. Win two and lose one gives a much better return, but let's keep banging the 'not lost' drum.