You can’t hide from a poor performance, and that’s what this was. The best team on the day won, we weren’t hard done by. Setting up with the ‘double pivot’ of two defensive central midfielders at home to Wigan does not send the right message, and we struggled to impose our will, appearing the more […]
Everyone’s to blame
You can’t hide from a poor performance, and that’s what this was. The best team on the day won, we weren’t hard done by. Setting up with the ‘double pivot’ of two defensive central midfielders at home to Wigan does not send the right message, and we struggled to impose our will, appearing the more reactive side. That said, though we started this way, Sandro was forced off and replaced with a more attacking player in Sigurdsson, though one bereft of form and confidence, hardly an improvement. Wigan took advantage of this, a little slow out of the gate but taking the initiative for the rest of the first half and the early part of the second.
[linequote]There is a tendency to view these kinds of games through a Spurs-centric lens and forget that there was a second team out on the pitch.[/linequote]
This was a particularly galling performance to watch as we weren’t particularly awful, we weren’t in position for a thrashing, instead we just came out flat and struggled to find a rhythm.The easy thing to say here is how we miss Modric and/or Van der Vaart, though neither of those two are returning any time soon, so it’s a moot point. Dembele, on the other hand, is sorely missed. Injuries aren’t an excuse though, you have to be prepared for them with the depth of your squad and make necessary adjustments. Sigurdsson and Dempsey are both firing blanks, and, with their goal getting their primary attribute that they bring to the team, are struggling to justify selection otherwise.
I won’t single out any particularly negative individual performances as no one really shined today and I don’t think any one player could be blamed. Tottenham turned up and gave a collective ‘meh’.
The only positives to take are that Caulker continues to look good, and that Tom Carroll wasn’t overawed in his brief cameo, otherwise not much to shout about. There is a tendency to view these kinds of games through a Spurs-centric lens and forget that there was a second team out on the pitch. We don’t necessarily have to throw away a game to lose; Wigan showed up with great initiative and out played us. Watson and Kone particularly impressed. Though that summary won’t bring much satisfaction in terms of blame distribution and the venting of anger, it’s an important separation to make in order to keep a sense of perspective and move forward.
The booing phenomenon has been covered extensively on this site, and it reared its head again. The truth is we sit in joint fourth place, and have lost just our third game this season, the other two coming in games that many others will drop points in this season (away at Newcastle and at home to Chelsea). So today can be seen as our first real soiling of the bed. It’s important to keep faith with a side that is still finding its rhythm, and with a manager who is famed for his attention to detail. Villas-Boas will not take today’s shortcomings lightly and adjustments will be made. There are 28 more games to go. Keep calm and love the shirt.
[author name=”Greg Stevenson” avatar=”http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/a0285d45741b01cead9e9c8c336aaa95.jpg?s=192&d=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefightingcock.co.uk%2Fforum%2Fstyles%2Fsoft_responsive%2Fxenforo%2Favatars%2Favatar_l.png” twitter=”GregStevenson_” website=”http://fballfballfball.blogspot.com” tag=”gregstevenson[/linequote]
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04/11/2012 @ 5:45 pm
Good article. Salient points, particularly regarding our own fans insistence that AVB is failing. People seem to forget the woeful bottling that ‘arry had last season and that was WITH modric and VDV.
Yes, Dempsey and Sigs haven’t played to their best yet, but we need to ask, are they being played to their strengths? I have no idea whats going on with Adebayor, but I fear if he doesn’t get some solid game time soon we may end up with another fiasco.
I’d like to see us add one or two attacking options and maybe replace Gallas with another level-headed quality CB to steady the ship when our backs are against the wall.
Otherwise, no complaints, just a really really really bad day at the office.
COYS
04/11/2012 @ 8:25 pm
Our striking force is weak especially when we have only Defoe up front. It was a mistake to have removed him at a time when we needed to strengthen our attack since we we were trailing 1-0 and needed a goal badly. Adebayor would have come in to partner him. Friedel did well until that goal which he should have been able to save by pushing the ball over the bar rather than parry in front of him in Watson’s path. We also lack aerial skills to capitalise on corners and other set pieces. It was really a bad performance that we all rue since a win would have put us close to the top teams. A really great opportunity we have missed.
04/11/2012 @ 8:50 pm
Seems odd to me that 3 of the summer signings are not first xi choices – Lloris, Sigurdsson and Adebayor. Why didn’t they buy 3 others who would feature in/strengthen the team ?
04/11/2012 @ 9:04 pm
Nice article, Poor performance all round, given the players at his disposal AVB picked the right team, once Sandro went off we were screwed. The only thing AVB got wrong was taking Defoe off. Looking forward to Thursday hopefully we can raise the roof and put the boo boys to shame. Yid Army!
04/11/2012 @ 9:25 pm
Not so much that players didn`t play, it was the tactics employed, it didn`t work with Chelski and it WONT work with us. As for the team selection then i agree with above artical about having 2 defensive mid fielders and playing at home at that. I was a Harry fan and still am but i don`t want to see AVB fail, i just want us to win and have the confidence of playing good football but i fear that this is a long way off
04/11/2012 @ 11:11 pm
Having not been at the match and only watching the Sky highlights it’s difficult to comment with any assurity
I can only say that afterwards I felt the worst I have this season, really quite depressed. As you say, Wigan played some of their consistently best football to date. We weren’t VERY bad. just incohesive with nobody willing or able to take hold of the game and drive it on for Spurs. Brad showed what a great shot-stopper he is but that’s not enough and he also showed why Lloris should now be established as the no.1 League keeper with his better all round game and distribution. What sickens me is the booing. I really want some of the booers to explain their case on any of these blogs, so’s I can understand what makes them tick and how they think that helps the situation. I, as well as many at the ground, voiced incredulity and displeasure at AVB’s illogical (to me) substitution of JD with Ade as I think we have a ‘right’ to. Although I wouldn’t even boo at that-there are other ways. Things aren’t as bad as a lot of people would have us believe but I am starting to feel just a little nervous as AVB (whom I love) has started to ‘do a ‘Arry in the lat third of last season, with the strange tactics and substitutions. But then who am I compared to the professionals! Just someone who loves the shirt and cares (certainly enough not to boo!)
05/11/2012 @ 12:06 am
why does he continue to play Huddlestone, he looks lethargic on the field and offers nothing in attack, also why buy a player if u aint gonna use him, Sig, Sandro and Dempsey would of been a better option, also Adebayor has to start, Defoe started the season well but looks like hes gone off the boil the last 2 games, like he does every year, finally, Lloris must be given the number 1 jersey, Freidel should have done better with that parry, just like he should of done better with that one last week, he’d make a good midweek goalie, so with 2 big games coming up i hope AVB starts with Adebayor and Lloris & gets Dembele back too, then we can ditch Huddlestone hes useless.
05/11/2012 @ 5:24 am
Why did DL hire AVB?
Was it because he didn’t have to pay anything for him?
Did DL know, realise or care what he did to Chelsea.?
The answer is HE CAME FOR NOTHING. And everyone knows how DL loves a bargain.
05/11/2012 @ 7:25 am
AVB still has to prove himself. He does not have the tactics yet. Can learn a few things from Martinez who outwitted him.
05/11/2012 @ 6:19 pm
I do love the “why did he play Huddlestone?” comments. In case you hadn’t realised, Parker is injured, Dembele is injured, Sandro is injured and Jenas is on loan at Forrest.