Newcastle (a) 18/19 post match Ratings thread

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Man of the Match

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Verts for me though
 
Tomo said:
I thought you where harsh on Dier.
Click to expand...

I thought I was pretty gentle on him.

Protected us from what exactly? Newcastle could ad probably should have got something out of that game.

I remember Utd winning a title with Phil Jones doing a similar job, he even played there for England a few times, I don't remember anyone saying what a great player Phil Jones was.
 
Lloris - 8/10
Aurier - 6/10
Sanchez - 7/10
Vertonghen - 9/10
Davies - 7/10
Dier - 7/10
Sissoko - 6/10
Moura - 6/10
Eriksen - 6/10
Dele - 7/10
Kane - 6/10
 
bus-conductor said:
Baggy Trousers

If we hadn't spent the best part of last season watching much of the same soggy shit as that today, it would be easy to put that game down to it being the season opener, WC hangover, lack of pre-season etc etc. but the fact is, what was served up today was very similar to a lot of the baggy shit we watched last season. I fact, it was almost identical to where we signed off at home to Leicester, just against a much shitter team.

In my opinion Che Poch has lost his way a little. Not "Roberto Martinez" lost, but lost none the less. He just seems to have lost sight of the principles on which he built this revolution. Aggression, tempo, collective ethos.

He spoke in his book of owing a debt to people like Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. And when I think back, my very favourite Poch game was a 2-1 win over Woolwich at WHL, in his first full season, with those two at the hub of a relentless fisting of what had been to that point a superior Woolwich team. It was the match that cemented Pochettino was the real deal. Before that game we'd beaten Woolwich, we'd occasionally outworked them, and even more occasionally outplayed them, but never all at once, but that day we did all three.

Now, we all know that Mason and Bentaleb weren't world class CM's. And our team that day wasn't as full of class as it probably was subsequently, but what it had was some fucking urgency, some tempo, a bunch of kids who'd vanquished the dressing room of billy big bollocks egos and brought with them a hunger.

I was seeing a Spurs I'd wanted to see for most of my 50 years of watching them. I was seeing a Spurs side that was nasty, tenacious, pressed the ball, suffocated opponents but also played progressive football.

We were allowed to use the word philosophy and not feel like cunts. Because there was one. It was about voracity, collectiveness, meritocratic selection "you're paid to train, not to play".

We seem to be losing some of this. Players like Sissoko and Aurier clearly aren't there on merit. Do not tell me that any of Onomah, Amos, Skipp etc could be any worse, any more inept, any less technically proficient with - OR WITHOUT - the ball. I read people saying he's there to do a job, carry water, break up play. He's fucking atrocious without the ball, can't press without falling into the man. Second half, when we were desperately needing to get some control of the game he went completely awol, 20 touches of the ball in the second 45 minutes compared to 39 in the first. He made one tackle in 90 minutes and no interceptions. His touch is that of a Rhino on PCP. Why the fuck are we not seeing one of the lively, tenacious and technically proficient kids out there?

And one great cross aside, there is certainly no way KWP could be any worse than Aurier.

I'l forgive Dier being out there, but he's not the future either and I don't know how much longer I can watch him doing his impression of Phil Jones going his impression of Marcel Desailly. It's all very ponderous and predictable and when teams, even very shit ones like Newcastle, get lively, he's another that struggles to get hold a game, he just shells himself back into the penalty area and drags the game back with him.

I know that some of the kids Ive mentioned aren't going to be world beaters, but the players being selected ahead of them sure as shit ain't. And at least a judicious introduction of one or two of these kids would bring some fucking hunger, some vim and vigour, some pro-active tenacity, could get us pressing and moving as a collective again, give us back some of that urgency and tempo to our play, as opposed to the baggy, open ended, slap dash bollocks we are watching too much of in the last 18 months.

Really not entirely sure what structure we were playing, and the players didn't seem to either at times. At first it looked like a 433 with Alli and Sissoko as 8's. But then at times it looked like a 4312, with Eriksen in the hole, and at other times a 442 with Moura running into congested central areas. Even without the kids, why not be braver and play Alli and Eriksen as 8's, hubbing off Dier and have Son and Moura either side of Kane, with Sissoko on the bench to come on as a wide right forward - the only role he's ever remotely looked valid in?

As it was a game we had a lot of ceded (by Newcastle) possession in, ended up a very uncomfortable grind, that with a bit of bad rub, a couple of posts and bad finishes, could easily have gone away from us, when we should be more comfortable against shit cunts like Newcastle. Our play lacked tempo, incision, wit or craft and will continue to do so with players like Dier, Sissoko at the hub of it.

Individual

Lloris - Good game.

Aurier - Looks like a novice out there. Here's an idea, lets paly one that doesn't.

Sanchez - Done by a decent cross, but decent enough after that.

Vertonghen - Pretty decent knock, one game saving block.

Davies - Meh.

Sissoko - Like a Rhino on PCP. Second half the PCP wore off.

Dier - Ponderous and predictable with the ball, lack of dynamism without it.

Alli - Decent enough.

Eriksen - Not great by his high standards but still managed one less key pass than the rest of the team put together. Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Kane, Moura all managed fucking none.

The Brazilian Lennon - Contributed fuck all of tangible worth. Fucked the ball away cheaply, and ran around like a headless cunt the rest of the time.

Kane - Effort was there but football wise, another pretty atrocious shift.
Click to expand...

Oh do please just fuck off...
:dembelefingers:
 
Fucking lol, fans expecting us to destroy opposing teams from day 1... Why don’t you just fuck off and enjoy the 3 points? We always started slow in the previous seasons, I don’t give a shit if we win the rest of the games 1-0 until we go full throttle.
 
bus-conductor said:
Baggy Trousers

If we hadn't spent the best part of last season watching much of the same soggy shit as that today, it would be easy to put that game down to it being the season opener, WC hangover, lack of pre-season etc etc. but the fact is, what was served up today was very similar to a lot of the baggy shit we watched last season. I fact, it was almost identical to where we signed off at home to Leicester, just against a much shitter team.

In my opinion Che Poch has lost his way a little. Not "Roberto Martinez" lost, but lost none the less. He just seems to have lost sight of the principles on which he built this revolution. Aggression, tempo, collective ethos.

He spoke in his book of owing a debt to people like Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. And when I think back, my very favourite Poch game was a 2-1 win over Woolwich at WHL, in his first full season, with those two at the hub of a relentless fisting of what had been to that point a superior Woolwich team. It was the match that cemented Pochettino was the real deal. Before that game we'd beaten Woolwich, we'd occasionally outworked them, and even more occasionally outplayed them, but never all at once, but that day we did all three.

Now, we all know that Mason and Bentaleb weren't world class CM's. And our team that day wasn't as full of class as it probably was subsequently, but what it had was some fucking urgency, some tempo, a bunch of kids who'd vanquished the dressing room of billy big bollocks egos and brought with them a hunger.

I was seeing a Spurs I'd wanted to see for most of my 50 years of watching them. I was seeing a Spurs side that was nasty, tenacious, pressed the ball, suffocated opponents but also played progressive football.

We were allowed to use the word philosophy and not feel like cunts. Because there was one. It was about voracity, collectiveness, meritocratic selection "you're paid to train, not to play".

We seem to be losing some of this. Players like Sissoko and Aurier clearly aren't there on merit. Do not tell me that any of Onomah, Amos, Skipp etc could be any worse, any more inept, any less technically proficient with - OR WITHOUT - the ball. I read people saying he's there to do a job, carry water, break up play. He's fucking atrocious without the ball, can't press without falling into the man. Second half, when we were desperately needing to get some control of the game he went completely awol, 20 touches of the ball in the second 45 minutes compared to 39 in the first. He made one tackle in 90 minutes and no interceptions. His touch is that of a Rhino on PCP. Why the fuck are we not seeing one of the lively, tenacious and technically proficient kids out there?

And one great cross aside, there is certainly no way KWP could be any worse than Aurier.

I'l forgive Dier being out there, but he's not the future either and I don't know how much longer I can watch him doing his impression of Phil Jones going his impression of Marcel Desailly. It's all very ponderous and predictable and when teams, even very shit ones like Newcastle, get lively, he's another that struggles to get hold a game, he just shells himself back into the penalty area and drags the game back with him.

I know that some of the kids Ive mentioned aren't going to be world beaters, but the players being selected ahead of them sure as shit ain't. And at least a judicious introduction of one or two of these kids would bring some fucking hunger, some vim and vigour, some pro-active tenacity, could get us pressing and moving as a collective again, give us back some of that urgency and tempo to our play, as opposed to the baggy, open ended, slap dash bollocks we are watching too much of in the last 18 months.

Really not entirely sure what structure we were playing, and the players didn't seem to either at times. At first it looked like a 433 with Alli and Sissoko as 8's. But then at times it looked like a 4312, with Eriksen in the hole, and at other times a 442 with Moura running into congested central areas. Even without the kids, why not be braver and play Alli and Eriksen as 8's, hubbing off Dier and have Son and Moura either side of Kane, with Sissoko on the bench to come on as a wide right forward - the only role he's ever remotely looked valid in?

As it was a game we had a lot of ceded (by Newcastle) possession in, ended up a very uncomfortable grind, that with a bit of bad rub, a couple of posts and bad finishes, could easily have gone away from us, when we should be more comfortable against shit cunts like Newcastle. Our play lacked tempo, incision, wit or craft and will continue to do so with players like Dier, Sissoko at the hub of it.

Individual

Lloris - Good game.

Aurier - Looks like a novice out there. Here's an idea, lets paly one that doesn't.

Sanchez - Done by a decent cross, but decent enough after that.

Vertonghen - Pretty decent knock, one game saving block.

Davies - Meh.

Sissoko - Like a Rhino on PCP. Second half the PCP wore off.

Dier - Ponderous and predictable with the ball, lack of dynamism without it.

Alli - Decent enough.

Eriksen - Not great by his high standards but still managed one less key pass than the rest of the team put together. Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Kane, Moura all managed fucking none.

The Brazilian Lennon - Contributed fuck all of tangible worth. Fucked the ball away cheaply, and ran around like a headless cunt the rest of the time.

Kane - Effort was there but football wise, another pretty atrocious shift.
Click to expand...
Critical which a few don't wan't to hear but most part true.
The intensity has gone
If players like Sissoko,Aurier are to be relied on God help us .
Lack of creativity which has been a problem for a while .
Really the first 11 could be improved with some investment but sadly there is little will at board level to go for the title.
 
Fidel Castro said:
Critical which a few don't wan't to hear but most part true.
The intensity has gone
If players like Sissoko,Aurier are to be relied on God help us .
Lack of creativity which has been a problem for a while .
Really the first 11 could be improved with some investment but sadly there is little will at board level to go for the title.
Click to expand...

Even at his current age I’d have Moutinho ahead of Sissoko in midfield today.
 
Fidel Castro said:
The teams cohesion is lost when he plays and also the quality of football as a spectacle is low.
Click to expand...

He’s a piss-poor footballer. He’s an athlete with an engine, but then again so was Zokora.

I’m a supporter so I’ll support him, but that doesn’t mean I’m happy that he’s playing for us. I know Pochettino likes his energetic players, but fuck me...we might as well play the Duracell bunny.
 
Fidel Castro said:
The teams cohesion is lost when he plays and also the quality of football as a spectacle is low.
Click to expand...

We're not firing on all cylinders, while I'm no fan of Sissoko to just say he's the reason for all our midfield woes feels like a bridge too far.

We're not in top gear yet, we managed a win, which is good going under the circumstances especially it was the width of a post and a bar from going the other way.

I thought both Sanchez & Vertonghen did stirling work today along with Lloris but we were exposed on the wide a bit too often and probably didn't create enough chances to kill the game off, we did enough though. Also Dembele & Son helped as subs towards the end and stabilised the ship for us.
 
Poch reliance on Aurier, Sissoko is a worry if he decides to play them regularly over the season.
Lucas tends to play more as a inside forward than a wing player ,
Kane lately sits deeper as if he can do a killer linking pass but it less effective. Poch tatically has to sort this out
 
bus-conductor said:
Baggy Trousers

If we hadn't spent the best part of last season watching much of the same soggy shit as that today, it would be easy to put that game down to it being the season opener, WC hangover, lack of pre-season etc etc. but the fact is, what was served up today was very similar to a lot of the baggy shit we watched last season. I fact, it was almost identical to where we signed off at home to Leicester, just against a much shitter team.

In my opinion Che Poch has lost his way a little. Not "Roberto Martinez" lost, but lost none the less. He just seems to have lost sight of the principles on which he built this revolution. Aggression, tempo, collective ethos.

He spoke in his book of owing a debt to people like Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. And when I think back, my very favourite Poch game was a 2-1 win over Woolwich at WHL, in his first full season, with those two at the hub of a relentless fisting of what had been to that point a superior Woolwich team. It was the match that cemented Pochettino was the real deal. Before that game we'd beaten Woolwich, we'd occasionally outworked them, and even more occasionally outplayed them, but never all at once, but that day we did all three.

Now, we all know that Mason and Bentaleb weren't world class CM's. And our team that day wasn't as full of class as it probably was subsequently, but what it had was some fucking urgency, some tempo, a bunch of kids who'd vanquished the dressing room of billy big bollocks egos and brought with them a hunger.

I was seeing a Spurs I'd wanted to see for most of my 50 years of watching them. I was seeing a Spurs side that was nasty, tenacious, pressed the ball, suffocated opponents but also played progressive football.

We were allowed to use the word philosophy and not feel like cunts. Because there was one. It was about voracity, collectiveness, meritocratic selection "you're paid to train, not to play".

We seem to be losing some of this. Players like Sissoko and Aurier clearly aren't there on merit. Do not tell me that any of Onomah, Amos, Skipp etc could be any worse, any more inept, any less technically proficient with - OR WITHOUT - the ball. I read people saying he's there to do a job, carry water, break up play. He's fucking atrocious without the ball, can't press without falling into the man. Second half, when we were desperately needing to get some control of the game he went completely awol, 20 touches of the ball in the second 45 minutes compared to 39 in the first. He made one tackle in 90 minutes and no interceptions. His touch is that of a Rhino on PCP. Why the fuck are we not seeing one of the lively, tenacious and technically proficient kids out there?

And one great cross aside, there is certainly no way KWP could be any worse than Aurier.

I'l forgive Dier being out there, but he's not the future either and I don't know how much longer I can watch him doing his impression of Phil Jones going his impression of Marcel Desailly. It's all very ponderous and predictable and when teams, even very shit ones like Newcastle, get lively, he's another that struggles to get hold a game, he just shells himself back into the penalty area and drags the game back with him.

I know that some of the kids Ive mentioned aren't going to be world beaters, but the players being selected ahead of them sure as shit ain't. And at least a judicious introduction of one or two of these kids would bring some fucking hunger, some vim and vigour, some pro-active tenacity, could get us pressing and moving as a collective again, give us back some of that urgency and tempo to our play, as opposed to the baggy, open ended, slap dash bollocks we are watching too much of in the last 18 months.

Really not entirely sure what structure we were playing, and the players didn't seem to either at times. At first it looked like a 433 with Alli and Sissoko as 8's. But then at times it looked like a 4312, with Eriksen in the hole, and at other times a 442 with Moura running into congested central areas. Even without the kids, why not be braver and play Alli and Eriksen as 8's, hubbing off Dier and have Son and Moura either side of Kane, with Sissoko on the bench to come on as a wide right forward - the only role he's ever remotely looked valid in?

As it was a game we had a lot of ceded (by Newcastle) possession in, ended up a very uncomfortable grind, that with a bit of bad rub, a couple of posts and bad finishes, could easily have gone away from us, when we should be more comfortable against shit cunts like Newcastle. Our play lacked tempo, incision, wit or craft and will continue to do so with players like Dier, Sissoko at the hub of it.

Individual

Lloris - Good game.

Aurier - Looks like a novice out there. Here's an idea, lets paly one that doesn't.

Sanchez - Done by a decent cross, but decent enough after that.

Vertonghen - Pretty decent knock, one game saving block.

Davies - Meh.

Sissoko - Like a Rhino on PCP. Second half the PCP wore off.

Dier - Ponderous and predictable with the ball, lack of dynamism without it.

Alli - Decent enough.

Eriksen - Not great by his high standards but still managed one less key pass than the rest of the team put together. Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Kane, Moura all managed fucking none.

The Brazilian Lennon - Contributed fuck all of tangible worth. Fucked the ball away cheaply, and ran around like a headless cunt the rest of the time.

Kane - Effort was there but football wise, another pretty atrocious shift.
Click to expand...

Don't think we were ever going to see a game played with intensity and pressing - half way through the 2nd half it was clear that a number of players were looking tired, allowing Newcastle to maybe get something from the game. No surprise with the WC semi final players having had no pre-season.

But in addition Poch has learned from the first couple of seasons that Spurs can't press all the time as the players cannot take it - so it has to be a selective press. Hopefully that will be seen in a few games time when all the players have in effect completed a pre-season.

What has become evident over the last couple of seasons is that Poch likes to change the teams shape within game - adding a 433 formation to the others this season. Its a good tactic to keep the opposition guessing and one he can only deploy with a stable squad where there are only a couple of additions each season.

We've all commented on the lack of creativity in midfield, but other than the injured Winks, newcomer and before that Mason, Bentaleb and Carroll (and arguably Pritchard more an Eriksen player than a CM perhaps) who were all sold and all from the Academy, Poch has never bought a 'passing' CM, he's only gone for strong athletic CM's so no surprise he likes Sissoko. Just hope Winks gets fit soon, Amos comes good to give us more creativity in CM,

Not sure why you are so negative to Dier as he provides a standard DM service to break up play with the ability to almost seamlessly drop back into CB, especially if the full backs move forward.

Irrespective of Sissoko's technical skills the problem was that he often teamed up with Aurier on the right going forward, but each got into the others way often giving the ball away, both moving inward rather than one providing width consistently. Aurier provided a couple of decent crosses, including the peach of a cross from which Dele scored, but other than that was poor - I'd hope that he becomes 3rd choice RB behind Trippier and Walker-Peters or sold to European clubs in the next 3 weeks or so.

Moura was far less effective than hoped after a decent preseason set of games, and Son brought on to add forward speed likewise, Whilst Kane still does not look fir (but am I right he's only had one summer off in 5 years always in England tournaments or Eu21 and E u20 before that ?).

Individually :

Very Good - Lloris, Vertonghen
Good - Sanchez. Dier, Eriksen, Dele , Dembele (for the short time he was on)
Not as good as they should be - Kane, Moura, Son (for the short time he was on)
Poor - Aurier, Davies, Sissoko
 
bus-conductor said:
Baggy Trousers

If we hadn't spent the best part of last season watching much of the same soggy shit as that today, it would be easy to put that game down to it being the season opener, WC hangover, lack of pre-season etc etc. but the fact is, what was served up today was very similar to a lot of the baggy shit we watched last season. I fact, it was almost identical to where we signed off at home to Leicester, just against a much shitter team.

In my opinion Che Poch has lost his way a little. Not "Roberto Martinez" lost, but lost none the less. He just seems to have lost sight of the principles on which he built this revolution. Aggression, tempo, collective ethos.

He spoke in his book of owing a debt to people like Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb. And when I think back, my very favourite Poch game was a 2-1 win over Woolwich at WHL, in his first full season, with those two at the hub of a relentless fisting of what had been to that point a superior Woolwich team. It was the match that cemented Pochettino was the real deal. Before that game we'd beaten Woolwich, we'd occasionally outworked them, and even more occasionally outplayed them, but never all at once, but that day we did all three.

Now, we all know that Mason and Bentaleb weren't world class CM's. And our team that day wasn't as full of class as it probably was subsequently, but what it had was some fucking urgency, some tempo, a bunch of kids who'd vanquished the dressing room of billy big bollocks egos and brought with them a hunger.

I was seeing a Spurs I'd wanted to see for most of my 50 years of watching them. I was seeing a Spurs side that was nasty, tenacious, pressed the ball, suffocated opponents but also played progressive football.

We were allowed to use the word philosophy and not feel like cunts. Because there was one. It was about voracity, collectiveness, meritocratic selection "you're paid to train, not to play".

We seem to be losing some of this. Players like Sissoko and Aurier clearly aren't there on merit. Do not tell me that any of Onomah, Amos, Skipp etc could be any worse, any more inept, any less technically proficient with - OR WITHOUT - the ball. I read people saying he's there to do a job, carry water, break up play. He's fucking atrocious without the ball, can't press without falling into the man. Second half, when we were desperately needing to get some control of the game he went completely awol, 20 touches of the ball in the second 45 minutes compared to 39 in the first. He made one tackle in 90 minutes and no interceptions. His touch is that of a Rhino on PCP. Why the fuck are we not seeing one of the lively, tenacious and technically proficient kids out there?

And one great cross aside, there is certainly no way KWP could be any worse than Aurier.

I'l forgive Dier being out there, but he's not the future either and I don't know how much longer I can watch him doing his impression of Phil Jones going his impression of Marcel Desailly. It's all very ponderous and predictable and when teams, even very shit ones like Newcastle, get lively, he's another that struggles to get hold a game, he just shells himself back into the penalty area and drags the game back with him.

I know that some of the kids Ive mentioned aren't going to be world beaters, but the players being selected ahead of them sure as shit ain't. And at least a judicious introduction of one or two of these kids would bring some fucking hunger, some vim and vigour, some pro-active tenacity, could get us pressing and moving as a collective again, give us back some of that urgency and tempo to our play, as opposed to the baggy, open ended, slap dash bollocks we are watching too much of in the last 18 months.

Really not entirely sure what structure we were playing, and the players didn't seem to either at times. At first it looked like a 433 with Alli and Sissoko as 8's. But then at times it looked like a 4312, with Eriksen in the hole, and at other times a 442 with Moura running into congested central areas. Even without the kids, why not be braver and play Alli and Eriksen as 8's, hubbing off Dier and have Son and Moura either side of Kane, with Sissoko on the bench to come on as a wide right forward - the only role he's ever remotely looked valid in?

As it was a game we had a lot of ceded (by Newcastle) possession in, ended up a very uncomfortable grind, that with a bit of bad rub, a couple of posts and bad finishes, could easily have gone away from us, when we should be more comfortable against shit cunts like Newcastle. Our play lacked tempo, incision, wit or craft and will continue to do so with players like Dier, Sissoko at the hub of it.

Individual

Lloris - Good game.

Aurier - Looks like a novice out there. Here's an idea, lets paly one that doesn't.

Sanchez - Done by a decent cross, but decent enough after that.

Vertonghen - Pretty decent knock, one game saving block.

Davies - Meh.

Sissoko - Like a Rhino on PCP. Second half the PCP wore off.

Dier - Ponderous and predictable with the ball, lack of dynamism without it.

Alli - Decent enough.

Eriksen - Not great by his high standards but still managed one less key pass than the rest of the team put together. Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Kane, Moura all managed fucking none.

The Brazilian Lennon - Contributed fuck all of tangible worth. Fucked the ball away cheaply, and ran around like a headless cunt the rest of the time.

Kane - Effort was there but football wise, another pretty atrocious shift.
Click to expand...


You were doing ok until the Sissoko Rhino remark

He’s auditioning for Spearmint Rhino, Luton next week!
 
Fidel Castro said:
Critical which a few don't wan't to hear but most part true.
The intensity has gone
If players like Sissoko,Aurier are to be relied on God help us .
Lack of creativity which has been a problem for a while .
Really the first 11 could be improved with some investment but sadly there is little will at board level to go for the title.
Click to expand...

I have some empathy for the board, when they've backed Pochettino to the tune of 100m in fees and wages for three stooges like Sissoko, Aurier and Moura. Not to mention wasting another HG spot with Gazaniga.
 
Last edited:
It's inexcusable that we didn't move Sissoko on this Summer, no matter what way you dress it up. He's so out of sync with the other players technically and such a square peg in a round hole it is difficult to watch at times. Just imagine if we had an Ndombele or Kovacic on the right of the mid field 3 today. With that said though, we're stuck with him for another season so lets just pray to the Gods Winksy is back soon.

Lloris 8
Aurier 5
Dav 7
Jan 8
Davies 6
Dier 7
Sissoko 5
Dele 7
Eriksen 6
Lucas 6
Kane 6
Dembele 7
Son 5
Amos 5
 
Spursidol said:
Not sure why you are so negative to Dier as he provides a standard DM service to break up play with the ability to almost seamlessly drop back into CB, especially if the full backs move forward.
Click to expand...

But he doesn't break up play very well, that's part of my problem with Dier. He doesn't have the dynamism, mobility or instinct to hunt and press, he's turned way to easily and so is much more reactive than pro-active and with the ball it's really football by numbers stuff, nothing incisive, no tempo is ever set by Dier, except "plod".

This dropping back between CB's is really not some tactical eureka moment. All of the three kids were doing it in the pre-season friendlies, as they do frequently in U23, U18 games etc. As does Wanyama, who also far more pro-active and aggressive at hunting down the ball, winning it higher and passing it quickly before defences get parked and he can also move with the ball past an opponent, something else Dier can't do. Dier doesn't like receiving the ball under pressure, like when we are being pressed and trying to play out from it.

If Pochettino wasn't going to use the academy to fulfil remits like today that Sissoko and Dier were used for then he should have brought in someone like Ndombele or Brozavic. Dier is massively limited - and limits us, Sissoko is not a CM, hell, he's barely a footballer, and Dembele has played 60% and 53% od his last two seasons, and only about 10% of those at above chug level.
 
We were fecking awful today but it was the first game of the season and we still managed to grind out a result
We played some fantastic football last season full of high energy so don't really agree to be honest
Our defence has gone to shit though , we were rock solid at the back until last season
Really missing the Toby and Jan partnership imo
 
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