Mauricio Pochettino

[Totti]

If we’re playing a 3 Sanchez every time I’m guessing that Sanchez’s nose is put out of joint because of Alderweireld starting, and Dier is a hopeless CB. It’s not like our defence is any better since Alderweireld came back - in fact it’s worse. Dier’s position, whatever that is, is the obvious upgrade.

Just want to see this personally, as soon as everyone is fit:

Lloris
Toby - Sanchez - Jan
Trippier - Eriksen - Wanyama - Dele - Rose
Lucas
Kane
​

That way you have Son keeping Lucas and Kane on their toes. You get the best out of Trippier and Rose in their wing back roles. We saw how good Rose was for England in the week when playing as a wing back in a back three and how good he CAN be for us and you have a legit defensive midfielder in Wanyama.

Would LOVE to see Lamela given a game in one of those central midfield roles in that formation to be honest. His energy up and down the field would be such a plus to our play - sadly, I don't think it'll ever happen in terms of starting there but maybe he'll come off the bench and play that sort of role.

Gives us a bench and depth of Aurier, Dier, Davies, Dembele, Lamela, Son which is pretty good depth and a good bunch of players to fight it out.

 

[Joe Clash]

Just want to see this personally, as soon as everyone is fit:

Lloris
Toby - Sanchez - Jan
Trippier - Eriksen - Wanyama - Dele - Rose
Lucas
Kane
​

That way you have Son keeping Lucas and Kane on their toes. You get the best out of Trippier and Rose in their wing back roles. We saw how good Rose was for England in the week when playing as a wing back in a back three and how good he CAN be for us and you have a legit defensive midfielder in Wanyama.

Would LOVE to see Lamela given a game in one of those central midfield roles in that formation to be honest. His energy up and down the field would be such a plus to our play - sadly, I don't think it'll ever happen in terms of starting there but maybe he'll come off the bench and play that sort of role.

Gives us a bench and depth of Aurier, Dier, Davies, Dembele, Lamela, Son which is pretty good depth and a good bunch of players to fight it out.

I was convinced Lamela would start today. I thought he’d be perfect for today’s game.

 

[Totti]

I was convinced Lamela would start today. I thought he’d be perfectly for today’s game.

It's quite amazing that even after 12+ months out, we STILL miss his energy when he doesn't play. Love him or hate him, you can't deny the guy fucking cares.

I still remember a few times in the 15/16 season, his best for us, that when he went off late in games our energy and desire went with him.

I think he deserves to start now. No excuses. In his last 126 minutes of Premier League football for us he has 1 assist and 3 goals. Eriksen and Kane are out of form and Dele is out injured.

 

[bus-conductor]

Just want to see this personally, as soon as everyone is fit:

Lloris
Toby - Sanchez - Jan
Trippier - Eriksen - Wanyama - Dele - Rose
Lucas
Kane
​

That way you have Son keeping Lucas and Kane on their toes. You get the best out of Trippier and Rose in their wing back roles. We saw how good Rose was for England in the week when playing as a wing back in a back three and how good he CAN be for us and you have a legit defensive midfielder in Wanyama.

Would LOVE to see Lamela given a game in one of those central midfield roles in that formation to be honest. His energy up and down the field would be such a plus to our play - sadly, I don't think it'll ever happen in terms of starting there but maybe he'll come off the bench and play that sort of role.

Gives us a bench and depth of Aurier, Dier, Davies, Dembele, Lamela, Son which is pretty good depth and a good bunch of players to fight it out.

Most weeks, against most "normal" opposition I'd really love to see us try a proper orthodox 433 (we've tried everything else - often in the same game this season).

Trippier----------Sanchez-----------JV---------------Rose

Eriksen------------Wanyama------------Alli

Lamela-------------Kane--------------Moura​

I'd like to see us press higher and be much more cohesive without the ball again, catch teams before they are parked, with Lamela and Moura we could do that. If Wanyama's fucked then bring in one of the academy terriers.

We don't always need 3CB's against many of the fodder. They just sit back, leave one up top. We can cope. And I don't think we'll ever get the best of Moura playing him down the middle, he's much better running directly at exposed flanks, than in the central congestion. He lacks sufficient composure, but is lively and direct. he could be our (poor mans) left side Salah. Lamela doing something similar right.

 

[Boltonspur]

Intwresting notion.

I tend to agree somewhat and think in part that our players came back as world cup semi-finalists and maybe thought and think they are better than they are.

This 5 year cycle will end with some changes to personnel. It has to.

It’s kind of sad in a way, because this squad has provided me (& I suspect many other long suffering Spurs fans) with some absolute glory moments. But time stands still for no man, & with the contract situation for several players, combined with age creeping up on others, I think that there is a degree of reinvention on the not too distant horizon.

 

[Park Lane Mark Twain]

Another problem is Pochettino doesn't seem to know what his best eleven is.

To be fair - I don't think any of us do either.

Our best XI is a 4-2-3-1 with Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Winks, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas, Kane in my opinion. I'd rather see this played most games than what we have or have seen recently. Stick Vorm, Davies, Sanchez, Dier/ Wanyama, Lamela, Son, Llorente on the bench and it gives us options all over the pitch. Whoever comes off the bench and does well keeps their place. That's how I'd move it forward when everyone's fit personally.

 

[Spurs_1987]

I wasn't born for the likes of Nicholson & Burkinshaw, but I can say that I have a confidence in Poch that I've never had in a Spurs manager in my lifetime, only Jol & Redknapp come even close, when we go through a patchy period like this, I have the confidence that he'll find the solution.

Too many years have gone by where we've been one of those clubs who sack managers after a bad run of form or a bad season, we HAVE to stick by this man for the longer term (no, I don't consider roughly 4 years long term), otherwise another club will end up reaping the benefits, while we go backwards AGAIN.

 

[spursmalc]

It is not the time of year to consider starting/best 11 as we have CL and must rotate. Thankfully yesterday Winks, Lamela and Wanyama looked OK to start. I expect several changes for Tuesday to freshen up the team and give new energy but we need all of our squad over the next few weeks.

 

[snowkarl]

Son was.

I'd have probably played a 433.

Trippier---------DS--------------JV---------------BD

Eriksen-------------MarshAmos/Skipp------------Dembele

Son-------------kane---------------Alli

Starting Amos or Skipp?

They didn't even look good against low level opposition in pre season. Nowhere near ready.

Alli out wide? Trippier in a back 4. Just asking for trouble.

 

[snowkarl]

Our best XI is a 4-2-3-1 with Lloris, Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Winks, Dembele, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas, Kane in my opinion. I'd rather see this played most games than what we have or have seen recently. Stick Vorm, Davies, Sanchez, Dier/ Wanyama, Lamela, Son, Llorente on the bench and it gives us options all over the pitch. Whoever comes off the bench and does well keeps their place. That's how I'd move it forward when everyone's fit personally.

What has Winks done in the past 2 years to suggest he should be in the first XI?

I think we are all way too sentimental. I know he was good against Real Madrid but he's suffered from a lot of injuries and he's started like 15 games for us in total, let's let him prove himself. Certainly didn't do well against Wijnaldum and Milner.

 

[bus-conductor]

Starting Amos or Skipp?

They didn't even look good against low level opposition in pre season. Nowhere near ready.

Alli out wide? Trippier in a back 4. Just asking for trouble.

That was one game, and played all together, they also played really well in other pre season games against better quality opposition than Espanyol. And I’m talking about playing one of them with a full first team around them. And the bottom line is, Dier and Dembele have been largely atrocious, so what if Amos or Skipp weren’t foot perfect, at least they’d play their bollocks off and bring some hunger and desire. And both are better, more natural midfielders than Dier.

This was a game against one of the poorest sides in the league, Trippier’s played in back four victories against most of the top 6, I don’t think we should shit ourselves against Newcastle, especially when the alternative is Aurier, who’s no more defensively sound.

Trippier has played loads in a back four, and been fine, he’s not got electric pace but he’s not Corluka either. The problem is Poch pushing the fb’s right up and not tactically adjusting elsewhere to mitigate for this.

Rose is quick, but we were caught out on his side as much as Trippier’s yesterday.

 

[Kuya]

Poch said he picks players based on performances in training.
I find that hard to believe, based on what we are seeing on the pitch.
Not sure Poch is ruthless enough to drop any of the undroppables. He constantly rotates the wing backs though, which makes it all the more maddening that the likes of Lamela and Son don't get starts even when Dele is injured. Starting with all 3 of Dier, Winks and Dembele is no good. Not in their current state anyway.
Really hope that Wanyama can get fit, back in to peak form and claim his position back, we will look so much more solid.

 

[Tomo]

Poch said he picks players based on performances in training.
I find that hard to believe, based on what we are seeing on the pitch.
Not sure Poch is ruthless enough to drop any of the undroppables. He constantly rotates the wing backs though, which makes it all the more maddening that the likes of Lamela and Son don't get starts even when Dele is injured. Starting with all 3 of Dier, Winks and Dembele is no good. Not in their current state anyway.
Really hope that Wanyama can get fit, back in to peak form and claim his position back, we will look so much more solid.

Maybe it’s just we don’t have much else. I mean yeh Lamela should be playing, maybe Kane should be rested but in midfield our depth is average, it’s not like there are any obvious remedies.

For me it’s the midfield that is the issue and it’s hard to see who fixes that.

 

[Johnboy40]

I'm not sure Dier being dropped was because of his form. I think Poch was trying to just keep all the centre backs happy. Which again is another problem. Who starts against Inter Milan? 3 at the back again? Toby dropped? Vertonghen rested?

We've played 4 different formations in our opening 5 league games and Lucas has played in 3 different positions throughout those 5 games.

Poch needs to just get us back to basics.

completely agree. we aint playing well, go back to the formation thats worked so well for 3 years: 4 2 3 1.

 

[Notabadsquad]

Maybe it’s just we don’t have much else. I mean yeh Lamela should be playing, maybe Kane should be rested but in midfield our depth is average, it’s not like there are any obvious remedies.

For me it’s the midfield that is the issue and it’s hard to see who fixes that.

Sorry but no.

We were fine in many respects and then bang, against Watford you could see the start of yesterday's loss and lack of cohesion.

Our midfield has options and is right up there with most but not playing with decisiveness and fluidity. It needs Eriksen to be dropped and for others to be better. Dembele has given the ball away over 5 times at least in our last 2 games for example. Not good enough.

So now is the time to consider the merits of Lamela over Eriksen, although a different type of player, to give Winks a run maybe, to recognise Alli's importance and for Sissoko to come back into the running, especially when we are away from home.

And the other biggy is to drop Kane to the bench for 2 or 3 games and play Son or even give Llorente confidence and a chance. At least with Son you will get better running off the ball if not Kane's strength.

But our midfield has the quaility (needed more additions) and has not turned poor overnight but needed competition.

 

[Kuya]

Maybe it’s just we don’t have much else. I mean yeh Lamela should be playing, maybe Kane should be rested but in midfield our depth is average, it’s not like there are any obvious remedies.

For me it’s the midfield that is the issue and it’s hard to see who fixes that.

Yeah tough just being in our position trying to pick, imagine Poch is having a bit of a mare tbh.
Midfield need energy, Lamela and one of Sissoko or Wanyama instead of Dier, Dembele or Winks might have helped.
Its all moot now anyway but going forwards we need energy and creativity, these are really lacking in the last 2 games.

 

[Tomo]

Sorry but no.

We were fine in many respects and then bang, against Watford you could see the start kf yesterday's loss.

Our midfield has options and is right up there but not playing with cohesion and fluidity. It needs Eriksen to be dropped and for others to be better. Dembele has given tge ball away over 5 times at least in our last 2 games for example. Not good enough.

So now is the time to consider the merits of Lamela over Eriksen, although a different player, to give Winks a run maybe, to recognise Alli's importance and for Sissoko to come back into the running, especially when we away from home.

And the other biggy is to drop Kane to the bench for 2 or 3 games and play Son or even give Llorente confidence and a chance.

But our midfield has the quaility (needed more additions) and has not turned poor overnight but needed competition.

You mean drop Lamela into midfield? Most of these players are attackers. I am referring to players who can run a game from deep, we lack that, only Winks is that type of player and he is just coming back from ages out.

 

[Notabadsquad]

You mean drop Lamela into midfield? Most of these players are attackers. I am referring to players who can run a game from deep, we lack that, only Winks is that type of player and he is just coming back from ages out.

Lets not go mad.

What we are seeing and we must remember this (yesterday aside) is a team that have become susceptible to set pieces. That is solvable.

Up to yesterday we have been okay box to box, with only the odd few minutes in games being taken away from our control.

I see the issue as confidence and Kane not being at the present time the leader he has become.

We need competition to make players improve and if that also brings the player you talk of then great.

And we must buy another striker im January or next summer.

 

[Totti]

 

[Dr Rocktopus]

Not 201%?