Brighton (a) 18/19 ratings

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MOTM


  • Total voters
    35
Insania

They say the definition of madness is repeating the same behaviour pattern but expecting a different result. If so, Pochettino will soon have developed a full Inspector Dreyfus tick.

If you just want to bask in the afterglow of a much needed win, then please look away now.

I've read Poch's post match platitudes; "good spirit" blah blah. I don't believe spirit has ever been an issue. If he thinks that's been the problem, then I'm am really starting to worry. The problem with this game was Pochettino picking the same pair of midfield plodders that he's been picking all season, with the same, inevitable outcome. No tempo or vision in possession and then no control when the opposition decide to have a little hurrah.

This game pretty much followed the season blue print so far, when the opposition are passive, we are laborious, when they become aggressive, we are like headless fucking chickens. Up against another opposition of this type, deep block team that happily cede possession we plodded around midfield predictably. A to B to C to D, joining the nearest dot to dots.

So many times players like Kane, Eriksen, Moura, Trippier, Rose and Son made runs - every single time Dembele and Dier either didn't see them or saw them and just deemed the pass " way too adventurous" to attempt. As a result, every time the AM's/FB's got on the ball, which they did, it was Invariably when Brighton were set, and consequently we created absolutely nothing of any quality in the first 45 minutes.

Luckily we were handed (bum bum) a gift by their stupid defender who completely needlessly elbowed away a free kick, Kane duly dispatching the resultant penalty with aplomb.

Then in the second half, when Brighton decided to press us a bit higher and actually make a game of it, as with the Newcastle, ManU, Liverpool and Fulham games, our midfield just completely lost control of the game, and during this spell we were incredibly lucky not to concede, Brighton were gaining momentum, forcing several corners, one which Gazzaniga got away with a complete fuck up, and then created probably the best chance of the game when Knockaert made idiots of both Trippier and Alderweireld then inexplicably wanked his shot straight at our keeper.

The game had become yet another chaotic farce.

Then, out of the blue, we put together a very slick counter attack. Trippier hemmed in, cleverly manages to spoil Dier's attempt to hide by nut-megging the ball to him, Dier then feeds Lamela in midfield, he feeds Moura and continues his run into the box, meanwhile Moura taps it on to Rose, who incredibly managed to do something composed and finds Lamela with a sweet first time ball which lamely, having bust his bollocks to get there, then dispatches with finesse.

At this point it was Brighton's turn to turn to pish. They now had no option but to chuck themselves forward in numbers, we then had more chances on the counter, all of them passed away with carelessness or poor finishing.

Eventually Rose managed to undo his good offensive contribution with an absolutely comical bit of defending. Faced with a very left player running in from the right, he decides to show him onto his stronger left foot, then proceeds to have a sit down.

Luckily time round out.

On the plus side, I'm pleased Poch ditched the wanky 442 diamond, Moura so much better being able to run at more isolated full backs than the blind alleys of congested central areas, but that's pretty much where the tactical good news ends. Against a bus park team, why not play one 6 type and have two more pro-active 8's hubbing off him either side, being more ambitious and incisive with their passing, and being able to bomb on and support the attack from deeper, hard to pick up areas? They don't bring anything incisive, don't bring any tempo, and they when games get busy, they don't even help us retain control, so why persist with the fucking trundle brothers.

I thought the Son/Lamela sub was logical. Son was bumbling around like a fart in a trance, as is his way often, but the next change was daft. Moura is our freshest and quickest player, we were now playing on the counter. Why not just take Kane off, chuck Alli up top as a false 9, and have Lamela and Moura breaking. off him.

Also not sure how Poch can watch Dier chug around like an intoxicated hippo doing a mating dance, whilst all around him turns to chaos, and leave him out there. What the fuck is a sub for?

Poch has rotated the FB's, fucked about with the AM's, tired making Moura a striker, surely, sooner or later the penny is going to drop, the one thing he hasn't changed is the thing that is causing the problems?

Individual

Gazzaniga - One horrendous moment where he came and completely missed judged a corner, luckily they were offside, apart from that he his handling was good and he looked OK.

Trippier - Definitely not one of his better games. Mugged off too easily a couple of times.

Alderweireld - Some OK stuff, some less than OK stuff.

Vertonghen - OK.

Rose - Mixed bag. Lots of energy, not a lot of composure until that great ball for the goal. Then defended like a fucking schoolboy to let Knockaert score.

Dier/Dembele - refused to play anything remotely incisive when we are in possession. Unable to stem the chaos when were are not.

Son - Bumbled about.

Eriksen - Was very involved, as ever, played one lovely little through ball late on, but still not seeing peak Eriksen.

Moura - Lively as ever.

Kane - Back with the CF area to himself, this was probably the closest to "normal" silverback Kane we've seen this season. Loads more touches, loads more passes and nearly doubled his shot total for the season in one game. Wasted a glorious chance, but just nice to see him with a "glorious chance". Still don't understand why he can't ever be subbed.

Lamela - Don't usually include subs, as posh rarely makes them in any time worth rating, but he had a definite positive impact today.
Some really well thought out and incisive points made here, particularly surrounding our midfield issues.
Hats off sir.
 
The only thing that astonished me is that people still read these ego centric diatribes, let alone are surprised at the fact that most of it is bollocks.
Maybe he'll find a Muritania Spurs web site and go there and peddle this stuff?
We can but hope

Yes Mick , I think the penny has dropped after 4-5 week of making the same post . I'm sure there are many other threads where your input is welcome .
 
I actually thought Rose was probably our best player up until late in the second half - the way he got beat for their goal was embarrassing. I can't really remember off the top of my head many goals that we conceded like that when Rose was on top of his game 2+ years ago but in the last 2 months alone, he's conceded two similar goals (vs. Belgium and vs. Brighton). Still want him over Davies though. But left back is a priority in January/Next summer

But I'd probably give MOTM to Lamela (second game running) - off the bench to score what proved to be the winning goal.
 
So let's understand ....

Brighton 28% possession ... there lowest of the season home or away ....
Brighton just 4 shots on target ....
Brighton just five corners ....

So we limited their set piece and high balls into the box incredibly well .... something we've failed to do for weeks ..

Spurs pass completion 90%, a huge improvement on the last few games ...
Spurs 'missed' defensive headers? just one, that's compared to 5/4 respectively v Watford and Liverpool ...
Spurs tackles 18 - that's almost double our season average ....

Yet according to Bus-Conductor "This game pretty much followed the season blue print so far" .... I have to ask, could he be any more wrong?

If you're going to right copious amounts about a game, and we all appreciate the effort, you have to start by watching the game and looking at the metrics ....

This was nothing like our last two league performances, this game was all about cutting out the errors, keeping the defence protected from high balls, maintaining possession with short passes not long hoofs, crunching into tackles not standing off .... in fact all the things we were good at last year and have not been so good at so far this year ...

Even in attack, which was by no means fluid, we did score a trademark fast pass and move goal.

There's no question we're still not at 100% but we were so, so much different from the way we've played in the last two games, and thank god for that ...

Sorry Bus-Conductor appreciate your effort but today you just got it so wrong ......


Don't bother. He's full of himself and completely anti Poch.
 
Gazzaniga 6
Trippier 4
Aldeweireld 7
Vertonghen 7
Rose 6
Dier 6
Dembele 6.5
Son 4
Eriksen 6.5
Lucas 6
Kane 7

It was shocking how bad Trippier played. I'm appalled by how Poch rarely subs players out for playing badly. We have Serge playing so well in the midweek, should have subs him in.
Dier played much much better imo, first 10 mins most of all, trying to be very adventurous. But still, for now i dont really confident with him.
Dele and Lamela inject so much into the game, it's going to be hard to pick the team when everybody are fit. We are overflowing on the attacking midfield but has no opt at all on the middle.
Kane played well. But please dont drop deep that much. We dont have bodies inside the box.
Hopefully Poch will have an idea that is magic. But now rather than later please.
 
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