The Mighty Tottenham Hotspur v. Watford||away

[Thin Lilywhite Duke]

Against the better teams right. But when we're playing lower sides that threat is virtually missing. It's tepid ball possession and that's been the case in most PL games this season.

Don't disagree, but I do think we're losing half the battle with these stupidly-conceded goals in the first 15 minutes.

Even with Liverpool's pace, you're fucked trying to get behind a defence that's sitting on a lead.

So that's a whole other problem. One that (almost darkly humourously) Poch was lamenting midweek, only to do it again.

 

[SausageVince]

Speed in attack is a must. The ability to counter and get from our box to theirs is lacking this season. This is where we need refreshing because we use the same players every game. Not only must there be physical fatigue but mentally it must drain the likes of Kane and Eriksen who are in clearly short of full fitness.

Lamela's return is timely but we need more options in the squad. Either Poch delves into the youth team again or we have to buy.

Liverpool already had a formidable attack and improved it significantly by signing Salah. It adds another string to their bow. They can't start all of Salah, Mane, Coutinho, Firmino, Sturridge and Lallana but that depth is scary.

City are even better and Utd today had the likes of Rashford and Mata on the bench with Mkhitaryan and Zlatan not involved.

Yes it costs a good whack to get these players but we have been blessed that our striker is a product of our own academy and our star young player only cost five mil. We haven't had to splash the cash to assemble what we already have which makes it more infuriating at how we bungle the final pieces of the jigsaw. Between N'Jie, N'Koudou, Janssen and Llorente is £40m combined we spent. For fuck all in return.

One high quality player > a handful of bargain basement punts.

Good post

 

[Nikesh]

What fucken circumstances are you on about? The same circumstances where we’re Tottenham Hotspur and they are fucken Watford?!

Last season we'd have won that. Yes under the circumstance where we aren't even playing well with 11, with 10 we stood no chance in winning. With son off, our only other out ball and chance of holding the ball higher up was gone, apart kane who also looked like he faded late on. We had to hang on for a point and can consider it a good result.

 

[Nikesh]

i wish we would just stop swapping full backs every game now - just play aurier and rose ffs

Right now I don't think it would have made a difference. The rut is what it is. Rose played shit against Leicester. Doesn't look interested in giving his best anymore.

 

[Hrytn]

Is he an attacker ... midfielder ... .forward?!
WE are not creating scoring opportunities for Kane and Son.

 

[Mockers]

Agree with some of this but the Sanchez red is s stonewall and if it was say deeny on trippier you wouldn't be calling it harsh.

Yes I would. What would I gain from interpreting an incident differently depending on who it was for?

It was never a red. He spread his arms out to shield the ball and block the run. No question it was a foul but he’d have had to physically swing his arm/elbow at him for it to be aggressive and warrant a red.

 

[Mr S Pippo]

Another terrible week. For fuck sake man.

Who is Fuck Sake man , not another Marvell spin off?

 

[Mr S Pippo]

Come on now. Against Leicester we missed a whole bunch of golden chances. The problem is we keep leaking goals early on against shit teams and giving them something to defend. And our defensive issues are compounded by both Toby and Wanyama being out at the same time. And with Sanchez (wrongly) facing a 3 match ban that’s only looking worse.

Agree but why. Mentally we are not together, strong and seem to be unbalanced . The core strengths are missing . Players you have mentioned is a factor but not the whole picture.

 

[Mockers]

I for one was happy enough with the performance. We lack creativity at the moment and to be honest, a draw at Watford isn't that bad all things considered. Silva will be turning them into an decent attacking team, the same way Poch did his job with Saints.

Believe we would have won it if it wasnt for Sanchez mistake - but he has been doing great for the first games and doesnt deserve stick, there are others who just dont seem to be up for it.

Kane was the only one on his usual level. I really think all the others need a kick up their arse. Watching Dele and Eriksen constantly lose out on every occasion is just frustrating. But the options aren't here. Even with Lamela back, we are still short in attacking wise - maybe shouldnt have loaned out Onomah.

Agree with all of that except for the Onomah bit. He’s a number 8 and definitely not the answer to our lack of attacking options.

We def need something in that department tho. It’s so annoying that GKN has turned out to be such a dud.

Edwards must be a monumental bell end to not be in the running because ability wise he’s exactly the type of player we need. Tricky, skilful and totally unknown to the opposition.

 

[Mr S Pippo]

Agree with all of that except for the Onomah bit. He’s a number 8 and definitely not the answer to our lack of attacking options.

We def need something in that department tho. It’s so annoying that GKN has turned out to be such a dud.

Edwards must be a monumental bell end to not be in the running because ability wise he’s exactly the type of player we need. Tricky, skilful and totally unknown to the opposition.

Not sure iif we're in a place where Edwards is ready to play . We've done the transition bit and have an established team. There's plenty of time for him, next season when some players leave and we are looking to build.

Yes when players leave. That's another factor Players looking elsewhere. Players have come close to the PL but missed out. Some must look at Walker and think , I could do that. A couple must believe they are good and at the wrong level?

 

[paulio125]

ref was absolute crap watford should had atleast two red cards

 

[Hrytn]

Come on now. Against Leicester we missed a whole bunch of golden chances. The problem is we keep leaking goals early on against shit teams and giving them something to defend. And our defensive issues are compounded by both Toby and Wanyama being out at the same time. And with Sanchez (wrongly) facing a 3 match ban that’s only looking worse.

That's a narrow view of the whole picture. What happened at Wembley home against Swansea, WBA, Burnley. Tight win and a lucky win against Bournemouth and Place!

 

[Blanchflower]

Only just caught up with motd. I'm not usually one to moan about officiating and our biggest problem is we keep conceding early goal, not bad refs.

However it does look like he had a stinker. There was a clear foul on Dier before they broke and scored from the resulting corner. He also seemed to let them get away with kicking Kane off the park and for me Sanchez should of been booked and told to be more careful but a red for that is very harsh in my opinion. It was also a stonewall pen for the Dier handball so all in all he's had a shocker.

He's not fit enough to keep up with play, he was always 30 yards away from every decision - he didn't even call the Sanchez red.....the 4th official did

 

[GG1882]

He's not fit enough to keep up with play, he was always 30 yards away from every decision - he didn't even call the Sanchez red.....the 4th official did

Who I'm assuming was pressured by the Watford bench who furiously jumped around and waved their arms like their player had just been stabbed.

 

[Mockers]

That's a narrow view of the whole picture. What happened at Wembley home against Swansea, WBA, Burnley. Tight win and a lucky win against Bournemouth and Place!

We’re not going to hammer teams parking the bus. In each of those games if we don’t concede we win. And in several of them if we don’t concede we don’t give them the encouragement to park the bus.

Our strike force aren’t all firing no doubt but teams win titles by getting narrow hard fought wins against teams like that.

The foundation of our performances over the last couple of seasons have been based on having the best Defense in the league. That’s not a narrow view.

 

[Hrytn]

We’re not going to hammer teams parking the bus. In each of those games if we don’t concede we win. And in several of them if we don’t concede we don’t give them the encouragement to park the bus.

Our strike force aren’t all firing no doubt but teams win titles by getting narrow hard fought wins against teams like that.

The foundation of our performances over the last couple of seasons have been based on having the best Defense in the league. That’s not a narrow view.

We are talking about this season.
OK one game out of 6 is not narrow view and that is that.

 

[Thin Lilywhite Duke]

Yes losing one of the best defenders in the league is a huge miss but we coped without him last season. He can't be the only reason. We aren't doing anything as good as we usually do with or without him. Now another CB down for 3 games, of which is city. Guess we are only 4 points from 4th as the top 3 I'd imagine is a complete long shot. Beating Stoke and Brighton is fucking critical now or I can't see us getting top 4.

We did lose him last season, but I think the combination of that and Wanyama also missing (along with taking every CL game completely seriously) has taken its toll.

I agree it's not the only reason though, I was being a little glib with my post.


Also, you're right that we need 6 points from the next two league games to get us out of this rut. With Sanchez missing, and the form they're in, I'm mentally scrapping that Man City match as a hopeless cause. A shame, as I was desperate for us to be the ones to break their unbeaten run.

 

[Hrytn]

Have we conceded goals in the first 15 minutes of our last three games that have changed the complexion of the matches entirely? Yes. (Heck, if our defence is more comfortable then I doubt the red card happens against Watford, too)

Our attackers aren't being clinical enough. The Leicester game was evidence enough of that.

Missing Alderweireld is huge.

If missing one player (who is a defender) is huge then the squad is thin and we are not good enough for top positions. That is what you are implying.

My view is different, we are not leaking goals left right and center because Toby is missing and the problem is we are not creating and scoring to win games, thus so many draws specially at Wembley. The reasons are Eriksen and Dele not on form. On top, our Midfielders in Dembele, WInks and Dier are not creative and not contributing in the final third.