Nadir
It's been a pretty dire few weeks for Pochettino, this last seven days particularly bad with yesterday possibly the nadir.
For some peculiar reason, Poch persisted with the 3CB system that proved so ineffective, offensively and defensively, against both Burnley and Chelsea.
To compound the structural befuddlement, he selected Wanyama and Sissoko as a midfield double pivot. This is the most footballingly limited midfield combo we've seen since his atrocious Dier/Wanyama experiment at the start of 16/17.
There's mitigation for Wanyama, he's played a handful of games in the last two years, but to play him and Sissoko meant no tick tick control, fluidity and creativity from our midfield yesterday. Combined with the structure, it was an utterly baffling choice. The extra body in defence marking one Woolwich striker, the two narrow strikers, again, just ahead of a central ACM, all occupying that narrow congested sector of pitch.
It basically puts the entire burden of creativity on the full backs, and when those full backs are Rose, who rarely produces anything composed, and a Trippier who's been going through possibly the leanest spell of creativity of his Spurs career, it was a recipe for another pretty creatively defunct display.
This was a game of very little quality from either side. Woolwich seemed to get praised for merely turning up and parking a bus, but I don't even think they parked it great, we were just so devoid of inspiration and the ability to drive a game to, through and from midfield - to transition.
Their goal was a clusterfuck chain reaction that started with Kane inexplicably deciding to fuck about instead of getting a shot off, Sanchez making a pigs ear of nicking in to win a ball, Sissoko allowing Ramsey to waltz past him and have a free run to goal and rounded off nicely by Lloris having a sit down.
The second half just degenerated into a complete farce with Poch's comical substitutions and tactical musical chairs, which ended up with Rose trying, and failing horribly, to do his Moussa Dembele impression.
As with the Burnely and Chelsea games, the subs just made things worse not better. We became a confused and incoherent mess and as a result, they looked as much like getting a winner as we did. Why he didn't just take a CB off is anyone's guess. I mean what does say about the LWB when he feels he has to switch a CB out to LWB to improve the creativity? We ended up with our LB at CM, Our CB at Left Wing, our ACM as DM, lumping balls up to the Spanish Crouch.
If VAR was already here chances are we don't even get a draw out of this game. Neither team deserved to win it. Just as neither team deserved to win in on Wednesday.
Individual
Lloris - Poor on the first goal, great save for the pen.
Trippier - Overall he played pretty well, was far more involved than Rose for example, and was unlucky not to get an assist for a lovely free kick, but I was disappointed with his end product yesterday, wasted a couple of great situations second half.
Alderweireld - Another game where I thought he was less than perfect. But generally OK.
Sanchez - Like Trippier against Chelsea, I thought apart from his fuck up he played well defensively.
Vertonghen - Generally good game, and an absolutely outstanding block after the penalty.
Rose - Piss fucking poor, offered nothing as a WB all game then decided to play Moussa Dembele dribble roulette when moved into central midfield late on.
Sissoko - Another pretty poor game. A couple of forward surges where he ends up overrunning the ball and giving it away was the highlight. Piss poor letting Ramsey run off him for their goal, but did do well to chase down Aubamayang second half and take the ball off him.
Wanyama - Was equally unimpressive, but has barely played last two years, so hard to expect much.
Eriksen - I think this was actually his poorest game lately. Unlucky not to score, but just didn't contribute much else of tangible quality and wasn't involved enough either. Some of that was the lack of midfield and his tactical deployment, but not all.
Kane - Needs to stop trying to do his Messi impression and keep it simple when he's not up to match speed.
Son - This is the king and yang of Son. A player capable of brilliant moments, but not a brilliant player. Can go games and periods like this, where he looks really fucking ordinary. Doesn't press well, without the ball either.
