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FA Cup Semi Final OMT ***Tottenham Hotspur FC v Manchester United***

I think I am normally very optimistic about the team, overly so perhaps. But I think today, watching the 2nd half -- and added to all the other semi-finals/finals/games where we could go top of the league/games where we could really exert pressure on the top of the league, all games we lost/drew/got a bad result -- I feel like we're not gonna win a thing with this team. This is as good as it gets, we can be the best team in the country in the "in between" games, that is games against anyone and everyone where nothing major is really on the line that day. But we have something missing, either these players or the coach or both. Poch seems to get stage fright in these games and makes weird decisions imo. The players don't seem to cope with adversity in these games, nobody gets a hold of things and arrests a decline.

We were so passive in the 2nd half. Utd did an excellent defensive job after the opening 30 minutes or so and we didn't have much of an answer. De Gea had such an easy 45 minutes in the 2nd half. We know how good our players can be, but in these games they never are, or not enough of them are anyway.

IMO, today is the beginning of the end for this group. I have been so positive about these players and this coach and they have been very consistent and played some excellent football. But they don't have what it takes (and I don't know exactly what that is) to go and win games that really matter.
 
Daisuk said:
One step at the time. Chelski away this year. An fa cup semi next year. An fa cup the year after. The league after that. So 2021! It's gonna be glorious! :D
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It’s hard for some due mainly to the hype from sky and the like....
It was a shame but small potatoes in the big scheme of thing as you say.

People will feel better on Monday!
 
the dza said:
I think I am normally very optimistic about the team, overly so perhaps. But I think today, watching the 2nd half -- and added to all the other semi-finals/finals/games where we could go top of the league/games where we could really exert pressure on the top of the league, all games we lost/drew/got a bad result -- I feel like we're not gonna win a thing with this team. This is as good as it gets, we can be the best team in the country in the "in between" games, that is games against anyone and everyone where nothing major is really on the line that day. But we have something missing, either these players or the coach or both. Poch seems to get stage fright in these games and makes weird decisions imo. The players don't seem to cope with adversity in these games, nobody gets a hold of things and arrests a decline.

We were so passive in the 2nd half. Utd did an excellent defensive job after the opening 30 minutes or so and we didn't have much of an answer. De Gea had such an easy 45 minutes in the 2nd half. We know how good our players can be, but in these games they never are, or not enough of them are anyway.

IMO, today is the beginning of the end for this group. I have been so positive about these players and this coach and they have been very consistent and played some excellent football. But they don't have what it takes (and I don't know exactly what that is) to go and win games that really matter.
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Is it not just either that

(i) they were better on the day

or

(ii) they had more options? For example, he left out Rashford and Martial to play Lindgard and Sanchez, he played Herrera in CM rather than someone like Fallaini who is more physical, he had the option of Mata's guile but decided it wasn't right.....but in the contrast, our starting 11 more of less picks itself without that much variation. We dont have the depth
 
AdamB said:
Is it not just either that

(i) they were better on the day

or

(ii) they had more options? For example, he left out Rashford and Martial to play Lindgard and Sanchez, he played Herrera in CM rather than someone like Fallaini who is more physical, he had the option of Mata's guile but decided it wasn't right.....but in the contrast, our starting 11 more of less picks itself without that much variation. We dont have the depth
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Depth wasn’t the issue

The issue was desire plain and simple
 
AdamB said:
Is it not just either that

(i) they were better on the day

or

(ii) they had more options? For example, he left out Rashford and Martial to play Lindgard and Sanchez, he played Herrera in CM rather than someone like Fallaini who is more physical, he had the option of Mata's guile but decided it wasn't right.....but in the contrast, our starting 11 more of less picks itself without that much variation. We dont have the depth
Click to expand...

It's more than that imo. When did we ever turn up for 90 minutes in a real crunch game and get it done? League Cup final, FA Cup semi finals, games to go top of the league or put real pressure on the leaders, the 2nd leg v Juventus -- we phucked them all up, every one. Today wasn't about Utd options, it was about their players executing what they do, which is defend well. I can't stand their team but I credit them today, they stopped the rot after the first 20-30 minutes and shut us down. We don't execute in these game, we seem incapable of it.
 
thfcsteff said:
Agreed.
Sadly, and I love the man, but from where I was Poch got it wrong today with the keeper and subs timing. He knows more than me so there must be reasons, but this was a day for three at the back and Lloris. If we were three at the back we’d have been three up before they woke up. Sadly, this was also further proof that Moose is cooked.
Now we have to fight and show real balls to win our remaining four. That top 4 spot was always the most important thing this season...but make no mistake, like Milo I am gutted, by result and second-half performance!


Sitting on my porcelain throne using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app
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Fair play Steff I know it’s hard for you to ever be critical at all of him....
 
Whatever the cause was, we need to grind out enough points for a top 4 finish and then need some transfer activity this summer to make everyone believe that we can progress from here
 
Bedfordspurs said:
Depth wasn’t the issue

The issue was desire plain and simple
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Exactly. We had the team to win today and couldn’t get the job done. Poch could also have gone 3-5-2. He had Alderweireld at his disposal. He had Wanyama. He had Lloris. He had Moura and Lamela.

He had options system wise and personnel wise. They just wanted it more and knew how to get the job done.
 
AdamB said:
Whatever the cause was, we need to grind out enough points for a top 4 finish and then need some transfer activity this summer to make everyone believe that we can progress from here
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He does need to properly freshen things up in the summer. This group has proven it can’t win things. We need someone to come in and give us that bit of nous and belief. We’ve also had three good years with this group. It’ll go stale unless something new comes into the group.

Poch needs to get top 4 over the line and then him and Levy need to get a clear plan on how to bring in some quality to the squad.
 
the dza said:
It's more than that imo. When did we ever turn up for 90 minutes in a real crunch game and get it done? League Cup final, FA Cup semi finals, games to go top of the league or put real pressure on the leaders, the 2nd leg v Juventus -- we phucked them all up, every one. Today wasn't about Utd options, it was about their players executing what they do, which is defend well. I can't stand their team but I credit them today, they stopped the rot after the first 20-30 minutes and shut us down. We don't execute in these game, we seem incapable of it.
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This is all true, sadly. Still, I enjoy supporting Tottenham hotspur (albeit in a self defeating hate love sort of way). :D
 
Rorschach said:
I am not excusing the mistake, it was costly, but I like to take a more holistic look at the game rather than focus on isolated incidents. Mistakes happen but IMO this incident is not the main reason why we lost. If all it takes is one goal in the first half to break our spirits entirely then just maybe we are just not mentally strong enough (I refuse to call it winning mentality). How many chances did we create in the 2nd half? tinkle all really.
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But that’s exactly it. The goal completely changed the whole game, it broke us and we were never able to get back into it. That single moment didn’t end the game but it we simply don’t have the mentality to come back from it.
 
DeanoAustin said:
He does need to properly freshen things up in the summer. This group has proven it can’t win things. We need someone to come in and give us that bit of nous and belief. We’ve also had three good years with this group. It’ll go stale unless something new comes into the group.

Poch needs to get top 4 over the line and then him and Levy need to get a clear plan on how to bring in some quality to the squad.
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Exactly. I'm not really sure what that I'd do to freshen thing up, though things which jump out are (i) a proper CF alternative, (ii) an attacker who can create something out of nothing and (iii) a create CM alterantive to Dembele. Granted all difficult players to find but each would help us a lot. And then happily ship out Lamela, Sissoko, GKN etc
 
milo said:
I don't think that you can switch formation going into a game like this. Our problem today was that Dembele and Kane were off form. Better performances from them and every other player has twice as many options.
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Poch saw this going in and kept faith. Laudable but interesting to ponder if that in itself is the final hurdle? A question only. I think this was a three at the back day BUT in his defence, when we did that last season, it backfired.

Onwards. He has a major job to keep the ship on-track and I believe he will. Watford is massive.


Sitting on my porcelain throne using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app
 
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