• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

Jan Vertonghen

Who picks them? I do not buy into the idea that Pochettino has to use these players, at all. Nor the idea that because they want out, they are automatically the problem.

Eriksen is clearly underperforming. Vertonghen, I think, is doing a decent job.

Pochettino is under no obligation to play Eriksen, that he is is a problem of his own making.

Less than ideal Eriksen is here - but IMO for the manager to deal with.




I agree. I think Poch has been sour for a while and I think its having an impact. It really is on him to behave and perform though, isnt it? This is another of those things where its within his power to fix.




Honestly find this line, which seems to be taking hold, to be nonsense. I cant justify a collective drop in form simply "because theyve played together a while". I can understand a boredom/complacency creeping in, if the messages and methods are the same as they have always been.

I dont know if there is any truth to that applying to us, but if there is - who do you suppose it is down to to reinvigorate the methods/messages etc?

Id say Poch...



Pochs persisting with the diamond IS an issue, IMO. Though it comes to mind in two ways
1) If he really really thinks the diamond is the best thing, then we should be showing signs of training ground work in adapting to it. Im not seeing any progression though, which is worrying.

2) He does keep persisting with it despite it clearly not working, and us clearly not progressing, which is worrying.



Broadly agree. One of those, when things are bad this sort of stuff happens and really brings home the situation.

Question becomes, would these errors (some/all) have happened anyway, even if we were in form? Or are they indicative of how bad things are with the players right now?



I can believe it. Though it basically ties into the ideas of Poch having a mood and it effecting the squad. Or the squad needing more/different stimulus.



I completely understand and accept some of the frustrations attributed to Poch. And I can well see some of them are down to the board or circumstances beyond his control. However, regardless of that, I also think its his job to manage these situations - and that he could have done a better job so far than he has.

Further to your points - I get the impression he just isnt the same Poch. If I had to pin my colours to the mast, Id say he is burnt out, frustrated, and simply not at the races. He isnt displaying the level of passion, control, understanding etc that he used to. He looks like a man who needs a rest to me.

If thats in any way true, I question what chance he has of turning things around. Where might he find inspiration and enthusiasm?


Second to that, I do wonder if he has lost the players. Their heads dropped against Bayern, and they didnt pick up at all against Brighton - it was a very worrying performance on that front. Again, if thats in any way true, what chance does he have of turning it around?

I'll have to just agree to disagree on some of those details, as I think we're going round in circles on them with no real evidence available to break the deadlock.

But I can certainly agree that Poch could have done a better job than he has recently, and that he is frustrated and maybe feeling burned out.

Ultimately we'll find out fairly definitively in the next few weeks whether he has a chance of turning things around or not, so at this point I'm ready just to wait and see!
 
I'll have to just agree to disagree on some of those details, as I think we're going round in circles on them with no real evidence available to break the deadlock.

But I can certainly agree that Poch could have done a better job than he has recently, and that he is frustrated and maybe feeling burned out.

Ultimately we'll find out fairly definitively in the next few weeks whether he has a chance of turning things around or not, so at this point I'm ready just to wait and see!

Ultimately management is about getting the best out of your resources. A lot of the he said/she said/not his fault/not her fault stuff becomes irrelevant when you look at the job at hand.

None of which is to say I think its absolutely fine Poch is dealt the hand he is, only that I think its his job to do the best with it he can.

And thats where I have issue with him, because I dont think thats whats happening.

You are right though, we will know soon enough. Either things will pick up, or they wont. Hopefully the time out the Intl break has afforded gives Poch the chance to get out of his own way a bit, and clear his mind. Perhaps, even, being at this footie conference will be just the place to bounce some ideas around and get some good advice...
 
‘Unavailable’ until after the international break.

that must have been some splinter he picked up against Liverpool...
 
Does anyone know why Jan hasn’t got a new contract? Everything I’ve heard from him indicates that he wants to stay, and he’s been one of our most consistently top players the last few seasons. And he’s not THAT old.

Have we actually ever offered him a new contract? If so, has he just turned it down because he thinks he deserves a higher salary?

Just can’t understand why he isn’t being extended, especially with Toby leaving next year too.
 
I would think surely we can come to some arrangement if that's the case, I read he wanted a 3 year deal and we'd only offer 2 but hard to know what's actually happening these days.
 
Does anyone know why Jan hasn’t got a new contract? Everything I’ve heard from him indicates that he wants to stay, and he’s been one of our most consistently top players the last few seasons. And he’s not THAT old.

Have we actually ever offered him a new contract? If so, has he just turned it down because he thinks he deserves a higher salary?

Just can’t understand why he isn’t being extended, especially with Toby leaving next year too.
SC ITKs say he has been offered but has turned down as he also wants a big big pay day
 
I would be very happy to see him get/sign a new contract. Let Toby go and we would have Jan, Sanchez, and Dier ( who i thought looked good last night and is the leader we need). Foyth and the young kid ( forgot his name) would leave us well placed at CB.
 
If Jose persists with the wonky, then Vertonghen is our best option for left back. More solid than Rose and Davies and - if he repeats his Dortmund performance, more than useful on the attack

Jan looked really angry when we were 2-0 down, I'd be happy to see him get a play at LB.
 
Going forward he is fine at left back, probably our best option, at least until we see what Sessegnon can do, but he will always struggle against a quick winger in that position. To be fair, Davies also does at times. And Rose struggles in general these days. So the conclusion is that I have no idea what we should do at left back.
 
I would be very happy to see him get/sign a new contract. Let Toby go and we would have Jan, Sanchez, and Dier ( who i thought looked good last night and is the leader we need). Foyth and the young kid ( forgot his name) would leave us well placed at CB.

I'd rather have Toby sign and let Verts go. Sanchez/Foyth are nowhere near ready to be our first choice CBs. Mourinho will be lining up an experienced Carvalho type signing for the summer.
 
Back