***OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Racist Rent Boys***

[Gutter Boy]

How can they be ruined? Dier and Alli played 4 games and Kane only played 3.

Because they weren't allowed a break. Fitness is often managed to peaks, but it also needs to be allowed to trough out for significant periods. Kane in particular has been managed from peak-to-peak for nearly 3 consecutive years. That's really damaging.

 

[scaramanga]

Okay, let's hear it?

As @ricky2tricky4city suggested, probably - Walker CCV Verts Wimmer

We simply have to get our midfield and our press working properly. Do that and we've gone a long way to protecting the back 4.

 

[scaramanga]

Even though Dier, Alli and Kane are ruined from the Euros, Dembele also looks physically broken, and Eriksen has become Milenko Acimovic?

Son is the only one of those 6 with any semblance of form.

Dier is not playing in the position he's been best in for us, the rest are not going to get the ball from a Dembele/Wanyama midfield.

 

[diego_maradona]

Dier is not playing in the position he's been best in for us, the rest are not going to get the ball from a Dembele/Wanyama midfield.

I agree with this. Love Wanyama, think he is one of our best players this season but aside from the City game, our press has been a shadow of what it was last season. I think a large part of this is to do with Dier. The guy knows when to push and starts everyone else off. As a unit, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Lamela, Alli and Kane were excellent and key components to our high intensity press.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I agree with this. Love Wanyama, think he is one of our best players this season but aside from the City game, our press has been a shadow of what it was last season. I think a large part of this is to do with Dier. The guy knows when to push and starts everyone else off. As a unit, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Lamela, Alli and Kane were excellent and key components to our high intensity press.

Do you really know this? And doesn't the press start from the front...not from DM

Have all the others given up on it because General Dier is not there?

I think thats clutching a bit. Agree it is worth a go putting him back with Dembele and seeing if we have a moment of clarity in the gloom.

 

[scaramanga]

Do you really know this? And doesn't the press start from the front...not from DM

Have all the others given up on it because General Dier is not there?

I think thats clutching a bit. Agree it is worth a go putting him back with Dembele and seeing if we have a moment of clarity in the gloom.

I don't know what the reason is, but our midfield isn't pressing the way it did and it isn't passing the way it did.

If Dier/Dembele doesn't improve it then we have other issues, but it's the obvious first step.

 

[glasgowspur]

I think Lamela's absence is more detrimental to the press than Dier.
He was the catalyst and the one who would keep at it.

 

[Lemonade Money]

As @ricky2tricky4city suggested, probably - Walker CCV Verts Wimmer

We simply have to get our midfield and our press working properly. Do that and we've gone a long way to protecting the back 4.

Agree with your rationale, but that defence is a step too far. Think I'd rather risk disguising Rose.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I don't know what the reason is, but our midfield isn't pressing the way it did and it isn't passing the way it did.

If Dier/Dembele doesn't improve it then we have other issues, but it's the obvious first step.

Millsy made a good point in another thread, in that having played a narrow formation we've probably compromised our ability to press because teams find it easier to play around down the flanks. I think it's more that than Dier being out.

 

[Hemant]

We need to consider Chelsea's weaknesses. Alonso, is bit like Ziege, good going forward with technique but poor going backwards. A bit of pace against him would be worth considering, Son, although he is usually better from LM, Sissoko or GKN, is worth thinking about.
Moses has received much credit but how good is he if he has to help Azpi, Ramirez for 'Boro caused him some problems, especially running at him.
What we do not want to be is ultra passive, i.e. 3 DMs, we know we can detail Alli or Eriksen to work them. However, Alli, needs to be 100% fit. Eriksen has lost form so there is the option of trying Sissoko in what might be his best postion for us which run at their CBs from a central position as he has the ability to do.
I would play 4-2-3-1. I would give the 3 whoever they be freedom to move and rotate. we do have to increase our pace and power, especially without Lamela our press is not effective.
Dembele I would instruct to help the LB. I like Verts there he has ability as he showed when he first joined us and that goal at old Trafford. It does mean we have to persist with Dier and Wimmer as CBs, but they are likely to still be better than CCV or Wimmer at LB.
Wanyama has to run with Hazard, who is operating more centrally in this system. He cant make those silly clumsy challenges leading to yellow as Hazard will dive at every opportunity. This is where Mourinho and Fergie would be making pre-match comments about refs being watchful of Hazard and Costa being a bit easy going down. Of course, Poch the gentleman will not do this but we need to be smart on the pitch.

 

[diego_maradona]

Do you really know this? And doesn't the press start from the front...not from DM

Have all the others given up on it because General Dier is not there?

I think thats clutching a bit. Agree it is worth a go putting him back with Dembele and seeing if we have a moment of clarity in the gloom.

Of course I'm clutching, I'm not a coach but just calling it how I see it. I think Dier is very adept to knowing when to push, he did it very aggressively from what I recall when we were on it. This is of course to my untrained eye

 

[the dza]

Change the thread title for christ sake.

We profess that we are are not like Chelsea and then we have "v Racist Rent Boys"! Talk about pot calling the kettle black!

The thread title is 100% accurate.

 

[StephenH]

The thread title is 100% accurate.

I just don't think we need to sink to thier level with name calling.

 

[the dza]

I just don't think we need to sink to thier level with name calling.

It was as much restraint as I could show after last night's game haha.

 

[StephenH]

It was as much restraint as I could show after last night's game haha.

We are better than the likes of Chelsea - we don't do name calling we leave that to likes of West Ham and the Chelsea of this world, they don't know any better!

 

[the dza]

We are better than the likes of Chelsea - we don't do name calling we leave that to likes of West Ham and the Chelsea of this world, they don't know any better!

I think you know different Spurs fans than the ones I know mate

 

[StephenH]

I think you know different Spurs fans than the ones I know mate

I know them, but I try and set a example.

 

[scaramanga]

Millsy made a good point in another thread, in that having played a narrow formation we've probably compromised our ability to press because teams find it easier to play around down the flanks. I think it's more that than Dier being out.

I'm fairly sure we've played 4-2-3-1 this season too. I don't think I'd describe it as much narrower than the way we've player 3-5-2 either.

There are certainly times when we've been narrow, but there's been enough when we haven't and we've still been poor.

 

[scaramanga]

This is where Mourinho and Fergie would be making pre-match comments about refs being watchful of Hazard and Costa being a bit easy going down. Of course, Poch the gentleman will not do this but we need to be smart on the pitch.

I don't think it's about being a gentleman, not making it an issue when it's perfectly true is just amateur.

Making brick up about them would be poor form, but they do dive - everyone knows it's they do. No harm in letting the ref know that the whole world will be looking for it.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

We need to consider Chelsea's weaknesses. Alonso, is bit like Ziege, good going forward with technique but poor going backwards. A bit of pace against him would be worth considering, Son, although he is usually better from LM, Sissoko or GKN, is worth thinking about.
Moses has received much credit but how good is he if he has to help Azpi, Ramirez for 'Boro caused him some problems, especially running at him.
What we do not want to be is ultra passive, i.e. 3 DMs, we know we can detail Alli or Eriksen to work them. However, Alli, needs to be 100% fit. Eriksen has lost form so there is the option of trying Sissoko in what might be his best postion for us which run at their CBs from a central position as he has the ability to do.
I would play 4-2-3-1. I would give the 3 whoever they be freedom to move and rotate. we do have to increase our pace and power, especially without Lamela our press is not effective.
Dembele I would instruct to help the LB. I like Verts there he has ability as he showed when he first joined us and that goal at old Trafford. It does mean we have to persist with Dier and Wimmer as CBs, but they are likely to still be better than CCV or Wimmer at LB.
Wanyama has to run with Hazard, who is operating more centrally in this system. He cant make those silly clumsy challenges leading to yellow as Hazard will dive at every opportunity. This is where Mourinho and Fergie would be making pre-match comments about refs being watchful of Hazard and Costa being a bit easy going down. Of course, Poch the gentleman will not do this but we need to be smart on the pitch.

Someone has actually detailed a lot of thought here yet only one like