Daresay this question has been asked before on here but having done a search I'm blowed if i can find the thread, so here goes.
Okay it follows that we are going to lose more games than we win against the top sides, but why do Spurs always seems to capitulate more readily than other sides? Surely if we are not that far behind as compared with say, Sunderland, we should be getting better results over the longer term than we seem capable of?
Our recent record against Liverpool is horrific P3 L3 F0 A12
In 44 PL games games v Chelsea since the start of the Premier League we have secured just 26 points out of a possible 132, with a win percentage of less than 7%
Against United it's even fewer, just 25 points from a possible 132, although our win percentage is slightly better at 11%
We've done marginally better against the ******* with 44 points from 132 and a win percentage of around 20% but that's still pretty pathetic
Until 2010 we had a brilliant record against City, taking a massive 62 points from a possible 75, and that included the first few years after they'd won the lottery. But since 2010 it's gone totally the other way, having lost six out of the last seven with a horrific goal difference in those seven games of -15.
I'm sure if we were to analyse the results of clubs like Everton, Villa and Saudi Sportswashing Machine we'd find something similar but surely nothing like as abject?
So the big question is, why always us?
A number of reasons.
1. We actually try to win the games instead of trying to keep it tight and nick something. This leaves us more open to the sucker punch. It also leaves us more likely to suffer a large defeat as we chase the game even more when we are behind.
2. As we are a 'big club' the opposition get themselves well up for the game, so their (generally) superior players are able to match ours for physicality, desire and all of those 'levellers'.
3. Lack of true competition for places. Hopefully Poch will address this, but last season we basically one left back who knew he would be playing in every game. I think we have already seen an improvement in Danny Rose's application on the pitch now he knows that he has a £10 million player giving him competition for his place. I thought that last season under both managers (but specifically AVB) certain players were frozen out or knew they would always play if fit so didn't have to give their all.
4. Tactics and approach to the game (last season specifically) We were simply awful under AVB, a high line with no pace at the back and the slowest transition between defence and attack that I have ever seen at Spurs which made it easy for the opposition to get themselves organised again and ready to strike against our shape that was overloaded with players too high up the pitch. Sherwood came in and improved our transition from defence to attack, but seemed to neglect our back 4 having enough protection.
5. Individual mistakes. I think we are guilty of sometimes carrying players who are either out of form, confidence or fitness (perhaps all three). Yesterday Kaboul was an accident waiting to happen (and one that did happen on multiple occasions).
6. Inexperience/being too nice. A few times yesterday when we got beyond Liverpool and were breaking they would just pull the player back and accept the yellow card. We had the opportunity to do this for both the first and third goals but didn't do so. Even the penalty decision was due to their player making a (huge) meal of a hand across him and a hold (but not really a pull) on his shirt, whereas Adebayor in the closing moments of the match tried to stay on his feet when the pull of his shirt was much more of a foul (I know that had no effect on the result - but it's just to emphasise the point).
7. Our team being a work in progress. Our chopping and changing of managers and styles means that we aren't able to settle into a rhythm and style of playing. I thought it was quite evident yesterday that Liverpool were two years ahead of us in their development. I thought that at times yesterday we did some good things with both our pressing and finding players in space in their half but let ourselves down due to the whole team not getting involved in the press or taking the right positions. Liverpool didn't suffer from this because they have been training and playing in their system for over 2 years now. It also seemed to me that when Liverpool's fullbacks attacked we looked outnumbered and in trouble, whereas when our fullbacks pushed forward, Liverpool had a much better defensive shape and didn't look troubled at all. Again I think this comes from the players knowing what positions to take up both when in and out of possession.
Yesterday's game specifically though I think we were just carrying too many players....
Dier looked like what he is (a young, inexperienced centre half being asked to play right back without any help from his midfield).
Capoue was desperately unsuited to that type of game as he was (or should I say is) far to slow and immobile to get close to Sterling and snuff out the player who was their main attacking threat and then not skilfull enough to be able to play in a game where the opposition do not give him lots of time.
Kaboul is either injured physically or mentally (or maybe both). After watching him yesterday he simply cannot play for us again, I could put up with him being slow and cumbersome with limited touch if he was playing in a strong and imposing manner. But he didn't even give us anything physically - it was clear right from early on that he didn't fancy a physical battle with Balotelli - I just thank GHod that West Ham didn't have Andy Carroll fit for the opening game of the season as that could've been even more embarrassing.
Erickson didn't get anywhere near involved enough in the game. He needs to man up, improve his movement and demand the ball. If that doesn't happen and we want to persist with him then I think we should look to cease with the interchangeable 3 attacking midfielders and have Erickson playing on the left of the three where he should find a little more space than he is able to centrally (this also might help our defensive game with our attackers being a little clearer on who should track the opposition fullbacks runs).
The rest of those on the pitch were no better than average (perhaps with the exception of Rose - who I thought hardly put a foot wrong the whole game) and Adebayor who caused them a few problems despite a very limited service).
