*** OMT - Tottenham vs Wolves ***

[alekaras]

No, we can better the performances too, we can put a whole game together, we can turn up from the first minute and get games won early so we can coast after half time and save energy for the next game.

The points are great, but I’d probably feel better if we had fewer yet had dominated all three games.

We’ve got the best squad and the best manager in the league, we’ve got the best player on the planet, it should be easier for them and less stressful for us.

We don't have the best squad and we have one of the 3 best managers in the league, not the best one. Let's not get too carried away here.

I do agree with having better performances, but at the end of the day we did play better than our opposition in the two games we won. We're not going to steamroll over every team. No team does. What we need to do is outplay our opponents and get the win and, bar Chelsea, that we're doing. It's not all going to be 4-0s. There'll be some 2-1s and 1-0s in there and that's fine as long as we get the W.

 

[Mcfee]

I thought Royal was very poor today. There were several times where he made stupid runs or just stood somewhere which took up Kulu's space. Equally his laboured plodding towards the full back just doesnt make him look like someone who will beat his man and get a good ball in

With the lack of passers in CM, I really think we need more from RWB. Royal is a solid RB, but just don't see that he's right for our formation. Perisic today showed what a proper WB looks like

Our transfer activity at RWB still confuses me. Perhaps the view is that given Doherty is behind on fitness, keep Royal for August to allow Doherty to get fit and then sell or loan Royal in the last week of the window? Then go with Doherty, Moura and Spence?

The first 3 games indicate Doherty is more likely to be sold than Royal I would think.

 

[Yiddo]

I just hope we turn a corner soon and start taking the game to opposition rather than using this tactic that clearly doesn’t work.

 

[tommysvr]

I just hope we turn a corner soon and start taking the game to opposition rather than using this tactic that clearly doesn’t work.

Clearly doesn’t work? An amazing run to sneak into 4th last season, 7/9 points so far this season. Things might not yet be perfect, but they’re far from not working.

 

[Baleforce]

I just hope we turn a corner soon and start taking the game to opposition rather than using this tactic that clearly doesn’t work.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with the tactics, just the execution.

Kulu got better as the game went on yesterday, and was fine in the first two, but his two forward line partners have been turn over machines in the three games, if they pull their finger out we’ll be fine.

 

[braineclipse]

Are our slow starts and general sluggishness in the first half of games due to over training perhaps?

I wonder if it's partly a strategy.

A lot of teams seem to try to start with a really high intensity. If we can absorb that pressure while conserving our energy we can then play with more intensity later on when they tire.

Not to say that the first half yesterday went to plan, but that it could be part of a strategy for some games.

We also know that we are very good on the break and solid defensively. I think we're happy to sit back a bit for periods of games. Problem yesterday in the first half and against Chelsea was that we couldn't launch those good counter attacks.

Either way very good to see us able to change the flow of the game when it didn't work yesterday.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Are our slow starts and general sluggishness in the first half of games due to over training perhaps?

Id say sluggishness rather than planned. You can have a bad half in the premier league and be 3-0 down and virtually out of the game.

 

[harr1984]

I wonder if it's partly a strategy.

A lot of teams seem to try to start with a really high intensity. If we can absorb that pressure while conserving our energy we can then play with more intensity later on when they tire.

Not to say that the first half yesterday went to plan, but that it could be part of a strategy for some games.

We also know that we are very good on the break and solid defensively. I think we're happy to sit back a bit for periods of games. Problem yesterday in the first half and against Chelsea was that we couldn't launch those good counter attacks.

Either way very good to see us able to change the flow of the game when it didn't work yesterday.

I appreciate the idea, but it’s not as if we are conserving a load of energy and dominating late in the games either. Kane said after the game yesterday they weren’t happy with how they did in the first half and that they changed things to perform better, and also mentioned the Chelsea game as not starting well then either. The idea that we are deliberately being sluggish is fanciful, we just have not been playing that well….

 

[glasgowspur]

I don’t think there is anything wrong with the tactics, just the execution.

Kulu got better as the game went on yesterday, and was fine in the first two, but his two forward line partners have been turn over machines in the three games, if they pull their finger out we’ll be fine.

Its still bedding in, they are hesitant, same as they were when kulu first came in.
Kane and son aren't used to having such a good outlet out there, once that clicks i think we look a lot better.

 

[Pirate55]

What Royal has done is improve in defense, he is actually really solid, also he is very good in the air and as good awareness to drop in. Seen a few great headers in danger areas in last few games. BUT he is still very indecisive going forward. I would rather he took an early cross more than not, he seems to get in areas still but dawdles

I don't know why the players with limited crossing ability ( e.g. Royal and Sess) are not instructed to get to the byline and pull the ball back to aim at the penalty spot rather than try and pick a player out ( which their limited ability doesn't allow) .

Forwards will then know immediately where and how to make their runs ( or pull back if they have already gone to close to goal). Defenders would have to turn and can't make the near post block, while attackers are running on to the ball and facing goal. It really is that simple and should be practised in training.

There was a perfect example of that yesterday. Royal did get to the byline on the right hand side late on and pulled the ball back to exactly the area I am suggesting. However in this instance it went behind the two players we had in the box ( I think it was Peresic and Richi, but not sure). It was a golden chance missed.

 

[Baleforce]

Its still bedding in, they are hesitant, same as they were when kulu first came in.
Kane and son aren't used to having such a good outlet out there, once that clicks i think we look a lot better.

That shouldn’t affect their control and passing, they just aren’t working hard enough.

 

[Baleforce]

I don't know why the players with limited crossing ability ( e.g. Royal and Sess) are not instructed to get to the byline and pull the ball back to aim at the penalty spot rather than try and pick a player out ( which their limited ability doesn't allow) .

Forwards will then know immediately where and how to make their runs ( or pull back if they have already gone to close to goal). Defenders would have to turn and can't make the near post block, while attackers are running on to the ball and facing goal. It really is that simple and should be practised in training.

There was a perfect example of that yesterday. Royal did get to the byline on the right hand side late on and pulled the ball back to exactly the area I am suggesting. However in this instance it went behind the two players we had in the box ( I think it was Peresic and Richi, but not sure). It was a golden chance missed.

He got a bit of stick for that, like he always does, but the two runners shouldn’t have both gone in, one should have stayed deeper.

A lot of the crosses we make are good, but the movement into the box is wrong, which makes it look like a bad cross.

Multiple times yesterday we were the wrong side of the defender for example. The one time Kane did get the right side he scored.

 

[glasgowspur]

That shouldn’t affect their control and passing, they just aren’t working hard enough.

I think son is working too hard tbh, everything is rushed, he no longer has only one instinctive pass to harry to make, he has options, and to me that is his problem, caught in two minds.
Yes, harry doesn't look like he is working as hard as he did, i'm not bothered about that because in my opinion he tried to do too much in the past. He needs to allow others to do their job and trust them that they can do it.

 

[Baleforce]

I think son is working too hard tbh, everything is rushed, he no longer has only one instinctive pass to harry to make, he has options, and to me that is his problem, caught in two minds.
Yes, harry doesn't look like he is working as hard as he did, i'm not bothered about that because in my opinion he tried to do too much in the past. He needs to allow others to do their job and trust them that they can do it.

he’s not even getting to the point of needing options, the ball bounces off of him like a brick wall at the minute

 

[El Guepardo]

We need a good right wing back as Emerson is a very good defender but he gives up possession too easily in attacking areas.

We need Doherty back. We need them running at the opposition. Perisic and Richarlison did that and caused problems for Wolves.

We also need to learn how to start a match well in the first half. By only being a second half team we risk giving the initiative to the opponent and reduce the time for us to score the required goal/s. For me I wonder whether Conte isn’t sure on how our team will perform against the opponent and then only tweaks the team at half time once it’s been established how we can best hurt the opponent. There is likely to be another reason but what is it?

 

[braineclipse]

I appreciate the idea, but it’s not as if we are conserving a load of energy and dominating late in the games either. Kane said after the game yesterday they weren’t happy with how they did in the first half and that they changed things to perform better, and also mentioned the Chelsea game as not starting well then either. The idea that we are deliberately being sluggish is fanciful, we just have not been playing that well….

I pretty much agree.

Not saying deliberately sluggish, but more lower block, less high pressing, more counter attack focused can conserve some energy. I do think Conte wants that in phases. If he wants that from the start in some games is a different question.

 

[braineclipse]

I don't know why the players with limited crossing ability ( e.g. Royal and Sess) are not instructed to get to the byline and pull the ball back to aim at the penalty spot rather than try and pick a player out ( which their limited ability doesn't allow) .

Forwards will then know immediately where and how to make their runs ( or pull back if they have already gone to close to goal). Defenders would have to turn and can't make the near post block, while attackers are running on to the ball and facing goal. It really is that simple and should be practised in training.

There was a perfect example of that yesterday. Royal did get to the byline on the right hand side late on and pulled the ball back to exactly the area I am suggesting. However in this instance it went behind the two players we had in the box ( I think it was Peresic and Richi, but not sure). It was a golden chance missed.

Because actually getting them there is much harder than just instructing them to.

Usually takes either very good dribbling or very good combination play to get there (outside of counter attacks). Defenders know very well that those cut backs are very dangerous and will try to prevent it happening.

Neither Sessegnon or Royal are particularly good at dribbling or combination play at the moment. Kulusevski is good at it on the right so that's good. Son less so.

 

[Denmark Spur]

Dont know if this has been mentioned on here, but I was very impressed with the attendance yesterday.

Expected quite a few empty seats due to the train strikes.

Next 4 games have also already sold out.

There really is a buzz around Spurs this season - long may it continue

 

[Yiddo]

Clearly doesn’t work? An amazing run to sneak into 4th last season, 7/9 points so far this season. Things might not yet be perfect, but they’re far from not working.

How many games were we lucky to win? There was a few last season and Yesterday Wolves should have scored 2 and don’t get me started about Chelsea.

 

[Baleforce]

How many games were we lucky to win? There was a few last season and Yesterday Wolves should have scored 2 and don’t get me started about Chelsea.

yesterday was fine defensively, their xG was much lower than ours

the frustration came from our inability to get anything going through the front three, we had to work for 90 mins yesterday, we need to kill games earlier