***OMT - Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund - first leg***

[Jordinho]

Did you see the Dortmund players celebrating with the fans after the game? If a Europa League game can matter to them with their recent success then it can certainly matter to us!

I think the format has to change though, no more of this Thursday night cobblers. Put it back to the old UEFA Cup format, and play the games on a Tuesday/Wednesday on a seperate week to the Champions League. Why can't they do this?

Not enough weeks in the calendar.

Thursday - Sunday is no different to Wednesday - Saturday or Saturday - Tuesday.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Did you see the Dortmund players celebrating with the fans after the game? If a Europa League game can matter to them with their recent success then it can certainly matter to us!

I think the format has to change though, no more of this Thursday night cobblers. Put it back to the old UEFA Cup format, and play the games on a Tuesday/Wednesday on a seperate week to the Champions League. Why can't they do this?

It's only English teams that belittle the EL. It's a very big deal in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.

Your profile in it is a good recruiting tool for European players too. Notice how Lloris has insisted on playing in it this season too (whereas he sits out domestic cups) because he thinks it's high profile

 

[Vega]

Its the format that kills it. Plus having CL drop out sides come in.

 

[glorygloryeze]

It's only English teams that belittle the EL. It's a very big deal in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.

Your profile in it is a good recruiting tool for European players too. Notice how Lloris has insisted on playing in it this season too (whereas he sits out domestic cups) because he thinks it's high profile

Erm...how do you know that Lloris has "insisted" that he plays in it as opposed to Poch thinking that we need a stronger GK in it?
Unless you can come up with a quote/source you are allowing yourself again to be ridiculed as it just seems like you are making up stuff!

 

[balesleftboot]

Though as has already been said, if you're not bothered about Europa then play a complete reserve side from the start. It makes no sense at all putting out a full side against Fiorentina in the last round to get through only to go and pick the side we had last night.

I wonder if not winning our last two games has something to do with it, if we had beat West Ham and Arsenal we may have seen a different side out against Dortmund.

It's the way football is now I guess so I should stop getting annoyed with it, but I do everytime we throw a chance of silverware. The game is totally about money now and it's Champions League qualification or nothing.

 

[Vega]

Though as has already been said, if you're not bothered about Europa then play a complete reserve side from the start. It makes no sense at all putting out a full side against Fiorentina in the last round to get through only to go and pick the side we had last night.

I wonder if not winning our last two games has something to do with it, if we had beat West Ham and Arsenal we may have seen a different side out against Dortmund.

It's the way football is now I guess so I should stop getting annoyed with it, but I do everytime we throw a chance of silverware. The game is totally about money now and it's Champions League qualification or nothing.

Surely you hedge your bets? Get through, make an assessment on where you are in the league/CL places and then judge your priorities accordingly?

 

[Gutter Boy]

3 solutions:

- Get rid of the CL drop-outs and pointless round of 32
- Lose FA cup replays for the 4th, 5th and 6th rounds (keep for the 3rd round for the romance, and they've already gone for the semis and final)
- Stop all international friendlies (especially those during the season), except 2-3 in the fortnight prior to a WC and Euro

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Not enough weeks in the calendar.

Thursday - Sunday is no different to Wednesday - Saturday or Saturday - Tuesday.

Except the routine is massively different according to the players

And of course the travel is a lot lot worse in Europa

 

[the dza]

You have to look at the results consistently over the years after Europa

It costs us time and time again and there is no logic. We rest players and still don't get a good result next game. We play at home in Europe and still lose to Saudi Sportswashing Machine who can't buy a win. It's a trance phenomenon but Temas that play in Europa and the EPL suffer afterwards in the league

We have to decide to go for it or not. It effects too many other things of importance

Well, I just made a post that counters the Europa league costing us against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I think the last game you can make that case for is the away game to Qarabag which was followed by a 0-0 v Chelsea. That was our 14th league game of the season and I think it' fair to say, priorities have changed since then.

 

[glorygloryeze]

Though as has already been said, if you're not bothered about Europa then play a complete reserve side from the start. It makes no sense at all putting out a full side against Fiorentina in the last round to get through only to go and pick the side we had last night.

I wonder if not winning our last two games has something to do with it, if we had beat West Ham and Arsenal we may have seen a different side out against Dortmund.

It's the way football is now I guess so I should stop getting annoyed with it, but I do everytime we throw a chance of silverware. The game is totally about money now and it's Champions League qualification or nothing.

I honestly think the hierarchy have told Poch to never mind the title, just make sure we solidify Top 3 as that guarantees CL group stages....i think for now that will be ok, but in future i believe we WILL go for actually winning trophies...hopefully!

 

[Jordinho]

Except the routine is massively different according to the players

And of course the travel is a lot lot worse in Europa

Different to what? We've been doing it for quite a few seasons now.

Travel depends very much on the draw. You can still get teams from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey etc. in the CL.

 

[Seedy Ron]

I'll be glad when this seasons over, it's been a disaster. The Chairman is mad, the manager is useless and the players are rubbish. I'm entitled to much better than this and I need more toys to throw out of my pram.

I don't think anyone's done that really, maybe some posts are a little emotional but that rather comes with the territory. Surely the whole point in us trying to reach the top table of football is to play games like last night, in the latter stages of big competitions against big sides? We get a chance to do that and send out half a team, with the worst team in the league to come the game after? Last night's team would beat Villa. Poch could put me in and we'd still beat Villa (still available for a call up if you're reading, Poch). It's all rather odd to me.

People talk about accumulated fatigue and stuff, I don't really see that missing a Thursday to then play on a Sunday will make a huge difference there, and he'll almost certainly have to go full strength at the Lane next Thursday just to try and salvage some pride.

 

[vkn17]

[QUOTE="glorygloryeze, post: 796587, member: 224"]I honestly think the hierarchy have told Poch to never mind the title, just make sure we solify Top 3 as that guarentees CL group stages....i think for now that will be ok, but in future i believe we WILL go for actually winning trophies...hopefully![/QUOTE]

If true, what a loser mentality that would be.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Different to what? We've been doing it for quite a few seasons now.

Travel depends very much on the draw. You can still get teams from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey etc. in the CL.

The routine for Europa is different due to playing on Thursday's

I'll look for the article that was written on the BBC About it

Yes we have been dropping points to weak teams after Europa games for quite a few seasons now

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I honestly think the hierarchy have told Poch to never mind the title, just make sure we solify Top 3 as that guarentees CL group stages....i think for now that will be ok, but in future i believe we WILL go for actually winning trophies...hopefully! QUOTE]

I think they're leaving Poch to it and Poch is making the decisions.

The thing is, we will never have it all our own way over a season. People are freaking out over a weakened side and a big loss but in a world with finite resource, decisions have to be made. We at least have a strategy that has meant our whole is greater than the sum of our parts but we still need to accept things will go wrong some times in terms of results.

Our strategy has been to have a super fit group of young players that will follow instructions to the latter and due to their similar age profiles / team orientation, will foster a great team spirit. It means we have to forego certain things when tough decisions need to be made e.g. signing another striker to compliment Kane when there isn't one available that will suit the system and team spirit, similarly signing a Dier compliment.

So it means we have things happen like last night. We have to rest players and play others that don't as fully suit the system. But in the grand scheme of things, those decisions also took us to where we want to be in the league, so we have to take it as it comes. But we will not always have it all our own way.

 

[Lemonade Money]

Two things

If we ever needed Steff's positivity that time is now. Tell me that everything will be alright @thfcsteff

If we are playing the blame game, I think that we are missing the main culprit. I am looking at you @LemonadeMoney and your bloody awful OMT.

3000+ yids spent a lot of money coming over here, to see a brick side put out, and Kane, Lamela, Dembele come on anyway. The home leg is sold out and they put the fudging price up for that. Takes the tinkle.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Well, I just made a post that counters the Europa league costing us against Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I think the last game you can make that case for is the away game to Qarabag which was followed by a 0-0 v Chelsea. That was our 14th league game of the season and I think it' fair to say, priorities have changed since then.

The facts are that we play Europa and then drop points the games after!!!

Doesn't matter what we do with our team we drop points regularly after Europa

 

[glorygloryeze]

If true, what a loser mentality that would be.

Over the long run if we keep thinking like that, yes. However, we have to be realistic: we are in a race to finish top 3 as much as we might be in a race to win the title. We have to make sure we finish top 3, get to the group stage and use it to invest in the squad (whilst also building our new stadium) and then maybe go for the league again next year.
Fair enough i say (as long as we ACTUALLY strengthen in the summer of course!)

 

[Bedfordspurs]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31470797

 

[the dza]

The facts are that we play Europa and then drop points the games after!!!

Doesn't matter what we do with our team we drop points regularly after Europa

Apart from when we lose to Anderlecht 1-2, then go and beat Bournemouth 1-5.

Or beat Qarabag 3-1 and then beat Palace 1-0.

Or beat Fiorentina 3-0 then beat Swansea 2-1.

Calling a 1-1 away draw to Arsenal 'dropped points' and then blaming it on Europa fixtures would also be ridiculous. A draw away at Arsenal is a par result for any team.

There are times when we get poor results with Europa fixtures and times we get them without. Like I said, the last one you could really point to was playing a full strength team v Qarabag away and then drawing 0-0 with Chelsea at home, I think that cost us and agree with you on that one. But Poch has, correctly imo, prioritised since then.

There's not a lot more to be said on this to be honest, I think we've done it to death.