***OMT - Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United, Mon May 11th, 8pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium***

[JerusalemMan]

I see BBC had to change their headline on a piece about us last night. Original headline was about us hitting the self destruct button and it’s been changed to something a bit more balanced. That’s the second time in a few months that’s happened. fudging disgraceful from a national broadcaster.

That was Phil McNulty's needling little analysis piece. It still mentions the self-destruct thing in the text under the headline on the main page.

 

[Mr Gogolak]

It's hard not to feel down after last night, but we remain in the driving seat. Chelsea fans hate us, so it will be another test of the team's character. I really wished it hadn't come to this but like someone mentioned earlier, the injury after our goal sort of knocked the rhythm out of the team. We gradually let them regain control of the match. It's a shame but that wasn't our best performance under De Zerbi and Leeds are doing well at the moment.

Also, have to disagree with everybody else: for me, it wasn't a penalty for Leeds. Tel played the ball and the Leeds player rushed onto him. It should have been an indirect freekick as Tel did play in 'a dangerous manner' but I don't think it qualified as a careless or reckless action. Anyway, what's done is done. There's no way of know how Chelsea are going to approach that game. Their fans hate us, but I don't think any of their player gives a rat's ass about that rivalry.

We blew a huge chance yesterday and West Ham's players will be fired up as a result. Let's hope we won't come to regret it.

 

[P.D.]

Last night was the best and dumbest of Tel. I do think we were in control until that penalty. Yes they had the ball more in the second half but I didn't think they were going to score until that penalty.

Kinsky is class. Omg those saves but I don't brick my pants anymore when our goalie has the ball at his feet. Love him

We go again. Play the same and I think we get 3 or 4 points.

We have to beat Chelsea. The good thing for us is that's not a Chelsea anymore. We just need to play.

Yeah after that penalty we really lost it for 10 minutes, couldn't keep the ball on the ground and didn't really recover until Maddison came on. I wonder if we might consider starting him next week and seeing if he can do 45 - 60 minutes - would give us so much more control and balance going forwards. However brick we are there's no way we'd be where we are if he'd been fit for most of the season.

 

[P.D.]

I don't think it's was a mistake....as it couldn't conclusively be proven the defender hadn't touched it.

Likewise flip it round and Gilet had given it ....it couldn't conclusively be proven he had touched it, so the pen would have stood.

So technically it couldn't be a mistake as the ref would be right no matter what decision he gave

I think the rule that you get a slight touch on the ball needs to be reviewed again, I don't actually know what the law says but if it's such a slight touch that the ball doesn't deviate direction then they should be given as a penalty but it's still going to be subjective on what is a meaningful touch of the ball VS a graze.

 

[thfcsteff]

I think the rule that you get a slight touch on the ball needs to be reviewed again, I don't actually know what the law says but if it's such a slight touch that the ball doesn't deviate direction then they should be given as a penalty but it's still going to be subjective on what is a meaningful touch of the ball VS a graze.

I think last night's ref and VAR crew were absolutely under pressure because of what happened between Arse and West Ham.

 

[yiddo37]

Tel had 2 major brainfarts in our box one led to a penalty the other could have given away a goal but for Super Kev. Weigh that against a brilliant goal. This is what you get with a youngster. I mean an overhead kick in your own box, what were you thinking? Surely RDZ is going to remind him of that. In the ideal world he's not a starter. But our world is far from ideal. And Randall Kolo Muani, I think he is actually improving week by week. Yesterday, he has a decent game.

Did a lot of 'nearly' stuff and one good move for the Richarlison chance. Gave the ball away numerous times. Still, one of his better games.

 

[stratnumberone]

I am struggling to see the touch on the ball and Maddison certainly is still in control of the ball when he is taken out. For me it’s a pen. Furthermore - and many might consider this an irrelevant statement - I am utterly convinced that if this happened to a number of other sides (we all know who they are) then it either gets given in real time or VAR intervenes.

I thought we had periods where we were very good and in control of the game. However, up front we are simply dire. There’s no threat whatsoever from the front three and the only way we are scoring goals is from excellent strikes (recently Simons, Gallagher and Tel last night). We simply don’t score enough ‘regular’ type goals.

After we scored I don’t know what happened. As soon as Leeds applied a little pressure I thought that we fell apart. We couldn’t pass, tackle or do any of the other basics. That was very worrying to see because so far under RDZ I think we’ve largely avoided such calamitous play. Put another way, we’ve looked obvious relegation fodder all season; since RDZ arrived we’ve shown steady improvement and looked more like a lower mid-table side. Just think, if we’d picked up an average of 8 points per 5 games we’d be on around 55-58 points now…

Prior to last night, We’ve seen Tel’s staggering lack of footballing IQ in defensive positions several times. Then he got away with the cross in the first half. I thought maybe he’d have learned from that, that sometimes you just have to get rid and that you never mess about in your own box. Sadly not. I cannot comprehend what he was thinking with that attempted overhead. I also cannot comprehend why it took so long to award it.

All in all, we yet again found an opportunity to shoot ourselves in the foot. However, it is somehow still in our hands. Now I look to City and Saudi Sportswashing Machine to hopefully give Chelsea and Wham sound beatings next weekend.

Championship football is still very much on the cards for next season, though.

 

[SirPercyHotspur]

Dissapointing again to drop points at home after leading just like the Brighton game , have not watched the penalty incidents but trying to do what Tel did in your own box is insane and how did linesman and ref both not see it as a foul.
On to the next matches , I don't believe Saudi Sportswashing Machine will be on the beach against Hammers just like Leeds they will try to win, it's their last home match of the season and who knows what win bonuses they are on.
Our record against Chelsea is appalling if we get a draw that would be a result as long as Hammers don't win,

 

[billyiddo]

I think the rule that you get a slight touch on the ball needs to be reviewed again, I don't actually know what the law says but if it's such a slight touch that the ball doesn't deviate direction then they should be given as a penalty but it's still going to be subjective on what is a meaningful touch of the ball VS a graze.

I agree, the rule really should change moving forwards as the touch was so slight that Maddison would still have been in control of the ball if he hadn't been taken out. The defender needs to win the tackle (eg taking possession away from the attacker) for it not to be a foul imv - the rule is the rule, so can't really complain if it states defender getting a touch = no foul but moving forwards I'd like to see that change

 

[DeanoAustin]

I agree, the rule really should change moving forwards as the touch was so slight that Maddison would still have been in control of the ball if he hadn't been taken out. The defender needs to win the tackle (eg taking possession away from the attacker) for it not to be a foul imv - the rule is the rule, so can't really complain if it states defender getting a touch = no foul but moving forwards I'd like to see that change

I wouldn't. There is enough lads throwing themselves down as it is without giving them another scenario where they can scam a penalty.

 

[Lost Mango]

It doesn't change the scam though. It is still referee's interpretation. Has the challenge removed possession by touch followed by has the challenge prevented the attacking player from continuing the attack?

If the touch is enough to move the ball away from the attacker and the tackle is a reasonable force then no penalty. If the touch is lighter than a hair and the player is floored then the challenge is wrong and it should be a penalty.

Still subjective but no different from today

 

[billyiddo]

I wouldn't. There is enough lads throwing themselves down as it is without giving them another scenario where they can scam a penalty.

I don't think re-defining what constitutes wining a tackle in the way described would change anything there - if the defender wins possession it doesn't matter either way