Ratings v Utd

[Maltese Falcon]

When the messenger positions itself halfway between the Mirror and the Sport I'm duty bound to attack it.

OK - I'll give you that one

 

[Raziel]

If result of every game were to mirror pre-match predictions or else the strength of the two squads, then football would be the most boring sport. What makes it beautiful is that pre-match expectations go out of the window when the whistle blows.

Fact is that United - despite all the supposed superiority on paper - were poor; they were there for the taking and we choked - in typical Tottenham gut less fashion. Our heads just dropped when the own goal went in and were happy to pussyfoot the ball in midfield with no incisiveness, determination or will.

Such as display does not merit ratings of 7 and 8's - which is what started the argument in the first place.

Actually, football pretty much plays out exactly that way .. we know who the top 6 will be, and damn likely know who the bottom 6 will be in 38 games.

Don't confuse one off results or games between similar strength squads. Cheat$ki was the best team last year, and lost a grand total of 3 games (one glorious one) in the league, and that's playing at least 2 other equal level squads.

Media like to say things are unpredictable .. there are not, we have won what? 2 in the last 19 against United? more losses against them at OT than any other team away.

Again you say they were poor and give us no credit for that .. how does that work?

 

[Superhudd]

 

[Maltese Falcon]

Don't confuse one off results or games between similar strength squads. Cheat$ki was the best team last year, and lost a grand total of 3 games (one glorious one) in the league, and that's playing at least 2 other equal level squads.

Precisely... we do seem to be agreeing a lot here. This was a one off game where United were missing possibly the best goalkeeper in the world, had 5 debutantes and were so clearly off their game. And we failed to take advantage!

Actually, football pretty much plays out exactly that way .. we know who the top 6 will be, and damn likely know who the bottom 6 will be in 38 games.

While I may agree in principle, the only hope in hell we have to break that - maybe I am not as fatalistic as you are - is to make sure we grab opportunities like yesterday's

Again you say they were poor and give us no credit for that .. how does that work?

Do you have to ask that question as a Spurs fan? How many games have we watched us simply not turn up, even when the opposition were dire and lose the game - not through some good play from the opponent but simply by shooting ourselves in the foot?

 

[alekaras]

These arguments are like complaining that a Skoda can't do 0-100 in 5 seconds. We're lacking the players that will provide that extra something in the attacking third and a CM to link play, so how can we expect world class performances every time? If we had all the tools and played like brick, argue away. But we don't, so let's be real here. We're still assembling and/or developing the pieces we need.

 

[Maltese Falcon]

These arguments are like complaining that a Skoda can't do 0-100 in 5 seconds. We're lacking the players that will provide that extra something in the attacking third and a CM to link play, so how can we expect world class performances every time? If we had all the tools and played like ****, argue away. But we don't, so let's be real here. We're still assembling and/or developing the pieces we need.

But that's just it! We didn't need a world class performance to get something out of yesterday's game...

 

[parklane1]

Vorm 6
Walker 7
Alderweireld 8
Vertonghen 7
Davies 6
Bentalab 4
Dier 7
Dembele 5
Eriksen 6
Chadli 5
Kane 5

 

[wiziwig]

Vorm - 6 I doubt we will see a goalkeeper have as quiet a game at Old Trafford for the rest of the season. Well protected.

Walker - 7 defensively sound but offered little going forward

Ald - 7 our MOTM . An assured performance

Vert - 7 just pipped by his good mate Toby as our best player.

Davies - 6 defensively sound, got up the pitch but offered little going forward



Bentaleb - 3 was an awful performance by Bentaleb. Shocked me how bad he were, played like he were out on a bender with Greavsie the night before.

Dier - 6 did all that were asked of him defensively but I don't enjoy seeing him there. Is a back four player for me.



Dembele - 5 out of position out wide. I'd like to have seen him centrally, making himself available to our defenders.

Eriksen - 6 ran alot and was our main threat on their goal.

Chadli - 4 offered little out wide . May as well have him nearer Kane centrally, looking to have a shots on goal.


Kane - 5 looked tired and was taking to many touches rather than looking for the quick lay-off. Has to add this to his game .

Subs:
Mason - 5 no impact
Alli - 5 no impact
Lamela - 5 no impact

Summery:
That's the third game Poch's Hotspurs have come up against LVG's United and that's no goals scored by us, but until we gifted them their goal, there were only one team in the game.

After their goal, we were rudderless and they got on top of us all over the field, you could see their confidence grow whilst ours diminished. Smalling, their MOTM, aided by Blind, were to fast and all over Kane who is not the fastest and who wanted to many touches. Our lack of pace from the front four, really showed against their fast back line so we were pretty toothless upfront for much of the game. Shaw looked pretty fast and perhaps is now settling in, and their right-back Darmian impressed, just as he did in their recent friendly against Barcelona.

I do think our pre-season financial prioritising over what's best for our players in their opening PL game, had us looking lethargic and we were often giving the ball away cheaply with Bentaleb being the main culprit, hence his early substitution.

The defending was a big positive and I feel, if we can add some pace to our forward positions, and perhaps sort out our central midfield then I think we'll be alright once up to speed.

 

[NWND]

Vorm - 6 - had nothing to do all game as Man U only had one shot on target in 90 mins
Walker - 7 - had a very good game, defensively solid, covered well and got forward to support the attack, unlucky for the goal
Alderweireld - 8 (Spurs MOTM)
Vertonghen - 7 - Man U's forwards barely had a sniff all game
Davies - 6 - solid, but didn't have Rose's threat on the overlap
Dier - 6 - did a good job of breaking up their play, intercepting through-balls and playing it simple
Bentaleb - 4 - At fault for the goal, passing was very sloppy, but positioned himself well and was part of a very tactically solid team. Poor display however
Dembele - 6 - Struggled to impose himself but was a threat on a couple of occasions, like when he was flagged offside
Eriksen - 6 - Looked a threat, but missed the best chance of the game, needs to be clinical in those situations as for a player of his talent, it was a disappointing finish
Chadli - 5 - Was a passenger, as he often is, but I can see why he stayed on as he is one of our main goal threats
Kane - 5 - Didn't offer much in the way of threat and was well marshalled by United's defence.

The team performance was better than the individual performances, but I though the defenders did very well, individually and collectively.

 

[The Duke]

Vorm - 6

Walker - 5
Ald - 7
Vert - 6
Davies - 6

Bentaleb - 4
Dier - 5

Dembele - 4
Eriksen - 6
Chadli - 5

Kane - 5

Subs:
Mason - 5
Alli - 5
Lamela - 5

 

[tynesidespur]

Fact is that United - despite all the supposed superiority on paper - were poor; they were there for the taking and we choked - in typical Tottenham gut less fashion. Our heads just dropped when the own goal went in and were happy to pussyfoot the ball in midfield with no incisiveness, determination or will.

This is bang on the money. The match was a complete non-event from 38-85mins when we finally woke up and tried to attack. There was a complete lack of belief after we conceded. That's a very soft shell if we're going to let unfortunate og's affect our play. There was at least a point to be taken from that match. Nullifying the opposition is a start but you have to do something with the ball afterwards and we did very little.

 

[mudshark]

Kane's the only player in the squad who's capable of real initiative IMO. Chadli demonstrates it in fits and starts, but he's certainly not one who's going to take a game by the scruff of the neck. Eriksen is very much a 'bigger picture' player, in that sense, too; a cog in the wheel, albeit a very talented one, and not huge on initiative. When Kane doesn't take control in the opponent's half, we tend to cede it. Proper leadership on the pitch is something we've lacked in a good while, really.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Vorm 6 - Not much too. Couldn't do anything about the goal.

Walker 6 - Better positional play than normal.
Alderweireld 7 - Decent.
Vertonghen 6 - Ok.
Davies 6 - Ditto

Bentaleb 4 - Not good enough.
Dier 6 - Kept it simple.
Dembele 6 -

Chadli 6 - Standard Chadli. Not involved a great deal in the buildup, but always looking to breach the back four.
Eriksen 6 - Should have scored in first half.
Kane 6 - Good first half, poor in 2nd.

Not going to read too much into this as it was the first game of the season but some general thoughts on the game and where we are as a club;

• Who decided it was a good idea to play a warmup game on Wednesday?
• Typical Spurs performance at OT. We usually go there, have decent possession, play some pretty football but ultimately don't create much. We need more creativity desperately, we can't rely on Kane, Eriksen and Chadli again, they need help.
• We look more solid defensively which is a postive.
• The central midfield needs upgrading, possibly even an overhaul; Bentaleb, don't want to dump on him as he's only young, but what exactly do people see in him that makes them rate him so highly? That's not being sarcastic, but he isn't creative and he's sloppy defensivley. Mason is a squad player. Dier did a job.
• Just appalling that we go into the first game of the season with no striker on the bench. Potentially costing ourselves points. Really hope we can sign someone before Saturday.