Spurs v Stoke - Official match thread

[Jurgen the German]

Wasn't it a couple of years ago when 'Arry was in charge we went up to Liverpool in similar circumstances where our season was coming to the end and we won 2-1 after being one nil down.....seems like last century that level of performance now..

I thought we won 2-0? Our first win at Anfield since the stone age.

 

[Jurgen the German]

He pulled out of the U21 squad for the chance to train and possibly get games for our first team. I wish that was much more common, the international u21 teams should be focused on helping the clubs develop players instead of on winning games.

He has been RB cover. He's started 15 league games there this season, that makes him RB cover. He was even preferred to Naughton as RB cover early on in the season.



Then we agree.

On people being dramatic of course. But I feel Burnley and Stoke were absolute crud performances which deserve a pasting. Really don't see any positivity coming from those games, except Poch realising that x player isn't good enough.

 

[braineclipse]

On people being dramatic of course. But I feel Burnley and Stoke were absolute crud performances which deserve a pasting. Really don't see any positivity coming from those games, except Poch realising that x player isn't good enough.

We weren't good enough, but we weren't crud either I thought.

If you look at the chances Stoke created in the first half it's essentially two good chances following big mistakes by us from nothing situations and a couple of shots from range iirc. The red card changed it a bit, and we were a bit open trying to push for a goal with 10 men, but that's kinda what happens I think.

It was the same at times previously in the season when we were undone by individual errors.

 

[Finney Is Back]

We weren't good enough, but we weren't crud either I thought.

If you look at the chances Stoke created in the first half it's essentially two good chances following big mistakes by us from nothing situations and a couple of shots from range iirc. The red card changed it a bit, and we were a bit open trying to push for a goal with 10 men, but that's kinda what happens I think.

It was the same at times previously in the season when we were undone by individual errors.

Did you see the game or just the highlights?.... We were poor, second best everywhere. And it wasn't that we got bullied out of it either, Stoke were just better than us all over the park. I don't think the red card changed a thing either. We weren't getting anything out of that game irrespective of whether or not (the absolutely hopeless) Chiriches was on the pitch or not.

 

[braineclipse]

Did you see the game or just the highlights?.... We were poor, second best everywhere. And it wasn't that we got bullied out of it either, Stoke were just better than us all over the park. I don't think the red card changed a thing either. We weren't getting anything out of that game irrespective of whether or not (the absolutely hopeless) Chiriches was on the pitch or not.

Saw the whole game. Just have to disagree on this one.

We had Eriksen close to putting Kane in early on. Excellent free kick from Lamela to force the Stoke player to head it off the bar. Found Kane in the channels quite often and got the ball to Eriksen in some good situations. We could just as easily have created good chances as Stoke did, but our individual errors and a bit of good luck swung the game in their favour. Our pressing was decent, we won the ball in some good turnover situations and forced them into lofting it aimlessly long quite a bit.

We weren't good enough, I definitely think we have played better earlier in the season. But I don't think we were as poor as some are saying.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Saw the whole game. Just have to disagree on this one.

We had Eriksen close to putting Kane in early on. Excellent free kick from Lamela to force the Stoke player to head it off the bar. Found Kane in the channels quite often and got the ball to Eriksen in some good situations. We could just as easily have created good chances as Stoke did, but our individual errors and a bit of good luck swung the game in their favour. Our pressing was decent, we won the ball in some good turnover situations and forced them into lofting it aimlessly long quite a bit.

I definitely think we have played better earlier in the season. But I don't think we were as poor as some are saying.

From the above it seems to me that you have picked out all of our best moments (of which there were very few) but not highlighted any of the other dangerous situations that Stoke forced, just concentrating on our mistakes for their goals. Even before Stoke scored after 21 minutes - Lloris had already made 2 good saves and I think Stoke had already forced about 5 corners and had a few other shots. At the point Stoke scored I don't think we'd had yet had a single shot on goal. Then prior to their second goal they had another couple of efforts (one saved by Lloris) while we still hadn't managed a shot.

It was clear to me from less than 20 minutes in that we weren't good enough on Saturday,
We were comprehensively beaten by a better team I thought. We look toothless, largely devoid of creativity and I don't expect us to keep a clean sheet in any game, as we're organised so poorly defensively.

While you can talk about a few defensive mistakes from us, I think it is better to concentrate on the situations that Stoke got into and how they got men in the box to force mistakes. We looked pedestrian in comparison and seem incredibly reliant on expecting a bit of magic from Ericksen or Kane to fashion a chance for us.

 

[a spur from swansea]

Watched the game on a river i agree we weren't poo but its a hard game if we keep giving goals away to individual errors the third goal always happens if things ain't going your away,the sending off was a joke to be honest can't believe a linesman couldn't see a basic shoulder charge on the back Chiriches plus a bit of shirt pulling. Lloris has to take some of the blame,the second was down to him,Dier was clearly kicking the ball out like you should,the sending off was down to him kicking the ball behind Chiriches with no power on the ball.

But saying that a top six/four side shouldn't be defending like we did or creating half hearted chances. Kane ran himself to the ground as usual but that could be the answer no side can play a high pressing game for over 40 games,it may work for the top games but to do it over a lengthy period it be a struggle.

 

[Rorschach]

Saw the whole game. Just have to disagree on this one.

We had Eriksen close to putting Kane in early on. Excellent free kick from Lamela to force the Stoke player to head it off the bar. Found Kane in the channels quite often and got the ball to Eriksen in some good situations. We could just as easily have created good chances as Stoke did, but our individual errors and a bit of good luck swung the game in their favour. Our pressing was decent, we won the ball in some good turnover situations and forced them into lofting it aimlessly long quite a bit.

We weren't good enough, I definitely think we have played better earlier in the season. But I don't think we were as poor as some are saying.

Funny how people see things differently. I thought they were superior to us all over the park, before and after the sending off.

The worst thing on display IMO was our lack of commitment.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Funny how people see things differently. I thought they were superior to us all over the park, before and after the sending off.

The worst thing on display IMO was our lack of commitment.

That was my view from being there at the game as well.... I think all of us in the crowd knew that we were going to be comprehensively beaten even before Stoke got their opener. We currently have a lack of quality, fight and organisation.

 

[Rorschach]

That was my view from being there at the game as well.... I think all of us in the crowd knew that we were going to be comprehensively beaten even before Stoke got their opener. We currently have a lack of quality, fight and organisation.

Although it doesn't mean a whole lot I only noticed two of our players that actually looked annoyed how things were panning out - Bentaleb and Lamela.

 

[parklane1]

That was my view from being there at the game as well.... I think all of us in the crowd knew that we were going to be comprehensively beaten even before Stoke got their opener. We currently have a lack of quality, fight and organisation.

Would agree with this, worst game/performance I have seen this season and I hate going to Stoke and their crowd.

 

[paxtonwolf]

Would agree with this, worst game/performance I have seen this season and I hate going to Stoke and their crowd.

Same here. Agree with both Finney and yourself. Awful peformance.

The fact we have little to play for is no excuse in my book. These guys are professional footballers getting paid a kings ransom to play football each weekend, just because we couldn't finish 4th is not a valid reason for turning in a lacklustre display like that

 

[mephitis]

Although it doesn't mean a whole lot I only noticed two of our players that actually looked annoyed how things were panning out - Bentaleb and Lamela.

I'd go along with that, although Bentaleb's "Mr Constantly Angry" and Lamela can be a bit of a headless chicken at times (which is ironic considering the roosterscomb he's trying to grow).

 

[lurker of old]

We were comprehensively beaten by a better team I thought. We look toothless, largely devoid of creativity and I don't expect us to keep a clean sheet in any game, as we're organised so poorly defensively.

While you can talk about a few defensive mistakes from us, I think it is better to concentrate on the situations that Stoke got into and how they got men in the box to force mistakes. We looked pedestrian in comparison

Alas all too true. Really was a horrid afternoon, time and money which could have been better spent!

 

[thfcsteff]

Travelled from Leeds. M62 closed. Listened to the whole of Everton V Sunderland in a traffic jam (The Woodhead Pass is genuinely English scenery at its most spectacular but not when you're trying to get to the match). Listened to the first half on the M6. Arrived at the arse end of half-time (free parking was a plus). Queued for a beer (by that I mean stood next to a guy who was being served by a woman who spent 5 minutes flirting with him) only to be told by the "Lady" who was serving that they were now closed! Joined the queue for a hot chocolate, they turned the lights out (and what's with all those grills have we gone back to the 80s?). Asked the guy on the now closed doors if I can nip out to the burger van outside and get a coffee, "You can but you can't come back in". "you've got to be joking I've only been here 10 fecking minutes!!!!!!". To be fair to the guy he got the girl behind the counter to get me a hot chocolate. Got onto the terracing to watch Chiriches disappearing down the tunnel to be boos from our supporters!?!?!? Watched precisely 35 minutes of the match.

Currently tinkleed of with the team, tinkleed off with the scummy crud hole that is Stoke (seriously considering never going there again, it's not often the most welcoming people in the place are the coppers :-/) but mainly tinkleed off with our own fans who seem to have forgotten the meaning of the word support.

My favorite post of the year. Superb. If I ever run into you at a home or away game when I'm back mate (a few times a year) I will gladly buy you a hot chocolate and a beer.

 

[thfcsteff]

Mate - you had an absolute touch there.... You were lucky enough to sit in your comfortable car and manage to avoid 55 minutes of what was an absolutely dire performance. Unfortunately I was not nearly as lucky and had to sit through the whole lot.

Is there anyone on here who actually goes home and away that thinks we have gone forward since the latter half of last season? We are probably the easiest team to play against in the league. All our opponent has to do is pack the middle defensively and then use a long diagonal out ball to get on the attack.

On another note - Nacer Chadli.... His name was announced as playing for us before the match but I didn't actually see him - did he injure himself in the warm up or something? It was an absolutely brilliant impersonation of the invisible man that he gave on Saturday.

Nacer is, sadly, symptomatic of a massive dilemma we have had for decades; the supremely talented 70%er. They will show up for one in three and do something(s) which are so great you are in awe of their footballing talents. Then they feck off for another few games. Frustraters of the highest order. If we are really really going to continue changing the culture at the club, I would expect his like to be out the door whilst we can still get good money for him. It would be a massive shame in one sense, because he has all the tools to be a world beater. But sadly, he has had a few too many 'work-shy' days for my liking...

 

[thfcsteff]

We weren't good enough, but we weren't crud either I thought.

If you look at the chances Stoke created in the first half it's essentially two good chances following big mistakes by us from nothing situations and a couple of shots from range iirc. The red card changed it a bit, and we were a bit open trying to push for a goal with 10 men, but that's kinda what happens I think.

It was the same at times previously in the season when we were undone by individual errors.

Mate...I have to say, as big a defender as I am of the team, I thought Saturday was terrible, absolutely terrible, and very very few of them should feel good picking up their wages. Poch looked angry after the game and I think he is getting some very definitive answers. One thing none of us know is how clearly he has made it known what he plans to do squad-wise WITHIN the dressing room; I wonder if a few who know they are making up numbers have checked out? It would be the only plausible excuse...

 

[Hoddledro]

Worst loss to stoke in 80 years. That's what history now says. Terrible result.

I don't want to hear excuses. Most of us here have had a long year and are tired. And don't have 8 weeks off soon. I'd add another game to end of season tour and tell them they brought it on themselves.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Have we finally seen the end of the absolutely useless Vlad Chiriches now? I echo Armchair's thoughts, he's one of the worst players we've had in years, and that really is saying something. I'd like to know what those who rate him actually see in him. He is the extremely poor man's David Luiz.

 

[Rorschach]

That was my view from being there at the game as well.... I think all of us in the crowd knew that we were going to be comprehensively beaten even before Stoke got their opener. We currently have a lack of quality, fight and organisation.

I wouldn't mind if it was a once off but it's been a similar lack of effort for weeks, bar the City match where I thought we were unlucky.It's very worrying that he's picking players that are not on form nor making up for it with effort. With the exception of a few players we've totally switched off.

I don't think it is a quality issue. We have more quality than Stoke. And when I look at the Stoke team I can't see any of them that would be considered better than their Spurs counterparts but they totally bossed us in that match by doing the basics right and simply putting the effort in. Gahhhh.