• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

Tottenham Vs Arsenal Player ratings.

WALOB. Spurs played some of their most exciting football for decades under Redknapp. Too many people with short memories and massive agendas on this forum.

no massive agendas - there's a difference playing exciting football by leveraging on individual talents and having a strong team that plays a solid team game. I just prefer the latter. can you tell the difference?
 
WALOB. Spurs played some of their most exciting football for decades under Redknapp. Too many people with short memories and massive agendas on this forum.

Agreed, to an extent. Spurs played great football, when teams gave us space and time to play.

Not against the defensively compact sides (Stoke, Wolves, most lower mid-table sides): there we huffed and puffed.
Not against the massively superior sides (Madrid, United, City post 2010); there we were destroyed.
Not when we were tired and demoralized (end of season, 2011, end of season, 2012); there we just looked haggard and dead on our feet.

So, in the end, we played great football when we had everything going for us and no negative conditions to hold us back. Which is a good thing in itself, just not as good as a coherent game plan that sees us through all games, regardless of circumstances.

Ah, well. Man's gone, time to move on.
 
Blinding analysis by Neville. How victims must spit blood at his ruthless exposure. Andy Gray eat your heart out.

Living in the US that's the first time I've see Neville's analysis and wow was that great. Interesting how he picks up on that brilliant running off the ball by Ade for our first goal.
 
Good analysis. The thing I took from it was how we might have been carved open ourselves a few times before we did it to them. But we weren't so fudge Arsenal.
 
In an attacking sense yes. Defensively he was generally a shambles.

Shambles is going a bit far. Ok he was very attacking minded, but we had the best defensive record at home in the league during his first two seasons. Of course there are games you can cite where he got it horribly wrong, but he also got it spot on in a lot of games, take Arsenal at home in 09/10, we got our tactics dead right.

If you look at Jol/Ramos' reigns, we had to score 4, 5 or even 6 goals in some games to win.
 
no massive agendas - there's a difference playing exciting football by leveraging on individual talents and having a strong team that plays a solid team game. I just prefer the latter. can you tell the difference?

I agree with that. I thought the AVB appointment was a massive gamble, but so far it has paid off and I'm happy to say I was wrong. But I don't get why people can't just appreciate both? Why keep digging at a manager that can only be desribed as a success on the whole? He didn't handle the England stuff well at all, but he hasn't said anything negative about the club or Levy since. He said there was no hard feelings when we played QPR in January.

I do find it interesting that football fans on the whole are far more forgiving of a player when he leaves, but they expect more from a manager when ultimately both players and managers are worried about themselves first and foremost. I live in Stevenage, people went ballistic when Graham Westley left for Preston, a much bigger club, but they wouldn't blame a player if he left to go to a championship club.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKm85q3t6bQ&feature=player_embedded#!

Gary nevilles post match tactical analysis of the Arsenal game.

Thanks Kroak.

Neville is right that Vertonghen and Dawson are not in control of Giroud and Walcott - they could easily have been played in by Wheelchair and co. - it was as though Verts and Daws were playing offside, but all the while BAE was standing deeper and trying to cover the entire backline from the left - it is not a good sign when your fullback is deeper than your centre backs.
 
I have to admit that I was cynical when I heard that Neville would be doing that job on sky but I hold my hands up.

The guy knows what he's talking about and not only that, he does a good job presenting it as well.
 
Thanks Kroak.

Neville is right that Vertonghen and Dawson are not in control of Giroud and Walcott - they could easily have been played in by Wheelchair and co. - it was as though Verts and Daws were playing offside, but all the while BAE was standing deeper and trying to cover the entire backline from the left - it is not a good sign when your fullback is deeper than your centre backs.

Perhaps not great, but I think the main difference between our high line and theirs was:

1) our full-backs had more experience
2) our CBs were a bit more mobile
3) our keeper plays like a sweeper

Their high-line involved a reserve full-back, a full-back new to the league and one CB who turns slower than milk as well as a keeper who's no more than average.

For me, it's one of the thing which makes Lloris so utterly excellent...
 
Good analysis. The thing I took from it was how we might have been carved open ourselves a few times before we did it to them. But we weren't so fudge Arsenal.

I got lambasted for saying something akin to this although Neville articulated in better and greater detail. They were the better team in the first half hour and they did carve us open but our defense is better at recovery than theirs. BAE and Walker are very good at getting back after making an initial mistake. Vert was brilliant at those two last ditch tackles.

Then we have Lloris who is essentially a GK/5th defender/Sweeper/GHod/sex symbol etc etc etc. You know if Bale and Lennon were in the exact same positions but against Lloris - I would bet my house that Lloris would have made it FAR more difficult for them to have scored - maybe even save them.

The furore of the win masked some of the issues that are still there
 
Well, that's 'issues' that every single team out there have. Even Bayern conceded against the Arse and they've only let in 8 goals in 24 league matches this season.

We don't know if it was a deliberate tactic, but we were certainly prepared for it and let them pass it sideways in areas they couldn't hurt us. Their main attacking play is usually quick 1-2 passing or through balls to Walcott or whatever clown shoe they have on the left. This can easily be negated by staying compact and not give them the space they need, which we did wonderfully. Yes, they had some chances, but every team gets that during a game (possible exception in Aston Villa). I never felt they were better than us, nor was I ever particularly worried about their attacking play. Probably for the first time ever. Having lots of possession does not mean you're the better team. We did exactly what some gooners had suggested they should do: Let the other team have the ball, then hit them with pace.

The fact that we don't panic or go all out in attack, but instead keep patiently prodding and wait for our chance fills me with confidence in this team. It's clear that the players have belief as well. These are issues that have been talked about for years and years and, no matter what, we never learned. Well, now we have. It might come down to the final game this season, but I have faith in us achieving our goals. Next season is what really excites me though. No learning a whole new way of playing or half a squad of new players to bed in. I expect a couple of additions to the squad and possibly some tweaking of tactics, but nothing major. We'll be competitive from game 1.
 
Back