*** OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Stade Rennais***

[braineclipse]

With Chelsea coming up I was surprised how many first choice players for that game made the trip and played in this one. Short flight I know but still a fair amount of travel.
Squad is depleted enough and now 2 more are carrying knocks. Would have sacrificed this result for a fresher team on Sunday.
Never thought we'll get anything out of the Chelsea game anyhow, just hope we don't get absolutely smashed by them.

Conference is a bit strange. Win the group you're in the knockouts, second and there's a play off against a team from the EL. We should be fine in a play off like that, but would rather not have to.

Rennes are probably our main competitor in this group, a good start away to them had real value for the future.

I think Nuno got it just about right. Rested a couple from the start, didn't play Kane the full game. Lucas didn't have international games so three games in 8 days should be fine enough. But surprised Bergwijn started given he was just back from injury, looks worse when he got injuried again of course. But I can understand the decision.

 

[yiddo37]

Why? We won't beat Cheatski anyway. Why sacrifice a game just to lose another? Chelsea are MILES ahead us, and the only way for us to get any kind of result is by some freak luck.

But that's partly my point, we'd have more chance of a lucky win with more first teamers rested for the Chelsea game. Now instead of a 1-0, 2-0 loss I fear we could get spanked by 4 or 5 nil. And I'm usually a positive person by nature!

 

[yiddo37]

Conference is a bit strange. Win the group you're in the knockouts, second and there's a play off against a team from the EL. We should be fine in a play off like that, but would rather not have to.

Rennes are probably our main competitor in this group, a good start away to them had real value for the future.

I think Nuno got it just about right. Rested a couple from the start, didn't play Kane the full game. Lucas didn't have international games so three games in 8 days should be fine enough. But surprised Bergwijn started given he was just back from injury, looks worse when he got injuried again of course. But I can understand the decision.

All valid points, just thought this was a game worth sacrificing with Chelsea and Arsenal coming up.
We have 3 winnable home games in the ECL and if needed 2 winnable away games too.

 

[Jordinho]

All valid points, just thought this was a game worth sacrificing with Chelsea and Arsenal coming up.
We have 3 winnable home games in the ECL and if needed 2 winnable away games too.

Wolves next week should be the U18s.

 

[AdamB]

Wolves next week should be the U18s.

We have enough senior players who need to be kept match fit, and then throw the odd SCarlett/John into the starting 11 too

 

[elyid]

We have enough senior players who need to be kept match fit, and then throw the odd SCarlett/John into the starting 11 too

one challenge we have is that at least a couple of the “senior players who need to keep fit” could be argued to be worse than the kids.

 

[spurspinter1]

Who got most our goals in the EL last year?

Our back up striker and Bale

we haven’t replace either of them

It is a bit of a mystery where we seem to think the goals are going to come from. I don’t want to oppose positivity around our players but Stevie B isn’t going to turn in to Henry out of nowhere and Scarlett (reasonably enough) doesn’t appear to be ready to really stake a claim. Swapping Lamela who despite injury problems scored and notched assists on the regular in weakened teams for Gill, clearly talented but 20 y o and needing time to settle, leaves us immediately weaker too.

We’re still at a stage where losing Kane or Son enforces a change in play style and a huge drop in quality. This isn’t a new situation.

I like Nuno’s vibe but moaning about injuries already is a bit of a worry. Appreciate that the Argentine situation doesn’t help one bit but we’re always one dead leg / pulled muscle away from having the likes of Winks, Davies, Doherty or Scarlett coming on and that doesn’t inspire confidence.

 

[Legohamster]

It is a bit of a mystery where we seem to think the goals are going to come from. I don’t want to oppose positivity around our players but Stevie B isn’t going to turn in to Henry out of nowhere and Scarlett (reasonably enough) doesn’t appear to be ready to really stake a claim. Swapping Lamela who despite injury problems scored and notched assists on the regular in weakened teams for Gill, clearly talented but 20 y o and needing time to settle, leaves us immediately weaker too.

We’re still at a stage where losing Kane or Son enforces a change in play style and a huge drop in quality. This isn’t a new situation.

I like Nuno’s vibe but moaning about injuries already is a bit of a worry. Appreciate that the Argentine situation doesn’t help one bit but we’re always one dead leg / pulled muscle away from having the likes of Winks, Davies, Doherty or Scarlett coming on and that doesn’t inspire confidence.

I don’t really think it’s Nunos fault as such, he’s here to coach and the DOF is there to provide him with the tools to do that, but how strong was he in pushing for another forward?

Leicester last night brought on Vardy and Lookman after starting with Perez,Barnes, Daka and Iheanacho

Maddison didn’t get on and Albrighton can do a job

Compare that with our options - we ended up with a RB as a RW

 

[spurspinter1]

I don’t really think it’s Nunos fault as such, he’s here to coach and the DOF is there to provide him with the tools to do that, but how strong was he in pushing for another forward?

Leicester last night brought on Vardy and Lookman after starting with Perez,Barnes, Daka and Iheanacho

Maddison didn’t get on and Albrighton can do a job

Compare that with our options - we ended up with a RB as a RW

Oh yeah I’m not laying any blame on Nuno for the situation, he can only work with what he has got.

It just seems like we’re hoping less than what hasn’t been enough to see us over the line in previous seasons, is suddenly going to turn out differently..

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

I don’t really think it’s Nunos fault as such, he’s here to coach and the DOF is there to provide him with the tools to do that, but how strong was he in pushing for another forward?

Leicester last night brought on Vardy and Lookman after starting with Perez,Barnes, Daka and Iheanacho

Maddison didn’t get on and Albrighton can do a job

Compare that with our options - we ended up with a RB as a RW

Leicester don’t have any injuries though.

fully fit our attackers are Kane, Son, Moura, Bergwijn, Gill and if your including Maddison and Albrighton in the Leicester ranks then it’s only fair to add the likes of Lo Celso, Dele, Ndombele, Sessengnon in ours. So 5 of our attacking players were unavailable, take 5 out of Leicester’s ranks and it looks quite different as well.

now whether you think our lot are good enough is another matter, but numbers wise it adds up (I would like another no. 9 personally).

 

[Legohamster]

Leicester don’t have any injuries though.

fully fit our attackers are Kane, Son, Moura, Bergwijn, Gill and if your including Maddison and Albrighton in the Leicester ranks then it’s only fair to add the likes of Lo Celso, Dele, Ndombele, Sessengnon in ours. So 5 of our attacking players were unavailable, take 5 out of Leicester’s ranks and it looks quite different as well.

now whether you think our lot are good enough is another matter, but numbers wise it adds up (I would like another no. 9 personally).

who was missing last night for Spurs? Son and Lo Celso? Seems like we rushed SB back?

I wouldn’t class Lo Celso as an attacking player and sess is a wing back

Maddison is a 10 - we don’t really have someone like that

what they also do is rotate.

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

who was missing last night for Spurs? Son and Lo Celso? Seems like we rushed SB back?

I wouldn’t class Lo Celso as an attacking player and sess is a wing back

Maddison is a 10 - we don’t really have someone like that

what they also do is rotate.

You mentioned that we had to play a RB at RW to emphasize how few attacking players we had, but at the point we did that we had Son, Moura, Bergwijn, Sessengnon, Lo Celso all unavailable.

If your including Albrighton then we’re including Sess!

Maddison is more attacking than either Lo Celso or Ndombele, it’s true, but both our boys have and can play no 10 for us.

 

[metalgear]

What do you mean by that? He was our best player out there. Wait for what?

to help us WIN games like this ... i think the average age of the opposition was around 22 or 23 year its like our first team playing a youth team.

 

[AdamB]

You mentioned that we had to play a RB at RW to emphasize how few attacking players we had, but at the point we did that we had Son, Moura, Bergwijn, Sessengnon, Lo Celso all unavailable.

If your including Albrighton then we’re including Sess!

Maddison is more attacking than either Lo Celso or Ndombele, it’s true, but both our boys have and can play no 10 for us.

We also didnt have to play a RB on the RW. We had a 20 year old RW on the bench in Markanday....but obviously Emerson is more defensive hence getting the nod

 

[braineclipse]

You mentioned that we had to play a RB at RW to emphasize how few attacking players we had, but at the point we did that we had Son, Moura, Bergwijn, Sessengnon, Lo Celso all unavailable.

If your including Albrighton then we’re including Sess!

Maddison is more attacking than either Lo Celso or Ndombele, it’s true, but both our boys have and can play no 10 for us.

At the same time we also took Kane, presumably to give him a rest.

We're fine for numbers, particularly if playing a front three. With Bergwijn still not truly breaking through with end product and Gil being 20 and newly signed there's perhaps a shortage of quality short term.

We also didnt have to play a RB on the RW. We had a 20 year old RW on the bench in Markanday....but obviously Emerson is more defensive hence getting the nod

Had to check, we put Emerson on with 35 minutes to go, as a wide attacking player, with Doherty playing behind him. There's no way around that being a fairly cautious choice.

As you say we had options in terms of a youngster at least. We also had the option of Reguilon on as a wing back in a back three, push him and Doherty up a bit, Davies CB etc.

At least we didn't move Alli up front to resurrect the Winks, Skipp, Hojbjerg midfield trio.

 

[braineclipse]

to help us WIN games like this ... i think the average age of the opposition was around 22 or 23 year its like our first team playing a youth team.

Good involvements deep from him for both our goals.

Set up and nearly got the finish away for the closest thing we came to a one on one chance when combining with Kane.

- First goal great backheel when under heavy pressure, leaving two opponents out of the game to give us a chance to exploit the space available.

- Second goal, skill, vision, passing. Drawing players in, then a quality shift to the other side giving Doherty space on the other side. A good crossing opportunity in space created against a settled defensive unit.

- One on one chance, again, settled defensive unit for them. Pretty much only him and Kane in the final third centrally. First time crisp pass through lines of pressure, immediate run in behind to receive the ball.

I suppose one could be critical of some of his defensive work, but he was clearly the player that did the most to get us anywhere near winning the game.

Creating stuff against settled teams and in high press situations. It's exactly what we've been missing. The rest of the team not doing enough of the same to get us closer to a win isn't on him one bit.

 

[metalgear]

Saw all that but put that ball through for Kane a couple of times would be better. Or beat a few to take a shot on goal himself. He may be skillful and did some things better for us but it was poor opposition nonetheless.

If all we expect out of a talent like this are scintillating one twos and such, we surely are a mid table team at best. Convinced me he's another luxury player or square peg that we can't use effectively.

Maybe we have different perceptions of the game. Was it a glorious away draw or another poor game and lucky deflections?

If its to boost his youtube videos and then we sell him in Dec - then OK. So I can expect Ndomb to use matches as his shopwindow while we draw with lesser league youth teams.


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[thfcsteff]

A brave draw under bricky conditions in a proper European tie (more vibe than half our CL group games in the past) and yes, I agree, uninspiring but with the amount of brick currently hitting NES' fan, plus the game Sunday, I was happy we got out of there with a point.
Harry doesn't look especially enamored does he...

 

[braineclipse]

Saw all that but put that ball through for Kane a couple of times would be better. Or beat a few to take a shot on goal himself. He may be skillful and did some things better for us but it was poor opposition nonetheless.

If all we expect out of a talent like this are scintillating one twos and such, we surely are a mid table team at best. Convinced me he's another luxury player or square peg that we can't use effectively.

Maybe we have different perceptions of the game. Was it a glorious away draw or another poor game and lucky deflections?

If its to boost his youtube videos and then we sell him in Dec - then OK. So I can expect Ndomb to use matches as his shopwindow while we draw with lesser league youth teams.


Sent from my SM-T865 using glory-glory.co.uk mobile app

I think we can expect more from Ndombele, but that would require the rest of the team to play better too. Like we didn't see all we can expect from Kane, Gil or Lucas either in that game.

If Ndombele gets more movement around him, more players ahead of him, if he can get the ball in better positions by us improving our buildup play then we'll see what we can expect from him.

On the night we weren't particularly good as a team, but Ndombele was our best attacking player. In his first game of football in several months, he was not of a threat than Kane, Lucas, Gil, Alli, Bergwijn, Hojbjerg. I'd almost say more of a threat than those players combined, but that would be somewhat hyperbolic at least.

 

[braineclipse]

A brave draw under bricky conditions in a proper European tie (more vibe than half our CL group games in the past) and yes, I agree, uninspiring but with the amount of brick currently hitting NES' fan, plus the game Sunday, I was happy we got out of there with a point.
Harry doesn't look especially enamored does he...

Brave and not brave for me. Starting lineup had some bravery in it, Gil and Ndombele in the midfield three. Runs into the final third and real creativity from midfield.

Players fought hard and tried, I guess that can be seen as bravery.

When Bergwijn got injured there was nothing brave about putting on Hojbjerg (and I really like Hojbjerg). Had the brave option at 1-0 up to put on Alli to play a similar role to Gil in attack while being defensivele sound as we know he is. No, Hojbjerg in, Ndombele tasked with getting forward more, losing creativity in midfield and one attacking outlet.

Having lost one attacking outlet and playing with two full backs that aren't really effective going forward in this system the brave attacking option at 1-1 in the second half was Reguilon on to give us another attacking outlet. Having 4 real attacking outlets at 1-1 against Rennes isn't brave in my mind.

Then what Pochettino often talked about when he talked about bravery. Taking some risk on the ball playing through pressure, pushing forward in buildup play when opponents sit deep. Yeah, couldn't really see it.

We held on, or tried to hold on. Couldn't really have any complaints about Rennes going ahead, but we pulled back. Brave? Perhaps. Perhaps not.