*******TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS Saudi Sportswashing Machine OMT**********************

[Daisuk]

Funny thing is, if Soldado puts his header in, if Eriksen does the easy thing and scores and if Younes bundles that sitter over the line, 3-1 and I'll bet we see a cavalcade of comments about how AVB's 'attacking attitude' is 'what was needed' blah blah blah…

I would've done a few things differently today, but no-one can deny we had possession and we had chances…

Exactly. Margins are a big part of football, sadly it went against us today. I thought we attacked with conviction and flair today, there was guts in our play, people darting forward, daring to take on a player, play a short pass and run towards the opposition goal. The margins were against us, but you'd be hard pressed to complain about the way we played in the second half.

Definitely Sandro first name on the team sheet for every remaining league match of the season though, he's just that important for us.

 

[braineclipse]

Funny thing is, if Soldado puts his header in, if Eriksen does the easy thing and scores and if Younes bundles that sitter over the line, 3-1 and I'll bet we see a cavalcade of comments about how AVB's 'attacking attitude' is 'what was needed' blah blah blah…

I would've done a few things differently today, but no-one can deny we had possession and we had chances…

By the way, to the geniuses who want to sack AVB, we are a point behind Chelsea and 5 points off the top. We haven't played especially well going forwards yet. We're above Emirates Marketing Project, who keep on losing the sort of games which would have people here suffering conniption fits…

But don't worry, I know some will have written this off as some 'happy pill don't-give-a-****-about-Spurs' rant…how sad it has to be like that…

I agree that there were several positives to take away from the game today. Performance wise probably more than some of the games we've won this season.

Hopefully the team and management will be able to transfer some of that positivity into similar performances in our upcoming games. I've previously been critical of our attitude at the start of games and that concern continues.

 

[indianspur]

Funny thing is, if Soldado puts his header in, if Eriksen does the easy thing and scores and if Younes bundles that sitter over the line, 3-1 and I'll bet we see a cavalcade of comments about how AVB's 'attacking attitude' is 'what was needed' blah blah blah…

I would've done a few things differently today, but no-one can deny we had possession and we had chances…

By the way, to the geniuses who want to sack AVB, we are a point behind Chelsea and 5 points off the top. We haven't played especially well going forwards yet. We're above Emirates Marketing Project, who keep on losing the sort of games which would have people here suffering conniption fits…

But don't worry, I know some will have written this off as some 'happy pill don't-give-a-****-about-Spurs' rant…how sad it has to be like that…

you seem to be sometimes ITK about the inner workings of the club...I have a question for you. Has AVB been offered a contract extension? Next summer he will have 1 year left on his deal. So have the club offered or are they planning to extend his deal?

 

[Pirate55]

Well, not that I have ever solely relied on stats, but if you were to look at just the stats from today, you'd see a very very attacking performance...

As I said above, today certainly want the worst performance by us this season, but it also WASNT a one off either. Today I agree we didn't have much luck - brilliant goalkeeping, poor finishing, hit crossbar etc. However, as someone else said, maybe it was karma due to the disproportionate amount of luck we have received so far this season eg flukey penalties given for us, no penalties however deserved given against us, last minute goals etc.

The criticism is one that our underlying play is slow, predictable and boringly turgid, especially at home. That is what needs to change - and quickly.

 

[colin fishwick]

No no, the last few weeks apparently we haven't created anything and the manager is inflexible when it comes to deploying a different system. Today he went 4-4-2 and he didn't do it at the 'correct time' or with the 'correct players' for our genius CM Manager playing geniuses. Look, I would've done it differently myself, there again I'm not someone who clamours for 4-4-2. I'd have put Kane on instead of Defoe today, but he could've easily got pilloried for doing that. Some people are just going to hammer the bloke regardless, and that appears to be the way it is...

Lamela and Defoe may have done something. The injury to Vlad did not help us, but you often have to make a forced sub. Had it been one of our front 6 it could have been beneficial .

Was a bad team section , we are not picking our best players. Kaboul should be playing in the PL not the cups.

AVB is not maximising our potential.

He is giving the other teams a break, buy constantly not playing the best players.

It is like he knows that Kaboul and Lamela are going to be first choice , we all do, but we have got to suffer first.

 

[thfcsteff]

you seem to be sometimes ITK about the inner workings of the club...I have a question for you. Has AVB been offered a contract extension? Next summer he will have 1 year left on his deal. So have the club offered or are they planning to extend his deal?

I have no idea as I have not asked mate.

 

[thfcsteff]

AVB didnt go 442....Defoe came on and immediately took up Siggys position. Defoe was sent on to play the wide left attacker role, and he did it for about 10 mins and then Defoe being Defoe decided to be a striker

Actually a fair observation and probably one of the major problems with the sub is that he needed to play said-position and not come in to try and form a strike duo…I think personally (and this is just an opinion) that the whole JD thing is an issue for us as he is a good striker who scores goals but has ceased to be functional in our current system and as such, should not be coming on today unless it is to replace Soldado (and even there I'd question it)…Lamela all the way today…would be interesting to see Lamela and Lennon in the same side, albeit imbalanced...

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Actually a fair observation and probably one of the major problems with the sub is that he needed to play said-position and not come in to try and form a strike duo…I think personally (and this is just an opinion) that the whole JD thing is an issue for us as he is a good striker who scores goals but has ceased to be functional in our current system and as such, should not be coming on today unless it is to replace Soldado (and even there I'd question it)…Lamela all the way today…would be interesting to see Lamela and Lennon in the same side, albeit imbalanced...

Lamella grew into the game on Thursday. Ok it wasn't against a great side but they were organised

He needs at least a start in the league to give him a fair chance

 

[milo]

Lamela and Defoe may have done something. The injury to Vlad did not help us, but you often have to make a forced sub. Had it been one of our front 6 it could have been beneficial .

Was a bad team section , we are not picking our best players. Kaboul should be playing in the PL not the cups.

AVB is not maximising our potential.

He is giving the other teams a break, buy constantly not playing the best players.

It is like he knows that Kaboul and Lamela are going to be first choice , we all do, but we have got to suffer first.

Kaboul is just being eased back after a very long lay off and having a couple of set backs this season.

I would have liked to have seen Lamela today but Thursday was his first strong performance of the season and I think that we have to trust the coaching staff to introduce him in a way that benefits his long term interests.

 

[Papercut]

Many here went on about 'not playing Sandro' today, and they got their wish. For me, Sandro is absolutely in the side week in, week out. One of Moussa and Paulinho can sit. I think Paulinho needs a break myself, he looked very tired today and was part of the keystone coppery which cost us the goal. Moussa was obviously a major part of that, and as for Brad, well, let's just say that Lloris has been taking care of that sort of situation for the last year.

Realy??? Please name and shame! Apart from losing some balance when Rose got injured - not starting Sandro has been the biggest err IMO. I put it down to fitness, injury blah blah because I sure as hell cannot fathom why he still stick with Dembele and Paulinho and perseveres in playing them both deep. The only excuse not to start Sandro is starting Capoue. If there are fitness concerns then Andre needs to come out and say so because for me this is the biggest poop. If he isn't fit, start him and take him off... Seriously (statto?) did the Brazilian lose a 50/50 ball in this game???

 

[Pirate55]

I agree that there were several positives to take away from the game today. Performance wise probably more than some of the games we've won this season.

Hopefully the team and management will be able to transfer some of that positivity into similar performances in our upcoming games.I've previously been critical of our attitude at the start of games and that concern continues.

=D>

It is one of our key failings IMO. If we start quickly and get an early goal, then the whole complexion of these type of games change. By stifling the play in the first half, we just put increasing pressure on ourselves at home.

 

[indianspur]

Yeah it's worrying..since Arsenal game:

Win 2-0
Win 1-0
Draw
HOME LOSS

- - International break - -

Win 2-0
Win 1-0
Draw
ANOTHER HOME LOSS?????

Let's hope not!!!

another home loss

freaky

 

[indianspur]

the last two games right before an international break we lost

Arsanal
West Spam

make of that what you will

Saudi Sportswashing Machine to win 2-0...Remy hattrick

ooooo sooo close

 

[DubaiSpur]

Sigh. Another day, another 'miracle' goalkeeper. The funny thing is, we actually created chances today.

'If' things had gone in isn't the point. The point is that we have slipped further behind the top, further behind the far more fluid-looking Liverpool and the more experienced Chelsea (despite them fecking drawing at West Brom). Today was a day of missed chances, and yet another team coming to the Lane and frustrating us, one way or another.

Now, for what it's worth, AVB is currently still making a lot of mistakes you would expect a 'rookie' manager to make, and fair enough: he's young, and the benefits outweigh the negatives. But this comparison has to be made now: Liverpool hired Brendan Rodgers and, after a season of drift, he turned them into a fecking brilliant side to watch, smashing teams at will. We hired AVB at the same time, and in the space of a few weeks we've lost 3-0 to West Ham at home, 1-0 to Saudi Sportswashing Machine at home and have scored fewer goals than the number of matches we've played. I think it would be beneficial to see where exactly those differences spring from: is it Rodgers changing his formation to accommodate more attacking players? If so, why doesn't AVB do that? Is it Rodgers' high tempo passing game? Why don't we do that? Is it just because Liverpool managed to keep Suarez? If so, that still doesn't excuse the fact that we spent a cool 100 million quid on players and have a better squad than they do yet play far worse than even Suarez-less Liverpool did.


For the team's sake I hope they snap out of this passing stupor soon, else there will be questions about the viability of spending 100 million pounds on a team that surrenders games and the initiative this easily. And taking Remy on loan looks like better business at this point than spending 26 million on Soldado, which is less his fault and more symptomatic of our current woes in passing more than twice in succession to the same coloured shirt and shooting anywhere the bloody keeper isn't (Les Ferdinand, take a damn bow, 'striker coach'.)

Sigh. We've fallen further behind. Again. And I'm not sure who to pin this on, or whether to write it off as 'bad luck' (As some were suggesting after the West Ham debacle). AVB? The team? The Europa League? Brad? The man who decided to buy Soldado over Benteke or Remy, whoever he may be? Dunno.

 

[Greg]

Delighted to come away with 3 points, a little ****ed off with Pardew just parking the bus in the second half and inviting pressure but somehow we managed to hold on. We played some decent stuff in the first half and could easily have scored 3 in the first 20 minutes.

Not sure Remy scores that if you have Lloris in goal. Tim Krul taking all the credit tonight but really he only made 2 top, top saves. You had more than enough good chances to win it but your finishing was appalling.

Sandro should have started, he's class and a beast.

 

[Kingdawson]

Well, not that I have ever solely relied on stats, but if you were to look at just the stats from today, you'd see a very very attacking performance...

After we go a goal down....how about we show up from the start next time?

 

[indianspur]

well we havent slipped further behind **** because the gap is still 5 pts

we are still ahead of Emirates Marketing Project

we are on the same points as Utd and Everton

Chels are a point ahead, saints 2 ahead and Liverpool 3 pts in front

on the whole, things could have been worse

The big problem though is that our next 2 games are against Man U and Emirates Marketing Project

 

[DubaiSpur]

And now we have an entire international break to stew over another loss, and for AVB to spend trying to fix the problems in the side and then turn on the fans when they inevitably show up again in the next game against United or City. This vicious cycle will continue until the squad fully acclimatizes to each other, until we can bloody pass to each other and do the unexpected instead of the fecking obvious, and until we can bloody finish. The first two, maybe they'll come with time. The last wont happen until we get rid of Les Ferdinand, our striker coach extraordinaire, because these problems keep happening season after season, and between the Harry regime and the AVB regime there's only been one continuity, attacking wise: him. Classic case of reductive reasoning, but hey, I'm stewing over us throwing away another three points, so I'm not inclined to be particularly deductive at the moment.

 

[paxtonwolf]

Just back from the Lane, and, well done Spurs you've f#cked my weekend up again.

I really am losing faith with this current set-up. Some of the football we are serving up right now is utter rubbish, boring drivel. It seems we have lost our Spurs.

I can just about handle us losing when we play decent football, but some of the stuff we are seeing at present is mid-late 90s drivel. Just cant excited seeing it, and AVB wonders why the crowd are quiet.

It also seems when now need 40 shots for every goal. United and Liverpool our next 2 home games, worryingly may not score at home, let alone win, in a league match this side of Christmas

Sorry guys, rant over, but so p#ssed off right now after another sh#t 200mile drive home

 

[DeanoAustin]

Well, not that I have ever solely relied on stats, but if you were to look at just the stats from today, you'd see a very very attacking performance...

In fairness though steff if you look at the game we were awful in the first half. The attacking stats were as a result of our desperation to get back in the game and Saudi Sportswashing Machine's natural retreat at the prospect of three unexpected points.

Im not taking the second half as a positive as I dont believe we will play like that or be allowed to play like that against either Manchester club.

We have had 15 months of this sort of performance if we are honest. Cliche as it is, the difference last season and this is a certain Real Madrid player. I don't see that changing soon.