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*** OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Rent Boys F.A Cup SF ***

Sigh.

This is ultimately the story of three things - a gamble that backfired horribly, an attempt to fix it that went even worse, and, ultimately, a lack of quality compared to our rivals.

Son at LWB was a gamble that failed. Miserably. No two ways about it, it was a tactical failure. @BrainOfLevy, your assertion is that it helped 'pin' Moses back in some nebulous way. Funny, considering Moses got forward and won a penalty with contemptuous ease against the backpedalling Son, but whatever. However, given how many times Son straight up lost the ball, was stranded high in midfield as Moses went past him with ease to offer support down the left and looked lost in general, I don't see how you can make that assertion even ignoring the penalty.

The attempt to fix it was worse. Walker came on, and Trippier went to LB. A right-footed RB who hasn't played there once this season. All while Davies was watching from the bench, while Verts could have shuffled over if Davies wasn't preferred for whatever reason...that was an even more baffling decision. Credit to Poch for trying to fix the tactical gamble, but he went about it in an even more inexplicable way. And it showed - both second-half Chelsea goals came from that side, with the corner conceded down that end and then the ball pinging around on the left as our defenders bounced off helplessly, before being rolled to Matic by an effervescent Hazard.

But, ultimately, we were facing the barrel when we went in at half-time 2-1 down, because Chelsea could bring on Hazard, Costa and Fabregas after we leveled it, while we could only call on Georges-Kevin N'Koudou, a cheap punt from Marseille, to try and change things up when we were struggling. They simply had more quality on the field and off it than we did - understandable given the difference in transfer spending and wages, but that made it all the more key that we didn't give silly goals away or get caught out horrendously with tactical gambles that ended up not working out. We didn't, the extra quality told, we lost.

The players fought today. Heads went down after the 4th, but they really gave it everything - If I were being harsh I'd say that Hugo was awful in general, failing to command his box or get to any of the goals (being caught out with a free-kick, a penalty and two other shots from outside the box - even if they were all brilliantly hit, the distance to target meant that he could have at least gotten a glove on one of them, but he missed them all completely). But they tried their hardest, even Hugo. They deserve credit for that. However, ultimately, we left ourselves with too much of a mountain to climb and it showed when Hazard, Costa and Fabregas came on and overpowered us - we should have been preparing for that with the lead, but it was too much to manage after the tactical gamble backfired.

Sigh. Another trophyless season. The last at the Lane, and we couldn't manage it. Two League Cups in 25 years - she deserved better than that.

The Lane deserved better.

What if Davies had a knock ...
 
To be fair to Poch, he roostered up but then took Son off at 2-2. So in effect we're starting from scratch at that point with a sensible team
Not really, when we lost at the Bridge, we didn't have a left back available. This time we did and he ignored him.
Also, in the last few games 4-2-3-1 has worked excellently, so why not revert to it at 2-2, and make a hard decision about removing a fav in Wanyama?
 
I agree but he was very good in the second

Yeah agreed
When we were on ten front foot and going forward he was there

I'm not sure he is the answer though

We have been flying but we changed system and team.... big gamble but they did that too however they didn't change the part of their team that's most vital IMO
 
just that the team playing better football lost
Just those fine margins in the final thirds... Kane and Dele score 2 great goals but we (despite 63% possession) ultimately only had 4 shots on target today and they didn't make any bad errors for us to get a cheap goal...
 
Dont agree there is nothing to show for this season. The team may not have won today but that is no reason to descend to outright blackness. We are second in the league and we can still achieve our highest ever finish in the EPL era.


Second, is just first loser, it means nothing. It's all about glory, and there is none coming second.
 
Dont agree there is nothing to show for this season. The team may not have won today but that is no reason to descend to outright blackness. We are second in the league and we can still achieve our highest ever finish in the EPL era.

I don't really care. I want a trophy and I'm sure the players do to. Players want to win things. Who gives a brick about cl. We will only.not turn up again in it.
 
We bottled it to an extent again today. This team doesn't leak goals but we conceded 4 today. Call Chelsea lucky but:

1. Bad selection by Poch with Son over Davies
2. Silly tackle by Toby.
3. Hugo stepping to his right.
4. Son's challenge.
5. No one picking up Hazard

At this level it's fine margins and for 2 seasons we've been doing the basics superbly well. Again, on the big occasion, we didn't.

Hopefully the team bounce back. I'm tinkled but have great faith in this manager and team.

I don't blame Toby for that tackle though, he had to make it no ifs or buts, yellow card be damned
 
Down Very Down. Football can be a cruel game and today felt like nothing wanted to go our way. Chelski seemed to just get the luck today. We played well, we dominated them in forced them back. They were on their heels. Their first three goals came from deadball situations where they could actually get in and around our box. Other than that they were forced back and back.

Son playing Left wing back was a mistake. He wanted to play three at the back, that normally means the full backs have to be good at getting forward not defending so much. Just like Moses for Chelski. But today was not a day to try someone there for the first time ever.

Lloris for all his qualities never seems to dig things out. That 4th goal was unstoppable but no dive? come on he was moving in the right direction and just watched it go in. He also should have saved the free kick.

I thought the team played well. But that is what we are. A very good team. Like Spurs teams of the past that only had star players, its possible for players like that to have their day. Hazard showed that touch of quality.

I just dont think in any way we deserved to lose that. When we made it 2-2 we were pushing them further and further back. If felt like only a matter of time. So much so that I was thinking it would be better to get the third after the 80th minute than after the 70th. Then they get a corner and we let in another SOFT goal. Who was supposed to be marking Hazard? we had the whole team back.

A missed chance. Bad goals. We deserved to win that. But as we know with football, you can be all over a team and one chance can change the game. 2-3 down in the 75th we knew our time was up.

I fancy City to go on and win it now. And I hope they do.
 
Chelsea was a fudging dead animal, and we couldn't finish them. fudging bottlers. Sorry, jsut getting some steam out. We're good, jsut not good enough.
 
My main hope now is for a proper performance on Wed, otherwise the last few games are going to be awful and an exodus in teh summer would be on the cards.

I don't read anything into today's result given that we've beaten them before in a much hyped game. We'll read more into the mentality at the club from the next two games
 
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