A worrying trend?

[Pirate55]

Last season was notable for the amount of late goals we scored. We convinced ourselves (at least I did) that this was as a result of our greater fitness and youthful exuberance. Kane and Eriksen in particular came up with late goals to turn draws into wins and defeats into draws, thus gaining us many points.

This season, the reverse seems to be true. We often look second best in the latter stages of games and have allowed teams to score late against us including Arsenal, West Brom, Leicester, Stoke and most recently Saudi Sportswashing Machine. we seem to run out of steam around 70 minutes and are often hanging on in games. This has robbed us of so many points. Kane and Eriksen have also failed to deliver in the latter stages of games so far as well. Any thoughts as to why this turnaround might have happened?

Also concerning is our lack of goals against our key opponents: United 0, Chelsea 0, Liverpool 0, Arsenal 1.
Only against a Emirates Marketing Project team having a defensive mare were we able to deliver.

Even against the second tier it's not much better: Leicester 1, Everton 0, Palace 1, WBA 1.

Underscores for me the desperate need to bring in a top quality CF as cover and competition for Kane.

 

[alekaras]

Or it could just be a mentality thing and not tiredness. Seeing how we are dominating teams in the first 60-70 mins, players start relaxing in the final third of the match. There has to be a mentality of "we can beat anyone" mixed with "but they can beat us too, if we let our guard down." This last part is what may be the issue, rather than fitness, especially since last year we had to come from behind, whereas this year we're the ones that teams have to come from behind against.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Last season was notable for the amount of late goals we scored. We convinced ourselves (at least I did) that this was as a result of our greater fitness and youthful exuberance. Kane and Eriksen in particular came up with late goals to turn draws into wins and defeats into draws, thus gaining us many points.

This season, the reverse seems to be true. We often look second best in the latter stages of games and have allowed teams to score late against us including Arsenal, West Brom, Leicester, Stoke and most recently Saudi Sportswashing Machine. we seem to run out of steam around 70 minutes and are often hanging on in games. This has robbed us of so many points. Kane and Eriksen have also failed to deliver in the latter stages of games so far as well. Any thoughts as to why this turnaround might have happened?

Also concerning is our lack of goals against our key opponents: United 0, Chel53a 0, Liverpool 0, Arsenal 1.
Only against a Emirates Marketing Project team having a defensive mare were we able to deliver.

Even against the second tier it's not much better: Leicester 1, Everton 0, Palace 1, WBA 1.

Underscores for me the desperate need to bring in a top quality CF as cover and competition for Kane.

It makes a difference when teams attack us

In those low scoring games the opposition hardly went forward and sat there waiting for us

City and Bournmouth being examples of teams that did the opposite of that

We have scored a lot of set piece goals but we generally aren't as a creative as we were... But were more solid as a team. One is balancing the other maybe

 

[Ade's folks are ok really]

At the risk of getting a battering, I have been completely unimpressed with Eriksen this season. I've harped on in other threads about his lack of bottle in the challenge, only to be persecuted because he's "not a defensive minded midfielder", like this excuses him from one of footballs basic necessities. It's not that he is crap at tackling, it's just that he doesn't put his foot in enough to even find out!!

Anyway, back to your point. He has been largely ineffective this season. For a guy that can score worldies from a dead ball he doesn't half waste a lot of corners, barely beating the first man. When he has, low and behold we've scored from it (see Dier and Toby of late).

I don't think he's been anywhere near creative enough, which I think is a reason we're seeing Kane drop off so deep to collect the ball rather than make the runs into space.

He's not the sole reason for the lack of goals of course, but he certainly springs to mind as someone who needs to seriously up his game and quick!!! He's not on form in an attacking sense right now, and I feel he's a bit of a passenger in the team when like that.

 

[Vega]

At the risk of getting a battering, I have been completely unimpressed with Eriksen this season. I've harped on in other threads about his lack of bottle in the challenge, only to be persecuted because he's "not a defensive minded midfielder", like this excuses him from one of footballs basic necessities. It's not that he is crap at tackling, it's just that he doesn't put his foot in enough to even find out!!

Anyway, back to your point. He has been largely ineffective this season. For a guy that can score worldies from a dead ball he doesn't half waste a lot of corners, barely beating the first man. When he has, low and behold we've scored from it (see Dier and Toby of late).

I don't think he's been anywhere near creative enough, which I think is a reason we're seeing Kane drop off so deep to collect the ball rather than make the runs into space.

He's not the sole reason for the lack of goals of course, but he certainly springs to mind as someone who needs to seriously up his game and quick!!! He's not on form in an attacking sense right now, and I feel he's a bit of a passenger in the team when like that.

THIS

I didnt post it as if i had i would have found myself agreeing with GB in the Southampton match thread where he calls for him to be dropped. That and he has brought in Son to replace him and he doesnt particularly inspire me either.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I think we are dominating games more this season, so it is probably inevitable that we are being hit by sucker punches, rather than being the underdog dishing them out.

The main thing is that we are performing better overall this season

 

[Gutter Boy]

At the risk of getting a battering, I have been completely unimpressed with Eriksen this season. I've harped on in other threads about his lack of bottle in the challenge, only to be persecuted because he's "not a defensive minded midfielder", like this excuses him from one of footballs basic necessities. It's not that he is crap at tackling, it's just that he doesn't put his foot in enough to even find out!!

Anyway, back to your point. He has been largely ineffective this season. For a guy that can score worldies from a dead ball he doesn't half waste a lot of corners, barely beating the first man. When he has, low and behold we've scored from it (see Dier and Toby of late).

I don't think he's been anywhere near creative enough, which I think is a reason we're seeing Kane drop off so deep to collect the ball rather than make the runs into space.

He's not the sole reason for the lack of goals of course, but he certainly springs to mind as someone who needs to seriously up his game and quick!!! He's not on form in an attacking sense right now, and I feel he's a bit of a passenger in the team when like that.

Lamela, Son and Dembele are the 3 first choice AMs for me at this point in time. With Alli and Onomah, and then Pritchard and Mason returning, Eriksen really needs to pull his socks up to keep his place

 

[Raziel]

I think we are dominating games more this season, so it is probably inevitable that we are being hit by sucker punches, rather than being the underdog dishing them out.

The main thing is that we are performing better overall this season

agreed, also believe we actually managed to kill off a few games this season (not as many as we could have, but more than last)

Out of the three AMs (not sure who you are sitting with Dier), Dembele is a first choice, Lamela/Son/Alli (who has played well alongside Dier) still don't own a spot.

Eriksen had 10+ goals, 2 assists last season, is well on the way to 10+ assists (also has 4 goals at this point), still remains a main creative outlet for us. I might give him the cup games off for two reasons, test the theory of can we play without him, and I actually think Eriksen can't play 40/50 game seasons, he seems to burn out at points ...

We discussed before, Pritchard is the only like for like, with the possibility of Mason finding back that attacking side of his game (his lob passes are unbelievable)

 

[Pirate55]

agreed, also believe we actually managed to kill off a few games this season (not as many as we could have, but more than last)

Out of the three AMs (not sure who you are sitting with Dier), Dembele is a first choice, Lamela/Son/Alli (who has played well alongside Dier) still don't own a spot.

Eriksen had 10+ goals, 2 assists last season, is well on the way to 10+ assists (also has 4 goals at this point), still remains a main creative outlet for us. I might give him the cup games off for two reasons, test the theory of can we play without him, and I actually think Eriksen can't play 40/50 game seasons, he seems to burn out at points ...

We discussed before, Pritchard is the only like for like, with the possibility of Mason finding back that attacking side of his game (his lob passes are unbelievable)

But that's my key point - we HAVENT managed to kill off may games this season. We are scoring way to few goals - and hardly any against our key rivals (except City). We are dominating games but not scoring enough. Too many games leave us clinging on - and often failing to do so. Our much vaunted pressing game seems to disappear around 70 minutes in too many games. We hardly have a shot on goal in the last 20 minutes in tight games - the polar opposite of last season. I don't agree that this is because teams sit back against us more. With the exception of Chelsea, many teams now seem to sense our vulnerability in the last 20 minutes and go for it. Even Villa FFS gave us an uncomfortable period before our rare late 3rd went in.

 

[afsoc4life]

Nah not Erikson but Kane for me.

 

[Gazzasrightboot]

@Pirate55 - Thank you for starting a good and interesting thread!

I think there is an element of truth to what you say. It is interesting how we are being sucker punched a fair few times with either last minute goals against. It is a bit worrying, but I guess there's a different mentality to seeing out a game, to fighting to the last minute to score one. I am not worried as I agree with what @Gutter Boy and @Raziel said, in that we are playing better so overall we are better this season. Our young team is learning and what will make this team a title contending team is that ability to see out a game and keep the points AND score last minute winners/equalisers. We're not there yet, but at least we know we have that potential in the team now.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Teams generally don't attack us for a large chunk of the game and so only do once their behind so they have to throw caution to the wind. This year we have been a big scalp due to our record and that will continue as we get better

We have struggled to break down teams that sit back and that's not really changed IMO . It was something I kept highlighting about Lamella in that he has to do it against those teams rather than the ones who do attack us and give him space (this isn't about Lamella just highlighting the situation around perceived improvement and he has been one of our better players)

We definitely look a better unit and we don't have a stand out player but we have to work out a way to get behind sides that simply sit back defensively.

We also need to maintain some pace in our play as that's when you generally create defensive errors. Sunday was classic Spurs.. Get the ball in and around the area and take a lot of touches with no substance. Thursday night every move was taken with one or two touches and we looked very good. There was pace and energy and cohesion. We have to get that back. People look at Leicester and wonder how their doing it and generally Vardy takes no ,ore than one touch before shooting (one of Kane's best characteristics when playing well), whilst mahrez takes few too for the assists. You struggle to get set up defensively and it's unpredictable. It's incredibly hard to play against and it doesn't need counter attacking footballing to work. It does need the clever players we have passing and moving quickly

If we do that more teams will be even more reluctant to have a go and keep an element of their game on the back foot, potentially allowing us to create more chances

 

[alekaras]

I think our movement was good and the passing and creativity were good (mostly in the first half), but we were very sloppy with the final pass. That probably did us in more than anything.

 

[Rorschach]

I think our movement was good and the passing and creativity were good (mostly in the first half), but we were very sloppy with the final pass. That probably did us in more than anything.

Agree with that. We had good chances, not loads of them but it was certainly enough to put the tie to bed and there should really have been more chances if the final pass was a bit better.

I do think we need an addition in the transfer window. I don't know who, another striker/forward I hope, but just someone to freshen us up and keep the opposition guessing. Let's not become predictable.

 

[metalgear]

Last season was notable for the amount of late goals we scored. We convinced ourselves (at least I did) that this was as a result of our greater fitness and youthful exuberance. Kane and Eriksen in particular came up with late goals to turn draws into wins and defeats into draws, thus gaining us many points.

This season, the reverse seems to be true. We often look second best in the latter stages of games and have allowed teams to score late against us including Arsenal, West Brom, Leicester, Stoke and most recently Saudi Sportswashing Machine. we seem to run out of steam around 70 minutes and are often hanging on in games. This has robbed us of so many points. Kane and Eriksen have also failed to deliver in the latter stages of games so far as well. Any thoughts as to why this turnaround might have happened?

Also concerning is our lack of goals against our key opponents: United 0, Chel53a 0, Liverpool 0, Arsenal 1.
Only against a Emirates Marketing Project team having a defensive mare were we able to deliver.

Even against the second tier it's not much better: Leicester 1, Everton 0, Palace 1, WBA 1.

Underscores for me the desperate need to bring in a top quality CF as cover and competition for Kane.

great post. the number of draws/near wins underlies the efffect of the lack of goals.

it was obvious that kane would be watched closely in season 2, we need to adapt.

not sure if a CF is the answer, we should have goals in erikson and chadli - both are proven. And son hit double digits two years in a row for Bayer so he is good back up and a wild card (maybe after his injuries...)

 

[alekaras]

There's a difference between being tied or behind and trying to equalize or win a game and being ahead with the opponent trying to do the same. It's a mentality thing to close out games and an additional player in one position or another will not rectify that.

 

[Rock Strongo]

At the risk of getting a battering, I have been completely unimpressed with Eriksen this season. I've harped on in other threads about his lack of bottle in the challenge, only to be persecuted because he's "not a defensive minded midfielder", like this excuses him from one of footballs basic necessities. It's not that he is crap at tackling, it's just that he doesn't put his foot in enough to even find out!!

Anyway, back to your point. He has been largely ineffective this season. For a guy that can score worldies from a dead ball he doesn't half waste a lot of corners, barely beating the first man. When he has, low and behold we've scored from it (see Dier and Toby of late).

I don't think he's been anywhere near creative enough, which I think is a reason we're seeing Kane drop off so deep to collect the ball rather than make the runs into space.

He's not the sole reason for the lack of goals of course, but he certainly springs to mind as someone who needs to seriously up his game and quick!!! He's not on form in an attacking sense right now, and I feel he's a bit of a passenger in the team when like that.

Have you ever considered that hitting a precise corner at the near post is somewhat harder than floating a high ball in which will be cleared 99/100?

 

[Lemonade Money]

 

[Lemonade Money]

 

[Lemonade Money]

This is the right thread?