Mauricio Pochettino - Sacked

[ringo]

“Our style means we need a bigger space to play because we play a positional game,” Pochettino said. “It’s true that White Hart Lane is a little bit tight and it’s better for the opponent when they play deep. On Sunday there were two shots from Saudi Sportswashing Machine – it was unlucky for us. And they play deep. West Bromwich play deep, Liverpool the same, they play very deep and it was difficult for us. We need time to adapt to our new set-up and to understand better our position on the pitch.”

That looks like Poch was being unwisely helpful when asked a question along the lines of "Isn't White Hart Lane one of the smallest pitches in the division. I bet that makes it a bit difficult to...etc. etc. which is exactly the kind of question I would ask if I wanted to get some nice comment and stir it up a bit.

Poch needs some media training. And if he has already had some, he either needs to re-read his notes -or he needs some different media training. Correct was response was a) we all have to play on the same pitch. or b) Oh. I don't go around measuring the pitches in the Premier division. or some other non-committal comment. Hopefully he will learn.

 

[billyiddo]

Thanks for posting - i was starting to get the impression those moaning the most hadn't actually read what he said. Not a lot wrong there at all :rio:

 

[Gutter Boy]

I agree that the full backs are meant to provide the width in the system, but our full backs aren't that good. How often does Danny Rose hit a team mate with a cross? Walker being injured hasn't helped, but his delivery is not very good either.

But still if we'd had full backs who put in great crosses, I still think our style of play makes things difficult for us. If our wide players in attacking positions had stayed wider, the opposing full backs would also have to defend wider. And that would lead to bigger gaps centrally. There are so many players in central positions from both teams, and that is an advantage for the defending team in my opinion. It's easier to defend a tight area and equally more difficult for attackers to find space, naturally.

Crosses aren't effective. They haven't been for a long time. They are very easy to defend again. See how spectacularly a game plan involving crosses failed for Moyes last season.

The value of attacking FBs is that they create space for WFs to cut inside between the FB and CB - that channel is where assists and goals from.

That stat earlier that Chadli had more assists last season than Lennon and Townsend combined, despite having significantly less playing time, was quite powerful for me. Wingers sound nice in theory, but they just aren't effective cf inverted wing forwards

 

[sc25]

I gets a bit boring after a while though

Agreed. It also gets boring for me too when some people keep bringing up Ade's wages. Or how some keep citing Rodgers' progression at Pool with Poch in mind. Or Soldo's goal scoring record at Valencia. . So yeah, I hear ya.

 

[Kingdawson]

Thanks for posting - i was starting to get the impression those moaning the most hadn't actually read what he said. Not a lot wrong there at all :rio:

He's basically telling the opposition how to play against us.

 

[Kingdawson]

btw....how exactly do Liverpool play deep?

 

[Mumorn]

I imagine comments like this is the exact reason why Poch never spoke English in interviews last season

 

[Kingdawson]

I imagine comments like this is the exact reason why Poch never spoke English in interviews last season

The thing is...it doesn't even make sense?

Liverpool did not play deep against us and they do not play similar football to WBA and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I mean what he's saying simply is not true at all.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Talk about it internally and try and figure out a way of dealing with it. That's what he's paid for. Don't start bleating out excuses in public which will obviously get pounced on by all and sundry.

Like others have said, if Sherwood or Redknapp had said something similar they would get slaughtered for not keeping their mouths shut.

He's only getting pounced on by over-reactionary ninnies, and do you think he's actually thought 'right, now I've mentioned the pitch to the journo, that's me done for the week', or that he's trying to sort it out in training?

Of course he's trying to sort it out in training. Why is he simply not allowed to have an opinion though? Because it tells other teams how to play against us? Oh no! The cat is out of the bag! Now loads of teams will turn up to WHL and play for a draw. I'm so disappointed because clearly, it hasn't been happening that way for the last 4 years.

 

[Mumorn]

The thing is...it doesn't even make sense?

Liverpool did not play deep against us and they do not play similar football to WBA and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I mean what he's saying simply is not true at all.

i was more talking about him saying our pitch isn't ideal for his brand of football. in which people have interpreted him as him using it as an excuse.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

The thing is...it doesn't even make sense?

Liverpool did not play deep against us and they do not play similar football to WBA and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I mean what he's saying simply is not true at all.

Maybe he's referring to the second half when they definitely did sit deep, and made it hard for us to break down, after a first half that was relatively even. I don't think it's the discovery of a massive contradiction you're making it out to be.

 

[harr1984]

I imagine comments like this is the exact reason why Poch never spoke English in interviews last season

Because then he'd be found out to come out with the same type of responses as all the other English speaking managers do?

Not saying there's not a chance he should have been deliberately misinterpreted to sensationalise, but thats the case with most managers - people will just pick and choose as to what they want to hear and how they want to interpret it....

 

[billyiddo]

He's basically telling the opposition how to play against us.

No more so than any other manager who says post game what went wrong/right.

I could understand your concern if it hadn't been blindingly obvious for the last decade how to get a result against us.

It's football 101 really isn't it? Playing away and happy with a point? Sit back and make life difficult for your opponents

 

[Kingdawson]

Maybe he's referring to the second half when they definitely did sit deep, and made it hard for us to break down, after a first half that was relatively even. I don't think it's the discovery of a massive contradiction you're making it out to be.

First half even? i don't think that is the case at all.

Tbh i very much doubt he's only referring to the 2nd half in the Pool game (i mean tbh it's clear he's not from his wording). He says they play deep.....No they only started playing deep when they were 0-2 up (if you remember they started fast paced in the 2nd half as well and got an early goal). He's totally wrong in what he's saying.

Saying that he still needs time to implement his style so no need for any knee jerking yet.

 

[Kingdawson]

No more so than any other manager who says post game what went wrong/right.

I could understand your concern if it hadn't been blindingly obvious for the last decade how to get a result against us.

It's football 101 really isn't it? Playing away and happy with a point? Sit back and make life difficult for your opponents

tbh i don't have much of an issue with what he said expect using Pool as an example of a team playing deep. They won by blitzing us early in the first and 2nd half...we couldn't handle them and it was not because they sat deep.

 

[billyiddo]

I haven't mentioned what he said about the Pool game - i didn't watch much of it but do recall reading that they were ruthless on the counter.

 

[Gutter Boy]

The thing is...it doesn't even make sense?

Liverpool did not play deep against us and they do not play similar football to WBA and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. I mean what he's saying simply is not true at all.

Is the point to make sense?

Or is it to avoid saying Dier, Kaboul, Lamela, Ade and Capoue played crap and the whole squad hate playing at WHL in the league because the atmosphere is so poisonous.

There's an element of truth about our small pitch being a hindrance, but essentially I assumed it was an old school diversionary tactic.

 

[Mumorn]

Is the point to make sense?

Or is it to avoid saying Dier, Kaboul, Lamela, Ade and Capoue played crap and the whole squad hate playing at WHL in the league because the atmosphere is so poisonous.

There's an element of truth about our small pitch being a hindrance, but essentially I assumed it was an old school diversionary tactic.

youre more than likely right. AVB mentioned the crowd round about this time last year when they BOOED the team after beating Hull. He never recovered from that. Despite being honest

 

[indianspur]

Is the point to make sense?

Or is it to avoid saying Dier, Kaboul, Lamela, Ade and Capoue played crap and the whole squad hate playing at WHL in the league because the atmosphere is so poisonous.

There's an element of truth about our small pitch being a hindrance, but essentially I assumed it was an old school diversionary tactic.

You are most probably right there

 

[Spurs7891]

Can't help but feel sorry for Pochettino. Won't be surprised if he becomes the next victim of Levy's stupid management. Pochettino should have stayed at Southampton and get more managerial experience before moving to a big club like Spurs. Young managers like Pochettino will always have problem handling the pressure and expectations at Spurs.