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What the pundits say

El Guepardo said:
Polite of him to say that, not really sure that I buy it. A bit like an ex that's moved on and says that they still want the best for you. They've decided that they're too good & just wanted away and really just say the nice things so that they seem like less of a qunt
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And now they're stalking you.
 
I think I'll take Paulo Sousa's word over that guy:

“Tottenham are different from last year,” Sousa told reporters on Wednesday. “This time, they are more mature from a competitive point of view, having added a number of players who are giving the team something extra.

“They’ve been playing on a a very high level from the start of the season, and they have many players that can raise their level of play. This team brings intensity throughout a match and they are one of the favourites to win this competition.

“However, Tottenham have not played against a team like ours, so we need to use this element to our advantage.”
 
Like most Serie A coaches, Sousa has displayed great tactical acumen, regularly altering formations to nullify various opponents, with no fewer than five different set-ups employed so far this term.

And so it proved. Fiorentina came out second half with a clear tactical plan to counter Spurs' intensity: up the tempo, up the aggression and above all pass the ball around quickly to get them off our backs.

It knocked us off our game enough for them to gain the upper hand until the closing stages, even then they looked the more likely winners.

It's the only time this season I've thought, blimey these guys have sussed how to play against us.
 
Spur of the moment said:
Like most Serie A coaches, Sousa has displayed great tactical acumen, regularly altering formations to nullify various opponents, with no fewer than five different set-ups employed so far this term.

And so it proved. Fiorentina came out second half with a clear tactical plan to counter Spurs' intensity: up the tempo, up the aggression and above all pass the ball around quickly to get them off our backs.

It knocked us off our game enough for them to gain the upper hand until the closing stages, even then they looked the more likely winners.

It's the only time this season I've thought, blimey these guys have sussed how to play against us.
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I think the fact that Carroll came of injured had something to do with it as well, we lost control of the M/F.
 
parklane1 said:
I think the fact that Carroll came of injured had something to do with it as well, we lost control of the M/F.
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But Tom was replaced by Dembele, maybe not as energetic but hardly an inferior sub.

No doubt Carroll played his part in helping us dominate possession first half but the transformation in the way they came at us after the break, for me it was all about their change in tactics. It seemed like Sousa had worked out exactly what it needed to throw us off.

Immediately from the kick-off second half they started passing the ball instantly in small triangles so we could not get near them, and for a while our midfield pack found themselves chasing shadows.

Fortunately as time went on we managed to wrestle back a degree of control -helped in no small part by Eriksen's ceaseless running and Dembele's possession play - sufficient to allow us to start threatening their goal again.
 
Spur of the moment said:
But Tom was replaced by Dembele, maybe not as energetic but hardly an inferior sub.

No doubt Carroll played his part in helping us dominate possession first half but the transformation in the way they came at us after the break, for me it was all about their change in tactics. It seemed like Sousa had worked out exactly what it needed to throw us off.

Immediately from the kick-off second half they started passing the ball instantly in small triangles so we could not get near them, and for a while our midfield pack found themselves chasing shadows.

Fortunately as time went on we managed to wrestle back a degree of control -helped in no small part by Eriksen's ceaseless running and Dembele's possession play - sufficient to allow us to start threatening their goal again.
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Not knocking Dembele at all but they are different players ( imo) in the first half we kept the ball moving and Carroll had a lot to do with that. Their manager did change it up but to say the change in the flow of the game was all down to his decisions is not all there was to it ( imo).
 
Spur of the moment said:
Like most Serie A coaches, Sousa has displayed great tactical acumen, regularly altering formations to nullify various opponents, with no fewer than five different set-ups employed so far this term.

And so it proved. Fiorentina came out second half with a clear tactical plan to counter Spurs' intensity: up the tempo, up the aggression and above all pass the ball around quickly to get them off our backs.

It knocked us off our game enough for them to gain the upper hand until the closing stages, even then they looked the more likely winners.

It's the only time this season I've thought, blimey these guys have sussed how to play against us.
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Didn't think at all threatening until the deflected goal. After that they were slightly the better team
 
glasgowspur said:
Didn't think at all threatening until the deflected goal. After that they were slightly the better team
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I'd agree with this. First time this season (or at least for several months) where we have lost control of the game for an extended period, but they still didn't create very much.

Not really sure what to make of it yet - it may just be a sign of how weak our league/opponents have been so far this season, or maybe a reflection on the fitness of our squad, focus on the game. Whatever it was, let's hope we don't see much more of it between now and the end of the season!
 
Spur of the moment said:
Like most Serie A coaches, Sousa has displayed great tactical acumen, regularly altering formations to nullify various opponents, with no fewer than five different set-ups employed so far this term.

And so it proved. Fiorentina came out second half with a clear tactical plan to counter Spurs' intensity: up the tempo, up the aggression and above all pass the ball around quickly to get them off our backs.

It knocked us off our game enough for them to gain the upper hand until the closing stages, even then they looked the more likely winners.

It's the only time this season I've thought, blimey these guys have sussed how to play against us.
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we weren't playing our strongest eleven...were they?
 
metalgear said:
we weren't playing our strongest eleven...were they?
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Don't know about them but I take that on board.

There again, in several positions we're pretty much evenly balanced : Walker/Trippier, Rose/Davies, Mason/Dembele, Son/Lamela.

For sure Chadli showed as a striker he's no match for Kane but Vorm is nowadays a decent stand in for Lloris, likewise Carroll for Dembele.
 
As Claudio Ranieri contemplated the next stage of the title race, the manager of the most implausible challengers in the Premier League era made an observation that would have immediately been classified as mind games were it Sir Alex Ferguson in this position, or José Mourinho, or even Arsène Wenger back in the days when no one could have imagined there would be a queue of former Arsenal players debating whether he should be fired.

Ranieri picked out Tottenham Hotspur, who are two points off the top, as the favourites and, possibly crossing his fingers behind his table, the Leicester City manager also nominated Arsenal as the most likely team to be parading the trophy in May. Even, he was asked, after their shortcomings were painfully exposed at the weekend? “Yes, of course,” he continued, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They have players who can win every game.”
He may have to understand that view is not commonly shared judging by the swarm of criticism Wenger has had to endure since Arsenal’s defeat against a Manchester United side featuring so many enthusiastic newbies that the team from Old Trafford resembled something close to a work-experience project.

Arsenal’s performance was shocking in one respect and entirely predictable in another. It has become a recurring theme and, approaching 12 years since Wenger’s last championship, the frenzy that seems to accompany every bad result is becoming louder each time. Paul Merson is among those who think he should be cut loose if Leicester or Spurs win the league.

The scrutiny on Wenger has been there for some time but what he is discovering now is it is especially fierce when Tottenham, for so long synonymous with soft-centre issues of their own, are suddenly displaying the right balance of skill, mental strength and professional structure to hold their nerve during the period when potential champions have to be resilient and strong mentally.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team have not given any indication they are lacking on that front, now the league’s joint leading scorers with Leicester as well as having the most parsimonious defence, and with no sense whatsoever they are fazed by the challenges that await them this week, beginning with the trip to West Ham United on Wednesday and then the small matter of Arsenal’s visit to White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Spurs have won their past six league fixtures and if they continue that run at Upton Park, where West Ham have not lost since August, it will be the first time they have recorded seven consecutive league victories since their FA Cup‑winning 1966-67 season, when the team managed by Bill Nicholson and featuring Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay and Alan Gilzean won eight in succession.

Spurs have not been beaten in an away game since the opening day of the season and their strength of personality can be gauged by the fact that the 2-1 defeat of Swansea City on Sunday means they have taken 17 points from losing positions, more than any other team in the league.

For most of the season, Leicester have been the most prodigious comeback artists in the division. Tottenham have now overtaken them and that, more than anything, demonstrates the difference in mentality between the two sides at the top and the chasing group.

Bookmakers have started sending out press releases about Wenger’s job security and, whether you like Merson’s punditry or not, many Arsenal fans will agree with his assessment.

“If Emirates Marketing Project don’t win the league and Tottenham or Leicester do, Arsène Wenger has to go,” he said. “If Leicester or Tottenham win the league after he said they [Arsenal] didn’t need any players, I don’t see how he can keep his job.”

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ne-wenger-tottenham-leicester-claudio-ranieri
 
LemonadeMoney said:
As Claudio Ranieri contemplated the next stage of the title race, the manager of the most implausible challengers in the Premier League era made an observation that would have immediately been classified as mind games were it Sir Alex Ferguson in this position, or José Mourinho, or even Arsène Wenger back in the days when no one could have imagined there would be a queue of former Arsenal players debating whether he should be fired.

Ranieri picked out Tottenham Hotspur, who are two points off the top, as the favourites and, possibly crossing his fingers behind his table, the Leicester City manager also nominated Arsenal as the most likely team to be parading the trophy in May. Even, he was asked, after their shortcomings were painfully exposed at the weekend? “Yes, of course,” he continued, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “They have players who can win every game.”
He may have to understand that view is not commonly shared judging by the swarm of criticism Wenger has had to endure since Arsenal’s defeat against a Manchester United side featuring so many enthusiastic newbies that the team from Old Trafford resembled something close to a work-experience project.

Arsenal’s performance was shocking in one respect and entirely predictable in another. It has become a recurring theme and, approaching 12 years since Wenger’s last championship, the frenzy that seems to accompany every bad result is becoming louder each time. Paul Merson is among those who think he should be cut loose if Leicester or Spurs win the league.

The scrutiny on Wenger has been there for some time but what he is discovering now is it is especially fierce when Tottenham, for so long synonymous with soft-centre issues of their own, are suddenly displaying the right balance of skill, mental strength and professional structure to hold their nerve during the period when potential champions have to be resilient and strong mentally.

Mauricio Pochettino’s team have not given any indication they are lacking on that front, now the league’s joint leading scorers with Leicester as well as having the most parsimonious defence, and with no sense whatsoever they are fazed by the challenges that await them this week, beginning with the trip to West Ham United on Wednesday and then the small matter of Arsenal’s visit to White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Spurs have won their past six league fixtures and if they continue that run at Upton Park, where West Ham have not lost since August, it will be the first time they have recorded seven consecutive league victories since their FA Cup‑winning 1966-67 season, when the team managed by Bill Nicholson and featuring Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay and Alan Gilzean won eight in succession.

Spurs have not been beaten in an away game since the opening day of the season and their strength of personality can be gauged by the fact that the 2-1 defeat of Swansea City on Sunday means they have taken 17 points from losing positions, more than any other team in the league.

For most of the season, Leicester have been the most prodigious comeback artists in the division. Tottenham have now overtaken them and that, more than anything, demonstrates the difference in mentality between the two sides at the top and the chasing group.

Bookmakers have started sending out press releases about Wenger’s job security and, whether you like Merson’s punditry or not, many Arsenal fans will agree with his assessment.

“If Emirates Marketing Project don’t win the league and Tottenham or Leicester do, Arsène Wenger has to go,” he said. “If Leicester or Tottenham win the league after he said they [Arsenal] didn’t need any players, I don’t see how he can keep his job.”

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ne-wenger-tottenham-leicester-claudio-ranieri
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So he only thinks Wenger is a failure if Spurs or Leicester win but not if Emirates Marketing Project win it?

The level of near hysteria surrounding that Arsenal loss at the weekend is ridiculous. They lost at old trafford, a place where they hardly ever win anyway, and are 5 points off the top with 33 still on offer. The fact that 'inferior' teams have the audacity to be above them in the table at this stage of the season has really sent half of them over the edge.
Don't get me wrong, it is funny to watch but I think they are taking knee-jerking to a whole new level.
 
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Arsenals loss has been massively over scrutinised. Their fans going mad on the radio, Wenger out blah blah

yeh they lost to a poor Utd team on paper but it happens. They have a bad record there and at the end of the day its still a hard place to play

I still see Arsenal going on to win it un-fortunately. They always manage to get one over us and i dont expect it to be different this year.
 
"If Emirates Marketing Project win the league he can turn around and say 'they've got all the money in the world and can go and buy whoever they want, so would whoever I bought have made much difference?'

"But if Leicester or Tottenham win the league after he said they didn't need any players then I don't see how he can keep his job."
 
Rorschach said:
So he only thinks Wenger is a failure if Spurs or Leicester win but not if Emirates Marketing Project win it?
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Yeah I cant get my head around that logic. The argument is basically: its perfectly fine to not win the title, but not while outperforming city, united and chelsea at the same time. It all boils down to some sort of misguided injured pride-thing I think.
 
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