After the endless eulogies for Oliver Skipp, a player who took over 13 seasons to rack up his 100-plus appearances, and so making Giovani Lo Celso look every month’s Employee Of The Month, we played our first game under Postecoglou’s second bite at the buffet.
Werner appeared to have lost the only attribute he has and that is pace. He seemed slow of foot and slow of thought. Watching Richarlison head over from close range is just further evidence of the insanity of his purchase and retention. Solanke would be a boot boy in the days when we had top quality players in the first eleven. Maddison is Grealish with less hair and without the ability. Son appears to have left the club with Kane. I bet he would spark into life if he joined Bayern. Romero is already thinking about Real Madrid. VDV will not be with us for long. He is wasted in this team. Porro is not a defender. Our midfield is horribilis. Cannot grab a game by the scruff of the neck and disappear for long periods. Gray and Bergvall have potential but they are far to young and inexperienced to build a team around that want success at the highest level. They need to be coming on and being surrounded by world class players to learn from and gain confidence from. Vicario screaming like a demented banshee at Bergvall is hardly going to inspire the lad to take chances and use his natural abilities. Yes he F88*ed up in one moment but how many times has Vicario passed the ball from his goal straight to an opponent. The look on Bergvalls face said " what the hell am I doing here"?
"What was easy to spot were the same shortfalls and the same mental fragilities that this investment company has bred into every sinew of this pretty wretched club.
Anyone who took any heart from that game will need to do a lot better than to reel out empty platitudes like ‘early days’ and ‘a difficult place to go’."
The writer's point is well taken because this fixture always had "trap match" written all over it - "away against an inferior opponent" and couple that with the "Fragile Boys" mentality of THFC, and you have the recipe for a demoralizing day. I left the pub spewing out "same old shit different season".
The sole reason I can take heart is "we drew when we normally lose" matches like this. Unfortunately, that doesn't cut it if you want to win.
On the basis of last night's performance , its plain to see that WE WILL WIN games . It was a depressing second half , the period between the goal and the Benty injury was particularly poor . But the last 15 mins [ possibly to do with subs [ we seemed to shake off the lethargy and nervousness .
The youngsters seemed to bring with them the natural energy of youth and the sheer thrill of playing first team , Premiership football . Its what we all love isn't it ?
Even in their short cameo roles , Bergwall and Gray looked very much at home and very cerebral in their playing style . Different styles , nice no nonsense from Gray and the smoothness and sleight of feet deftness from Lucas . On this they have a future - as do THFC .
The result was disappointing but the performance , in periods , was good .
But Captain - my captain - needs to emerge onfield - it defo aint Sonny I'm afraid , a Gundogan type would be wecome !!!
You have to bare in mind that,poor as they were,Leicester had a depleted team out and probably ceded possession ,hoping to frustrate us which they did of course.When they realsed that with our profligacy,there wasn't much to worry about they began the second half more on the front foot.A Vardy who wasn't match fit could have really embarrassed us later on.
Finishing is still THE problem for us and Spurs should have been up by 3-5 at halftime. Wasteful...and it left us all with that gnawing in the gut of "here we go again".
Fortunately, Vicario saved us no less than twice.
This game once again illustrates Spurs massive issues with breaking down a team that "parks the bus" as we get caught napping on a set piece or on a counter and all that work has gone to waste.
The sole good thing that could come from this match - if it were to happen - is causing THFC to buy 1-2 extra players (albeit they have to be ready made starters) ... and good luck with that!
One can only hope Postecoglou is a totally different animal away from matchday.His demeanour does nothing to inspire confidence,in fact he has the exact appearance of somebody drowning and sees nobody to throw him the lifebelt.Dead man walking,before Christmas.
The malaise and mediocrity is now generational; and deeply routed within the very soul of the club. Sadly, there seems to be no kind of exorcism known to mortal man, that could either relieve it, or put it out of its misery. Our club is lost, in the most desperate of ways
That’s the kind of exorcism I was thinking of, but what motivation is there for the devil to relinquish a soul? As the highest paid chairman in football, with a sizeable share of the exponentially growing asset he’s in control of; aside from a monumental shift in opinion from within our deluded fan base, I really can’t see them selling up anytime soon. I pray that I’m wrong, but fear that I’m not
You're right of course,nothing short of a serious dent in ENIC's profit margin will see them even contemplate selling up.That's why a season in the Championship could be the way to go,or at the very least a dogfight to avoid relegation,perhaps only resolved on the final day of the season.
But then the sale would likely only be the football club as everything else is making money and we really do become anchor tenants.But then at least Levy would not be in control.
Fairweather player - if we're on song, so is he, but he won't ever pull us out of a rut. Prefers to whinge and dive instead of knuckling down and dominating a game. A bit spineless, unfortunately.
It speaks volumes that most of us on here would probably prefer to see Bergvall start.
Great freekick goal he scored too only for a rookie ref.to wrongly disallow it.Quite a few disputed VAR calls last weekend again,I thought the new rules were supposed to reduce these incidents.
I have yet to be convinced by anything Maddison has done since his arrival that leads me to think he is the answer to our MF woes.
Ange is out of his depth…sell Cuti (he’s not going to want to stay) and Son in the summer next year while they are still worth money and go again with another new manager….we are a top 8 team as others have caught up and virtual signal as though we are bigger than we are…..it’s a cash cow, yes they spend money, but it’s calculated as a business and not calculated to win…
Bang on about teams catching up. We relied on the big 4 imploding to snatch a top 4 berth. Now we have Villa and Newcastle being run better than ourselves and we are fast becoming on a par with West Ham!
Not if they are not all playing. Rarely has a team bought so many (they are up to 7 I think and looking at Soler) and done well. None of their signings are amazing. Wan Bissaka and Kilman are ok, Fullkrug is a 1 in 3 striker but he's never hit 20 in an easier league to score goals. Their best signing was the manager.
Glaringly obvious that defending isn't up to it. Set pieces in particular. Full backs can't defend high balls or track runners. Bayern friendly told it all. Run in issues last season have not been rectified. Coaching not working.
Dispirited, disingenuous, platitudes, delivered with the kind of depressingly, downbeat, demeanour, that personally wouldn't inspire me to turn on the TV to watch, let alone play for the guy! The basis of what he said is undoubtedly true, we were utterly dominant over a mediocre side and failed to capitalise on our superiority, once again displaying our defensive frailties, with Romero's critical loss of concentration.
However, observation of Ange's 'body language', both during the game and post match, do not make for encouraging viewing. From my perspective Ange displays too much negative emotion. There is little that appears calm, rational, or analytical about him. In the heat of 'battle', a leader needs a cool head, to stay composed, analyse the situation and make logical decisions. In my opinion Ange is not that kind of leader, he is not detail oriented.
The likes of Pep, Klopp and even the 'Thunderbirds' puppet down the road, understand the margins between success and failure are very fine at the highest level. One must be well prepared and meticulous in one's planning and execution. Ange is not. He basically employs a 'one style fits all' approach. His failure to address our set-piece woes last year was 'bush league', inexplicably it is still not handled. Either he sorts the defence out or his position will be untenable by Christmas.
You're right about the defence. Romero and Porro failing to pick up a centre forward on the edge of the six yard box is criminal, but it is in schoolboy football. That error is not tactical, it is basic football and I blame Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber by not communicating with each other and marking Vardy. Porro has done this before, but he isn't a defender is he?
I think Ange comes across as very calm on the sideline and restrained in interviews. I would like to see a bit more passion if truth be told. I thought Ange was raging after the game and rightly so. I would like to know how he is in the changing room. He has picked a team, coached them his system, they have followed through with it (in this game), yet we didn't score enough goals. I have managed teams who have ripped teams apart, yet not scored. What can you say to that?
My criticism is he should have made subs well before Bentancur decided to headbutt the pitch! We needed to take the heat out of the game by nefarious needs (getting the physio on) or by making subs. Leicester were revitalised by the goal, their fans were great. Ange should have reacted.
I'm not defending Cuti,but Porro was as much to blame for their goal as he was behind Vardy,could see what was going on,yet barely trotted to get onto their striker.Not for the first time.
I don't think Porro was entirely blameless, but he had been out on the wing, legitimately, trying to block the previous cross. Cuti was far more culpable, as it was a) His man and b) He was directly in the vicinity and ran right past Vardy leaving him unmarked.
Porro has done this about 4 times from what I can remember. We all know, he's not a defender! There was no communication between the two of them. I think Romero ran past Vardy and marked space.
I agree there was a lack of communication between the two of them CS, but Romero was far more to blame than Porro. Vardy is his man, he's the CB and he runs right by him, leaving him unmarked. As for marking space? Romero didn't even do that effectively, he actually ran into a space where there was already another defender! Schoolboy defending.
Very soon, nice feeling don't mean much at top level professional sport, it's ultimately at times brutal, harsh and unforgiving.
There were moments things looked good and nearly there.
But the game is over 90mins.
It is Ange's responsibility to resolve. He will hit the point very soon, where he will be forced into changes or be out, and that could be as soon as after the Newcastle game.
He's a fraud and he's tactically inept. The way he sets up the team make us so predictable and easy to play against. Just go low block and press, simples. You only need one chance to score, the Spursy defence will hold the door open for you upon arrival.
Claims of big chances missed in the first half. I didn't see them. The diving header by Solanke looked offside and the rest were half chances at best. Vardy's second opportunity was more clear cut than anything the Spurs players had to offer.
This is the grim reality of possession football in a game that's becoming more modern every year. Most teams in the Prem will know how to defend. This Spurs team is not Barcelona and Maddison and Bentancur are not Iniesta and Xavi. Trying to walk the ball into the net is suicidal if you're not the absolute superior team in the league. We're not Celtic in the Scottish Prem, but he ain't got the memo.
We have only two players who can strike a ball clean and pose a threat. Porro got his goal, but I couldn't see Son get one shot on target. He seemed to be playing more as a wide playmaker, setting his teammates up in shooting positions where he himself would have a decent chance to score. Baffling to witness, it's Rodrigo 'row Z' Bentancur shooting from 15 yards and not Son.
This is all tactical. He doesn't have a fucking clue. Pick any other manager from the Prem and we'd bury this lot.
I have never agreed with the view that Son on the wing is his best position he should be playing in a more central position. The worrying thing is he often starts the game well but to often in the 2nd half he just disappears now and its happening to often .
Right on the money. You play him more centrally and feed him through balls. He was always better in a counter attacking team. The golden Kane-Son combo during the Mourinho era, that's when he was at his best. Last season he had the best shot conversion rate of any player in the PL. This is obviously the guy you want within shooting distance.
For an hour this was a "cakewalk" , it was how good sides play against poor sides . It was not backed up with goals , although I thought Solanke debuted well , he looked as though he was playing 'safe' , not gambling like great strikers do . His day will come [ I hope].
Our passing across the back line is dubious and the best sides will exploit that and embarrass us for sure.
However the shining light was Bergwall and - just like the day Maddison arrived - we may well have unearthed a diamond . Lets hope he shines as brightly after a dozen games or so He did make a glaring error , of which he looked deeply ashamed , but I was angered by the remonstration of the otherwise calming influence of Vicario . Vic looked like a ranting pyscho , balling the young lad out . I sincerely hope that he apologises , he was over the top .
I take the view that we need to be more clinical , we do look a team in transition , albeit we appeared to lose control of this game quite quickly . It was only the delay for Bentancurs injury that we finished the game the way we had begun . WE NEED AN ON-FIELD leader , if he's a World Class midfieder , all the better . A lot of our troubles are between the ears .
Of all the comical errors from last season and Vicario chooses a mistake by an 18 year old to go full Peter Schmeical on the lad. He deserved a telling off, but Vicario should have caught the shot in my opinion. He didn't bawl at Porro or Romero for not marking anyone on the goal did he?
Maddison is a dimante. He looks the part, but up close he isn't what you think he is. I loved him when he first came, but there are moments in games where he lets us down. When he lost control of the ball on the edge of their box last night! Top class players don't do that. He rarely finishes a game either. He is one of our senior pros, yet only has 70 minutes in him.
Is it too positive to say I'm grateful that Winks didn't score and the video is unwatchable,
Werner appeared to have lost the only attribute he has and that is pace. He seemed slow of foot and slow of thought. Watching Richarlison head over from close range is just further evidence of the insanity of his purchase and retention. Solanke would be a boot boy in the days when we had top quality players in the first eleven. Maddison is Grealish with less hair and without the ability. Son appears to have left the club with Kane. I bet he would spark into life if he joined Bayern. Romero is already thinking about Real Madrid. VDV will not be with us for long. He is wasted in this team. Porro is not a defender. Our midfield is horribilis. Cannot grab a game by the scruff of the neck and disappear for long periods. Gray and Bergvall have potential but they are far to young and inexperienced to build a team around that want success at the highest level. They need to be coming on and being surrounded by world class players to learn from and gain confidence from. Vicario screaming like a demented banshee at Bergvall is hardly going to inspire the lad to take chances and use his natural abilities. Yes he F88*ed up in one moment but how many times has Vicario passed the ball from his goal straight to an opponent. The look on Bergvalls face said " what the hell am I doing here"?
But apart from all that what was actually wrong with the team last night?
It reminds me of the old Monty Python sketch,”Yes but what have the Romans ever done for us”. (Paraphrasing)
"What was easy to spot were the same shortfalls and the same mental fragilities that this investment company has bred into every sinew of this pretty wretched club.
Anyone who took any heart from that game will need to do a lot better than to reel out empty platitudes like ‘early days’ and ‘a difficult place to go’."
The writer's point is well taken because this fixture always had "trap match" written all over it - "away against an inferior opponent" and couple that with the "Fragile Boys" mentality of THFC, and you have the recipe for a demoralizing day. I left the pub spewing out "same old shit different season".
The sole reason I can take heart is "we drew when we normally lose" matches like this. Unfortunately, that doesn't cut it if you want to win.
On the basis of last night's performance , its plain to see that WE WILL WIN games . It was a depressing second half , the period between the goal and the Benty injury was particularly poor . But the last 15 mins [ possibly to do with subs [ we seemed to shake off the lethargy and nervousness .
The youngsters seemed to bring with them the natural energy of youth and the sheer thrill of playing first team , Premiership football . Its what we all love isn't it ?
Even in their short cameo roles , Bergwall and Gray looked very much at home and very cerebral in their playing style . Different styles , nice no nonsense from Gray and the smoothness and sleight of feet deftness from Lucas . On this they have a future - as do THFC .
The result was disappointing but the performance , in periods , was good .
But Captain - my captain - needs to emerge onfield - it defo aint Sonny I'm afraid , a Gundogan type would be wecome !!!
You have to bare in mind that,poor as they were,Leicester had a depleted team out and probably ceded possession ,hoping to frustrate us which they did of course.When they realsed that with our profligacy,there wasn't much to worry about they began the second half more on the front foot.A Vardy who wasn't match fit could have really embarrassed us later on.
Will we score goals..many teams will chose to go for us from the off ..pressure last night caused us chaos ..worrying.
That would’ve been a great goal FC sums it up for me.
Finishing is still THE problem for us and Spurs should have been up by 3-5 at halftime. Wasteful...and it left us all with that gnawing in the gut of "here we go again".
Fortunately, Vicario saved us no less than twice.
This game once again illustrates Spurs massive issues with breaking down a team that "parks the bus" as we get caught napping on a set piece or on a counter and all that work has gone to waste.
The sole good thing that could come from this match - if it were to happen - is causing THFC to buy 1-2 extra players (albeit they have to be ready made starters) ... and good luck with that!
One can only hope Postecoglou is a totally different animal away from matchday.His demeanour does nothing to inspire confidence,in fact he has the exact appearance of somebody drowning and sees nobody to throw him the lifebelt.Dead man walking,before Christmas.
The malaise and mediocrity is now generational; and deeply routed within the very soul of the club. Sadly, there seems to be no kind of exorcism known to mortal man, that could either relieve it, or put it out of its misery. Our club is lost, in the most desperate of ways
ENIC out might help.New owners who want success and are prepared to pay for it,is the obvious wish.
That’s the kind of exorcism I was thinking of, but what motivation is there for the devil to relinquish a soul? As the highest paid chairman in football, with a sizeable share of the exponentially growing asset he’s in control of; aside from a monumental shift in opinion from within our deluded fan base, I really can’t see them selling up anytime soon. I pray that I’m wrong, but fear that I’m not
You're right of course,nothing short of a serious dent in ENIC's profit margin will see them even contemplate selling up.That's why a season in the Championship could be the way to go,or at the very least a dogfight to avoid relegation,perhaps only resolved on the final day of the season.
But then the sale would likely only be the football club as everything else is making money and we really do become anchor tenants.But then at least Levy would not be in control.
Sell Maddison and buy Eze. I've seen enough
Maddison was quality up until he gave away the ball. Then he turned off and that was the game. More Maddening than Madders.
Fairweather player - if we're on song, so is he, but he won't ever pull us out of a rut. Prefers to whinge and dive instead of knuckling down and dominating a game. A bit spineless, unfortunately.
It speaks volumes that most of us on here would probably prefer to see Bergvall start.
Great freekick goal he scored too only for a rookie ref.to wrongly disallow it.Quite a few disputed VAR calls last weekend again,I thought the new rules were supposed to reduce these incidents.
I have yet to be convinced by anything Maddison has done since his arrival that leads me to think he is the answer to our MF woes.
Ange is out of his depth…sell Cuti (he’s not going to want to stay) and Son in the summer next year while they are still worth money and go again with another new manager….we are a top 8 team as others have caught up and virtual signal as though we are bigger than we are…..it’s a cash cow, yes they spend money, but it’s calculated as a business and not calculated to win…
Son will be out of contract. He is free to start calling other clubs in January for a free transfer.
Bang on about teams catching up. We relied on the big 4 imploding to snatch a top 4 berth. Now we have Villa and Newcastle being run better than ourselves and we are fast becoming on a par with West Ham!
I could see the spammers finishing higher than us this season,I think they've bought well.
Hopefully, they've bought too many.
If they have bought more and better quality for the squad,it can omly be a good thing surely.
Not if they are not all playing. Rarely has a team bought so many (they are up to 7 I think and looking at Soler) and done well. None of their signings are amazing. Wan Bissaka and Kilman are ok, Fullkrug is a 1 in 3 striker but he's never hit 20 in an easier league to score goals. Their best signing was the manager.
Glaringly obvious that defending isn't up to it. Set pieces in particular. Full backs can't defend high balls or track runners. Bayern friendly told it all. Run in issues last season have not been rectified. Coaching not working.
Ange gone by Xmas. ⏳
I’m totally fecked off and it’s only 1 game in.
I’m going to say this, and only once …
13 corners and we didn’t convert a single one. Not feckin one.
System my arse.
Let’s not forget 675 passes to their measly 187
Clueless, absolute garbage
Dispirited, disingenuous, platitudes, delivered with the kind of depressingly, downbeat, demeanour, that personally wouldn't inspire me to turn on the TV to watch, let alone play for the guy! The basis of what he said is undoubtedly true, we were utterly dominant over a mediocre side and failed to capitalise on our superiority, once again displaying our defensive frailties, with Romero's critical loss of concentration.
However, observation of Ange's 'body language', both during the game and post match, do not make for encouraging viewing. From my perspective Ange displays too much negative emotion. There is little that appears calm, rational, or analytical about him. In the heat of 'battle', a leader needs a cool head, to stay composed, analyse the situation and make logical decisions. In my opinion Ange is not that kind of leader, he is not detail oriented.
The likes of Pep, Klopp and even the 'Thunderbirds' puppet down the road, understand the margins between success and failure are very fine at the highest level. One must be well prepared and meticulous in one's planning and execution. Ange is not. He basically employs a 'one style fits all' approach. His failure to address our set-piece woes last year was 'bush league', inexplicably it is still not handled. Either he sorts the defence out or his position will be untenable by Christmas.
You're right about the defence. Romero and Porro failing to pick up a centre forward on the edge of the six yard box is criminal, but it is in schoolboy football. That error is not tactical, it is basic football and I blame Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber by not communicating with each other and marking Vardy. Porro has done this before, but he isn't a defender is he?
I think Ange comes across as very calm on the sideline and restrained in interviews. I would like to see a bit more passion if truth be told. I thought Ange was raging after the game and rightly so. I would like to know how he is in the changing room. He has picked a team, coached them his system, they have followed through with it (in this game), yet we didn't score enough goals. I have managed teams who have ripped teams apart, yet not scored. What can you say to that?
My criticism is he should have made subs well before Bentancur decided to headbutt the pitch! We needed to take the heat out of the game by nefarious needs (getting the physio on) or by making subs. Leicester were revitalised by the goal, their fans were great. Ange should have reacted.
I'm not defending Cuti,but Porro was as much to blame for their goal as he was behind Vardy,could see what was going on,yet barely trotted to get onto their striker.Not for the first time.
I don't think Porro was entirely blameless, but he had been out on the wing, legitimately, trying to block the previous cross. Cuti was far more culpable, as it was a) His man and b) He was directly in the vicinity and ran right past Vardy leaving him unmarked.
Porro has done this about 4 times from what I can remember. We all know, he's not a defender! There was no communication between the two of them. I think Romero ran past Vardy and marked space.
I agree there was a lack of communication between the two of them CS, but Romero was far more to blame than Porro. Vardy is his man, he's the CB and he runs right by him, leaving him unmarked. As for marking space? Romero didn't even do that effectively, he actually ran into a space where there was already another defender! Schoolboy defending.
No argument from me!
Very soon, nice feeling don't mean much at top level professional sport, it's ultimately at times brutal, harsh and unforgiving.
There were moments things looked good and nearly there.
But the game is over 90mins.
It is Ange's responsibility to resolve. He will hit the point very soon, where he will be forced into changes or be out, and that could be as soon as after the Newcastle game.
He's a fraud and he's tactically inept. The way he sets up the team make us so predictable and easy to play against. Just go low block and press, simples. You only need one chance to score, the Spursy defence will hold the door open for you upon arrival.
Claims of big chances missed in the first half. I didn't see them. The diving header by Solanke looked offside and the rest were half chances at best. Vardy's second opportunity was more clear cut than anything the Spurs players had to offer.
This is the grim reality of possession football in a game that's becoming more modern every year. Most teams in the Prem will know how to defend. This Spurs team is not Barcelona and Maddison and Bentancur are not Iniesta and Xavi. Trying to walk the ball into the net is suicidal if you're not the absolute superior team in the league. We're not Celtic in the Scottish Prem, but he ain't got the memo.
We have only two players who can strike a ball clean and pose a threat. Porro got his goal, but I couldn't see Son get one shot on target. He seemed to be playing more as a wide playmaker, setting his teammates up in shooting positions where he himself would have a decent chance to score. Baffling to witness, it's Rodrigo 'row Z' Bentancur shooting from 15 yards and not Son.
This is all tactical. He doesn't have a fucking clue. Pick any other manager from the Prem and we'd bury this lot.
I have never agreed with the view that Son on the wing is his best position he should be playing in a more central position. The worrying thing is he often starts the game well but to often in the 2nd half he just disappears now and its happening to often .
Right on the money. You play him more centrally and feed him through balls. He was always better in a counter attacking team. The golden Kane-Son combo during the Mourinho era, that's when he was at his best. Last season he had the best shot conversion rate of any player in the PL. This is obviously the guy you want within shooting distance.
For an hour this was a "cakewalk" , it was how good sides play against poor sides . It was not backed up with goals , although I thought Solanke debuted well , he looked as though he was playing 'safe' , not gambling like great strikers do . His day will come [ I hope].
Our passing across the back line is dubious and the best sides will exploit that and embarrass us for sure.
However the shining light was Bergwall and - just like the day Maddison arrived - we may well have unearthed a diamond . Lets hope he shines as brightly after a dozen games or so He did make a glaring error , of which he looked deeply ashamed , but I was angered by the remonstration of the otherwise calming influence of Vicario . Vic looked like a ranting pyscho , balling the young lad out . I sincerely hope that he apologises , he was over the top .
I take the view that we need to be more clinical , we do look a team in transition , albeit we appeared to lose control of this game quite quickly . It was only the delay for Bentancurs injury that we finished the game the way we had begun . WE NEED AN ON-FIELD leader , if he's a World Class midfieder , all the better . A lot of our troubles are between the ears .
Of all the comical errors from last season and Vicario chooses a mistake by an 18 year old to go full Peter Schmeical on the lad. He deserved a telling off, but Vicario should have caught the shot in my opinion. He didn't bawl at Porro or Romero for not marking anyone on the goal did he?
Maddison is a dimante. He looks the part, but up close he isn't what you think he is. I loved him when he first came, but there are moments in games where he lets us down. When he lost control of the ball on the edge of their box last night! Top class players don't do that. He rarely finishes a game either. He is one of our senior pros, yet only has 70 minutes in him.