How often are we going to be able to talk about bloody awful refereeing in our games, though? It's getting a little tiring. West Ham should've had two players sent off against us in the last one. We won, so it's ignored. We still haven't had a penalty at Wembley in the league, despite challenges like this one: please log in to view this image I admire Pochettino's general approach to the officials and refusal to criticise them, as they've got a hard job. I do think that it's costing us, though. A bad decision one way gets you slaughtered and the other way doesn't. Hard not to let it influence you.
I said after the Milan game that we lack the skill to close out games, especially in Europe. Tonight doesn't alter that fact, it just underlines it.
Faffing around on the ball at walking pace, passing it backwards in our own half, inviting them into us instead of killing off the game.
The problem is that attacking when leading is exactly what cost us against Juventus last season, but what has been an issue for us this season is we've been lacking the ability to get hold of a game and put our stamp on it like we have in past seasons. While the obvious conclusion is the amount of post-WC fatigue coupled with various injuries, I'd say the obvious decline in Dembele this season is playing a large part in this as he simply isn't the player who was such an important component in our system for the past few seasons and it shows - and as things stand we're essentially having to use two players, Winks and Sissoko, to replace what he's not offering.
There comes a time when you have to accept that we are simply not (yet) good enough at this level. Yes, we had loads of possession, but we should be creating and finishing more - regardless of a bad decision. Were the officials ****? Yes for sure - but you need all your players to perform and that didn't happen. Poch should have subbed Dembele after 30 minutes. Sonny needs a kick up the arse after that performance, Davies continues to concern and we ended up with the Spurs rather than the England Dier. Kane scored one but made some tragic decisions. We scored a couple of lovely goals, but that apart, there was no great continuity in attack. If this was a one-off I wouldn't care, but it isn't. Not even a 2nd, 3rd or 4th time. That's what is so concerning.
I think it's more that we lack another Dembele in midfeild. We have the skill some of the passes from Eriksen tonight were sublime and with a little luck we would have won the game easily. We have just come from a game where a better team than PSV terrorised us in the second and we still managed to win it. We have played most of out games at half cock this season and still won most of them so I don't wholly buy your argument.
So you think we need to score an extra 2 goals every game to make up for the officials? Not right and not going to happen. A lot of other teams that don't get unfair ref decisions couldn't do it either.
We were ahead with a few minutes left and yet, we're playing little flicked passes in midfield? I'm sorry but there's a time and place for that - it's when you're chasing the game, not when you're winning with 5 mins left. I'm not saying we played badly throughout. However, we overcame the poor refereeing to lead and just as in Milan, the opposition were beaten. Their fans had given it up and we let them back into it by being profligate with possession, making unnecessary, naive challenges and panicking. None of that has anything to do with the ref or bad luck, it's just rank amateur football.
Yep, hitting the post was unlucky. But they were ****, we played fairly well (by this seasons standards), and yet we failed to kill the game off. We had 90 minutes to do so. If we’d have drawn with west ham, would we have been blaming the ref again?! We just about held on in that one, despite another uninspiring game, riding our luck with a 1 goal lead. If we’re honest, we’re yet to see us play this season like we have in recent ones, and us fans become accustomed to it. I can’t remember the last time we played really really well. It’s showing this season with these 1 goal margins that are sometimes working out for us, but failing us on others. Sadly when it’s really mattered, the 1 goal hasn’t been enough.
We can’t be the only team who get poor decisions from referees, surely?! If we were to play like we have over the last 3 seasons, we might not have these issues when other teams score against us. We’re just not dangerous enough and don’t create the attacks we have in the past. Ultimately that play leads to chances and more goals.
Best I can manage I love MD but he was a red waiting to happen from an early stage and could easily have gone before half time. He also did not really add anything (as we know he can). Bringing on Winks earlier wouldn't have been a negative - and taking off Lucas left Trippier with fewer outlets in front of him only reduced our options. But as I said - if this was a one-off, but it isn't - not even this season!
I agree with the fact that we have not played very well yet this season but there are clear reasons that we all know about and you cannot ignore not having your own stadium yet as a factor but despite all that we are still in a very good position in the league so if we do catch fire we have something to aim for. Next game could really kick start our season or it could severely damage it.
As I’ve said before, it’s a miracle we’ve got 21 league points with all things considered. The lads have done a great job in doing so. This is why it needs to be our focus now this season IMO. We cannot handle much else, and it’ll only get worse over the winter period. Thursday’s and Sunday’s in the Europa could really disrupt a very good start to the PL campaign, despite us not playing well.
Just watching Pool vs Red Star and the contrast is plain to see. That’s how you see off and bury a bang average side.
