He was rubbish in the first half because we didn't have any width and didn't get the ball into him in the box. As soon as we did that we scored. He started holding the ball up far better too, as his confidence was clearly lifted. Lamela wasn't producing anything and we just removed any focus from our attacks, trying to put it over the top for Moura and losing the ball.
Let's just check on Twitter to see how that theory about the match being can't lost is working out ...nope, looks like the swarms of people with Chelsea and Arsenal handles that are giving their well thought-out and in no way deranged opinions don't see it that way Yet if we won it you know the hacks would just say we can't win The Big Trophies™
Pens are always a horrid way to lose. One or two poor ones but it goes that way sometimes. I'm proud of how we stood up in the second half and fought our way back into it but it doesn't excuse a woeful first half. There's a few who need to take a good look at themselves for that first 45 mins. I know we're missing players and its already been a long season but two or three sleepwalked through that first half and there is no excuse for that. Many of us called for Llorente to come off but the look on his face when he scored shows he wanted this - can all the players out there look themselves in the mirror tonight and say they gave their all? We need to pick ourselves up and put Palace away at the weekend. I believe we can do that but Poch needs to work out a way for the players available to get control of the tempo and play to Llorente's strengths while Kane and Son are away, or its going to be a long few weeks.
We haven’t won the FA Cup since 1991, haven’t even made a final since then. Realistic is the word you’re looking for not boring.
No Negative is the word and we are still in the FA Cup so maybe some support for the team would be better.
We needed to go through on aggregate because (Eriksen aside) none of the players we had out there are regular penalty takers so it was a matter of time before someone missed, but that was all but impossible because of our dismal first half performance
We did put the ball in the box, he was just a couple of yards behind the Chelsea centre backs each time which made it easy for them. As I said for the goal, he's well behind Luiz and if Luiz doesn't turn to face him it's cleaed. He's always been able to hold up the ball, trouble is he can't do that and keep up with play like Kane does. Moura's not fully fit so I don't think he should have started over Llorente but at least the bloke has some instincts, Llorente's been at the beach all season and could do with being sold imo.
RE Moura and Llorente, both missed good chances. Eriksen's beaut of a ball over the defenders could've been controlled by Llorente, why he tried a left footed first time volley when he can barely kick with his right I'll never know. Then Moura, the ball over the top by Gazza was great but Moura didn't have the composure to get his shot on target. Miss chances like that in a semi final and you pay the price. Simple as that really.
Considering Chelsea have a net spent 7 times more than us in the last half a decade...I think it is damning on them that they managed to just to scrape through against us - the underdogs without our star players. Well played lads, just bad luck.
Chelsea and rule changes and we always lose out. Which part of, there is no God, do you not understand?
Llorente is miles off the pace, because he's had virtually no game time. Pochettino's insistence on giving him two minutes every three games has seen to that. Replacing him with a non-striker just didn't make any sense, to me. When it's also a player coming back from injury it makes even less sense.
It’s all so predictable though. When push comes to shove, we always fall just short. This isn’t a new thing, it happens year after year.
It was the formation, 100%. Look at the way they played tonight, they were playing outballs from the fullbacks far more than Jorginho, this is because we were so narrow. with the midfield diamond, and just like the United and Fulham games, we got done down the flanks because the fullbacks had to push on to give us any width.
You talk about being realistic and then seem to think we are entitled to win something. Reality is that most teams do not win anything most of the time. Stick around though because if Pochettino stays with us I think the next few years and the winning will come to Spurs.
That definitely played a part. We looked a lot better in the second half with 3 at the back. That only compounded some poor performances though IMO, it can’t be viewed in isolation.
