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Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Discussion in 'Tottenham Hotspur' started by PleaseNotPoll, Sep 20, 2019.

  1. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
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    We won't be at our best until we sort out the midfield, so yes hopefully when Ndombele and Lo Selso get used to the PL we will be fine. Plus agree we badly miss an engaged Dele, he provides that element of uncertainty that's very difficult for teams to legislate for. Son is brilliant but teams know what he will do with Dele nobody is sure and that's his value to us.
     
    #221
  2. bigsmithy9

    bigsmithy9 Well-Known Member

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    I sometimes wonder if we don't need a nutcase in our team just to scream at our players when they think they are on holiday! We do seem like a lot of softies in some of our games....!
     
    #222
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  3. deedub93

    deedub93 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly, we are short an on field leader.
     
    #223
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  4. bigsmithy9

    bigsmithy9 Well-Known Member

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    I also wonder what is going on in Moura's head. Scores great goals.One player that always seems to have one thought...where's their goal?...….and has no guarantee of a place in the team until...….!
     
    #224
  5. Lovearsenalcock

    Lovearsenalcock Homeboy
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    Can't blame Poch
    Can't blame Levy
    Can't blame the players


    What a load of bollocks
     
    #225
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  6. Spudulike

    Spudulike Well-Known Member

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    Not something we've all been saying now for what.... umm, ten plus years?

    If I had a quid for every time we've said that these past umpteen years...
     
    #226
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  7. Spudulike

    Spudulike Well-Known Member

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    No, it's the Wembley factor remember? Oh... wait...
     
    #227
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  8. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
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    Is this about the team and improving it or just making you feel better?
     
    #228
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  9. Billy The Spur

    Billy The Spur Well-Known Member

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    Part of the problem is almost all of our new signings are younger players with the potential to develop, we almost never sign any ready made players in the 29 - 33 year old bracket, who are battle scarred and seen it all before. Redknapp saw this when he brought in Scott Parker, and it was a terrific signing at the time. We are crying out for another experienced Parker type signing or two, if anything to add some metal etc around the place.
     
    #229
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  10. humanbeingincroydon

    humanbeingincroydon Well-Known Member

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    That's what Wanyama was

    When his legs worked, anyway...
     
    #230
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  11. Lovearsenalcock

    Lovearsenalcock Homeboy
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    Obviously about the team...It's not as though I've just been abusing Poch...I've been backing my thoughts up rightly or wrongly. I think it's laughable that the 3 most influential factors in influencing our club...players, manager, owner is beyond criticism. Poch is deserving of his criticism because everything about us seems to be in regression...people aren't just going to ignore that just because once upon a time we were ****e and bang average...we need to let go of them yardsticks...we can do better...it's been proven.

    There is criticism to be aimed somewhere otherwise by default it means everything is fine but as we know it isn't.

    Do you see us turning a corner anytime soon?
     
    #231
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  12. Lovearsenalcock

    Lovearsenalcock Homeboy
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    I haven't heard "transitional period" for a while now...I'm sure that ones due an appearance

    <rofl>
     
    #232
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  13. Spudulike

    Spudulike Well-Known Member

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    The fact he's paid a salary around £8.5m a year and still can't identify/admit/address/solve the glaringly obvious problems is also another valid reason why he shouldn't be immune from criticism.
     
    #233
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  14. Billy The Spur

    Billy The Spur Well-Known Member

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    The lottery of VAR, helped us with a handball away at City, not clear and obvious but by the letter of the law the correct decision. Then today, robbed us of a goal courtesy of a slap dash line drawn on a video capture from a skewed camera angle and also Rose`s penalty not given, also helped us by disallowing a clear and obvious offside Leicester goal. Two solid penalty claims away at Woolwich not given, Dele Alli rugby tackled and Kane shoved in the back as he shielded the ball. Oh and the Kane penalty against Newcastle, as stonewall as you will ever see, also not given.

    Conclusion - VAR is a bag of sheite.
     
    #234
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  15. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
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    I don't see any of them as beyond criticism and I don't think anyone has said they are. It's difficult to criticise when we don't have the facts. I and others have criticised Eriksen for talking about wanting away and also for his poor performances. There are lots of opinions based on little, which is the habit in the UK nowadays. Opinions based on nothing are useless. Did you hear the Leicester crowd today? Their opinions are clear and they are only for Leicester, facts don't come into it. Same for fans everywhere they support their team it doesn't mean they are fair or factual or even honest.
    When it comes to opinions of individuals then you need higher standards IMO and just because you don't like the result of a football match doesn't cut it.
     
    #235
  16. Citizen Kane.

    Citizen Kane. Well-Known Member

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    I'm willing to reserve judgement until we have seen the full impact of the new signings. Which, given their youth and injury problems, is sadly likely to be no earlier than Feb/March time.

    Reading the debate on here has cheered me up as both sides have made some excellent points. I usually side with @Spurlock as brothers in arms for the rabble rousing pessimists, but I think it was Billy who put across an excellent argument in the other direction so now I'm back on the fence for the time being.

    More than anything, I want things to work out for Poch. He deserves that and more and if time is what it will take, so be it.

    But my gut instinct tells me that Levy faces a precarious decision. I think it is safe to say that Poch wants as many as 8 players gone in the immediate to near future:

    Eriksen, Toby, Wanyama, Rose, Aurier, Dier.
    And I think there are huge question marks over Jan & KWP too.

    Most if not all of those players will need replacing. We could argue that 2 have been replaced via Sess and Lo Celso, but that still leaves 6 senior squad members. And the reality of their combined age, form and contract situation dictates that the sub total we'll bring in from their sales will constitute but a fraction of what it will cost to replace them. CB and CM in particular will require enormous investment. And if we go back in for Dybala that's another huge expense. And the Foyth at RB experiment could well fail miserably, requiring another huge investment for 2 players to replace Trippier and Aurier.

    If I was Levy, I'd be thinking - if only subconsciously at this stage - I can stump up the cash to replace half a team, or I can replace my manager at a fraction of the cost and hope he can motivate and coach the current group of players to deliver to a higher standard?

    This is the crossroads we are at right now. It was clear that the summer didn't pan out as Poch wanted it to. Every single player listed above aside for Jan, KWP and Dier aren't meant to be at the club still. We know this factually. Yet here they are. We accomplished barely 30% of the transition. So unless January is miraculously productive, in all likelihood we will have to go again next summer and expect a second transitional season as logically the 6 replacements will all be young prospects needing time to settle, rather than established stars who can slot right in.

    So that's the choice as I see it: replace a huge group of players at enormous cost while enduring a minimum of 2 seasons of transition where there is a very real risk we'll miss out on the top 4 holy grail; or seek a short term solution and appoint a new manager who will keep all of the players above save for Toby, Eriksen (out of contract) and Wanyama (crocked), thereby greatly reducing costs and time it'll take to bed in a new team.
     
    #236
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  17. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    I think the players have to take more responsibility on the pitch. We've seen them do it, they lack consistency.

    Yes, Levy and Poch must take the heat when they don't bring in the necessary players, but in theory they tried this with both Lo Celso and N'dombele. Injuries have messed the plans up.

    Dier, to me is a missing link, will fight for the club on the pitch, tackle players, and even go for long shots from midfield, it's just unfortunate that he is injured. Wanyama is past his best and out of form.

    I said it before, Sissoko papered over many cracks, but he should represent the worst of our CM options, not the best, as he is increasingly becoming for various reasons. He is a good utility CM option, but he doesn't frighten players, not from tackles or shots.

    Having said all of that, I don't know who I'd bring in that'd actually come in this climate, and that wouldn't cost silly money if they did.

    If all were fit, I'd play a Dier, N'Dombele pivot. (*Dier not Diet. Damned auto correct!<laugh>)
     
    #237
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
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  18. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
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    Good post but are you suggesting N'Dombele is fat <laugh>
    'If all were fit, I'd play a Diet, N'Dombele pivot.'
     
    #238
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  19. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    I agree, it does beg the question though, which manager could be brought in that would do better with these players? I don't think he exists. I think it's way better to stick with the manager than to twist. The way people are talking anyone would think we're on 2 points from 8 games. <laugh>
     
    #239
  20. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    <laugh>

    Typo! (Or damned corrective text!)

    Nope, just pointing out that he too just came back from injury and isn't in his best form either. We saw him boss Man City just last season in the CL.
     
    #240

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