I get what you’re saying about Nuno - for me I can see what he’s trying to do off the ball but I don’t yet understand how he wants us to attack if we have sustained possession. Now we have a more offensive RB maybe we’ll see us trying to exploit the wide areas but the Palace game was an anomaly and we’ve had under 50% possession for quite a few games this season, so we haven’t had the chance to see what happens if we dominate the ball in a PL game.
This is something else to consider Between 2015-18, we regularly came up against busparquet so had the time and space to look for openings to create (or twat full-force into the crossbar), but since the second half of the 2018-19 season we have seen less and less teams sitting back against us - so from that standpoint Nuno's approach of midfield solidity first does have a basis in practicality as we do need to have a team which can forcibly regain control of a game in midfield, hence the comparisons with what Norbert has as his setup at Saltypool as a blueprint of what we're trying to do However, the combination of FBs that aren't reliable attacking outlets (which don't stand up to the Walker/Rose vintage), a midfield that is a hodgepodge of various tactical ideologies meaning we have players who have different aspects of what is required but also are lacking in other aspects of what is required, means we're starting at least one step back to implement these ideas (while, in comparison, Poch had a team able to adapt to his tactics waiting for him) and it's exacerbated by Nuno having about ten minutes to instill this plan into the team before the season started The one thing we did in pre-season was have players using one-touch passes to shift the gear between holding the ball in midfield and switching to attack in the space of a second, but we really haven't seen that in competitive games not least because players are often seeing their teammates on their shoulder rather than ahead of them, as the Palace passmap demonstrated. So the question is when does Nuno start to ease off the handbrake, because too soon could be a disaster (as it was in Villas-Boas' second season), but too late would be equally disastrous as the ubermensch demonstrated
same applies to the full backs in that formation, mate. Take Reggie and Emerson (who we’re hopeful of at this stage) out, and the 433 falls to pieces. It’s just not potent enough without decent wing backs. We need to quickly work out what formation/s work best for the personnel we have available. We probably have to change from game to game. I’m struggling atm to work out what those formations are, but at the moment it feels like AVB all over again. Square pegs, round holes. It’s dreadful.
Never ceases to amaze me that fans think players are so different. To a very good approximation getting your ten best outfield players on the pitch is going to be the best outcome.
I can understand why people might be disappointed in the level of negativity on here. The majority of the board are very unhappy with the way the club's being run and the performances. There's not a lot of enjoyment in watching Spurs at the moment.
What is annoying is that the recipe most fans want--I think--is straightforward to implement. 1. Sell your stars at a certain point, when your team has peaked and their value is peaking. 2. Use the money to buy the best young players you can. 3. Hire a manager who can turn good young players into an effective attacking team. Ideally a high-ish profile manager, sure, but if none are available, get someone like Hasenhuettl. Southampton are playing very well at City ATM. 4. Repeat. Still...while in many ways I share the disappointment, I don't share the frustration, since this is the first year I can remember where I had no particular hope, and it is the hope that kills you. Spurs will finish fifth to ninth. And while they are not playing good football, I have quite a bit of idle curiosity as to how the manager and players will fare.
Noting that most PL players have wide spreads of skills. If my life was resting on the outcome I would pick Kane and Son at centre back or any other outfield position you nominated over any other player we have.
Just trying to make sure I understand, are you saying you’d rather play Kane and Son at CB over say any of Romero/ Rodon/ Dier/ Sanchez?
I am trying not to be negative, I try to give an honest opinion on what I am watching at the time, and at the moment I am not seeing much that gives me much to be optimistic about. Nuno had some success with a style at Wolves that so far he has not really tried to implement at Spurs. Looking at the squad we may actually now have the players to play Nuno's 3 at the back. a back 3 of Sanchez, Romero and Rodon, Emerson & Reggie as wing backs, Skipp and Hojbjerg behind Ndombele in a midfield 3 with Kane through the middle and Sonny playing around him. I honestly cannot see that the style could be any worse than the 4-3-3 we are currently utilising and with Gil, Lucas, Bergwijn as options from the bench.
Yes. After Kane and Son the argument will be harder to make because we won't come close to agreeing on who our third best player is and by the time we get to the sixth best one it will be more or less a random order. So my original assertion is hard to test! But everyone is somehow sure that we are having to play lots of players out of position.
And man-marking isn't a skill that strikers have. Son is basically allergic to heading the ball and he can't tackle particularly well, either. Playing him as a wingback was utterly batshit. Centre-half? He'd be an absolute liability.
There’s not a single person in world football that would do that though. Kane and Son would ship in over 5+ goals a game if they were selected at CB. Players are trained from an early age to master one or two positions, whilst some can be more versatile; such as a winger temporarily playing as a striker or a centre back pushing forward into defensive midfield, it would be simply catastrophic if you put forwards into defence just because they’re an overall better player. You may get away with your theory with friends in the park but at professional level it would be a disaster.
No, he isn't. He's the near post player that attacks the ball. A lot of strikers get given that role if they're tall and good at heading the ball, as it doesn't involve marking. It's why they often lead the stats on defensive contributions from set-pieces. Fail to put enough height on your ball into the box? Another free header for that man.
If anything, and very much in my opinion, the level of negativity on here is below that which I get from friends, family and other sources. I'm not a member anymore, nor is my sister or daughter. My brother gave up his season ticket, that he's had for over 30 years. Two of my mates have bought season tickets for Sutton United. Most of my younger brother's mates haven't been to a game since Levy appointed Mourinho. These are people who have supported the club and been regular attenders/season ticket holders for decades. These are not decisions taken lightly by people who don't care. It's the end of the line for people who have had enough of the football team being a minority concern of the owners. I've got nothing against Nuno....or Paratici....or the vast majority of the players. They are what they are. Most of them aren't good enough to get us back competing for the CL places and the owners of the club are okay with that, whilst they pursue an NFL franchise and concentrate on developing property around the stadium. I'm not going to be steaming about tomorrow's result, nor the one after that, nor the one after that....the problem's that the owners are set on a course that means that things aren't going to be better next season, nor the one after that, nor the one after that. That is unacceptable...and until it changes, I'll cheer the shirt on from a distance, whilst agitating for change.
