I think that was the first league match Hojbjerg has missed since we signed him. Also the best we've played in that period. Our midfield three were hard working and disciplined and all showed creativity. Yet all three need to be sold according to most on here. PS. Ndombele may be less fit than he ought to be but he definitely isn't fat. So lay off those comments about him.
I don’t want to read too much into it as myself and others have called the Winks/Dele/Tanguy ‘turning point’ more times than I’d like to admit and been proven wrong. Liverpool’s midfield wasn’t exactly their first choice too. But I think we saw, especially from Dele and Winks, that they can have a place in a Conte team. That was the performance I’ve wanted to see from Dele in a midfield role, and Winks looked more comfortable on and off the ball last night than I’ve seen him for a while. Tanguy did what I expected, had some nice moments on the ball and actually worked pretty hard off it at times but he needs to build that fitness up, and Conte’s comments implied he needs to be more of a team player and work in the system. If he does these things he has all the talent in the world and will succeed. But this would hardly be the first false dawn he’s had at the club, if it ends up going that way. Like you say, Højbjerg is in an interesting position when it comes to the evolution of the squad. He’s the right player out of the available options to start next to Skipp in a 343 but is also the first I’d look to upgrade on for a bit more creativity from deep. But last night was a pleasant surprise because those players have put in some rotten performances this season. There’s a lot of talk about Liverpool absentees but we were missing our first choice midfield and LWB, arguably our most creative player under Conte (Lucas) before last night’s game, and probably our best CB in Romero. A point was a very decent result and that performance needs to be built on. Whether it’s the start of the road back for a few of those players remains to be seen though. But at least the attitude was right and we haven’t always been able to say that, even under Conte.
difference was that Kane was attempting to get the ball. Robbo was clearly going for the legs and nothing else
Think that Conte has definitely started to change the culture of the team. We fought for 90 mins yesterday and instead of being pleased with the draw he and some of the players said they thought we voted have got more. Since 2019 we have not had that attitude. Winks and Dele were excellent. They played with speed, strength and aggression while attacking and defending. Sessegnon grew into the game and Davies has seemed to recover both his fitness and confidence. Son was very good and for 70 minutes Ndombele was good. Very impressed with the back 4 (penalty incident aside). I have no idea if this was all one off, false dawn stuff from Winks, Dele, Ndombele, Sanchez and Sessegnon but if they were to put in regular performances like that we are in for an entertaining and possibly successful season.
I think we all hope that this is a new dawn and clearly the club must back Conte, we are lucky to have him. I imagine though that the game must have pleased Conte because clearly the players are responding to him. They have set their own standard in that game and I believe Conte will make them live up to it. As Brian said, Conte has clearly identified the strengths and weaknesses in individual players and they now have no hiding place if they want to play for him. It's been a long time watching a very mediocre Spurs, it's good to see a proper performance again.
Sorry, but I don't get this. Making a joke on here is not harming anyone. The joke being that a clearly not fat professional footballer is being called fat by overweight fans. I think everyone on here agrees that hateful stuff like racism, homophobia and misogyny aint acceptable but beyond that I don't think anyone can tell others not to make a joke about someone being fat. I don't get why you posted that tbh. I'd get it on twitter etc but here is like a pub ... we may not find everyone's sense of humour to our taste but we do kind of know each other. I've got on the nerves of a few people on here when making jokes so maybe I am missing the point tbh Just my opinion of course.
We’ve been in many situations like this before if we’re being honest. A player who underperforms for 95% of a season but puts in a good display once in a while can get fans a bit too optimistic. I’m delighted the likes the Winks, Dele and Ndombele had good games but if we minus Dele’s first two seasons, the ratio of good to bad games for all three players is horrific and whilst I don’t want to be the party pooper, there’s no way I’m building my hopes up that these guys are suddenly gonna become good players for us after one great performance. To be further brutal, as Hudd also pointed out, Liverpool were without their first choice midfield too and whilst you can only beat what’s in front of you, do those three have that same level performance against Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago? Tough to say.
A lot of people, UB40 included, thought this was the original... The one version that you don't want to go anywhere near, is the live version on this compilation... ...where, part way through, Diamond switches into a cod reggae version that'll make your ears bleed.
Can't disagree tbh. But maybe the optimistic RCL (buried real deep in the moodiness of my mind) thinks maybe Conte has seen something of them in training. There was a plan yesterday but the two of them (winks and Dele) not only followed it but played better than they've done in 3 years. Another positive of their performances is they have added a bit to their value if they are sold.
It's early days so you are right to be skeptical but I do feel the difference is Conte. So many managers have in their minds how they want their team to play and of course Conte is no exception, the difference is, I think, on the evidence so far, that he fits players into positions where they can perform their best, he does not shoehorn them into roles they are not fit for. If they don't fit his team he replaces them for players that do. That's a big difference to maybe even most managers.
Winks had a blinder of a game against City under Jose when Bergwijn scored on his debut. I think that was about two years ago and things said then were similar to what was being said now. It’s the fact he’s been unable to do that on a regular basis as to why most fans don’t want him here and most managers barely start him. The latter point of your post is what I’m hoping for, it adds value and gets them noticed again. Being this close to January it’s possible teams may have had scouts in attendance too.
Generally, it is. Yer typical PL MF melee is where Winks and NDombele are found wanting. An opposition MF like the Poool yesterday will be the exception, not the rule. Alli looked to have his old fire back, but the MF formations in recent seasons have not been serving his strengths. Sess has time and patience on his side, given his injuries have not allowed us to see him in a long run of starting XIs.
What does that make the person who knows the UB40 cover was inspired by another cover of the original ...
In his post-match presser, he spoke about Winks being able to play well as a no. 4, in front of a back 3 (2.20). It strongly suggests that de doesn't think the same, should we play a 3-4-3 or a flat back 4, which other coaches have tried...and failed with. With Dele, he then stresses that he suits a 3-5-2, inferring that he isn't a player for a 3-4-3, which we all know but others have tried to play him where he offers too little.
Conte is absolutely the difference, I’ve already said my optimism is back now having been dead for a solid two or so years. He’s one of the top 5 - probably top 3 in fact - managers in world football right now and having him here is a true joy for me as a fan. I’m truly happy for Winks, Dele and Ndombele, they put in stellar performances, especially the first two but I think it’s dangerous if we start thinking Conte is going to work miracles with them. It’s highly likely that when fit, both Hojbjerg and Skipp come back into the team, though I hope we keep 352 as I think that’s our best formation and the one I’ve wanted Conte to play from the off so there’s the possibility for one of them to keep their spot at the expense of Lucas for the time being but I think come January, Conte will bring in one or two of his own players and I’d imagine it’ll come at the expense of 2 or even all 3 of them in terms of pecking order, 1 or 2 may even be sold to accommodate a potential new signing.
They're out in force this morning. Kane should have been sent off. Even mentioned it on Radio 4 (!) Is it any wonder that the officials want an easier life, which can be easily achieved by only giving controversial decisions in favour of the teams in red. After all, as has been mentioned, who went on about Robertson trying (more viciously) to break Tanganga's leg in a previous match? But to have the temerity to give a decision against Pool? Remember that penalty we got a few seasons back (I think it was Van Dijk on Lamela), they didn't stop going on about how wrong it was. Yet they got a very similar penalty against us more recently and suddenly it was payback/justice. And yet if the penalty was wrong for us, why wasn't it wrong for them? The trouble with decisions that go against the teams in red is that they are talked about far more than controversial decisions against other teams - thus giving the impression that they are more common than they are. In fact they are pretty rare. I also think that a Liverpool player doing the same challenge as Kane at that stage of the match wouldn't have been sent off.
