Your record under him is better than any other club, including City. We've played 3 less games and lost more than double the amount you have. There's a reason that pictures like this exist: please log in to view this image please log in to view this image He's reffed two cup finals for you and sent off an opponent in unusual circumstances in both. There’s nothing about his record that looks out of the ordinary? You're better than City when he's on the pitch. That's not out of the ordinary?
Listening to Contes post-match comments, I'm not filled with confidence... Confused, certainly, but I can't help feeling I was watching a different game!
I can see why it was a red card, but I'm also certain that not all refs would have given it against all teams. My new test is "would McTominay be sent off for that". Although perhaps it's not a great test since it appears to be against the rules of the game to send him off.
Well Taylor certainly did you a favour with the red card, which was ridiculous as everybody could see Martinelli was over acting
I think confused has been the basis of a lot of our points in recent weeks. Some bizarre decision making by the manager.
Only just seen extended highlights. That's one of the most obvious clear red cards you can get. With all the whinging on here I had the impression it was going to be vaguely debatable and a discussion point. Are you having a laugh thinking that wasn't a red card? Not even a harsh red card. Clear and obvious red card.
Not entirely sure if you're a spurs fan or not or if this is a tongue in cheek comment. Assume the latter.
Look away, children! please log in to view this image So the tactical decision to have Harry Kane play as a traditional forward worked out well: Son's now dropping deep instead of lurking in the gap between the RB and CB, and there's a complete lack of traffic headed towards him through the centre of the pitch because instead of having a 10-15 yard pass from midfield now they're having to make 20-30 yard passes to him The fact that Dier, Hojbjerg and Bentancur appear to be forming an orderly queue in the centre also isn't a good look, either - especially as Bentancur is the most advanced when, realistically, Hojbjerg needs to be the one pushing through the centre. On the other hand, nice to see we were thinking of a three-man midfield after all...
I think if Royal was called McTominay his shin high tackle would be a definite red card and would demand a 10 game ban at least
Unsurprising to see Bentancur playing the most progressive passes, thought he was our best player and along with Lenglet were the only two to leave the pitch with any dignity today. As for Son, I just think he’s so out of sorts at the moment that he simply doesn’t really know what he’s doing. Always been inconsistent but this might be the worst bad patch we’ve seen of him, complete headless chicken. With playing Emerson in this system and persisting with Son in the form he’s in, we’re essentially playing with 9 men.
I think technically it was a red card as it was a studs down tackle but it was a soft one that in most cases would maybe have warranted a yellow card. My patience is wearing thin with Conte. His system is not working with the players we have. Playing away with 2 in midfield is simply daft. I don’t mind losing this game. We are going to lose some away games and there’s an air of certainty that we would have lost this game regardless. Just need to ensure we return the favour at home. One other thing I don’t like is when the opposition attack up the wings and prepare to cross, we have two players by their players in an attempt to stop the cross. This combined with our two midfielders leaves open spaces, which today led to Partey’s goal. We don’t need both Perisic/Son or Royal/Richi attempting to stop crosses. Just one will do.
Naturally, the "BENTANCUR AND SON CAN'T PLAY TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!1!!" crowd have jumped on this, somehow failing to see the traffic from midfield out to Son on the left
Yea, agree with this. One of those orange card offences. You can see why it is a yellow or a red but feel aggrieved if you are on the end of it. It would be a normal challenge in all circumstances but as its mistimed and he catches it on his ankle with the force downwards it is much worse.
Not tongue in cheek . If the tackle is as bad as some are saying it is extremely doubtful that Martinelli would have continued to play. but he was up and running about as if nothing had happened
Sorry I know it should be in the music thread but I'm sat here listening to the Black Album and drinking copious amounts of Doom Bar to distract me from the **** show earlier and I just thought of you when this song came on! Besides 6 months after this appearance and we were trouncing City in the '81 FA Cup final!
Our problem at the moment is how predictable we are. The sporting world and his dog can predict exactly who we'll play, how we'll line up and the tactical approach we will take. This is all well and good if the XI you have happens to be populated by the top 5 players in the world in each position a la City or Liverpool, but we are miles off of that standard at the moment and in all honesty probably will be for the foreseeable future. Predictability is fine if the opposition can't do anything about it, but it comes with a heavy price: everyone knows your weaknesses and can study them week in, week out. In fact, now that I've mentioned the Scousers, we'd do well to learn from their season as a cautionary tale. For years, they've played the same style with the same system and a line-up that more or less picked itself. They are the epitome of predictable - Klopp rarely changed anything. But then again, he didn't need to. While it may be true that everyone knows that the weaknesses of their system are FBs who don't like defending and a midfield more pedestrian than creative, no-one could do squat about it because the sum of the predictable parts was superior to any whole an opposition could throw at it. But dig a few potholes in the road - Mane leaving, an ageing and increasingly injury-prone midfield and VVD being off form - and suddenly things are far from smooth. Teams - especially competent ones - are finally able to exploit the weaknesses everyone's always known about. As for us, I think most of these have been covered ad nauseum on this board, but I believe our weaknesses to be (in order of urgency): 1) WBs who simply aren't dangerous enough. I include Perisic in this statement, much as it will pee DH off, as I don't think he has the legs to dominate games anymore - certainly not in a league like the PL. Doesn't do enough defensively and is visibly struggling to link up play with the attackers. The less said about the other 3 options the better. The more said about giving Spence a chance, the better. 2) This problem is significantly worse down the right flank, but is alleviated when Kulu plays. If he doesn't, opposition teams have a field day down that flank. Emerson offers nothing and Richy isn't a creative player and also rarely played on that flank at Everton anyway. This has the following knock-on effect... 3) Teams are able to concentrate more on our left flank and can afford to nullify Son, as they know more or less the lights are off and no one is home down our right flank. 4) Richy and Perisic's lack of defensive grit (could probably add Son to that equation if I'm honest) plus the fact that the opposition's left flank have the freedom of the park then leads to an overload on our midfield, where Hojbjerg and Betancur (good but certainly not top 5 in the world in their roles) are regularly overrun. The solutions are equally as obvious and therefore equally as baffling as to why Conte doesn't try them - especially when #1 has evidence supporting its merits: 1) In the absence of Kulu and a decent RWB, play 3 in midfield and move Kane and Son more central. If it can work against 32-game unbeaten Liverpool at Anfield with Dele, Winks and Ndombele, it would bloody well work against 2011 Barcelona as far as I'm concerned. Bissouma was signed for a reason and Skipp is now at full fitness; there is zero excuse not to take advantage of the depth we now have in that position. 2) Keep it to a midfield 2, but play Djed Spence. Or even Doherty. Or even a competition winner from the crowd if we're honest. Anyone but Emerson. I have nothing against him as he seems a decent lad, but he is more than anything else the first domino in the list above. Conte really has to earn his grain over the next month as the fixture list until the human rights world cup is relentless and merciless. Blink and we could be out of the CL and well off the pace in the PL. Next up is Brighton away - they will murder us if we play like we've done most of the season.
