I watched the refs decide around the 60 minute mark to start (well, keep) ignoring all fouls Arsenal committed and start awarding nonexistent ones in their favor. That wasn't enough, so they sent off a Palace player. If that wasn't enough, they probably would have given a dodgy pen. Over and over again, the bigger the team, the smaller the opponent, the more likely this happens, though much more often at home, tbf. Also tbf, Spurs benefit from it once in a blue moon, though they're also likely to be the exception to the rule, especially if a bigger team needs their result (think Bale getting dragged down in his last game with no penalty). It amounts to match fixing, even if money doesn't actually change hands. The classic example last year was when Mourinho walked out onto the pitch after an entirely correct possession award and demanded the officials start towing the line. Anything resembling a professional and honest ref would have carded Mourinho. Instead they gifted the game to Chelsea, as they'd been ordered to do.
Spurs team that didn't feature in yesterday's 18: Vorm Walker Chiriches Vertonghen Assou-Ekotto Sandro Dembele Ceballos Paulinho Chadli Obika Also could've had Fredericks, Khumalo, Veljkovic, Fryers and Mason. Bit excessive.
Pochettino's post-match press conference: [video=youtube;-R-9H_tVItc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R-9H_tVItc[/video] Nice of the assembled hacks to repeatedly ask him the same question. Very professional. I hope that his claims about instilling belief in the team are accurate. Not getting battered after going a man down is an encouraging sign.
Very snidey of the press hacks to try to insinuate this is AVB mk II when it comes to signings. It doesn't matter whether Dier was Pochettino-sanctioned, or Baldini (yet again) operating under the radar. The kid plays ok. The manager thought he warranted a start. Dier repaid that faith. How he develops under Pochettino remains to be seen.
For what we paid for him, I don't think any sensible observer would try to infer that we haven't done well.
Even if I hadn't seen him play beforehand, Sporting's reaction to the move was a good indicator that we'd made a smart deal. Hopefully our experienced defenders on the coaching staff (Pochettino, King, Ehiogu) can give him some decent pointers and help him to fulfil his potential.
"Even if I hadn't seen him play beforehand, Sporting's reaction to the move was a good indicator that we'd made a smart deal." Sporting supporters were saying from a club viewpoint they are angry because they feel Spurs have got him cheaply. From a team viewpoint apparently they have better CBs and Dier was not getting much game time in the senior side.
How did you play yesterday- is there any chance we can nick a point next week? (QPR) When's Vertonghen back, and are any other plays set to return?
We have a lot of improvement in us Grifter. We looked organized and put in a shift. I expect us to go up another gear against you boys next week.
That sounds ominous. On MOTD Ruud Gullit seemed to think Lamela&Eriksen looked pretty naff. Maybe they're still finding their feet at the start of the season. On paper, yesterday's lineup doesn't scare me that much (no offence intended). You could do with some more attacking options- dare I say someone in the Remy mould...
Grifter, I for one will not be taking QPR lightly for three reasons. Number one it's a London derby and anything can happen. Number two you have an ex Spurs man at the top and often when Spurs meet a team with an ex player or coach we lose. Three, well Spurs v QPR matches over the years have been very close run things at times so I'm not crowing yet. Yes you lost to Hull but next week is a completely different scenario. Harry will want to win badly.
We weren't very good going forward. We improved once Townsend come on. To be fair we have shed loads of players still coming back as well. Verty, Walker, Chiri, Daws, Paulihno, Dembele, Chadli. Young Ben Davies will be our number 1 LB soon enough too. Just saw a rumour linking us to Remy....
Eriksen had a poor game by his standards but after the sending off he was forced to play deeper alongside Bentaleb and did okay considering he's a player that needs to be freed up, not bogged down in his own half trying to break up play. Lamela's played some poor passes, as was highlighted, but it didn't help that play was broken up with a foul nearly everytime he did something positive. Defensively we were a bit of a mess all game so that will have to improve next week, even if it's only one of Remy and Austin starting. At the moment we don't know where Vertonghen and Chiriches are fitness-wise and if Naughton's ban is upheld(likely knowing the FA) then we may end up with 3 centre halves and 2 left backs to pick a back 4 from, which is worrying as Kaboul was appalling against West Ham and Pochettino doesn't rate Dawson for this system. In attack and midfield I do expect improvement, we've got lots of options there and I'd fancy our attack to give your slow centre backs a run around. I think the key for us will be who we have available for defence and wheter they can perform on the day.
I'd rather Dier played at right Back until Walker's back. Depends who's fit though, Dawson and Kaboul at the back would be asking for trouble.
