Also, a win by either Spurs at home to the now eliminated Partizan, or by Besiktas away to Asteras puts us through. Asteras is four points behind with two remaining. Besiktas and Spurs are tied, with Spurs finishing with a trip to Besiktas, which will make winning the group tricky. On the other hand, getting first in the group in the Europa League isn't always an advantage.
During the summer I was suggesting that we sell Dembele so we can continue Bentaleb's development, but after tonight I'm going to say it for a different reason: whenever he plays central midfield, we lose the ability to control the game, and he's become a liability. He was completely anonymous in the second half tonight, and I don't recall him making a single interception or tackle at all when we were letting them get back into the game, and it has to be said the pairing of Dembele and Capoue was equally unimposing when we played Asteras a couple of weeks ago and frequently outfoxed by a simple chipped ball over the top.
It's on evenings like this that I really question Levy's decision to sack Harry Redknapp. Since that day, we have gone backwards and on the evidence of recent months under MP, we are continuing to go backwards. That second half performance at the back was a complete shambles. Whoever gave Vertonghen the captiains arm band this evening, should be shot. European nights with Harry seem a million years ago, this new guy is worse than Sherwood.
Playing him deep always seems to slow our buildup down to a crawl. I still think he's a good option farther forward. He was bad in the second half tonight, but so was the whole team. I thought he was quite good in the first half, though, when we were controlling the game comfortably. I prefer Bentaleb in a deep lying role as well.
You mean the European nights that damn near never happened thanks to Harry's inept approach to the play-off with Young Boys, which featured us pissing away a 2-0 lead against Werder Bremen and putting in a display so pathetic we were lucky to be 4-0 down at half time against Inter?
H This There are virtually no positives to take from this shambolic performance against a less than average team. How we came away with anything after as bad a defensive showing as I can ever recall by a Spurs team in Europe is a mystery: they could and should have been 2 or 3 ahead after the first 10-15 mins of the 2nd half. Dembele appears to have lost any creative instinct whatsoever, consistently failing to progress forward even when faced with 25 yards of open space ahead him. Eriksen and Lamela flatter to deceive, are lightweight and ineffective; Soldado is so completely shot of confidence and there was a general lack of pace and commitment. And as for the defence.....!!! We are so far from the level of 2/3 years ago and not a glimmer of hope of any improvement. Depressing with a capital D - even after a win........ :
Not digging at you spurcat but is your dislike of MP based on what we all see or on your insider knowledge? I agree with lots of what you say and usually you want managers to be given time but you have a reakly strong reaction against the manager...from where I stand I think he has been denied the players he wants so I am inclined to have patience but am wondering if there is something else behind your reaction to him. Please dont take this as a dig cos it is a genuine question.
You know full well what I mean. If you are happy with that display tonight and all the other crap which has gone on this season and last season, then good luck to you. Not for me thanks.
Didn't watch the game tonight but just saw the score and read that Fazio got sent off... again! Isn't that his second sending off in as many starts?
I was almost too scared to post what I thought as I was afraid you might tell me to stop repeating myself but you've all said it all.
It was a harsh red card, but he seemed as if he was caught in two minds. The natural instinct of a top defender is to actually go for the ball and clear your lines. On this particular incident, he didn't seem to know how to do this.
I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, because I remember things like going 2-0 up in a North London Derby only to lose it 5-2, followed by relegation form in the league that ultimately cost us a Champions League place. If you were happy to forget the rot set in during the last few months of Harry's tenure and all the crap that went with that, then good luck to you.
Sounds like we bought ourselves ****ing liability. We need more of them like a hole on the head! Seriously, who's identifying and recommending these players, it's farcical?
Sorry to get on my hobby horse again, but what is the point of this competition? This match was a glorified friendly for Spurs, which, three months into the PL season, was not needed. Tripolis should be playing teams of equal standing in some Eurotrash Cup for Europe's Z list teams and Spurs should be in an old style UEFA Cup knockout playing the likes of Fiorentina, Villareal, Borussia Moenchengladbach and other worthy opponents you might expect to play in the 2nd or 3rd round.
. People who forget what Redknapp did for us and where he took us, frankly do my head in, more so when they use the current regime to justify their arguments.
Now I have to say that I'm concerned about Sunday's match and concerned about Kane. Kane because he missed a sitter and he didn't know that he was offside. I've seen players score well then miss and dry up ie Defoe and Rooney. I HOPE it doesn't happen to Kane and Stoke after tonight I could do without.
No need to be concerned TMT, the guy is full of confidence at the moment. His natural enthusiasm is here for everyone to see. He'll be fine for Sunday, if picked of course........
