Hard to defend Pochettino after that. I take what he said about tiredness but the selection was wrong thenas we could have made some changes. \lennon not playing was simply a really bad call. The players have to take their share too, Lamela was awful, both Bentaleb and Mason looked poor and Soldado's positioning was poor and he missed a couple of really good chances. I don't get the Paulinho criticism though, he's looked bright coming off the bench. Nothing like the level of player we thought we were signing but he's been better than Dembele and Capoue's recent contributions. I'd start him against Swansea.
The sensationalist media like to misquote the fees for Lamela and Soldado, I think we actually paid less than is widely reported. Also it is all relative, we have spent less than nothing (net) on players in the last five years, so could realistically afford to take a loss on any players.
I agree. Paulinho showed some energy and made a few chances for us. I think the criticism has been a little harsh at times. I know his performances have been patchy but show me a player who hasn't?! Lamela's return has been dismal in comparison. If the circumstances are right and the opposition isn't pressing too hard, Paulinho should play more. I just wish we had one player (or two) who would take the game by the scruff of the neck. No one out there wants to take responsibility. Grrrrrr.......
I think a lot of the Brazil squad suffered after taking such a beating at the World Cup. I know he was getting played further forward but Paulinho didn't look like he wanted the ball when he got back to playing fur us. He seems much more keen now and fitter too. Hopefully it's not just so he can get a move but even if it is it improves our chances on making some of our money back on him.
And this was the Paulinho who stood out as the PL player of the year last season. Oh wait....... I was one of those excited by his arrival 18 months ago, but I can count on one hand the number of times over that period he has showed even a glimmer of the supposed skills he was meant to bring. And one of those was in his first game at Palace. In fact, doesn't it say something that a Brazilian first choice MF (when he arrived) would or should accept being treated by a mid-table PL club like a Youth prospect? Is he just happy to take the ££ and see his career out?
I was hoping Bobby's goal against Everton was going to be the start of something but alas no. Swansea in the EPL after Besiktas and they are winning. I hope we can make it Besicktas.
What is concerning/odd is that we can go from two very much Pochettino-esque performances against Everton and in parts against Chelsea, and only days later play a very different way against Palace with pretty much the exact same team. Obviously Lennon seems a key player right now in terms of providing width and helping the RB but you'd still expect the other players to play the same way as they did with success in the last week even when he isn't on the pitch.
Paulinho, Lamela and Eriksen all seem to want to play in the same position and we're playing none of them in it. I hope that at least one of them gets to start there in the midweek game and that it's not the Dane, who shouldn't even travel.
West Ham up into 3rd place., while Tottenham Hotspur sit 10th and struggle to hold Crystal Palace to a home draw... How the **** is that even possible.
Pressing the opposition to recover the ball and then counter attacking quickly. Thats what he's trying to get the players to do. We saw it against Everton and we saw it in patches at the Bridge. Whats concerning is we struggle to break down and teams who let us have the ball and sit deep but we've had that problem for ages, except when we had Bale to win games for us. I was worried when we weren't seeing any pressing for ages in any of the games, I was heartened when we saw it in the last week, and now I'm even more concerned that the game plan was either abandoned or ignored for the Palace match, and that whatever was tried instead was clearly not good enough in the circumstances.
I think football is so much easier than its made out to be. theres a few philosophies that work..i think a team should be drilled to utilise any one of them during any part of the match...depending on the oppositions game play......pressing them so they don't have a chance to build momentum and get their passing going due to the oppo being an Arsenal,chelsea etc.....or letting them come onto you then hitting them on the counter due to their lack of quality in the last third.....and with the ball...play to your strengths....the oppo plays a narrow game..get some wingers....the oppo plays with wingers..then duplicate. however...you can only better the oppo if you have..faster wingers....quicker passers....and quicker brains. so for me tactics are overated..its the quality of the 11 that start that matters. that's why we get upsets in cup games etc..because for that one game the opposition are up for it where they will try harder in every dept. To win things you have to try harder in the majority of your games....so for me I question the personell and their attitudes...be it the manager and his pig headedness or players thinking they are something they don't work to become. and if you apply that then it will make the oppo re think their game. when we were kids and we played football..there was a winner and a loser. usually the team who fought harder in every dept won....I cant remember no tic tacs before a school yard kick about. football is simple..ask Pele in escape to Victory
I disagree with the part about tactics, if not the part about application and attitude, Dona. If you look at someone like Mourinho, he makes sure that both are right and has massive success because of it. Wenger, on the other hand, brings in very good players, but doesn't balance his side correctly, only uses one tactic and system and doesn't always motivate his teams well. He's a very good manager, but he often gets beaten by those who can switch things around and play to his weaknesses. Managers like Fat Sam and Tony Pulis have made their careers on tactics. They get their sides well drilled and hard to beat and exploit holes in sides who have better players. They set their stall up in ways that work and worry about entertainment later.
