The Kane was one ridiculous, but Walker had to change his, too. Some of them seem to be ridiculously skintight and I guess that's why.
M'Vila looked a class above your centre midfielders and I thought Defoe and Lens pulled you all over in the first half. Today was the best we have seen Kaboul, if this is him still unfit and not yet 100% match sharp, I'm well happy. I thought Kaboul was MOTM today.
A good 3 points, both sides needed the win so I'm glad we came out on top. Dier was ****ing superb, he's adjusted to this DM role superbly and was head and shoulders above anyone on the pitch, I don't think it's any coincidence that we're looking a much better unit with him playing just in front of the back 4 coupled with Toby's arrival which is making Jan step up his game to similar levels of his first season with us. Mason was also very good and I was gutted for him that he had to go off after his goal as he was instigating a lot of attacks by getting the ball forward. Alli was also impressive and I was a bit surprised he was subbed off, especially when Chadli had what was quite possibly his worst performance in a Spurs shirt since joining, really don't know how he stayed on the pitch for the full 90 and this is coming from one of his biggest fans. Kane was also poor, good work rate but he lost the ball countless times and really should have buried one or two chances, I wouldn't blame it on confidence, just poor decision making. Son showed some nice touches but was quiet throughout his debut, poor set pieces but that's just natural for a Spurs player! Thought Townsend was really good when he came on, I was thinking to myself that we could do with a bit of pace and trickery and he provided that nicely to keep Sunderland on their toes at the back. Couple heart in mouth moments with Defoe and Rodwell but with those aside we dealt with Sunderland really well. Clean sheet and 3 points, always a good feeling
Forgot to mention our goal, it'll take a lot to beat that for team goal of the season, only Hugo and Chadli didn't touch the ball in the build up, it was just beautiful football and finished off exquisitely by Mason.
MOTD would probably dismiss it, though - just like they did with our 48 pass goal against QPR last season.
Some peoples comments and views make it seem like this didn't happen at all! I am happy for the win, happy that Mason is proving that he can finish form that position, especially as he seems to find himself there often with just the finish lacking. Everton is a case in point. Happy that whatever the Poch 'way' is that he keeps talking about, we are beginning to see evidence of it. Hopefully more often per match as we move forwards. Slow but steady progress works for me, if we can keep defence solid and sheets clean in the meantime. I think that if Lamela is to get a chance, it should be in the no.10 role as cover / competition for Eriksen, he clearly likes the middle and is dangerous there. He was pissing me off earlier this season, but the passes for the goal! Exquisite. Looking forward to N'Jie providing cover / competition for Chadli. We may complain about Chadli, he seems frustratingly lost at times, be we know he'll score goals. If he were more consistent, if he scored two of his chances today, we'd be happy. Glad to see Townsend given a chance on the right. Width! Dier is winning me over as DM. Didn't like the idea at first, but I reckon he could make the position his own given time. Still need cover / competition for him though.
Agreed about Lamela. We've tried him out wide enough times to see its not a position suited to him in the PL. He needs a free role just behind the front player(s) to pick up the ball, move it quickly and create chances. Even if he only scores a few goals but has a hatful of assists, that'll be good enough for me. We desperately could do with another playmaker and he might just be the one to do it when Eriksen's out or needs a rest
Great to see Townsend and Lamela make a difference when they came on. Thought Dier was excellent as DM so Pochettino deserves credit for putting him there.
The way Dier's been playing, he may well have just saved club spending £20m on a proven DM, I don't think anyone in the league could've done any better in that role than he has so far, legitimately mean that. Quickly becoming my favourite player at the club, loved his versatility and solid performances last season and he's stepped up a gear so far in the new campaign. Best £4m we've spent in yonks, easily worth quadruple that now.
Defoe is clearly still a Spur for not going down and missing the one-on-one. Him and Kaboul's sublime wing play will see them safe this season based on that performance (unless we're gonna be down there too)
Having watched the highlights, I am pleased we won a match that could have gone either way, but I am disgusted with Pantilimons challenge on Mason, if that challenge had been made by any other player in any other area of the pitch it would have been the main talking point after the match. The movement of his foot in the direction of Masons knee looked deliberate too me and so late, he should have been sent off.
You maybe right, I thought that Mason won the ball in a full blooded challenge, where the collision was caused by momentum, but i can understand your point of view. Pantilimons on the other hand was extraordinarily late and looked quite deliberate, but I am very biased! Good luck for the rest of the season I hope Jermain scores a shed load for you and you climb the table.
Kaboul certainly impressed first half but once your midfield stopped covering the defence as well he looked vulnerable. It was the same story with us, last season he was incredible at the Emirates, when we were sat back soaking up a lot of pressure but when the game's more open he's easily beaten. He should suit you guys in the long run as you're generally a more defensive side but his injuries took their toll so that he'd never be any use in our high line defence. Not sure about that but Pantillimon looked like he was faking when he stayed down earlier in the match in a similar situation where he got the ball first ahead of Alli(I think) and replays showed he got a tap on the arm yet was clutching his face. It was a good full blooded challenge, in my opinion. Took the ball cleanly it was just unfortunate how Borini got caught afterwards. For all the cliches about studs up or foot off the ground, it happens all the time because if you have your studs down then you can't slide and if you're running you're going to end up off the ground at somepoint. Those rules really only apply to the extremes, the ones that are really reckless, otherwise you end up with ridiculous sendings off each week, like the one Noble was sent off for at Anfield. Technically it was studs up when he made contact with the player and it was slightly off the ground but everyone knew Noble would get the card rescinded because the tackle was honest and wasn't overly dangerous.
I've seen it mentioned that the team arrived at the Stadium of Light later than planned because somebody at the club was unware this weekend was the Great North Run, so the team bus had to take a massive diversion from the team hotel in Newcastle. What I don't understand is how, barring one game against Asteras last season, he never starts on the left: he played on the left in his final season at Roma and was one of the most sought-after prospects in Europe, he played on the left side of a midfield 433 in Argentina's 7-0 win over Bolivia last week - yet both Poch and AVB play him on the right. This is even more confusing when you consider how ineffective Chadli is when he doesn't have Rose supporting him, so we need another option on that side.
If it had been a 'tackle' I would have agreed with you but they were both going for a loose fifty-fifty ball and in that case the guy who gets there second is odds on to come out worse.
Well you should blame the referee as he should've been sent off for an awful foul on Borini earlier - imagine if Cattermole had done that to any of your midfield? You'd be livid if he wasn't sent off! Son and Kane like falling over - how the hell Harry Kane didn;t get booked is beyond me - blatant dives on the wing and in the box and 3 or 4 niggly fouls (same as Borini got booked for- only he committed 2!) Thought, until we tired in around the 70th minute, we looked like we were comfortable for a draw - but once the players legs started going it was one way traffic - but it still took you 76 minutes before our keeper had a single save to make! For a team valued at that much it seems very poor. M'Vila would fit very well in a top side if he keeps going the way he is - streets ahead of anything I've seen in there for us!
There is no way Mason's was even a foul let alone a sending off Parts of players are gonna touch during a game of football. Mason got to the ball first, easily, and then had to try and get out the way of Borini, who was late btw. If anything it was his foul. Unfortunately for Borini it happened his head made contact with Mason's boot, there was no intent. How could there be when you're hurdling at that speed and at a 45degree angle in the air? The impact was so horrifically bad that after a bit of a pat on the face by the physio he was able to continue.
Yes but when 6 studs arrive mid way up the opposing players shin? I wish Cattermole had done the same to Mason just to see how you lot react - I know for certain you'd feel differently if it happened to one of your players? I've seen it 3 times and no angle make it look any better than any other - it was awful and dangerous - even the Daily Mail - who detest Sunderland - said he was very lucky to escape punishment! As for the head one where Borini got caught on the follow through (not the one I'm talking about) - it was Ben Davies by the way (That wasn't a foul by the way - but I think you need to re-watch the game and get your fact straight before posting)
So Mason is allowed to challenge for a ball there to be won but you expect a keeper to just stand aside?
