At least they set up with the right idea, for once and had an ex-Spurs presence in the studio. No Scousers and three people that are happy for us to win. Makes a nice change. Shame that dopey pillock's spoiled it by being a greedy tart!
Reading this thread it strikes me that many are overly harsh on this performance. We dominated the game from start to finish but CSKA had a very effective and disciplined defence, Vertablom was having a superb game my M.O.M. but despite that we won the game. Sure we should play at high tempo but it doesn't always happen especially playing away from home on the other side of Europe. Well done Spurs
That's a cracking result. Didn't think we played too bad (other than some sloppy passing) considering all the comments on here . CSKA had their moments, but I thought we were in control throughout. This Champion's League malarky ain't so bad afterall!
Because we are judging them by the standards they played to last season. but collectively not yet done so this season.
I said before the match that they're very defence minded and don't score too many. That our defence held is good. Alli hit the crossbar and Vince was only just offside. A certain penalty not given so I agree with you Spurf. Somebody asked if Son is Korean for Townsend then he scores.
That win effectively seals progression to the knockout stages. Winning the group is important though looking at the teams likely to win their groups.
I am well pleased with the result, Spurf - any away win in the CL has to be a positive - and there were some real positives. My main issues are only really with a couple of players on whom we really need to step up in the final third: Lamela and Eriksen Both didn't really contribute in the first half and were frustrating. Not sure if they are over-complicating it, but were always seemingly looking to thread needles when the middle was blocked. Things got better 2nd half but still think we missed out on a few opportunities to close the match out.
We played many games in that way last season RDBD. There were periods where Eriksen went missing and Kane had a slow start. There are never too many games in a season when we are ecstatic at a performance. I'll be surprised if Liverpool and Man City keep their blinding starts for much longer. I've said it many times but fans seem to forget that the nature of football means there will be a high number of mundane games every season. That's why we remember the humdingers. It's why we remember Bale tearing up the wing in 2011, how often has he done that since? Not that often I bet.
As PNP said earlier, it looks like MP is already planning an 'if you can't get through them, go around them' strategy, with Sissoko and N'Koudou.
Points against City, WBA, Bournemouth and Leicester but Liverpool and Arsenal? Can only hope so. Still unbeaten and I'm not sure if a defeat will come any time soon.
Eriksen Lamela & Deli rely on the most delicate of touches to break through the opposition, it means they have to be on top form to pull it off and only Lamela has shown that this season, yet we are still doing well. MP has increased our margin for error and that's the secret of success in sport. The higher your top level the higher your level when things are not clicking. Go back a few years and we had to play out of our skins to live with teams like Man U and Chelsea, now we we can beat them when we are misfiring slightly, that's a huge step up.
Agreed, and it is fitting homage to our progress under Poch that more or less every team we face nowadays parks 2 buses and a combine harvester as their main tactic. Teams fear us, and know that if they don't give 110% in defense, we will tear them to shreds. Stoke made that mistake, as did Sunderland (on any other day we would've won that game 4-0 comfortably). Most semi-decent teams won't make the same mistake. The level we are now aiming to conquer is what really separates the men from the boys. The ability to play through teams is a rare, rare quality indeed. We've seen Barca do it, United, Bayern, Real, Inter flirted with it briefly, Dortmund. You can count the number of teams who can do it on one hand, maybe two.
It's not a done deal, granted - but 3 away points puts you in a strong position in a very ordinary group. Draw or lose tonight and there would have been some real pressure. The win means that two home wins and a single away point should clinch it. I can't see that being a problem at all.
