It does mean we have more in our locker unused than any other team. If we can really up our game it would make things very interesting.
MP on Dele... "He played from the beginning against West Ham and he's not at 100% to compete with the demands of playing three matches in six days. We need to build his fitness step by step."
True. That’s why I hope we find our rhythm soon. We’ve managed to grind out some good results, but it’s the quality of football that’ll help us create more chances and score more and help our goal difference.
Thought Liverpool would smash us, especially with how badly we defended against Palace. Surprisingly, we were actually very composed and mature in defence. And had it not been for Leno's clanger, we could have kept a clean sheet. Xhaka and Torreira were both outstanding. Liverpool were unlucky with the disallowed goal, but that's not the reason why they didn't win today. And on the balance of play, it would have been thoroughly undeserved had they taken the 3 points. On another day, I think we could have won that game. That was probably our best performance of the season over 90 minutes. Goes without saying that I'm happier with the display from the players - a display I didn't think they were capable of - rather than the outcome of the game.
It does have to be said (mainly because no pundits are saying it...) that for all the talk of Saltypool's attack being the best in the league they've only really looked lethal against teams as inept as Cardiff or West Scam so far this season - and didn't even get a single shot on target against Napoli a few weeks back. Time will tell as to whether they click into a higher gear come February/March and start decimating teams by half time, but as things start the Chavs and Sheikh Mansour Team seem more effective in front of goal and just as effective at the back, which may come into play as we get to the business end of the season
Hugo Lloris said this morning in NewsNow Spurs that we must improve and he's totally right. We've struggled to one goal wins against lower teams and have been lucky in our two goal wins. His comments are proven by the fact that we've lost to two top teams this season, albeit both by one goal but still defeats. Phil Thompson has also expressed concerns that Poch's no longer committed to us and that he's off to Madrid, well, we've often been the nemesis of coaches who have left and if he decides to go I won't be too upset. I still say approach Conte IF Poch leaves.
Phil Thompson...? He knows as much about Spurs as I know about particle physics in Hungarian. They'd get better, more informed copy out of a gibbon on acid.
I can't believe anyone would not be disappointed to see Poch leave, he his by no means perfect, but I genuinely don't see anyone doing a great deal better with the players and budget that we are working with. Conte I quite like but he is probably still being paid more by Chelsea than we would offer and he doesn't seem to engender the same loyalty from his players that Poch does. I fear that if he leaves some players will go with him.
You may or may not be right. However, factor in that Daniel Levy will be picking any replacement and he chose Juande Ramos to replace BMJ and AVB to replace Harry Redknapp. Mauricio Pochettino was his second choice, after he failed to get Louis van Gaal. He also employed Hoddle and Jacques Santini. Picking managers is what he does worst of anything. History says, when Levy thinks he's trading up, we **** it totally and completely.
