The lack of a DMF proved costly yet again For as great as Winks was against Palace and Southampton, the Leicester game and tonight's shambles underlined that for some games we need someone who can lock down midfield - and to be honest, I'm not sure that Dier is that player, so we need to find someone who is...and they won't be cheap, either, given almost literally every DMF we've been linked with in the past couple of years moved in the summer
A number of those goals came from errors. Spurs players gave the ball away and Bayern were clinical. It's obvious that all is not well as there is a lot of unrest stemming from a number of key players not committing to the club and now running down their contracts. You can't rely on player loyalty. Few players commit to clubs like fans do. Most players want success and to maximise their earnings. Spurs have come close, but failed to win trophies and can't match the wages of rival clubs. It's become inevitable that this team will break up. Dissenting players should have been shipped out whilst they still had a transfer value with a view to rebuilding. If the manager can't commit to a period of rebuilding, it's adios to him too. Spurs are still in a very healthy position, but there needs to be a few necessary changes and a period of consolidation before being competitive again. Be grateful that Utd and Arsenal are in a worse state so top four is still realistic.
If Aurier kicks a ball for this football club again I'm rioting. I don't care if that means persisting with young players like KWP/ Foyth who'll no doubt make mistakes for a while. **** me, I'm actually at a stage where I'd beg for Tripps to come back, he was gash last season but there's no way he can be as bad as Aurier. No way.
How can people not see the issue?! Game management has been talked about since the Juve games in the CL a couple of years back, if not longer. As others have said we’re paying the price for sitting on the same squad for too long where yes there are some fine players in there but not enough who can take ownership on the pitch. It’s becoming clear now more than ever that we need leadership in midfield and defence that we’re just not getting, and too many players we have in the squad who might be good enough players are mentally happy to be carried along on the crest of a wave when things are good but aren’t the types to stand up and sort things out when they’re going wrong. Poch has had the majority of this group for long enough that if they’re not developing those characteristics now then the players need to accept that they will lose their places to those who will be bought in to add that to the team. But for a combination of reasons we haven’t made those additions. And it’s telling.
Maybe he has. But I still firmly believe he has done more than enough for this club to warrant the time and funds I am hoping he gets. Tonight exposed the harsh reality of a squad left to stagnate and then rot for 2 years. We have no evidence that he has alienated players. What he did want to do was move them on. Lots of them. Tonight, up against a top, top quality attack, the entire back line was brutally exposed. It is so plainly clear why he wanted them all out in the summer. My one criticism of him - and it is a huge one - is that he gambled far too much on succeeding in moving them on. I sound like a broken record but only selling Trippier out of a list of 8 has created a nightmare. Only time and money can solve it - I honestly cannot see what a new manager could do with a collection of ****e FBs and two very much ageing and soon-to-be-past-it CBs. I also cannot see what can be done about Eriksen's situation, nor the fact that Alli's form has gone off a cliff, nor the fact that Winks, Lamela and Sissoko just aren't good enough for the level we need. There is too much to fix now, and by and large that is the end result of, as I've said, 2 years of zero refreshment. I am firmly convinced that we can still field a starting XI who are loyal to Poch and will sweat blood for the shirt: Hugo Foyth Dave Tanganga Davies N'Dombele Sissoko/Winks Son Lo Celso Sess Kane No, it isn't a very good side, but that's all we have left. It will need heavy investment at CB, CM and AM, as well as relying on Foyth, Sess, Gio and Dave coming good literally overnight - a minor miracle. But in all honesty, I couldn't give a toss anymore. As soon as all or most of the above players are fit, we should be playing this team week in, week out. Persisting with players who don't want to be here is madness and will destroy not just this season but the coming seasons too.
NDombele and Sissoko are the only 2 players I have any feeling for after that. The rest were just a disgrace. So much is clearly wrong with our club and hasn't been addressed. We have no onfield leaders and a squad fighting against each other and the manager.
The issue is we needed to sign a new midfield in the summer but only signed half of one, hence Poch is overcompensating with THAT BASTARD DIAMOND as we lack a Wanyama - yet this ignores how we fudged through last season with a Winks/Sissoko pivot due to Dier being routinely unavailable and Wanyama being just as broken Our baffling inability to shift out deadwood does play a part, considering how it takes us 2-3 windows to shift the likes of Janssen, GKN, Fazio et al, with Wanyama the latest obvious example of this taking up a squad space
I was referring to Poch. He's making the same mistakes and expecting different results each time. It's baffling. His formations and tactical decisions are just wrong yet he repeatedly goes back to them, knowing only a matter of days previously it was a disaster. He's been exposed tonight for sure. He's got one hell of a steep hill to climb to sort this mess out. I'm just not sure anymore if he can do it.
I tell you what sums us up The fact that we kept it level for 20 odd minutes...then went ahead...but only had it in us to hold a lead for 3 minutes It’s very difficult to cheer on a bunch of spineless ****s
Sissoko is not a world beater but I'd take 11 of him after a performance like that. On the list of players 'to go' he's at the bottom of the list.
I cottoned on to that, I know that you and many others on here get it. Either Poch can't see it, can't change it, or won't change it, and I don't know which is worse.
What was also apparent tonight was that without a decent MF cover Toby & Jan don't appear to be up to it.
Poch cannot say too much but his explanation so far is symptomatic of the dire state we find ourselves in. Thinks we were 'unlucky' to go in 1-2! Nooooooo! This is what feckin' happens every feckin' week it seems..... That's NOT unlucky.
They are on the way down...whole defence is **** I’m waiting for the ifs n but crew to turn up and stick a positive spin on this ****in ****e.
If this was a one off then I'd accept that attitude, thinking his private words might be stronger. But I'm afraid I have little confidence. It may be that he actually believes himself.