Tottenham Hotspurs v Leeds Utd

When we get beat its because of a gulf in quality at this level. We may have shaded possession stats which is brilliant, but our missed passes costs us. Too many passes when we are in range and all of a sudden we are defending again. Think Jose will admit they were lucky to go in ahead at half time because if we were playing a team from mid table we would have been 3-1 up, thats the difference in the quality. They defend well and attack well and you just cannot afford to screw up.

 

Spot on, its ok to blame Meslier when he's playing in a makeshift defence, if you don't take your chances at the other end you're ****ed, of course I'm unhappy we lost but we didn't get embarrassed by the money team despite the scoreline. We're still a work in progress.

 

With Roberts and Davis being dropped from the bench today are we thinking that might be it for Roberts at Leeds and Huggins is now ahead of Davis as a LB?

 

Meslier - 6. Someone needs to pull him and tell him to cut out that pass through the centre of the pitch. Its caused us untold problems all season. I forgive a young keeper making mistakes but I won't forgive a young keeper making the same mistakes over and over. Having said that, he made some really good saves.

Dallas - 7. Another solid display. Worked hard, passed it well and supported our attack when possible.

Ayling - 7. Defended well. Brought the ball forward cleverly at times. The odd loose pass put us in trouble. Looks a good player at this level.

Struijk - 6. Dived in a few times. Hopefully he is learning. Didn't really disgrace himself against a top top attack. Used the ball nice and simply.

Alioski - 5. Made a couple of important tackles and interceptions. Gave the penalty away but it wasn't his fault he was wrong side of his man. More miss than hit today.

Phillips - 6. Not at his best. Still had a good impact on the game. Couple of heavy touches let him down. Booked and will miss the next game. Left his man twice at corners causing Spurs third goal. Not the first time that has happened this season.

Klich - 6. Form slowly returning but not quite at previous levels. His long passing is abysmal currently. Some intelligent fouls.

Rodrigo - 6. Very hit and miss performance. Some really good things and some really poor things. His work ethic is improving all the time.

Harrison - 6. Worked hard defensively. Found it tough getting forward. Put a serious shift in.

Raphinha - 6. Looked lively. Failed to turn that in to anything of note. Whipped a few good balls in. Touch let him down occasionally.

Bamford - 7. A generous 7. Worked hard closing down. A couple of lovely touches in and around the box. Worked a few half chances for himself. Probably should have took at least one of them

Subs.

Hernandez - 7. Shaky first five minutes but grew in to the game and was running the midfield.

Shackleton - 6. Did fine. Kept the ball moving and tracked his man defensively. Looks like an uninjured Forshaw.

Poveda - 6. Boys got talent. STILL waiting for an end product from him. Hopefully it comes as he seems to have lots of potential.

 

Makeshift defence at this level and against a top 6 team, you walk away with only 3 conceded is a result. Quare peg in round holes at the back and in DM. If blame is given out you have to say Meslier at fault twice which cost goals but also he stopped a few too. Alioski was wasteful in front of goal and got caught out a few times but he aint a LB. Ayling played well, Struijk played well and Kalvin had his hands full today but thought he had a decent game. Klich needs to get his shooting boots back and could do with playing the killer pass quicker. Bamford was Bamford and worked hard Rodrigo and Raphinah had ok games but no end product, that was the only thing missing from them and Harrison again messed up a couple of times. A 6 out of 10 from the team but to be fair to Raphinah, Harrison, Bamford, Rodrigo and Klich, they were playing a well drilled defence. Jose knows how to defend and his team in built on defence and theres quality all through the backs. So we probably looked worse than we were

 

I was reiterating what had been said that I considered a knee jerk reaction, sorry, I didn't make it clear. My mistake

 

No problem mate,
Thank **** you're not a lefty nutjob or you wouldn't have admitted that

 

If we are still doing the same in 4 years, when we are an established prem team, you will be right, Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

I was out earlier and thought I’d catch up with the result on here, I wasn’t too bothered about missing this one as I had a feeling it was going to go against us today.

These are the games for Bielsa to judge where our weaknesses are, which positions need someone better, which players have an improvement in them, it’s all a building block for next season.

Bielsa won’t tell Meslier to stop passing through the middle, he’ll get Meslier to become better at it and when to not use it. Get those mistakes evident this season and work on them.

More of a concern is Rodrigo, he’s just past his peak in terms of age at 29 and you feel Bielsa is having a problem fitting him into the system.

If a big money offer did come in for him I’d take it and admit that he just isn’t quite right for us. He either has to replace Bamford or you feel he needs to be moved on

 

I'm gutted we lost but there is a gulf in quality between the top 6 and the rest of the Prem. I think we're near the top of the "rest" and comfortably better than the relegation candidates.
When you come up against Manure on fire, Vardy at his best and the best striking partnership in Premier League history (already Son and Kane have combined 13 times to score which equals the best ever season total) it's always going to be tough. They can work as hard as us and have the quality to punish any lapses.
Our finishing is poor but we didn't create any clear cut chances against a very solid defence. We won't be the only ones.
Bamford puts a shift in every game. I know that's not enough for some. He didn't get a chance today that was a missed opportunity. The final ball was just slightly off.
We didn't move it about quick enough but, also, Spurs rarely threw too many forward.
I'm guessing Meslier is doing what Bielsa asks him to do so I'm ok with him. He made a couple of great saves and came out to grab an early cross which was better than against Burnley.

On we go

 

I don’t know why people are so surprised we make stupid mistakes it’s not as though we’ve only just started making them.

We’ll be safe this season, that was the main objective. And we’ll do it in style - including making mistakes in most games.

As we progress, better players will gradually be added. But in the meantime let’s not condemn the players who got us here.

Oh and Meslier is a class act who will become one of the world’s best keepers. Not his fault he’s been thrown in at the deep end because Coco’s so inept.

Keep cool, enjoy the wins and accept the inevitable defeats against the more established sides.

 

Huge positives this year are the progress of Phillips who now looks World Class, Ayling has been magnificent even in an unfamiliar position, Dallas has stepped up and doesn't look out of place in the Prem, Alioski has improved unbelievably, remember when he used to fall on his arse all the time? He's playing in an unfamiliar position and does make mistakes because he's up against top quality players.
Struijk looks like he's going to be a superb CB. He's come straight in and, in my opinion, doesn't look worse than Koch.
Klich is still doing what he's always done and I'm becoming more convinced that him and Rodrigo get in each others way. Raphinha has flashes and looks like he has the potential to be a superstar. It just doesn't always click for him. I think when we get Ayling back at RB he could be better.
Bamford has scored more than anyone expected already. I think he looks more composed in front of goal than he did last year and, this year's Bamford, would have got many more goals last year.
Harrison is up and down, like Raphinha he sometimes looks brilliant but it's rare and usually against poorer defences.
I think Shackleton has been great when he's come on and doesn't look out of place. Pablo will be more influential against poorer teams but we don't have much on the bench to make a difference.
Poveda must be unbelievable in training so hopefully, at some point, it translates to the 1st team.

Do you think he'll play some U23 in the Cup? Who would you like to see?
I think Kiko will be keeper

 

Guess I'm the only one who enjoyed the game, despite the defeat.

One thing I did notice was the difference in fouling. When we fouled, it was everyday stuff & nothing Machiavellian about it. When they fouled, it was very predictable when they did it, & how. They always fouled when we were transitioning from defence to attack, to kill the game & allow their players to get back. Always, and many of them could be classed as nasty fouls. There was consistency in their when, why, & how. I pointed out the fouls of Docherty to my youngest early on, & by my reckoning, he should have been on a red before his first yellow. He should always start on a yellow anyway for being so ugly. They ref was conveniently avoiding cards at the start, & boy, how they took advantage!

Have to pick out Ayling. He's been outstanding as CB this season. First time he lined up I had my head in my hands, as he was usually a disaster as CB in the Championship. I would prefer him at RB, tbh, as some of his runs are simply world class. Not all, just some, before someone gets carried away.

 

A

Aliloski is a pathetic full back and was rubbish today. Dallas is not prem standard and not quick enough. Klich was dire and needs a kick up the arse. Rodrigo is not worth half what we are paying for him. We need at least two quality midfielders and and the fact we have no decent strikers at the club is shameful.

 

Where's mi popcorn

 

Got beat by a team with a plan ,plus better individuals. No pen i thought, second one just a great ball in and finish. Add some quality over coming Windows and we aren't far away. I enjoyed the watch and have even when when we've lost. Can't see a problem staying up..... Just a thought though I'm pretty sure the suicide jockey straight balls from the back can't be coached can they

 

One of the things which really let us down today was poor passing. It was nowhere near as crisp and precise as it normally is. We were good on the ball for the most part but constantly put ourselves in danger with wayward passes. The Meslier pass before the penalty being a great example.

As for the penalty I think that is a great example of how we were affected by bad luck today as well. The foul/contact was a yard outside the area, how has VAR missed that?

The third goal although the goal came from a corner in the build up the foul which caused the corner came from Kane tripping over his own tongue.



Disappointed as always to lose but this did not hurt in the same way others have. We played reasonably well apart from the obvious weaknesses, unlucky in parts, still playing with a make shift defence and up against another half a billion pound squad. We are picking up points against the right teams and giving a good account of ourselves against the others.

 

I agree with the bold part to a certain extent.

He has the potential to be a top keeper. He has to realise that potential. He has played that pass which led to the first goal lots this season and it never sets us on our way. It more often than not ends up like today. He did the same against West Brom and had to pull off a save.

He needs to learn from his mistakes if he is to become a top keeper. The fact he hasn't learnt worries me.

 

I really wonder what the London Hoodoo is with us?
Today was an uphill struggle, Spurs didn't play during the week so were fresher.

All the Meslier haters should check out the Premier.com player comparison stats page. Look at Meslier v Schmeichel. The kid has a lot more work to do than Kasper