Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth

It was such a limp performance from us, at least until the last 15 minutes when Bergval made a difference, it makes me think it's in the headspace. All sport relies on the right thoughts to fully play your best. I suspect, just like us, the thought was that no other result but a win is what we expect. OK, apart from RCL and OnlyOneDB who always predict a loss. The manager is always trying to put the right thoughts in the teams head but it would be hard not to be confident going into this game. Confidence fine, good, needed, but over -confidence, and we know what can happen. Couple that with a team like Bournemouth who will be delighted to teach the 'posh boys' a lesson and that's just what they did.
There is a guy on YouTube called Mat Armstrong who has come from a humble background to make a fortune by fixing crashed super cars. His motto is 'Hard Work Beats Talent' I think that's what we saw today.

It's hopefully a good lesson for some of our would be prima donnas.

 

It seems that Bournemouth did their homework,
Spurs did not respond correctly to it, and got lucky
with only a 1-0 loss.

Food for thought next month for the manager
(as well as the serious business of squad mgmt) .

 

He lives just down the road from me. He's a lovely fella having met him and his missus a few times. Also for me, his mantra is spot on and so true for life in general.

Anyway, watching the game on my phone today it appeared that they just so wanted it more than us from the off. Yes I have seen us play worse, but there was something seriously wrong in that game.

Of course one plus is that it will hopefully completely nullify any premature chatter in the media...

 

In some ways they did to us today what we did to City last week.
We started slow and they were all over us, winning every challenge and every loose ball. They pressed harder and tore holes through our MF and right side.

Starting the game right is crucial at PL level. Last two weeks we were on the front foot from the off. Today we clearly weren't.
I'm sure we won't be the last team to get turned over by Bournemouth this season, but the coach needs to work out why the players were so clearly slow out of the blocks today.

 

Losing before an international break?

 

The funny (funny-adjacent, anyway...) think about Ramos was the one vaguely competent performance he had in those eight matches was before the international break

 

Does that mean we are City's bogey team, and they're our pre-bogey team?

 

Lunatic fringe on social media going crazy as always. One week we’re back, next week we should just burn the club down and not bother.

Don’t think anyone had an issue with an unchanged eleven but in hindsight, maybe we could have looked to be a bit more creative with bergvall in for Paulinha or Sarr from the off. Surprised Frank didn’t change at half-time though as except for the first 30 seconds, the first half was completely clueless.

We’d have taken 6 points out of 9 though if offered before the season started, just a shame that the loss came at home rather than as expected at City which makes it feel a lot worse!

Hopefully get through the break with minimal issues, another player or two in and then come back strong against West Ham.

Liverpool lost at home to Forest early doors last season though so you never know….,.,

 

The main appeal of Thomas Frank was his ability to adapt according to our opponents. However, I was surprised he kept the same tactics, players and formation as we had when playing away to Man City.

I really didn’t expect Palhinha to feature yesterday and was expecting Bergvall to start. Perhaps this adaptability may occur now we have Simons.

 

What are people’s expectations this season? The reaction of the defeat yesterday from some seems a bit ott.

Spurs finished 17th last season, have lost Son and have a new manager with a new philosophy. Also have tough champions league fixtures as well so I expect the league campaign to be very mixed.

To me a top half finish this season would be progress.

 

Depending on what happens in the next 24-48 hours, between 5th-8th and ideally a cup.

 

A cup and finishing 5th-8th?

Is that really realistic when you look at the squad, manager and how strong rivals are.

 

I’m not expecting much this season but what I do want, is to make our ground a fortress and stop losing home games we ought to be winning.

Anything over and above is a bonus.

 

Top half and strong cup runs would represent progress, for me.

The main thing to fix - and yesterday proved it is still a work in progress - is consistency. We've been a wildly unpredictable side for a long time now, constantly failing to kick on from a position of strength. Whatever the Latin is for 'one step forward, two steps back' wouldn't look out of place under our badge.

 

Yeah I’ve always maintained we’ve got a decent squad but it was being mismanaged last season.

The additions of Kudus, Palhinha and Simons have added quality to it now too. I also think we’ve got a manager who’ll be able to improve a lot of players as well.

There’s an opening at the moment to finish in a decent spot too. Liverpool and Arsenal (unfortunately) are the only two sides that are a cut above the rest at the moment, beyond that it’s fair game.

 

To get top 4 you need around 75 it's...that means doubling last seasons total which will be near impossible imho.

I think that getting european football via the league (5th or 6th) would be excellent.

Realistically I reckon we'll come 7th- 10th.

Would be disappointed if we come lower.

A couple of decent cup runs would be good.

 

We've still got the sixth most costly squad so my expectation is that we will finish between 4th and 8th.

Last year's form is entirely irrelevant as was driven by injuries and a unique coaching style.

 

Need to win a cup and anything above 16th

otherwise it isn’t progress is it?

defo need a positive story playing out in the league for Frank’s first season to be a success of any sorts if we aren’t winning a cup

 

I think back in the European places (so top 7 - probably 5th to 7th)is a very good league season. Get out the league phase in Europe should be standard and then a domestic cup win would be massive.

 

Top 6 and a very good cup run for me.

I want another trophy, but I'm realistic enough to think that will totally depend on the draw in the domestic cups.

@Citizen Kane put it well, CONSISTENCY is key for me, especially after yesterday's s*** show!