Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

He distributes the ball better than Hugo does.

 

Spurs' thug mentality is like a day at the beach for Charlie Adam.

Mane was the biggest offender on the pitch today, what a thug!

 

He arguably protects his near post better than Hugo too!!

 

You’d be crying too, if you only got one point from Liverpool.

 

You could see this strategy coming a long way off: from the moment we bought Wanyama really. Without our bellweather player, Pochettino was going to try to keep it tight at the back and hope he could get 8 points from the first four games, and settle for six. I’m less concerned about the mediocre football we’ve been playing without Dembélé than the very real posssibility he’ll spend a big chunk of the season on the sidelines due to injury.

 

You have only had about 2 in the last 3-4 years. You must be proper cried out.lol

 

Last season began in similarly sluggish fashion. At the time, I thought our pre-season schedule was to blame but now I'm more inclined to believe that the problem is the absence of a player most of us would've happily seen the back of barely a year ago.

Dembele started last season playing in the '3' before moving alongside Dier due to Mason's lengthy injury. In a twist of irony, that injury essentially ended one player's Spurs career whilst rejuvenating another's. I was one of his biggest critics until last season, but there is something about Mousa that is critical to our Plan A working. Based on the last 3 games, I'd even go so far as to say that he is the most important player in the side; the linchpin around which everything else is constructed and rotates.

I saw an eye-opening stat on the Beeb this evening: Kane scored 24 goals in 27 games that featured Dembele, and just 1 in 12 without him. More than this - barely any of those goals were directly or even indirectly (penultimate key pass) by the Belgian.

I agree with Huddlefro and others: a player with Dembele's skill set is too rare and too expensive to recruit back up for. This leaves us with one alternative:

We need a Plan B that actually works. I have no idea what that is but it certainly doesn't appear to be sticking to the 4231 system playing two defensive midfielders who actually protect the defence less than one did on his own last year, nor does it appear to be dropping Kane to a #10 position and playing Vince up top. These options leave us unbalanced, sluggish and unimaginative in possession.

I see the way forward for Plan B as a system more similar to the 4411 used by Harry. A more direct, pacy and counter-attacking side that plays wingers on their natural sides - there's no point playing inverted wingers if you aren't in prolonged control of the central channels as we aren't whenever Dembele farts. I'd like to see us go to Stoke with:

Vorm
Walker Toby Jan Rose
TBC Alli Dier Lamela
Kane
Vince

The TBC in all this is crucial. Although he lacks pace, Lamela's delivery from his stronger foot is top drawer and with two big lads to aim for in the box I think he'd be fine as a 'winger'. TBC used to be Lennon but then we decided to be clever and sell him. Now, I don't see anyone fitting in there unless we make a very astute signing before the window closes.

 

I love a Liverpool supporter who regards Spurs as a set of thugs.
I can remember a certain manager or two at Anfield who had a couple of butchers,namely Tommy Smith and a big colossal center half,who could willingly put you in hospital......and that was just 2 of 11.
Think before you ink,mate!

 

Probably missed Mane trying to snap two ankles

As for the last statement, Liverpool supporters always think playing against them is a "big game" regardless of their opponents

 

Because of their history it is a big game still.

 

Shame you lot didn't go on to read the rest of my comments

 

Nah he's right. This is still one of the biggest games WHL will see all season. The fact that 6,000 seats have been removed doesn't help, but the atmosphere was a bit flat. Early kick off partly to blame but as fans we need to be careful not to slip into the comfort zone mentality that United, Arsenal and Chelsea fans have - a period of relative success means that we are 'entitled' to expect nothing less, and when things aren't going to plan we stop singing.

 

Mane was lucky to stay on the pitch, granted.

However the 2 offenses after his booking the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt as they were clearly not meant, it's usually his pace that gets him in trouble with fouling.

Charlie Adam - I agree with you, he'd happily end someones career. Almost a modern day Roy Keane.

 

Tbh that's my biggest concern for Spurs playing their CL games at Wembley. It could have a very negative effect, i'll be interesting how much of a 'home' you can make it

 

That was a poor performance and our midfield was barely functional for most of the game.
The balance is well off, as we've replaced an attacking player with a defensive one and there's nobody pulling the strings.
Eriksen and Alli both look miles off the pace and are struggling to make simple passes.

Liverpool were the better side for most of the game, though they seemed to go wrong somewhere around the hour mark.
Coutinho didn't have his best game, but he ran out of steam and was then replaced and their momentum went.
I think that they only had one or two shots in the second half and they got double figures in the first.

We've got the stupidly timed international break up next, so it's hard to see how Pochettino will work on our disjointedness.
He needs to pick someone else in the middle alongside either Wanyama or Dier when we play Stoke, though.
We've got plenty of options there and it's clear that our current system isn't working, despite our reasonable results.

Two more moans, but neither are about the team this time.
First off, the officials. What an awful and inconsistent mess that was.
No control of the match, clear and obvious errors far too often and lots of big calls wrong. Not good enough.

Secondly and far less importantly, the dodgy, unbalanced coverage by Sky.
Alan Smith isn't that bad as co-commentator, but you can tell that he's an ex-Goon.
Hard to blame him for that, but why pick him for our games?
Pair that with a studio full of ex-Scousers and it becomes a Liverpool love in, which nobody wants to see.

MOTD also left out various controversial incidents, notably the Janssen penalty call and Mane's red card incidents.
Considering the low number of goals and relatively few clear-cut chances, I can't really understand that.

 

Just a massive Diego!

Spurs vs Liverpool is a big game however you want to butter it up

 

The ticket allocations did sell out within a matter of days as far as I know. The larger problem with Wembley is that it's impossible to know in advance how many of the seats have been allocated en masse to Chinese conglomerates or American tycoons for corporate/sponsorship deals. It's a problem that blights England games (together with the fact that we're simply ****e ).

I only started to worry about this after the draw came out - no real stand out names to attract the masses. I reckon stub hub will be rather busy prior to the Monaco and CSKA games as we sold packages for all 3 games and I personally don't know anyone who is planning to actually attend all three.

Having said that, we have had one of the best away records in the league for a few years now. Maybe it would be better to think of Wembley as an 'away' game

 

When you signed Wanyama I also said this, I thought they were playing for one spot in your 11.

With both you end up losing some flair which Spurs had last season, you've looked flat when both play. I'd have Dier there and if he's needed as CB you have a ready made quality replacement in Wanyama.

Strange to be playing with 2 DM's tbh.

 

Only our PL games can be sold on Stub hub .

 

Totally agree. I've been to all 3 stadiums in recent years and until they score they're like sitting in a Cafe.

I wasn't there yesterday, but it had that feeling to it.