If you beat City then it’s still on, IMO. They’re not of the vintage of some of Pep’s previous teams and the CL is a massive thing for those players and the coach. As a Spurs fan I’m still nervous.
Aren’t Spurs fans always nervous?
Look, in theory, what you’re saying is correct. However, I’ve been watching my team a lot and the way we are defending now compared to before the World Cup is like chalk and cheese. I truly cannot believe I am watching the same side.
And although I know Saliba has been missing for a little while, these defensive issues have been a problem even when he was present.
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I don’t know if teams have identified weaknesses in terms of set pieces, that maybe weren’t being picked up on before, or that certain players can be exploited if you target them more. Maybe it’s the players having more lapses in concentration or not knowing how to keep calm during different game states.
All I know is that, with the way we are defending, and the frequency of these Dr. Jeckyll-Mr Hyde style performances we are seeing, I don’t see a world in which City don’t turn us over relatively comfortably.
I’ve been watching them more recently and they appear to have come good at the right time of the season. Ruthless, efficient, defensively sound and well-structured in and out of possession. We’d need to put in a hallmark performance (or for them to have a seriously, seriously bad day at the office) to win at The Etihad.
It’s a very long shot.