The way I see it: his brand of high-pressing football was completely unprecedented in England when he arrived. Teams just did not know how to deal with it, most fans had never seen anything like it before, and we blew quite a few teams away. Having said all this, it was hardly revolutionary - only to those in the close-minded English game. However, teams gradually began to suss out that sitting deep and playing long (Mourinho especially nailed this) was the way to beat us. Look at how we petered out after such a good start. As everyone rightly points out, Poch really only does know one way of playing. In one and a half seasons we never came from behind to win. That's a ridiculous stat. He's been "sussed" in my opinion. So, although I thoroughly enjoyed the football we played and the progress we made, Tottenham are welcome to the podgy-cheeked bastard.
I was annoyed when we lost him and concerned at who we'd get. I have friends in Netherlands who sung the praises of Ron, which eased me. I loved MPs style of play, however I am now loving what I have seen of Ron's team in the first five league games and the two cup games. Evolution not revolution, though a few of the old players were revolting... Or so it seems
Koeman seems to like the pressing, attacking style, but is concerned about the gap left behind. He wants the press to be used at the right time and has encouraged the lads to shoot, rather than try to keep the ball at all times. You don't win games on % possession.
In Pochettino's first half season, I thought people were too quick to jump on the bandwagon as we had already been improving under Adkins and I thought we would have avoided the drop anyway. We did have some big wins/performances in the spotlight but also dropped some points to lesser sides. I didn't think Pochettino was bad, just that he hadn't proven himself as much as others thought. Then at the start of the second season, I saw how MP had radically transformed how the team played. It was a pretty disciplined, somewhat unorthodox (in England) way to play and to get the entire team to buy into it and play it like they've been doing it all their lives is an impressive feat. And it seemed like the team had bonded really well in terms of spirit, not just tactics as well. Around December, I kinda started to see the flaws. I was not really happy with the Lallana flap and the way Pochettino seemed to get a little whiny after losses. The coach fight. And Osvaldo turned out to be a disaster. I think MP had some influence in bringing him in, and he stood by him the whole time and appealed his suspension. Then the second half of the season, I started to see how he did not really change tactics well in games. And also how there were flaws in the high press strategy that he didn't seem willing to address. Like how despite the high press, it seemed like most of our best goals came off counters. Or how in the second half of matches there always seemed to be a let down in terms of intensity/confidence. But I think that happens with all managers. If the results are good at first they seem like geniuses. But system or person is perfect so as you watch over a period of time you start to see flaws. I'm sure it will happen with Koeman as well. Overall, I thought and still think that Pochettino is a pretty good manager. If he'd wanted to stay, I would have been happy to keep him and would have considered ourselves lucky to have one of the better managers in the game, and one who could get a lot better. I just think he made a huge mistake moving to Tottenham because he put himself in the pressure cooker before he was ready, and with a team that really isn't much of an improvement over the one he had. MP isn't going to be a disaster at Spurs. They'll be just fine with him. It's just that "just fine" doesn't appear to be enough over there.
Well I was one of those that stayed silent I think Adkins would have done OK and MP did bring some great football but it annoyed the hell out of me to have so much possession but never shoot and get done by the likes of QPR and Cardiff. I think many people stayed silent because on here at least any negativity against Pochettino was met with some very fierce defence and so I didn't say anything. I just left 'One Nigel Adkins' as my signature throughout his tenure. Not too hard to see what my opinion was was it? Koeman is a breath of fresh air. Speaks openly, is human and approachable. Reminds me a lot of Adkins in his style of play although there is no doubt he is a much bigger draw for players than Adkins. Was Poch a bigger draw than Adkins? Must be as we got some superstars because of him..............or was it because of Cortese? This pretty much sums my opinion up. There were times when you marvelled at his team's play and though he could be a world class manager before a crushing defeat where it wasn't working yet he continued with it.
Back in July I said "Gotta agree with Ralphy: to progress we needed to clear out our average players and replace them to 2 just as good if not better. If we got offered stupid money by stupid clubs - job done. Rickie - how many times did I hear "well not his best game - seems to be carrying an injury - but we love him" Adam - had a brilliant 15 minute spell in the first half - didn't see him in the second half Dejan - solid but injured a lot Calum - not actually as good as Nat Luke - steady - never scored a goal - injured/ill a lot So now that's enough gone - we have £100m to spend - we've kept the best Just need to replace them with 2 better - easy!" This didn't warrant a single reply. Was I right - yes I ****ing was!
Sshhhhhh! Remember that nobody likes a smart-arse. In fairness to MP, it was thrilling to see some of the football we produced before we ran out of steam. An undisputed 8th was a great result and we always seemed to be more than the sum of our individual players. I am very confident that we will not get caught by the sucker-punches we did last season but, Liverpool aside, we have yet to see how we play against the top six. Tuesday was very encouraging though, must be said.
Ah, could be why I can't dislike Jesus Perez. I still like the little fella and I'd have him back on the staff. And Toni Jimenez, come to that. To be honest, the only one I wouldn't have back is Pochypoos himself. The bloody turn-coat. What was it he said..? Your family is now family..! What a load of pigswill that was.
Personally I think anyone who thought you were going down at the start of the season are very narrow-minded. It was disrespectful not only to Ronald Koeman, but to the players that he had brought in. Liverpool are the Premier League team I follow and Lovren seems to have made them 10 times worse at the back. He was overpriced and not the ideal replacement for Agger. He played well for you though, just doesn't appear to be the right fit at Anfield.
Early last season I happened upon an edition of Monday Night Football for download, with Gary Neville and Jamie Gallagher. Both were effusive in their praise of Lovren, and the rest of the team from a defensive stance [we'd only let in something like 7 goals over the early part of the season - incidentally, our rate is even better now, so far]. There is no doubt that Lovren and Fonte were an excellent partnership, before Lovren's injury, and only slightly worse afterwards. Lovren was the player who burst out of the line to challenge, whereas Fonte was the guy who provided the solidity. As is always the way, the attention fell on Lovren, just like it fell on Michael Svensson when he was in a very similar defence partnership with Claus Lundekvam. The player who makes the challenges receives the plaudits. The player who makes sure nobody gets through receives what's left. Yet he is every bit as important.
Pressing high and dominating possession was thrilling but in certain games we needed to be a bit more subtle. We were always going to come unstuck when games came thick and fast (Dec/Jan). As someone else said: "Mourinho" set Chelsea up for the second half of both our matches last season and in both they cut through us like butter.
Much as I admit I enjoyed watching us last season and rated Pochettino it seems that I like most others saw through our tactics by the end. I distinctly remember posting about how I was getting sick and tired of reading "we deserved more from the game." Poch's biggest flaw last season was assuming that simply because we had the ball all the time we deserved to win the match. It drove me nuts.
Yep. One only has to look at Tuesday's game against Arsenal. Saints thoroughly deserved to come out winners of that match. Most of the high quality came from us, yet 57% of the possession was Arsenal's. It's not all about possession, but more about quality of possession. Taking it slightly further, there are modern football theories that a team is at its most vulnerable when it has the ball [yes, you read that correctly]. I've read and understood only quite recently about how teams are at their most dangerous when they don't have the ball. Wish I could bloody well remember how the theory goes because I don't understand it again. If anyone read it also and do remember, perhaps they can remind me..? EDIT: Phew..! I remember. I'm not a bloody idiot after all. It's simply this. A team is at it's most vulnerable when it has the ball because it is set up to having the ball. That is, it is in possession mode, perhaps even on the attack. The players are looking for space and moving away from their opponents. One single intervention [the kind that Morgan enjoys so many times] can put them on the back foot because it takes time for them to get into a closing down mode. That is when the opposition pounce with speed, while the other team are in transition from possession posture to non-possession posture. It's very powerful and Saints demonstrated its attributes very well last Tuesday. Hopefully, you see how it goes. 5 minutes ago I'd completely forgotten.
You have to do the whole trip to arrive anywhere, but I feel the Pochettino era was a wander up a cul-de-sac. Before Koeman came, I was wondering if the time Mauricio was here was worth it...but I guess now it looks like it might have been.
I really don't like him for how he ditched us, but of course it was worth it. People on here like an analogy: Nigel was the ex-girlfriend that was a lovely girl and your parents liked, but we ended it for someone who seemed sexier. The sex was still there though, albeit you knew what was going to happen. Posionttino was the hot, latin lover that left you a little breathless from the start and the sex seemed faster, hotter and sexier. There was also a new way of doing it. The bitch then left us for someone with a flashy car and more money. People ask you to look back and compare them? Well, the sex certainly seemed better with the Latin one, but there was still sex with both. Having the fling with the latin was worth it for that hotter experience, even if she dumped you in the end. *really don't want to put a sex analogy for Ron yet, but you get the feeling he's not faking it, but due to the last one, I'm just holding my breath a little*
