It boggles the imagination that Poch finished 4th and reached the CL final with the two of them playing almost every game from Jan-June. The man was a miracle worker.
The way forward
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It boggles the imagination that Poch finished 4th and reached the CL final with the two of them playing almost every game from Jan-June. The man was a miracle worker.
Actually he wasn't. He was just a very good coach who got the best out of a decent group of players. Something Mourinho doesn't seem capable of. It remains the case that we got more points per game last summer with Winks and Sissoko starting most matches than we have this season with Hojbjerg starting in all of them.
I can understand why Mourinho prefers him because his attitude looks better. But I think he is wrong and Poch was right.
I disagree. The squad Poch had in 2018/19 (especially after Dembele left) was markedly worse than the one we have now. In fact, on paper it was one of the worst in living memory. Jan and Toby on the decline. Rose, Wanyama and Dembele broken beyond repair. Trippier and Dele woefully off form. Eriksen checked out.
Miracle worker says I.
I think you exaggerate a bit but perhaps my living memory is a few years older than yours. The squad that Poch took to the CL would have beaten every Spurs team I have watched since 1967.
Ally Gold's has decided to give his player ratings for the season so far, I won't copy the whole thing as he gives detailed descriptions for each player but here's what he's gone for:
Lloris - 7
Hart - 5
Aurier - 7
Doherty - 4.5
Reguilon - 8
Davies - 6.5
Alderweireld - 7
Dier - 5.5
Sanchez - 7
Rodon - 6
Tanganga - 6
Winks - 5
Hojbjerg - 8.5
Sissoko - 6
Ndombele - 7.5
Lo Celso - 6
Gedson - 3
Lucas - 7
Dele - 4.5
Bergwijn - 5.5
Lamela - 6.5
Bale - 6.5
Son - 8.5
Vinicius - 6.5
Kane 9.5
I think he's been generous with some of the defenders, I'd mark Toby, Sanchez and Dier all down 1 each, whilst I'd knock Aurier down by half a mark, as I would Lloris. I'd give Kane a 10, joint top scorer and top assister so far, there's really not much more he can do at the moment. I also think that based on game time and return, Vinicius deserves a bit more than a 6.5.
Lloris - 7
Hart - 5
Aurier - 7
Doherty - 4.5
Reguilon - 8
Davies - 6.5
Alderweireld - 7
Dier - 5.5
Sanchez - 7
Rodon - 6
Tanganga - 6
Winks - 5
Hojbjerg - 8.5
Sissoko - 6
Ndombele - 7.5
Lo Celso - 6
Gedson - 3
Lucas - 7
Dele - 4.5
Bergwijn - 5.5
Lamela - 6.5
Bale - 6.5
Son - 8.5
Vinicius - 6.5
Kane 9.5
I think he's been generous with some of the defenders, I'd mark Toby, Sanchez and Dier all down 1 each, whilst I'd knock Aurier down by half a mark, as I would Lloris. I'd give Kane a 10, joint top scorer and top assister so far, there's really not much more he can do at the moment. I also think that based on game time and return, Vinicius deserves a bit more than a 6.5.
Which for his 13 highest rated players gives (spare us the "position" jokes) :
- Subs
Davies
Vinicius
- Starting XI
Lamela
Alderweireld
Aurier
Lloris
Lucas
Sanchez
Ndombele
Reguilon
Hojbjerg
Son
Kane
Injuries aside, I wonder how many of the actual PL team sheet
start/sub lists perfectly overlap with the above :
So that starting team would be:
Lloris; Reguilon, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Aurier; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Lamela, Moura, Kane, Son.
Not a million miles from what was picked against Arsenal and bombed. Aurier for Doherty and Lamela for Bale.
How to improve it, especially against decent sides? We need a creative central midfielder who can dictate play, for a start.
Fullback and centre-half are the next positions that need to be addressed.
The squad past that needs a clearout. Too many players who aren't hungry.
Far, far too generous. I'd say:
Lloris - 6
Hart - 3
Aurier - 7
Doherty - 1
Reguilon - 8
Davies - 6
Alderweireld - 2
Dier - 1
Sanchez - 4
Rodon - 5
Tanganga - 5
Winks - 1
Hojbjerg - 8
Sissoko - 2
Ndombele - 7
Lo Celso - 2
Gedson - 1
Lucas - 7
Dele - 1
Bergwijn - 4
Lamela - 6.5
Bale - 6
Son - 8.5
Vinicius - 6
Kane 9
Lloris - 6
Hart - 3
Aurier - 7
Doherty - 1
Reguilon - 8
Davies - 6
Alderweireld - 2
Dier - 1
Sanchez - 4
Rodon - 5
Tanganga - 5
Winks - 1
Hojbjerg - 8
Sissoko - 2
Ndombele - 7
Lo Celso - 2
Gedson - 1
Lucas - 7
Dele - 1
Bergwijn - 4
Lamela - 6.5
Bale - 6
Son - 8.5
Vinicius - 6
Kane 9
Very Harsh on Tanganga and Rodon imho.
Alderweireld and Sanchez are a 5.5 or 6 when they played together.
Lamela worth a 7 on performances.
Ndombele and Hojbjerg too high as they have severely dropped levels at times.
It's difficult to be more generous to Rodon and Tanganga when they've barely played.
Bit generous on Doherty & Dier, mate!
Fair enough ... in which case you've been way too generous to Dier and Doherty
At a guess, the Air Raid tactics got around how both of them have a natural inclination to push the ball out wide - which that season would've been a nightmare given our fullbacks were hardly dynamic going forward, and in Trippier's case far more dynamic blaming teammates for not getting to the passes he misplaced to the opponents
Still far too generous....
I'm going to guess that putting in a shift counts for 2 to 3 of that score
In other words, he must have totted up the scores back in January, as Sissoko's bust a gut on the pitch as often as I have watching repeats of Hi-de-Hi
Clemence, Thomas, Mabbutt, Gough, Hughton, Allen, Ardiles, Hoddle, Hodge, Waddle and Allen - Would have given them a very good match
Aleksic
Miller
Perryman
Roberts
Hughton
Hoddle
Ardilles
Villa
Galvin
Crooks
Archibald
From 1981 were better as a team.
Lloris is the better keeper but Aleksic was good.
That 1981 back four is better.
The midfield from 1981 is miles better
Those lot behind Son and Kane would make a great team, but crooks and Archibald were fantastic for 2 years.
Miller
Perryman
Roberts
Hughton
Hoddle
Ardilles
Villa
Galvin
Crooks
Archibald
From 1981 were better as a team.
Lloris is the better keeper but Aleksic was good.
That 1981 back four is better.
The midfield from 1981 is miles better
Those lot behind Son and Kane would make a great team, but crooks and Archibald were fantastic for 2 years.