This is very simplistic (but then you are a teacher!). Our defence has been the cause of our upturn in form before this latest blip and Burn and Targett were outstanding in that. We were playing a back 4 in all those games and Schar worked well in it. However they came up against a front line today that are very mobile, with two strikers where one is not afraid to come short while the other runs off. With Kulusevski playing just behind them it leads to a very potent attack and we just couldn't cope with it once they got going.
Against a team playing like that, and playing a back 4, that you really need a holding midfielder who can pick up the strikers when they drop deep, so that the defenders aren't pulled out of position, as we have very little pace at centre back. We didn't really have that. Unfortunately it wasn't obvious until half time as Spurs never really got going properly until then.
Our midfield is still our weakest area. I don't rate Fraser at all - he is meant to be an attacking midfielder but doesn't seem to have the pace or skill to take players on and always turns back to the fullback. Shelvey really isn't up to a game like that. In hindsight I would have played Guimaraes as the holding midfielder, with the responsibility to pick up the strikers dropping off and leaving the central defenders to hold their positions.
I thought Manquillo had a poor game as well yesterday. He lost his man for the 2nd goal and couldn't cope with Doherty coming forward so much.
Wood was non-existent up front. If he isn't winning balls in the air and holding balls up then it makes it very difficult for our midfield to feed off him. Starting to think that he was much better suited to Burnley's way of playing than how Howe is trying to get us to play, but don't think we have other options at the moment. Gayle for me is not an option.
A really bad day at the office but hopefully we can get back on track in the next 4 games.
