Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United

Everyone gets lonely...

 

Won a trophy and then 2 points from 8 games, that wasn't dull it was horrific.

 

UBER TOAST

get the app.

 

Uber only do waffles (the toast-avoiding b*stards) .

 

In that case

 

Awful at times but rarely dull until the beginning of the 08-09 season.
There was a 5-1 win over a decent fulham side, a 6-4 win over Reading, the 5-1 v the goons, the 4-4 v Chelsea and the Cup final win

 

Massive win!

Not only in the sense that it was a London derby but we really needed to right that wrong from last season, plus with the 'Wembley woes', early signs suggest it's going to be our away form which is going to be key to any potential success this year.

Whisper it quietly but Sissoko actually had another solid game in the centre of the park, weirdly enough it's been in all of our fixtures away from home - Newcastle, Everton and now West Ham. Still missed Dembele though.

Aurier had a real up and down game, some good bits of play, great last ditch tackle but then massively let himself and the side down with the silly red card. It was a challenge he really didn't need to dive in for. Maybe it's just the eagerness to impress but I feel he just needs a bit of calming down. It's clear as day he's a top class player, just needs to adjust a few aspects, though with Poch's track record with full backs, he'll be firing on all cylinders in no time. Logic says he'll travel to Apoel now so that Tripps can be fresh for Huddersfield next weekend.

Good finishes by Kane and Eriksen.

Loved Llorente's cameo. Came on, won about 4 of 5 headers to keep hold of the ball and put pressure on then became an immediate Spurs fan by offering out any West Ham player in sight .

Well done boys!

 

Interesting that for his first yellow, the ref indicated to Aurier it was for persistent fouling. That is a concept I've never understood - it's a foul then you give the advantage to the opposition, if it's done cynically or nastily it's a booking anyway! But the main point I wanted to make is that the ref didn't seem to keep a tally going of persistent offences by several Spammer players. So it's bad enough getting booked for not much really, but at least be consistent about it!

 

I think that puts the Mark Noble Why The **** Hasn't He Been Booked count up to at least five then...

 

https://www.not606.com/threads/tottenham-hotspur-v-west-ham-united.353084/page-12#post-10980492

< you amateur >

 

MOTD focus on the impressive performance of one particular Spurs player in this game. Which one? Sissoko.

 

Still far short of the performances expected for his price tag,
but getting some opportunities to rectify that. I hope that WC
year + Spurs campaigning on several fronts this season
will have the desired effect in raising his game by the week.

 

They pointed out that he was fit and did lots of running. That and he stared down that little ****, Noble.

They didn't analyse his contribution to their first goal:

1. Play Hernandez onside by being the only defender to be immobile when the kick is taken;
2. Let Hernandez pull away from you towards the far post by ball watching;
3. Feign total surprise when the bloke puts a completely free header into the net, somewhat akin to the level of surprise one would expect if a magician produced a pair of mating elephants from a top hat.

 

I think the reality is that until Lamela is fit and/or we bring in Barkley, we're going to be seeing a heck of a lot of everyone's favourite Frenchman.

As poor as he is as a footballer, his levels of effort this season have been incomparable to last season. Perhaps the effects of losing his international place in a WC year, perhaps Poch is getting in his ear, who knows? One thing's for certain over the past half dozen games: if Dele's last name was Sissoko, he'd be getting a lynching on here. His saving grace (and it is admittedly a big one) is that he can spend 80 minutes doing **** all and still pop to score a crucial goal. Other than that, the young diva looks about as invested as a eunuch in downtown Bangkok.

What I liked about Sissoko's display yesterday was that he showed a passion I thought beyond him. From squaring up to Ignoble, to genuinely celebrating the 3rd goal, I am beginning to warm to the great lump. Slowly.

 

Don't think that Dele has been immune from criticism on here recently, despite him still managing to regularly score and assist.
It's about expectations: Dele has set his personal bar so high that his current somewhat lackadaisical performances are even more evident. Sissoko on the other hand is showing noticeable improvement in his effort levels, but when we broke the club record transfer fee, the expectation is for significantly more.
Mind you, twatting Noble would have endeared him for life!!

 

The thing with Alli is that even when he's playing badly, you still can tell he can play football, it's just that what he's doing isn't quite coming off. Sissoko's all over the place and it feels like different people are using him as a host body each week, like in Being John Malkovich. I like the guy and I think he's just low on confidence but you really wouldn't guess that he's been playing football at the highest level 8 years when you watch him play. He suits the intensity and physicality in our game though so it's not all bad, it's more just that when we're coming up against top sides, we'll struggle to get the results when we're carrying him in the game.

 

We're exceptionally fortunate that Eriksen has gotten off to the start that he has this year. This time last season, both he and Dele were ambling aimlessly around the pitch most games while a combination of Son, Lamela and Stoke being ****e helped us get our season up and running. The Dane has hit the ground running this season, and from Son's contribution against Dortmund, I'm excited to see him in action again on Tuesday night.

Dele's biggest problem is that opponents know he is much easier to wind up than Kane and Eriksen yet equally as important to our overall success, so he is being marked and 'niggled' out of games. At the ripe old age of 21 he has already reached an apex of his career and will need to evolve to another level to maintain his current meteoric trajectory. The fact that he already has 3 goals and iirc 3 assists despite being largely tripe is testament to his incredible natural ability. Just hope he can sort his head out and focus. Maybe Llorente can have a word or two. Or three.

 

Thought that this was the bet assist of the match...within 10 mi utes of coming on the donkey gave us a hand in 2 goals

 

Up to 3-0, you looked a class apart.
After 3-0, the defence looked very uncomfortable under pressure and there was nobody keeping hold of the ball in midfield.
It's early season, but you're missing Dembele and Wanyama in midfield and the width and pace of Walker and Rose.
This is not suggesting you are off the pace, but if the standard is that of the title winning team, then these issues need sorting out.