If we look at the sheer number of goal attempts against Tottenham Hotspur in the last two matches (Norwich City and Burnley) and knowing that it was two goalkeeper errors that saw us concede just two goals – then our defenders have defended quite well, given the onslaught they faced in those games.
Writer: Hot Tottingham
I put the blame firmly on Jose Mourinho’s tactics for why we have had to face such large numbers of goal attempts against us. And when we see that it was a total of 21 goal attempts for Burnley on Saturday and knowing that most were in the 1st half, what does that tell us about JM’s overly defensive set-up yesterday, in that 1st half, in particular? It tells us that it’s not working. This is more than obvious.
Some suggest that Spurs risk being trounced on a regular basis because of our poor defence, and so this is good reason for Jose’s defensive, back-to-the-wall tactics. Well, if we had played any top club yesterday, with top strikers, I fear that we would have been thrashed out of sight by half-time. And it would’ve been mainly down to our defensive and completely negative tactics that serve to keep us on the back foot, with no outlet and seemingly, no midfield, to protect our defence or link the defence to our attackers. We were so negative. Poor. Really bad! Bad tactics, not necessarily, bad defenders.
It happens whomever we play in defence. Or in whatever formation. In the 2nd half, when we went on the front foot yesterday, it all changed. We looked like a proper cohesive team again. A team that had fight and spirit. An attacking team that came close to winning after putting the opposition on the back foot. In other words, we were much less defensive and more positive and forward thinking. We attacked! And Burnley had to resort to their own (dirty) defensive tactics in order to keep us out. They had to continually chop us down to stop us…and our players didn’t look anywhere near as leggy. They found some energy in the 2nd half. Like I will insist, a positive, and more attacking Spurs team will find their energy, playing football on the front-foot, and they will win more matches.
Hey, they still didn’t win yesterday. But after that incredibly poor 1st half showing, a draw felt so much like a win to me that I’m almost over the moon……how sad and bad is that?
I can’t say that I’m looking forward to RB Leipzig on Tuesday, and that is sad – because I can’t remember the last time I felt like that watching Spurs week in, week out…
Here’s hoping!
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