Following on from the midweek shambles that was Tottenham Hotspur’s narrow (scoreline) but quite comprehensive (performance) loss to Southampton, manager Antonio Conte surprisingly tasted a home Premier League defeat for only the first time following his arrival at White Hart Lane and we head into this Sunday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers – hopefully – determined to get back to winning ways.
Victory in the early afternoon kick off would get us back on track in terms of making the most of the games we have in hand on those above us, but after what most of us thought was a January transfer window that was at least a start in terms of freshening up the group, back to back defeats would give rise to further questions about whether or not, we are now actually in a better place overall.
Injury wise, Eric Dier could well return for this one after we held him back on Wednesday, but it’ll be a bit longer for both Oliver Skipp and Japhet Tanganga.
All eyes to Sunday and at the very least, hopefully a far better and more commanding performance as the very least of our efforts.
Royal can’t defend. Reguilon can’t defend. Sanchez makes mistakes. Tanganga makes mistakes. Midfield easily bypassed Not much hope is there.
As for managers, we should be cautious in our assumption that Poch wasn’t backed by the board. Hoddle said money was available to him but he didn’t want to disturb the group he had. He didn’t reckon on Dembele being sold and Eriksen losing motivation however and this cost him big time. Preferring an unfit HK to Lucas in the CL final was downright stupid.
Oh well another game another roller coaster ride, Dr Tottenham and Mr Spursy
Which team will turn up.
I will say that we have been apparent slow starters of late, our 2 Midfield( Winks /Hoj) appear too similar.
Would like to see the new guys on the field and maybe even Bergs at LWB, he’s a strong fast player who could manage that position, if he had the focus.
Making no calls on this one, I suppose it depends on who the back 3 are🤔
LT -not much hope… for right now. But what were your expectations for this season?
Despite all of the obvious weaknesses you list, we’re still in the conversation for top 4 in mid February. That would have been a best case scenario with most fans.
Things could be a lot worse.
For me, if we are still where we are despite the weaknesses you list, and Nuno’s terrible tenure (first 3 games aside), that is down to AC and his ability to over perform with a flawed group of players.
I think we need to have reasonable expectations for this year and accept that we are still in transition. And hopefully the summer window will provide an opportunity to inject quality in the squad.
That’s the hope anyways. But for now, I don’t see how Conte could be doing any more.
I can at least see vision for the first time in a while. Hopefully Levy won’t stand in the way of that. But those considerations are still 4 months away.
Good points BS
I said earlier that I’d thought we’d be between 8th and 6th at best this season.
I suppose we still could be given Wednesday’s performance, however I don’t see Conte, standing for that.
Re S’oton I feel perhaps we were taken unawares by their intensity, as usually this fixture is a Gimme but the got us on the ropes and derervdd their victory, tho we were bad we almost nicked something at the end, and the fact e didn’t give up even at the very last seconds is to be applauded.
Th two new signings are in reality Contes first so let’s see how they do, I agree from your last post re Winks, he has improved, a bit, but is at best a 7 out of 10 and too similar a player to Hoj to play with him.
I still think we all need to moderate our expectations for this season, top 4/5 would actually be amazing.
I feel that for the 2nd half of Brighton and the whole of Saints will demonstrate to other teams how to play us . There have been other games where teams have out passed us in mid field .
However since the Palace away match Emerson has been shown to be weak and generally the team has only played well when the other team hasn’t been able to capitalise on our obvious weaknesses ( mid field and defence )
Conte has done well with this group of players but two signings won’t make us into a better than average side .
I still have hope that somehow we will achieve a European place in any competition so 5th or 6 th place would be a result given the evedence of the past week .
Still wondering about the RB conundrum
Conte wants a right wing back, which apparently Doherty actually is, and indeed seemed to do a good job for Wolves, when I see him play it looks like he can’t kick his own ar$e.
So we bring in Royal, who is, supposed to be a defensive RB, yet on Wednesdays’ evidence he doesn’t know how to defend.
We do have a serious issue in building play from the back and we are easily pressured into mistakes from the high press, when we do get it to MF Winks and to a degree Hoj, it goes backwards giving the defending team time to regroup, and if we then defend too deep on the 18 yrd box it let’s the attacking team come on to us in numbers, and the only out ball is a long ball to Kane or Sonny in a kick and rush fashion.
When we had Skippy on the pitch this was less evident and we defended higher, and for me both he and Hoj rotated to be the “playmaker or link” we had a high press and more intensity.
But again, regardless of who our manager is, our squad has shown it needs strengthening, I still think we’re busy getting “dead wood” out and it will be next season before we start to see progression, even then I feel we will have to be canny, given we don’t have the funds of a small country behind us.
Re tomorrow if our team selection is right particularly at RB and in midfield, then we can win OK.
Not to confident on this one, but still think a backlash might be on the cards for us.
Somebody said, Niall I think, that Scum caught us unawares with their high intensity football, well I say to that WHY? after all Scum have played like that Home n Away all season, everyone knew that except us of course.
Mr Conte get 3 in midfield and stop us being over run as we always seem to be.
Oh and get our forwards defending from the front.
Why not 3-5-2. COYS
BS, my expectations for this year we’re to be in contention for a top 4 place but an outside chance of actually getting there. So I suppose you could say that my expection is being met, but that is because my expectation of our rivals was higher than has been the case and so we find ourselves still with an outside chance. However my expectation was that a new coach would improve the team cohesion and technical ability across the midfield. Sadly neither Nuno or AC has been able to do either as yet, so yes I am very disappointed.
That was the point.
Yep your prob right PY, we have to do away with the three up front in order to strengthen oor midfield.
Yeh! Niall 2 strikers in the middle, wing backs supply, if possible lol! the 2 strikers keep their CB’s busy/occupied.
Say a 3 of Skippy, Hoj n Bentacur, Hoj in front to the 2 him intercepting any attacks early.
Just some thoughts, thus 3-5-2.
Think we played that v Liverfools, did ok if I remember correctly. COYS
That’s why it’s so confusing as to why he didn’t stick with the formation.
Yep PY well we might go to that on Sunday, but prob not.
I would like to see Lloris, Doh RB, Romero, Dier, Davies, Bergs
Benta, Hoj, Skipp, Sonny, HK.
Saw S’oton against Man U today, S’oton took something away from the game today and had they been given a deserved pen near the close could’ve and should’ve won it.
They looked a bit jaded at times after the game, against us.
But the result against us is a bit more in perspective, S’oton are no push over.
Niall, as a Tottenham lad, haha old now, living in the Portsmouth area, it chokes to me agree with you there regards Scum of the South.
Can we take the bite out of Wolves today, course we can! hopefully lol! COYS
What is conte thinking, stinker of a team selection. We are no better then we were with jose and nuno, conte looks way out now his depth.
So, change the wingbacks and hope for the best seems to be the plan. Let’s hope the new lad and Winks can form a better partnership in midfield. COYS.
How winks has started again clearly shows that conte is lost
Humiliation continues. Let’s see has conte a plan B
All conte did was change the wings back, and they are worse then the current other poor wing backs. This formation is simply not working as I see no progress.
Antonio, Antonio, Antonio, Antonio, Antonio.
Conte, Conte, Conte, Conte, Conte
Well…that was disgusting, playing a wing backs system without a single player that is remotely capable of being a wing back. How the hell is this ever going to work…
Just when you think that things can’t get worse, it has. If you have not watched this live, be very happy. Unbelievable.
LT listening was even worse I think, lol!
We are shit!
Nothing good will ever come w Winks in the midfield. Unfortunately a very low skill level of giving up the ball and not marking the opposition outside our box. Winks or Doherty should’ve been subbed out rather then Sess. Two horrendous home games in a row now and we have to go to Man City next. Not looking very bright at this point.
Davinson Sanchez put in 0 successful tackles, absolutely shocking from a CB who cost us a cool 42million. Not only that, he was hesitant all game and awful on the ball. Players like him and Davies are simply not good enough for a team aspiring to be in the top 4.
Add to that Winks and Doherty so that’s 4 out of 11 that are just not good enough.
Felt that Sessegnon was unfortunate to be hauled off. Very embarrassing and confidence shattering when it should have been Doherty. Big boob by the impetuous and grumpy Conte.
Any team that starts with Winks,Doherty and Davies is going to struggle. Boring, ineffective and lacking in skills.
Thought Bentancur showed some nice touches and is worth his place.
This match was another wake up call for Levy and epitomised his lack of vision and inability to tackle the transfer issue head on.
We have no young players to give us hope; we are useless in the transfer market and we have a dismal squad with an irritable and dispirited coach.