With Tottenham Hotspur getting themselves back to winning ways in the Europa League in midweek, this weekend was all about Slaven Bilic and West Bromwich Albion.
Having finally regained their place in the Premier League after a few years in the second tier, their readjustment to the top flight hasn’t been great. Seven games in, a total of three points and a minus 10 goal difference already.
Basically, given the form Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min are in, our 27-year-old England man will be confident of further chipping away at the remaining 66 goals that legend Jimmy Greaves now holds on him.
For us, three points on Sunday would be a nice boost with us sitting in fourth place ahead of Saturday’s fixtures and if we could reach 17 points, the top of the table could be interesting depending on what happens elsewhere.
As ever though, we have to focus on ourselves – we all know we are still capable of putting in a performance that makes everyone cringe and we have to ensure that doesn’t happen.
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As long as you keep winning there is always the possibility your play will improve as the season goes on. Once you lose touch with the leaders it doesn’t really matter how well you play after that. I’ll take the wins no matter how ugly.
A hard fought win. West Brom fighting for their lives, throwing their bodies / blocking… fouling HK10 Tanguy, sonny and playing 442. A spurs 90 mins effort which I am pleased about, subs were ok… Onto the next game… COYS
We’ve had some good results against defensive minded teams. Ugly 1-0 wins are very acceptable in these games, no matter how frustrating they are for us supporters. Every top club has difficulty in this type of game, not just Spurs. Now the games will change as we have a few matches against teams who want to win, instead of not wanting to lose. The next games should be a much better watch. I think! I hope!
Jose … the Donald Trump of the Premiership! Thank God for Kane papering over the cracks … ! Other prem sides will obliterate the Baggies … not us though ! Poch where are you? Please come back !!!!!
Jesus that was an ugly frustrating game, but we won, that is, winning these type’s of games, where a while ago it would more than likely have been a draw or a defeat 1-0 for us, so for me there are improvements.
The heavy schedule of games, coming thick n fast is also a factor, get/keep fit, no injuries etc, all for the future of the season, because there is a long one ahead of us.
We went top, though be it a short while, because Leicester won 1-0, from another one of those iffy hand ball penalties, we are in the mix, 2nd at the mo, “playing poorly” something must be going right.
An old ex-pro, Pompey fan mate of mine said to me after the game “no worries mate” “because if Spurs can win games like this playing poorly” “what the hell are they going to do when they click and start playing well” made me think, he could quite possibly be right there.
I also believe we will play a hell of a lot better v footballing teams, so bring em on after the Int’ break. COYS
Listened to the commentary and sounded pretty dour and uninspiring .
I have been a critic of Dier but sounded as if he played a blinder today .
Still wondering about the wisdom of hiring Bale . All we hear is that he isn’t fit and can’t last a whole match !!
Perhaps his age is a problem ?
Didn’t hear his name much on the commentary .
As others have mentioned we are winning ugly . Can’t wait for us to win pretty !!
We beat a team Thursday nite 3-1 it was away from home.
Where were a lot of your comments here.
It’s funny how some of you only come out when we edge past a team.
Tellya what go back 1 year exactly and see where we were then.
And how we were playing.
We’ve scored 6 yes 6 goals in 7 days Kane has 13 goals this season.
We won we are in and around top 4.
I’ll take that.
Villa to do a Leicester this season anyone?
3-0 win at the emptycrates, amazing what you can achieve with a bit of pace and passion!
Best a team can get, razor blunt we were today. As keeping a clean sheet you alway have a chance.
Just a little reality check for some of the less enthusiastic among us.
Man C v Liverpool (divers) between both teams 5 shots on target 2 pens
Leicester V Wolves Between both teams 5 shots on target 2 pens.
WBA V Spurs Spurs had 5 yes 5 shots on target no pens.
This is the premier league the most competitive league in the world that’s why it’s the most watched.
There are about 3 teams in Germany, 3 in Spain and 4 in Italy who have a chance to win a trophy each year. Let’s face it its boring.
For us the Premier league there are at lest 6 or 8 can take the title and at least 10 can win a trophy.
No match in the prem is a gimme.
Look at the Gooners yesterday.
Good result for us 2nd in the league get real.
Summed it up nicely, ND.
ND a good post there.
As others have said… the PL is the toughest football league in Europe, and thanks to TV and sponsor money the weaker teams have a better quality player than 10 years ago, there are no easy games now.
Spurs have shown we can win (playing ugly) these hard fought games, as there is great difficulty in playing “pretty” when the opposition have 8 outfield players defending, so against better quality teams who play attacking football we can play better. It is a good point to review where we were in PL a year ago… 14th place ! so Jose has done a lot of work, Levy has done his bit in transfers, players have bought in to jose’s wining mindset / philosophy…. now all spurs fans need to / should do the same. COYS
Niall we are all entitled to see it the way we do. You were pleased with yesterday’s game, some weren’t, its ok for people to see things differently. We didn’t play well yesterday regardless of how many shots other teams had in their games, if those teams didn’t play well that is not our concern.
Despite Spurs having scored 19 EPL goals already this season, I have read a lot of comments on VS and elsewhere, criticising our firepower and ability to put the ball in the back of the net, more often. (Spurs are currently the PL’s 2nd top scorers. Chelsea have 1 more PL goal, with 20).
So, I thought I’d have a look at the PL stats for shots taken, shots on target etc. As I feel that this kind of criticism always needs some perspective. How we perceive Spurs in their goal attempts, etc., becomes more clear when it’s relative to the rest of the teams in the PL.
The top 3 PL teams have these following stats;
Leicester City: Played 8. 75 Shots. On Target, 38. Goals, 18.
Tottenham Hotspur: Played 8. 111 shots. On Target, 48. Goals, 19.
Liverpool: Played 8. 133 shots. On Target, 49. Goals, 18.
Per Game Averages:
LC: Shots, 9.38. On Target, 4.75. Goals, 2.25.
THFC: Shots, 13.88. On Target, 6. Goals, 2.38.
LFC: Shots, 16.63. On Target, 6.13. Goals 2.25.
The Foxes are by far the most economical when it comes to shots taken and goals scored.
But, In the whole of the EPL, Spurs shots on target are just second to Liverpool over 8 matches. They have had 49 on target to our 48.
TBH, I’m not sure how accurate the shots on target stats can be. But whatever criteria is used, it applies to all teams
Make of this what you will. Here is the full PL table for these stats.
http://www.footstats.co.uk/index.cfm?task=league_shots
By the way; Harry Kane is joint top in the PL for shots on target. Mo Salah and Harry have had 15 each. (No surprise there, I think). And of course, Son is joint top EPL scorer, with Salah and Calvert-Lewin. All on 8. Harry K is still top Assister, on 8.
So, what’s so wrong with Spurs right now? What’s to complain about? 😉
Look at the positives from the game. First of course we got three points, Arsenal got none, Liverpool and City one each. Every time you win at the moment you seem to make ground on at least one of your competitors. Secondly the defence seems to be playing better, especially Dier. Thirdly while it was a struggle at no point did they settle for a point. Jose made positive substitutions towards the end of the game to try and win it, which we did. We will need that attitude going forward.
The points you make jod are what have given me reasons to not be overly criticising Jose anymore, for now. Over the past few weeks I have not seen the team overtly set up to be playing negative football. Which was my main criticism of Jose before.
I don’t mind hard fought wins by narrow margins if I see the intent is to play positive and attacking football, in the main. I’ve seen this. I don’t expect it to always work to the best of our abilities. But if we can win when not at our best? Well this is a very goof sign for me…
Also, as you pointed out, we are defending much better this season.
Morning folks
Some interesting posts.
Marky, I am aware that people are entitled to their comments.
WAnd no we weren’t fantastic yesterday.
But when you look at all those other teams, then, who did play well yesterday, very few by the looks of it.
HT came up with interesting stats re Kane/Salah, how many of his are pens, quite a few.
However what gets to me is those who only comment when we do play poorly or without flair.
What will we be like when we finally really “click”
We are winning these hard fought games this season, where in past seasons we came away with a draw or defeat.
We changed things round tactically to get that win I don’t remember us doing that much under our previous manager. It was one way /his way or nothing.
We are getting mentally stronger, I think we all prefer more open entertaining football but as has been said sometimes you’ve got to win ugly.
My main point is let’s take the good and the bad and call em out.
Don’t just call the bad stuff..
Good morning all,
Another unbearable watch yesterday but three points again. Another hard fought game, but the question for me is why are we making these games so hard fought. Burnley, Brighton and West Brom have one win between them all season and yet it was hard to know from most of these games which team were near the top of the league and which team were bottom. We got over the line in each game so the narrative of Jose knows how to get results begins. Playing so slowly and constantly giving the ball away is not how to win games consistently against any opposition and it certainly won’t work when we have the real tests after the international break.
Good morning folks, In my post yesterday was basically what everyone else is saying, does that mean a clearer picture of Spurs play/attitude/philosophy is emerging, of course it does.
ND, a couple of really good posts there, totally agree with you, I did have a little chuckle to myself esp’ at your post of 9.43am, because though written differently it basically said the same as mine, great minds eh!
HT/jod, ditto the same, great posts there, more great minds.
It has been mentioned about GB, was it worth it, not fit yet, blah blah, of course its worth it, of course he isn’t fit yet, because he has not played a full competitive game since February 2020, I think, its going to take time, but in every appearance you can see a little more of what he is going to deliver, so bring it on GB, by the way it would be foolish to expect the GB of old, after all he is 31 now, but we will and at times are, seeing a very different/hugely experienced type of player, this can only bring a lot to the table, on and off the park. COYS
Playing well or otherwise doesn’t always have a bearing on the outcome, we played poorly IMHO and won, City and Liverpool played much better and only got a draw, Sheffield United played really well and lost against Chelsea who were somewhat flattered by the 4-1 scoreline.
With regards to shots, my comment after the match wasn’t about the number of shots/shots on target, it was about the fact it took us until the 58th minute to get our first shot on target, I may be wrong but I believe we only had 1 serious shot off target prior to this. I appreciate WBA made it difficult for us, many teams do, leading to people theorising that every other team in the PL raises their game specifically when playing Spurs.
We only really started threatening their goal when we brought on the cavalry and showed a bit more urgency. I personally find it frustrating when, we start a match with (arguably) three of the top strikers in the world, and most definitely three of the best in the PL, yet cannot muster a shot on target in the first two thirds of the game.