With an aggregate victory over Pacos de Ferreira in last night’s Europa Conference League clash, it turns Nuno Espirito Santo’s start to life at Tottenham Hotspur from good, to quite impressive.
Three wins from four as we head towards September, is no bad return, especially given the confusion and issues we have to deal with – although thankfully the future of Harry Kane is now off the table until at least next summer. Everyone hopes the squad is added to, a most have their preferences for who we move on to help cashflow, but for now, it’s all eyes to Watford.
It’s been a mixed start for the Vicarage Road outfit with a win and a defeat from their opening two ties, so arguably ‘form’ is in our favour for whatever that counts for at this early stage of the season, but the return of Kane is a massive confidence booster on top of what has been a defensively steady beginning.
Let’s see if we can make it three PL wins from three and then get a bit more business done.
Well I finally watched the whole 90mins+ on Sky’s Game of the day last night.
My thoughts in general we deserved to win it, was slightly the better team, our finishing was a bit! well rusty, controlled the game, defending so much better and it will get even better, long way to go but hey! even as we are playing, we are Top of the league 3 wins 9pts zero gls against, can’t be that bad eh!
Oh yes! and Arseholes are where they should be, at the bottom lol!
As for Our Arry, am inclined to agree with other comments, though I believe the “is he going or staying” will not commence again until next summer. COYS
I’m not as unhappy as HT in this, whilst I’m not “Cock a hoop” I’m still very pleased with our position.
Re our playing style, I was a bit underwhelmed by our acquisition of Nuno, simply because he was a bit defensive minded, that’s sort of what we’ve got folks, I’m just pleased that we’ve lost, to a degree, our backs to the wall, pedestrian, defend a 1 – 0 lead mentality.
Dave and Dier are starting to look a bit more settled in defence, I’m wondering is this now down to tactics, our back 4 or 5 have now been the same for 3 Premier matches in a row, when was the last time that happened?
There isn’t much on the way of flair, but we are athletic and workman like in our performances, perhaps that little bit of flair and entertainment will come in due course.
Re shots from mid field, I’m still wondering, are the other players deferring to Kane, as in he’s the only one allowed to score, for me the only player who didn’t show this was Bale, he knew I’m as big a name as you and if I want to shoot I will.
I’m much with DH and HT here for me Kane should’ve gone, I think the team lost a bit of flow with him in it yesterday and he also does this in an England shirt, somehow the team slows down with him in it, I can’t put my finger on it, but we were a bit less with him there yesterday.
And he should’ve came off about 70 minutes.
There is still time to get rid of more of WW’s “not so magnificent 7” if Aurier were to go in this window, I’d be reasonably happy, then a few more in the New Year.
We do still need a RB and someone in midfield plus a back up striker.
Re Man U Wolves, looking at this contrary to what a lot of pundits, are saying, I think there is little to fear from United, even with Ronaldo, I seem to remember that we beat his Real Midrid team twice when he was a good deal younger.
They can be dangerous, but always very very lucky with decisions, Wolves took em to church yesterday, which to a degree puts our result against Wolves in perspective.
But hey we’re top of the league Arse are bottom , still time to get a few faces in and out, I’m pretty content.. 😉😊
I feel a little sorry for Wolves, I’ve watched all three of their games live and can honestly say they have been the better side against all 3 opponents i.e. Leicester, ourselves and United who were particularly lucky to get more than a point from the game. If Wolves can convert there excellent play into scoring goals they are going to be a real threat.
The word I used was underwhelmed. I’m not unhappy.
But, like yourself Niall, I felt that our play slowed a bit with Harry back in the team… And, this is what i was underwhelmed by. Yes, as has been said, Watford did defend in numbers, which is always hard to break down. (It worked well for us in the first part of last season). But I felt that we played into their hands by slowing our play down and not being that bit more sharper in our attacking intent. But I feel this will come… It’s early days, after all.
But, it’s great to be up at the top. It’s gotta be better than not being up’ top! 🙂
TQ2.. yes mid september could be better… Oh, just thought of the rod stewart song… maggie may, when he had to be back at school… lol
Hi Folks
Yep defo should as I said earlier have the internationals set aside and October Around Halloween would be a good time, we’re a couple of months into the season set aside 2 weeks for internationals then into the Christmas rush.
HT saw your not “jumping for joy” statement so just thought that I was perhaps a bit further ahead in my satisfaction with the result.
My hesitancy to be I suppose over joyed is down to :
How we’re playing
Uncertainty over Kanes’committment
The new manager set up
Transfers in and out
Plus we’ve been here before under Mourinho around Christmas, then nose dived, so Im tempering my celebrations.
However over two seasons now on two occasions, for at least a while we have been top of the league, it doesn’t happen every year and(I suppose) should be enjoyed. 😊
Add my voice to the chorus of doubts about HK’s commitment right now. But I’ll wait a handful of matches until I conclude that he’s not as motivated as he should be. I’m sure he’s been through the wringer in the last few weeks. Here’s hoping he can find it within himself to play like he could if we were happy. but a disappointed man is a man with internal distractions.
Can you imagine that Citeh went all in for Grealish, but not for HK? That must sting.
Like HT, I was underwhelmed with our play yesterday although delighted with the win, no goals against and top of the Prem for two weeks.
However, it was a boring game with little creativity. We have scraped three 1-0 wins when games could have easily gone the other way and we would probably be bottom. We cannot ride our luck in every game. We need more flair and goals if we are to stay in top 6.
So pleased that Oliver Skipp has benefitted from his successful season at Norwich. ( they are definitely missing him) . The partnership with Hojbjerg is looking very good.
I am disappointed that no one has come in for Aurier, Winks and N’Dombele who are no longer required. We needed the money for an extra right back, creative midfielder and striker. (No one on the bench yesterday would have helped our team in these departments) We have not signed a decent striker for years and years.
I think our signings have been ok but not matchwinning. Lots of names mentioned in the tabloids but it looks as though we will have to make do with our present team and a weakish bench.
I wonder what Santa Paratici will bring in the way of pressies over the next 33 hours or so?
Rumour has it we have made a concrete offer to Barca for RB Emerson Royal and has been agreed, if so it might be an indication that there is interest in Aurier. It was reported that he might replace Celik if he made a move to AM.
Also reports that Pjanic will move to Juve if McKennie joins us.
It’s said that Barca want Bellerin to replace Emerson, now that would hurt the gooners wouldn’t it? :- )
WW will agree with much of what you have said in your last post.
However would argue that we didn’t exactly scrape our wins.
We were much the better team yesterday and I still think that whilst Wolves did have a lot of possession against us, we had the better chances and their keeper was lucky on two occasions with his saves whilst I’d suggest that Lloris was comfortable in goals in the last two games.
We haven’t played in our signature cavalier, attacking style, but what I’m satisfied (if not pleased) with is the fact that we’re not pedestrian and we are defensive but on the front foot, it’s not quite what I want but better than last season.
It’s still early days we’re top of the league playing “badly” if we think on it almost everyone had written us off this season, but somehow even in this time of dissatisfied, distracted players, management changes, players in and out, we are some how on top of the league and Arse who have just spent 150 mil on players are bottom.
As I said I wasnt overjoyed with our acquisition of a new manager, as for me he was too like JM in his tactics, that being defensive and hit hit them on the break, what did we expect?
But I’ve got to give the guy a fair chance we’re doing OK points wise if not performance wise so for me I’ll wait and see where we are when new players are bedded in and if we get any one else on board.
Where we are after Christmas will tell the tale..
You make a very good point Niall, I think many Spurs supporters had accepted that this would be a transitional season during re-building, and had therefore tempered their expectations, so winning our first three without conceding has to be a positive.
Yes Niall. I was just drawing attention to the 1-0’s. On a bad day, the scores might easily have been reversed. We had a pen against Wolves and a fortunate free kick goal yesterday so we are definitely short of scorers.
I am disappointed with Bergweijn who seems very tentative and lacking in grit. Lucas is blowing hot and cold and is unreliable. We have no midfield general to dictate play and score from distance. Just hope Dele carries on improving. We are left with Kane and Son to score for us.
Very pleasing to see that Skipp and Hojbjerg are controlling the defensive side of things and protecting the once suspect partnership of Dier and Sanchez. Tanganga and Reguilon look comfortable too.
Our bench is weak with no supersubs or potential match winners.
I am eagerly watching the last few hours of the trransfer window but little hope of a decent signing or two. Great shame that N’Dombele didn’t turn out. Such an exciting and skilful player. Did Jose ruin him?
It’s all about determination. That’s what’s different so far in these three games. All of the players are more determined to fight higher up the pitch and the result is that Sanchez and Dier are less pressured into mistakes. You could see it most clearly against City after the first frantic 10 minutes we slowly pushed them back. I think we missed Lucas on Sunday. He breaks the lines and forces defenders deeper. Shame that he doesn’t convert more often.
I think Deli poses a difficulty. His defensive contribution has been much improved and he does carry a threat with his late runs into the box, but he isn’t a creator. Hoj seems to have improved his passing but Skippy needs to offer more that just a stopper.
WW take your point, however the likes of Leicester and Man U have been lauded over performances like these over the last few years, I know that isn’t the Spurs way.
But if you look above to LT ‘S quotes which outline much better than my own, there is improvement from last season, at present in a time of massive change for us, goodness but we’re punching above our weight, that’s sort of my point.
Agreed we need players in, EJ (remember him?) and I were banging on about the likes of Aaron’s and Kessie for two seasons now, before Doherty or N’Dombele.
I still can’t fathom who would come to us as a centre forward now that Kane is staying, perhaps the likes of Welbeck as a back up but I think now is too late.
Does anybody have any opinions on Paraticis’ performance, for me as I read it he was tha guy to “raid the cream of the Italian league and bring it to us, so far we have a goal keeper, where’s the RB, midfielder and RB.
Niall…it looks like we have a new RB about to sign, fingers crossed.
It was never likely we would see an influx of talented Italian players, there is very little precedence for their top players coming to play in England, they just don’t travel well, and who can blame them given the choice of playing games in Rome, Naples and Florence as opposed to Burnley, Newcastle or Wolverhampton. No disrespect intended.
Doesn’t look like Ndombele is going anywhere in this window, is there any chance he could redeem himself?
Didn’t realise England had 3 games in the break, they play in Poland on the Wednesday night while Spurs have a 12.30pm kick off on Saturday. Not good for Kane or any other Spurs players playing on the Wednesday.
My point from earlier TQ
I’m not a fan of these breaks for internationals during the season it needs to be better managed.
Not forgetting several of our players are going to be half way round the world.
We’re top of the league and coming back to a 12:30 Saturday kick off. Now who does that favour???
Re the RB I’ll believe when I see the Spurs shirt on his back. 😉😄
What will happen today. We definitely need to offload a few Aurier, Winks, N’Dombele and Doherty to save cash. ( That will not happen I’m afraid…we are stuck with them!!).
Also if we are really ambitious and want top 4, we need a couple of decent signings. Looks as though Emerson Royal would be an excellent signing if our offer is accepted. We desperately need that creative midfielder and back up striker…as usual, we are too late to get any business done. The top 4 will be (yet again!!) Man C. Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool. Can we compete with our current squad?
Another of my worries is that we sign so called future, young stars like Sessegnon and Jack Clarke and they seem to go backwards. Its a great shame that we are unable to produce decent young players ( Skipp and Kane excluded). We have fantastic facilities so what is going wrong?