After a deeply disappointing North London derby against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur have another quick turnaround in the fixture list as we face Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday evening in the second leg of our Europa League Round of 16 clash.
Thanks to a brace of goals from Harry Kane in the White Hart Lane leg of the affair, to put it bluntly, we will have to be at our pragmatic and defensive best under manager Jose Mourinho to not increase the margin of victory and comfortably put ourselves through to the net round.
Jose...
In
Decide End Of Season
Out
The problem there being of course, just as we thought maybe the tide had turned and we would get our Premier League form back on a proper track, we continue to prove that we can be so inconsistent that I can’t be alone in fearing that home soil Dinamo will make up for their very unimpressive showing in the first clash.
Mourinho will again rotate for this one, but our pool of players shrinks as Eric Lamela serves the first of his two game ban, Giovani Lo Celso is still rated as doubtful for this one and even if Son Heung-Min does recover quite quickly from his muscle injury, you can’t see him even playing a part on the bench in midweek.
We’ll have to see if Mourinho has some unexpected good news when he gives his press conference later in the week.
Thanks for actually engaging with what I have to say Niall. Yes I would have preferred a more attacking central midfield from the start but without Hojbjberg I think Jose saw it as taking too much of a risk, particularly as N’Dombele seemed to be knackered by his Arsenal experience and Lo Celso was just back from injury. Both of these came on at 1-1 to back up Bale in attack and other attacking substitutions were made as the half progressed and those wonder goals went in. In all with extra time we had an hour of mainly attacking players on the field.and in that time we conceded two more goals in addition to the early second half goal. And no one here seems to have picked up on Sonny’s absence that could have also made a difference on the night.
Stan, nothing could make up for the abysmal performances against Arsenal and Dinamo. We have a coach/manager that is in charge of team selection, tactics and motivation. He is constantly failing on all three accounts. The players are demoralised and depressed. They lack drive and commitment. Our coach/manager never holds his hands up and says I fuc£ed up. Its always a problem with ref / decisions or bad luck. This dreadful dinosaur will go down as probably one of the worst we have ever had ( and that is saying something…anyone remember One day Ramos). Excuses excuses will not save Moanino. Enough is enough.
Stan
No worries, as I said, I was never a Jose hater, along with PY and others I was prepared to give him a decent chance, do I think he needed a better transfer chest, possibly, do I think the money which was spent was spent in the right way, then no, I would think that JM has had a good deal of input into our transfer dealings.
I agree that if Sonny and Hoj were on the pitch, there may have been a different outcome, however when I look at other clubs with 1 or two players missing, espically when 2-0 up we should’ve had the personnel to deal with this.
For me, on the night and this season, we have on too many occasions, been sluggish, pedestrian, bereft of footballing nouse, passion less, and down right lazy.
Yes there have been occasion when I saw the old Spurs back, but as I ve said it just wasn’t enough.
I now don’t think that Mourinho is the man to take us forward.
I’m not into Slagging the guy, with the “Dinosaur” comments, it was perhaps too much to take on, given that in reality we had lost our defensive back bone (Verts, Tripps, Rose, Wanyama, Dembele)
And there were some (Erikson) had downed tools, +all last seasons injuries.
I also think there are those who currently have their heads in other places look at their next move.
But I gave Mourinho a clean sheet this year, by and large, I Havnt enjoyed the experience.
For me, he is not the man to take us forward, I respect his impeccable record and even understand why we hired him, but for me (sadly) it just didn’t come off.
I do respect where you are coming from and understand your position, as it was my own thoughts prior to Christmas. I would’ve loved JM to turn our club around, but for what ever amalgamation of reasons it hasn’t happened, I can’t see Levy et Al going or 7 or 8 players being transferred for the money Levy wants, so the only option left is to get rid of the manager.
Thanks again for another thoughtful reply Niall. But Jose ain’t going any time soon and we are left with the players we have for the rest of the season. I’ve always believed it is better to light a candle than rage against the darkness as some do here ad nauseum.
Niall, I appreciate your not slagging Mourinho. I’ll gladly take on that task. I had not a drop of a doubt that he was going to be a disaster the moment I heard he had been appointed our new manager. I predicted in that hour that this was a decision we would come to regret.
Wish I had been wrong, but I saw no scenario is which hiring Mourinho would bring anything good. I didn’t much like his style when he was a young manager and his negative points have come to the fore more and more as he’s aged. I won’t be happy until the day he’s officially gone.
I wish I’d been wrong and would gladly eat crow for it, but unfortunately he’s been exactly what I expected.
Folks, not forgotten about match thread but yesterday’s Covid jab has knocked me for six today and I’m just too tired to attempt anything semi-passable tonight. I’ll get it done some point tomorrow.
You have my sympathy Danny, I was fine the day I had mine but the following morning I woke up feeling like I had been run over by a bus, fortunately it only lasted for that day and I was reasonably fine the following day.
Mourinho was a shocking appointment. Our clueless and tight as a ducks arse of a chairman f****d up again, the man has a atrocious record picking managers. The one manager that had us playing a brand of exciting football and challenging for titles got sweet f all backing in the transfer market and in the end finished up with a squad of players that run out of steam after years of pressing the life out of opposition teams. The simple truth is Levy, or Enic ain’t prepared go the extra mile to be a genuine top club. The simple truth kane and Son will be leaving sooner rather than later. How on earth did any reasonable fan ever think mourinho would be a success at our club, 1.his anti football management that’s outdated, 2 a shoestring budget, 3 a interfering chairman. Disastrous appointment Daniel son but I’m sure the Levy lovers will keep backing him no matter how bad it gets.
My second dose of vaccine gave me a fever for two days and i felt like I had a nasty flu. I trust you’ll feel better soon, and one hopes that the vaccine will help you avoid the plague of the early 21st century. Be well, Danny. COYSS. come on you Spurs supporter.
Danny, had my jab bout 2 weeks ago, knocked me for six for about 24 hours, what is COVID actually like. My sympathy to anyone who actually had it. They do say the stronger the reaction the better it works. You’ll be OK tomorrow m8.
Stan, nice words indeed, and I agree that we will certainly have JM for the foreseeable.
Just hoping the decent performances will come back again.
I suppose like many here(I was) venting a bit of anger and dismay at our current position.
But thankfully I’m not in the hot seat when it comes to team selection and tactics.
Stay safe folks, half the population vaccinated the light is at the end of the tunnel.
as long as the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t the headlight of an oncoming train. Right now we’re part of a race between vaccinations and mutations into new versions of the virus. and the mutations can happen in all those countries that have done almost to vaccinations until now.
Good health to all my Spurs amigos on this site.
If reports in the sports pages are true and Jose gave the players the silent treatment after the game in Zagreb then it would indicate to me that his relationship with them has broken down beyond repair.
We are gong the same way with the players and manager as 2019… Hugo said there was a problem in the squad. Levy wont sack jose now as too much compo. £15m + so I suspect there is a clause in jose contract, of not performance of target.. CL qualification etc. Which will reduce the payoff to jose. Also any top quality replacement will not be available until summer anyway.
Not down the south niall, utterly shambles our government is. So if you got vaccinated does that mean you don’t have to wear a mask anymore and can have house party’s with others who have been vaccinated?
Apparently, Brad Friegel wants Moanino to have more time so that the players can get used to his style. Ahem, WHAT? No thanks. Players and fans have shown they do not subscribe to the boring, defensive play. The football has been dire. Players are depressed and disillusioned. Drooping shoulders, exasperated expressions. Underperforming stars. Coach in denial. No more . Enough is enough.
Sadly no, 123 but whilst we’re all in the shit some of us now have a shovel. Ahh m8 you will get there.
I think the wearing of masks is going to be the norm until next year.
Let’s hope we get a wee lift on against “Villa and take something away from a poor week.
Danny, chin up mate, the Jab, some get something other’s like me zilch, nadda, nout, strange really.
It has been mentioned that our players are professional footballers and should etc, well for me our players are in a position of between a Rock and a Hard place, dammed if the do, dammed if they don’t.
They dislike JM and and his dated tactics, thus they want him gone….
So being professionals they go out every game and give their all whilst disliking everything/tactics and so on, look at the body language in these games, misery, unhappiness…result JM keeps job because etc
So they go out Play front foot attacking football, against orders, win some lose some, body language in these games says happiness etc, ok not happy when they lose but show disappointment…result JM keeps his job because etc
They go out hating everything they are instructed to do, this comes out in those games, poor ball control, passing of it, trapping even, lacklustre movement no will whatso ever etc. again body language miserable, unhappiness…result fans unhappy and maybe just maybe the end for JM.
If Spurs win, “What a brilliant manager I am”
If Spurs lose, “The big players were hiding, the players let us/me down” always the same, never JM’s fault.
I hope what I have written explains what I think. COYS
If there is a deep problem within the squad and Levy pinpoints Jose as being mostly responsible, I’ve no doubt that he would fire Jose straight away…
Levy is known for being tough but fair when it comes to THFC business. And if he perceives that there is a a problem with Jose, I’m certain that he will sit down with hm and discuss the matter in the hope of fixing it. And if he comes to the conclusion that in the best interests of the club, that Jose needs to go, then he will be gone. And that could be today, tomorrow or at the end of the season…
If Levy decides to wait until the end of the season, it will be down to Jose satisfying Daniels demands and/or convincing him that all will be ok. If not, then why would he delay the inevitable and not do what’s best for all, and fire him? Or as declared with Jose at Chelsea (both times) he will leave under a “mutual agreement”.
This of course is all in my own opinion. And I don’t think any of us can actually know, what and when a decision either way, will happen.
But when there is a rot, it needs to be tackled immediately. The nature of a rot is that it just gets worse by the minute, by the hour, by the day.
Stan. I could argue with you that a “proper (football) supporter” is almost the opposite to how you define them to be. And are not at all balanced in their views.
I could say that a proper supporter is overly passionate, far too sensitive and always highly opinionated. And that they will often show anger, frustration, joy, and even depression. (And all within a 90 minute match!)
They will swear and hurl insults at refs, players, managers, chairman and even ground staff when they are told to sit down and behave. They will sing, shout, boo or jeer. They can be extremely biased in one moment and very fair in the next. They might be heard to be demonising their own favourite hero of a player for missing a sitter, and then even occasionally be applauding the ‘enemy’ for scoring a stunner.
They may be very analytical in their judgments of a teams player or teams performance, or just plain happy or sad. And with or without the need for stats, criticism or anger, or anything too extreme, either way.
I could easily argue that a supporter that doesn’t at least show some bias and real up and down passion for his team, really isn’t true in his or her support. And that if they are always measured and attempting to be objective and fair, then that shows me a lack of true feeling for their team. A lack of passion. A lack of care. Win, lose or draw…
I could say all this, is what does or doesn’t represent true support. But I won’t. 😉
Thing is, we all go about it in our own unique way when expressing ourselves on here as an individual. And then, when in a group we may share our support in a totally united fashion. En masse. As one. Singing the same songs and chanting the same chants. Cheering or even booing together. Then again, even in a crowd of 60,000 and more, there are those supporters that will sit silently and just watch.
It takes all sorts, you know! 🙂
Jose In or Jose Out?! It’s all just a matter of opinion. That is all.
Or, we all just sit silently and say nothing. Nothing at all.
I meant subjective not objective. Or maybe it should be subjectively objective? Or the other way around…
I don’t bloody well know!
Maybe I should just quote one of the greatest of all Spurs’.
“It’s a funny old game, Saint”.
PY, I know exactly what you mean. And I agree.
It is not just about being professional or not. It’s not about earning a ton of cash… I think it’s a lot more complex than that.
For one, no matter how we may have perceived our teams performance or the body language of individual players on the night.Or Jose’s tactics etc. And no matter how we interpret Hugos after-match rant. I think we did see our players desperately attempt to win it in the end. Albeit too little, too late…
I think the poor loves are confused. Do we attack, do we defend? If I do this will I be on the naughty step for a week? If I don’t do that, will I be on the naughty for an entire season?!
HT I think the poor luvs are mainly terrified about making a mistake given the stick they’re getting from the manager, the media and even loyal supporters these days.. Another factor might be cabin fever which is making everyone more angry when things go wrong, particularly football fans where their team’s success is one of the few things that can give them a lift.at the moment.