With pre-season coming to a close following last night’s narrow defeat, a few points worth discussing have arisen going into the Southampton game next week. Overall, the squad’s fitness levels will have undoubtedly benefited from playing four intense friendlies. The intensity last night was not as fervent as in past games, but with Roma putting us the cosh at times, our fitness levels were put the test once more and that will bode will going into next week.
Moreover, the fact that there were no injuries picked up last night is all we could have asked for. Going into Southampton, the only fitness doubt seems to be Skipp. Hopefully no more injuries in training this week!
However, as per some of the comments in the previous article, I put myself in the attacking/creative midfielder camp. While pre-season results and performances are not a concern, I can’t help but feel we will be in situations like last night where we’re drawing 0-0 or losing narrowly and need to split opposition lines and break the opposition down. Whilst the signing of one solitary attacking midfielder won’t single-handedly allow us to blow the opposition away every week, it provides Conte with the option to change the dynamic of matches like last night and give the opposition something different to think about.
A big plus was also getting 75 minutes out of Perisic and Doherty coming through unscathed, while Lenglet and Richarlison also looked bright when coming on. Plenty to work on, but plenty of positives!
The take away from the match yesterday: we’re not there yet, but I agree with omarhussein that there’s a lot to be optimistic about.
Too many opportunities scuffed away yesterday, but I expect this team to come together and be dangerous more often than not.
We could have used some midfield creation. lol. I guess that’s my theme this past few days. I’m hoping for some tactical alternatives for when situations change.
The best news is that matches that count are going to start in a few days. The PL is a tough tough league, so let’s see the lads get off to a string of wins in the matches that count.
My main wish for the season is to finish well above the Arse.
the English women just gave up their lead with 11 minutes to go at Wembley. not a bad match at all so far.
English women won Europe in London, but for much of the match Germany were the better team. Quite an accomplishment for the women.
Let’s see Harry Kane motivated to have the best season of his life. THFC can win if England’s women can. And if England’s women can win Europe at Wembley, then Spurs can overtake Citeh and Poo and take the league.
Quick start to the PL season, please. To much class at the top to fall behind in the standings in the first month.
Agree with all of your comments there mate, here’s hoping we get off to a flier indeed!
Can you imagine, omar, that years ago a thread on VS at times would hit 1,000 comments. I remember after an atrocious loss to Fulham–was it in an FA Cup match or something like that?–such a thread.
Folk thought it a great victory to make the first comment on a new thread.
Now a person could get lonely on here and threads come and go with no comments at all.
Maybe when the season starts for real at the week’s end the site will pick up a wee tad.
It was the FA Cup mate, yeah, a 4-0 reversal at Craven Cottage…nothing brings in the masses like negativity TK, here’s hoping that it doesn’t take a catastrophe of that ilk to get the site going again! Once the season gets up and running as you say the action may start to increase.
Let’s hope it’s a bit more than a wee tad, me lad.
Yes, that’s the match I’m remembering. The FA Cup disgraceful loss at Craven Cottage. No one saw that one coming.
You’ve a good memory. Perhaps you’re Fanny Adams from that era. lol. No, you’re far more civilized than that. Not a bit like Big Cockeral (sic).
On a different direction: I really have high hopes for Richarlison. I’ve liked him when playing for the Seleçāo do Brasil. Great spirit to the man. And competition doesn’t seem to bother him. He’s played regularly in the face of real competition for minutes under Tete.
He didn’t have much competition for minutes when with the Toffees, though. I’m curious to see how Conte rotates him with the front three from last season. Kane can rest easier when he eventually insults an ankle. THFC has a front three with him sitting. That’s never happened before.