It’s pretty obvious really …. football is a game of two teams. It is not logical to expect that the team we support will have everything its own way.
Spurs have dropped points against teams where all supporters expected a win. This often leads to frustration, even anger, from many supporters. But, despite this, we sit in second place on the table, above such fancied clubs such as City, United, Chelsea, and Arsenal (although, to be honest, I’ve never fancied Arsenal).
A mid-table or bottom club can take points from a top club …. on any given day. This happens more and more as many teams decide it is better to play defensively and get a point rather than play to win and end up with nothing. it’s a practical theory, and it works. We see that every week.
But many teams also realise that by sitting back and defending they could steal a win from a fast break. We see that most weeks as well. Every PL team has at least one or two players that are above average. They can turn any game, and they sometimes do. That is the way the PL will play out in future years. That is why predicting results can be so difficult.
Some supporters seem to see this as a problem that only Spurs have. This isn’t true. Supporters, generally, fail to give credit to the opposing team when they win or force a draw. We are more prone to pick faults with our own team. To demonise the team or the manager because of a poor result does not make sense because …. there are two teams on the park. To demonise the team or the manager after a series of poor results is a different matter.
The reality is that every top team will lose points they should not, on paper, lose. We beat Brighton but could have easily lost as they missed three completely open goals that ‘Arry’s missus’ would have scored (she was some kind of player)! Sometimes teams play well and lose. Sometimes teams play badly and win. It’s the unpredictability and competitiveness of the PL that makes it the most exciting competition in world football. How lucky are we to be in the mix.
If I’m not mistaken I think we all agreed that the recent Transfer Window was a great success and we now have (arguably) two players for every position. Given the amount of games on the horizon that was crucial for the rest of the season. It’s also pretty obvious that team rotation is a significant aspect of the game for the clubs fighting on many fronts. Clubs like Spurs.
This is where the manager, any manager, needs to make the right decisions. But those ‘right decisions’ are not easy to make. A manager has to ‘mix and match’ his players for specific games. He bases his decisions on what he sees at training. He expects that his players will perform at their optimum level when he picks them. But sometimes they don’t. That is not the manager’s fault although he often gets the blame.
When to use the bench during a game is a decision managers will, in hindsight, be vilified or praised for. But it’s a fine line of distinction. Again, many supporters are quick to demonise a manager when things don’t go as expected (or desired). Even during a live match thread, many supporters start calling for heads before the match is over. What is that about? How does it help …. especially when we often go on and win the game in any case. What those supporters forget is …. there are two teams on the park! The other thing to remember is that it is not the manager’s fault every time a player does not perform.
Most league games so far this season have been against lower clubs who elected to defend. Those games were often a struggle. But we sit in second place. We have only played one match against a perceived major rival … a team intent on attacking. It was away from home. How did that turn out!
Spurs cannot play the same way against every team because those other teams will play differently. There are two teams on the park. We will play much differently against United, Arsenal, Chelsea, City, etc, than against, Fulham, WBA, Brighton, etc. As supporters we can provide a better service to our club by recognising, and accepting, how modern day PL football works. Knee-jerk reactions aimed against team members or the manager are far from helpful or supportive. Of course, it might be a different story if Spurs were in the bottom six instead of the top six.
But we are second and will remain there until our next game against Manchester City at home …. a game that will see two attacking teams on the park! Whatever happens, it’s worth remembering that one game does not define a season. Gotta love football!
I think you have a point there jod but it’s the changing face of football that likely responsible. We are probably just coming to the end of a golden era of centre backs the best of whom are now in their mid-thirties, I could name some but I think most will know the kind I mean. I think the trend for having ball playing CB’s who can ‘play out from the back’ has seen the development go in this direction rather than having good solid defenders of the ‘made of granite’ kind.
I see Gio Lo Celso is being lauded for his performance for Argentina against Paraguay, still hoping to see him in a midfield 3 with Ndombele and Hojbjerg with Son, Bale and HK10 in front.
TQ ….I’d rather see Moura start up front until Gareth has had a few more games, Bring him on for the second half.
Hi TQ2Spurs.
It would be great to see all those guys performing together as starters.
At the moment all 3 of Bale Lo Celso and Ndombele are not at full fitness. But they’re getting there…
I think that Jose would like to see this as well. And I think he has so far done a good job, slowly but surely getting them all up to scratch…
Morning guys!
Yes, I’m happy to wait for them all to reach peak fitness before unleashing them. Reports seem to be questioning Jose’s assertion that Gio isn’t yet fully fit after seeing his performance for the Argie’s, I guess we should see this as a positive.
Morning all.
TQ, yes that would be my preferred 6 leading n defending, but as has been said 3 of them are not quite fit enough yet, though JM and his rotation is getting them there, regards rotation that is the way, esp this season, with so many games in close proximity to each other, look after them, simple. COYS
Morning folks
Really good debate here.
Re defence, I’m saying that in my opinion, we need a settled back 5, so that we have that unconscious working relationship, I don’t think we’ve found that yet.
And because it has settled yet, we may be look more shaky than we really are.
We are in reality (as HT says) no worse off than than anyone else in the leage currently.
And as Jod stated where are the world class CDMs
There must be very few about when Chelsea took on a 35 year old.
And I would argue that Man C have failed to properly replace Kompany.
As TQ says the golden era of CB’s is over.
But when you look at his line up its pretty impressive.
COYS.
Hi Niall,
I think City now have a pretty good pairing at CB with Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias but both can probably be categorised as the newer breed, whether either can be compared to the likes of Kompany I’m not sure.
I suppose Time will tell TQ.
I see one of the Irish team from last light has been diagnosed with Covid, he played 90mins, thus 14 days solitude, so what happens now with Winks and possibly Harry.
With all this happening we now have to play Iceland who have just been to Denmark, it just does not make sense to me. COYS
Agree PY totally internationals should not be played, also winks playing international football is another Q mark.
Off topic….good news Peter Sutcliffe, Yorkshire ripper, is finally bloody dead.
Why is that “off topic” PY?
Was his death not Spurs or football related?
I think he saw a football match once on TV.
Probably going back to my original.
Why the fek are we playing these stupid international games.
In the current climate just to get through the ordinary season would be enough.
Saw this coming.
Needless game causes havoc.
What about Doherty, he must have had more contact with the positive player than Winks!
Our players for Spurs, whether with England, Eire and other National teams are being tested all the time for Covid. And, there will not be a problem if all the Uefa protocols for their safety have been adhered to. Which has been the case, so we have been told.
And, players will only need to self isolate if they are tested positive.
It can’t possibly be 100% safe, but life never is, is it?
I see they have dropped pay per view at least until Christmas. 🙂
Covid scamdemic test.
How did winks pass international test
123
Thank goodness it ain’t just me with Winks.
Sorry folks I just can’t see it.
He may have had no symptoms