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!
In view of your first comment regarding the senior sides performance, maybe your view of the future for England might improve if we could find a manager who can harness the talent that will be at his disposal!
Again TQ am in agreement with you there, it certainly isn’t the Yes man we have in charge now, then bodes the question…..who should it be?
Hot Tottingham – If Jose doesn’t win anything we’ll be in the same position as we were under Pochettino and Levy will have to try and find another manager who can win things. The only other option is to give up.
That’s still not an answer to my question, jod.
My point is about Jose’s football being perceived as a win at all costs game as opposed to a more positive style, as say with his long time rival, Pep.
People are defending Jose for being a winner in the past as a justification for his apparently negative style of football. How can this then be justified if he doesn’t actually win anything?
I’m just being theoretical here but it seems that no one has an answer, other than he will get fired. Poch was given 5 and a bit seasons. Jose doesn’t get that much time at clubs, even as a winner. Why?
TQ2Spurs – I am also very cautious when it comes to predicting how U21 players will go on to impact a senior side.
Within the last 5 years, England have won tournaments in several underage categories. For the U20s for example, I remember them winning the WC, with Josh Onomah arguably being their most influential player.
With all respect to Onomah, I’m not expecting him to strengthen Southgate’s squad anytime soon, if ever.
On the other hand, players like Jamie Vardy have come out of nowhere, and have probably been more important players for England over the last few years than some of these hyped youngsters.
I’d be curious to see what the conversion rate is from underage squads to the senior squad, but I’d imagine it would be quite low.
It’s the same for Belgium – I don’t see many, if any, players from the U21 squad becoming big players for the senior side in the near future.
BS…….I can’t disagree in respect of Onomah but even that U20 side that won the WC didn’t have the same number of individually talented players all over the pitch that I watched last night. I’m just trying to look positively at England’s future prospects but of course they could all fail to make it to senior level, or as I said to PY, they may get there and be ruined by poor management.
BS….well written there, some very good queries, no answers though, I am with you there generally. COYS
TQ, The main concern I think Jose might have with starting Lo Celso AND Ndombele on Saturday (which I presume you were suggesting), is that Lo Celso has travelled to South America for his 2 International games and then played against Peru in the early hours of this morning, UK time. He won’t have had much recovery time…
On the other hand, Tanguy stayed at home.
Serge played for the Ivory Coast in Madagascar yesterday. Hopefully he comes back fit and ready, if needed…
HT…..that’s why I said ‘if fitness allows’. :- )
As you say, we will need Aurier ideally, the positive could be that although it’s a fair distance from Madagascar the time difference isn’t as bad as it might be if he had been playing in the far east or the likes so hopefully there won’t be too much of a jet lag issue. Isn’t Tanganga back in training now if needed to cover?
I forgot to mention Tanganga. It was the reason I wrote “if needed” about Serge. I had Japhet in mind as an alternative.
Japhets injury was quite a serious one if I rightly recall. And it was said that he could be out for a good few months. It seems he was back in training sooner than was initially expected. (I am a bit vague on this).
I know that he was on the bench for a match a few games ago (?) but did he get injured again in training or was he knocked back with the original injury? Because he hasn’t been seen since, on the bench. (I think)!
Again I’m going to be vague here; but was it Liverpool that he made his first PL start in and was it at RB or as a central defender? All I remember was that he played very well vs Pool and in other games in different positions. Which made me think that Jose must have a good bit of faith in him as a young guy.
Some very good posts here today, regards travel/distance/fitness, just brings back “why all these bloody Internationals” it certainly put the Clubs players in an unfair dodgy situation, thus Club or Country.
It has been said many many times, esp on here, no matter how “fit” these players are, they will not be able to give 100% game after game in a week, so basically the Club and its fans suffer, you cannot even use rotation because the majority of the players we talk about are first choice for their relevant Clubs.
As above note! Sterling pulled out of the Belgium game, but I bet he is fit for Saturdays encounter with us. COYS
Whether Sterling is fit enough or not to play Spurs, his form has been poor this season. He has not been able to fill Aguero’s boots as well as Pep would’ve hoped.
And, his main provider for England plays for us! And he is in excellent form.. 🙂
I’ve checked it out. Japhet did make his debut vs Pool. And he played at RB. We lost the match 1-0 at home. But I do remember him playing a good game… Funnily, Aurier played ahead of him in a middle 4.
Good posts folks here.
Hope you don’t mind an outsider (non England fan) giving his tuppence worth.
Re the Belgium game, I’m not sure how Southgate picks his team and who was available.
However even since the last World Cup and before, I could name 8 or 9 of the Belgium team on the pitch. Similarly with Spain in their successful run several years ago.
England and in particular Southgate seems to me to be chopping and changing players and squads either to try to get his former under 21’s into his team or to suit public/media opinion.
As I alluded to earlier and I think BS said re Vardy character, there are some older better English players out there being over looked.
He seems to me as a safe pair of hands, but unfortunately no dynamic.
I still argue that we set aside 2/3 weeks in October and perhaps the same in June for internationals.
For me it would be better for all, it would allow a chance to build a national team spirit.
A longer time to work on international tactics
Early injuries can be dealt with and replacements brought in.
Players can focus at this time on their international duties and need not be thinking of their next premiership game and having “Stirling esque” injuries.
It would hopefully also do away with Needless fekin friendlies.
Hope you don’t mind guys.
Niall, your views on England are no less valid (as an Irishman) than my views on them (or Ireland) as an Englishman, with a wee bit of Celtic blood in him… 🙂
The game against Belgium wasn’t actually a friendly – it was a Nations League game.
To some, the competition may be likened to a glorified friendly but I actually see value in it.
Take the example of Belgium – a golden generation, but still a small country and a FA with limited funds. Historically, if we wanted to organise a friendly with a big nation, it was too expensive to do so. The bigger teams would ask for a lot of money for them to “grant the privilege” of a friendly against a small country.
The end result was that the Belgian FA couldn’t/wouldn’t pay, and Belgium was left playing smaller teams they could afford to face.
For Belgium, the Nations League has created a competititon where they can regularly face top teams based on meritocracy, without having to pay their way onto those big teams’ schedule.
For England, it’s a different reality as the FA is wealthy, so the advantage of the Nations League is less obvious compared to friendly games.
ND …. Not sure June is a good month for any serious football. It’s between seasons and fitness would be an issue. It’s also the time when many footballers go on holiday with their family.
I haven’t indulged myself in the England/Southgate debate on here. I have far too much (boring stuff) to say on it, given how I view others POV on the subject. But at the moment I’m not fussed enough to chip in. I’m fully focussed on the beautiful (or is it ugly?) Spurs, at this time. 🙂
All I will say is; (against popular belief it seems), is that I think Southgate is doing a good job and knows full well what he is building with his diverse and mostly quite young squad.
The final judgement that means anything of any real substance, will be when we play the next major tournament. The delayed Euros. And need I say, in the last one (the World Cup), Southgate and England did quite well… As did of course that tiny country over the English Channel, known as Belgium… 🙂
Hot Tottingham – To the normal mind when someone has been successful in all his previous jobs its reasonable to start with the assumption that given time the probability is he will be successful again. But that isn’t your starting point is it ? you are absolutely desperate for him to fail so you start with what if he fails. So what if he succeeds, what then ? Given his track record that seems the more likely outcome.
Cheers HT
Geof
Re the June date was just thinking on giving the players about 14 days off.
Then 3 /4 qualifying games over a week or two a bit of June /July off then back to training for mid August kick off.
Gives us something to watch over the Summer “lull”.
As usual m8 being a wee bit selfish. 🙂
jod, with respect that is a silly way to respond to what is a genuine question that i have just put up for anyone who wishes to debate upon it… I didn’t give my personal opinion on Jose’s football.
Of course I don’t want him to fail. In fact, I’m fully behind him right now. (I certainly wasn’t last season).
I was hoping that those posters that continue to knock him would also respond. As it seems not one of them have yet to contribute to this interesting and well written article and general debate on various stuff.
I’m surprised that people still justify Jose’s football as being almost necessarily “ugly” and yet (funnily) I’m not seeing it that way myself… Which is surprising to me… 🙂 I’m mostly enjoying this season in a poitive way and don’t actually feel any need right now to justify Jose’s tactics etc. I’m okay with it.
And, my question is no less hypothetical than those who say we will win something with Jose as to those who don’t care anyway, because they don’t like his ways…. We still get Jose out! on here, even when we win…
He has won me around… And, I am certain myself that we will finally win something and, in this season.
PL anyone?!
Hi HT
Good Post just now, I’m with you again, tho’as I said, at the beginning I was on the fence ref JM much (I think like PY).
I do feel we are improving and are easier to watch.
Though not as good as Poch days. TBH
But I can at times see the tactic at work and I am enjoying it for what it is. Some times in retrospective terms perhaps a day or so later. If that makes sense.
If we don’t win anything, we are in reality no worse off.
But I’m not contemplating that for this season. I feel we are rather unexpectedly knocking on the door of a trophy +top 4. I’ll take that for this year.
As for the negative posters, they’ll wait for an eventual draw or defeat and come out then.
I will give DH some credit he came out to play in the earlier pages.
But for me like many of his peers, his comments lacked evidence.
But it’s how he sees it I suppose.
BTW hope your wish comes true for Kane and his Saturday Hatrick
I’ll be negative and wish for City to score none.
COYS.