- May 31, 2011
- 8,840
- 20,317
Dembele wins it.
Ratings later. Fuck it really.
Ratings later. Fuck it really.
A strange game to dissect.
Walker appeared to have a good game despite every problem coming from down his flank from one player.
Dier also appeared to have a decent game yet didn't plug the vital gaps between the midfield and back four.
Think today's capitulation was a combination of factors.
First off, where is this fabled Pochettino philosophy? Stoke pressed the shit out of us and looked way fitter. We pressed in ineffective bursts and frankly looked knackered by the end.
Also, Poch is ridiculously rigid... He will just stuff any player into his rigid 4-2-3-1 regardless of their skillset or the context of the game.
It made sense to go 4-3-3 today, get Rose on for Davies to provide a pacey outlet for the counter and shore up the middle by sitting three midfielders there.
He just doesn't seem to read the game like a supposed tactician should... He was tactically outsmarted by an often ridiculed manager in Mark Hughes (and unfortunately that's not the first time I've said that about Poch).
Stoke in the first half literally had one player, which was Arnautovic. For what it's worth, he absolutely bossed us and an early yellow for Walker cost us the ability to get tight to him. However, Walker did well enough (despite consistently neglecting to recognise he only had one foot and wanted to cut in the whole time) but Poch should have tweaked it at half time to deal with him.
Cancel out Arnautovic and we win the game comfortably, it's as black and white as that.
The subs in essence were the correct ones (Kane looked exhausted and Mason had run his heart out) but we didn't have the right personnel to bring on (Levy I'm looking at you). We needed a pacey outlet and Lamela wasn't that, Rose even at LWF would have been infinitely more use. Bentaleb just isn't at the races currently and jogged round in a daze - he also proved to not be the correct sub. Would have actually rather have seen a hungry D. Alli come in and give some energy to the dwindling midfield.
Secondly, certain players didn't perform to their best. Too many sloppy passes, a lack of understanding for their positions (Dembele @ RWF and Dier @ CDM) also tired legs (Kane)
Our heads dropped immediately when they scored the penalty and we need someone to keep them focused and believing - no one did that today.
It's not the end of the world, we lost far easier games last season at home and still finished 5th but it certainly doesn't bode well.
With Leicester away and Everton at home following, I could easily envisage a situation where we are 4 games in with 1 point to our name.
Not to detract but it's blatantly clear we need a quality& experienced midfielder, one who can tackle and dictate play (the latter more so) and a pacey centre forward who is proven in the league (Berahino...)
Here starts probably the most unpopular post you'll likely read in Spurs Chat tonight.
Lloris - 8 - Outstanding. Two magnificent saves (Butland had 2 just as good, which ultimately were the difference in the two teams. We expect Hugo to make these now. Butland had little right to save v Mason or Kane), several other good ones. Great to have him back. But could argue a minus point deserved for the fact we went quiet when it went to 2-2. That's when you need your captain.
Walker - 7 - The battle of the game was Walker vs Arnautovic. I say battle as we dicked every other contest. Walker got a booking after 20 minutes and I was petrified after that. But Kyle wasn't. He continued to compete and despite Arno getting goalside a few times, Walker did really, really well.
Toby - 8 - Loses half a point for conceding a silly penalty. Crazy soft decision but ref was giving those all day. Otherwise outstanding, especially in the air and with two passes of 50+ feet that could have created chances. Top signing.
Jan - 8 - Brilliant partnership with Toby. We caught them offside a lot. He is leading the line very well. Never beaten as far as I could see.
Davies - 6.5 - Couple of poor bits of attacking play. Couple of times he wasn't as far forward as he should have been as we tried to shift the ball quickly. But he's young and his assist for Chadli's goal was outstanding.
Dier - 8 - Most Tottenham fans don't understand why he's playing here. They're the same ones who won't understand why he was Man of the Match. It's not even a new role ffs. Busquets has been doing this for 6 years. The fact this kid has taken to it so well shows what a brilliant pre-season we must have had and how hard they've all worked.
Mason - 7.5 - Massive performance. Was everywhere. Poch's biggest mistake was taking Mason off. The team missed him greatly when he left. Had several shots but it was his tempo setting that impressed me. Deservedly replaced Nabsy.
Dembele - 7 - Used the ball well, if predictably slowly. One of his better home games for us. Frustratingly shot when we were 4 v 4 and he could have slid in any other player to score the winning goal for us.
Eriksen - 7.5 - MotM in the first half. Used the ball so well and at the heart of all our best work. Linked well with all around him. Went quieter in the second half as Stoke came into it. But a good display.
Chadli - 7 - Could have had a hat trick. Got one. Made some lung-busting runs that put the fear of God into the Stoke defence. But didn't feel like much more than this was given. We really needed him to offer something when Kane went off but it proved too much for him.
Kane - 7 - Ran his bloody arse off. Huge bag of ice on his feet after being subbed as I presume he ran so much his toes caught fire. Every chance we got either went to him, was assisted by him, or was because his smart run created space. Deserved the goal that Butland, somehow, kept out.
Subs:
Nabsy and Lamela - 4 - Same comments apply to both: Neither should really have come on. Team was so in system and settled that any change was going to a) confuse, and b) make them look bad. And they both did look bad. But as much about those around them not performing as their individual contributions.
And to answer your questions, no this isn't naive or generous. For 75 minutes we produced a Champions League level performance. In five minutes we were sucker-punched twice, very unfortunately. Otherwise, you can't expect too much more of the group. Our system and strategy and every individual performance was very good-to-excellent. Really. I'm sorry that this isn't the considered view of the masses.