Telegraph article on why we keep losing to the top teams

[Trees]

Link below. Some good points. Kaboul needs to be taught how to tie his shoelaces.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...shed-by-the-big-clubs-why-does-it-happen.html

 

[shelfboy68]

Can only agree with the article there has been a lack of a strong minded winning mentality for years at the club and the disease seems to spread to new recruits each season.

 

[JerryGarcia]

The good news is most of that can be fixed with good coaching.

 

[Bobbins]

Does it say "They have better players than Spurs"?

 

[HotspurFC1950]

Can only agree with the article there has been a lack of a strong minded winning mentality for years at the club and the disease seems to spread to new recruits each season.

 

[Lufti]

65 goals in 24 games

 

[HotspurFC1950]

Can only agree with the article there has been a lack of a strong minded winning mentality for years at the club and the disease seems to spread to new recruits each season.

Hear hear.

 

[mpickard2087]

Some of it's ok. His split second examples of our fullbacks is bollocks though, especially the one with Rose.

 

[Blackcanary]

Can only agree with the article there has been a lack of a strong minded winning mentality for years at the club and the disease seems to spread to new recruits each season.

The thing is, that was actually disappearing - we improved in our record in 'big' matches throughout Harry's tenure and were generally competitive in AVB's first season (Emirates horror show excepted).

And last season all that good work seemed to be undone...

 

[Lufti]

The thing is, that was actually disappearing - we improved in our record in 'big' matches throughout Harry's tenure and were generally competitive in AVB's first season (Emirates horror show excepted).

And last season all that good work seemed to be undone...

Coincides with Bale leaving imo, not just with managerial changes. Players we have aren't that mentality strong in these big games, and when you have some like Bale you feel like you can win any game

 

[tottenmal]

Some good points raised, but nothing anybody who has actually watched the games between us and the top four wouldn't realise.

I think the big factor though, which although hard to quantify and analyse is belief. The performances we gave under Harry, with the 4-4 draws etc, weren't because of us having a better squad. Bale and Modric etc became world class £80m players through playing these games, we didn't purchase them like that before hand. We approached these games with a swagger (I hate the word but its true) and a belief that despite being the underdogs we belonged just as much at the top as the others did.

2 and a half years later thats been undone by bad result after bad result, due to a mixture of naivety, Spurs luck and stupid errors. So If it takes Poch a season getting us playing more compact and direct and keeping the scores low, then I'm all for it. As long as it starts to build that belief again that despite far less money and resources, we belong on the same football pitch just as much as they do.

 

[spike472]

I hate to say it but this is an excellent article with a lot of truths. That said I truely believe poch will sort this out given time. Danny Rose is case point and example.

 

[SlickMongoose]

I thought it was all Tim's fault?

 

[14/04/91]

Harry always advocated bringing in players with character, as well as those with talent.
Gallas & Parker are the 2 most obvious examples of this; they simply hated losing. Neville & Bellamy were scoffed at but again, they had bollocks.
And this was reflected in our performances away at top sides - we did improve.

Now without many of this ilk (Vertonghen in particular has disappointed me), we've generally regressed and didn't even look like we had belief in these games.

But we got a result at the Emirates so let's hope the attitude is improving.

 

[nightgoat]

I like the way it basically says 'we left out Man Utd because Spurs have beaten them and that wouldn't fit the article'.

 

[talkshowhost86]

We need to accept that at the moment these teams are considerably stronger than us and we need to adapt our style accordingly.

We did it well against Arsenal where we knew they were the better team and so we didn't go too gung-ho about it. We're simply not good enough to try and take it to the bigger teams at the moment (Liverpool this season being a case in point).

 

[SteveH]

The club have been soft very long time. My "favourite" 2001 3-0 @ HT @ WHL Man U lost 3-5!!!

 

[StuckinPoland]

better players or not...if Stoke can go to Man City and win, so can we. thinking otherwise is suicide.

similar tactics to those at the Emirates please, with a bit more pace to support Chadli and Adebayor when breaking. i'd probably drop Eriksen and start Townsend.

 

[danielneeds]

better players or not...if Stoke can go to Man City and win, so can we. thinking otherwise is suicide.

similar tactics to those at the Emirates please, with a bit more pace to support Chadli and Adebayor when breaking. i'd probably drop Eriksen and start Townsend.

The difference is Stoke have been getting men behind the ball, being physical, and playing percentages for 6 or 7 years, week in, week out under Pullis and then to a lesser extent under Hughes. We don't do it every week, and frankly the crowd at WHL wouldn't stand for it, so it's difficult to just slip into that mentality and sort of attitude, which is why the disciplined performance at the Emirates was impressive.

 

[StuckinPoland]

oddly, i remember us playing quite well last season at Man City when 1-0 down. conceding the 2nd and 3rd just before half time was what truly deflated us. AVB thought possession was key. Pochettino only wants it in the right areas. the contrast is interesting.

but playing that way at WHL is nonsensical (which is why we dont do it). but away from home? it makes utter sense.