Futbol '22-'23

[Wombatz]

today might be interesting ...

well, that was miles off sordid affair, though there were clear chances on both sides the teams were creative mainly in finding ways not to score

[Wombatz]

so we watched the man u game at the bricklayers in the night shadows of white hart lane. in front of us was a table of koreans, three of whom wore son jerseys, plus two other son jerseys (on other folk in the room). kane, romero (?!), and dele once. the mood was negligible, but i wouldn't hold it against the pub. we have tickets for sunday ... maybe spurs can put in a shift, just this once, for us?

[surfer]

so we watched the man u game at the bricklayers in the night shadows of white hart lane. in front of us was a table of koreans, three of whom wore son jerseys, plus two other son jerseys (on other folk in the room). kane, romero (?!), and dele once. the mood was negligible, but i wouldn't hold it against the pub. we have tickets for sunday ... maybe spurs can put in a shift, just this once, for us?

Sorry Lutz and son, no can do. Hope you had a nice time anyway at the shiny new stadium.
They didnt play terribly, but ..... well I find this team hard to criticize. They certainly had better chances and more possession in the first half, but Lloris' blunder, and Almiron's pace to glide past Lenglet. You can poke holes in a lot of the first team: Dier's positioning is great but can be lumbering and clumsy. Lenglet is calm on the ball but can get spun around and lacks pace. Sanchez is athletic but really nervous and indecisive on the ball. Bentancour was excellent yesterday I thought. Bissouma provides a presence in deep midfield that allows Bentancour to take more advanced positions, but he lacks confidence right now to really assert himself when progressing the ball - the way Sissoko used to shuttle the ball forward with bursts of pace. Kane just looks slightly tired and wasteful but still has that poachers instinct of where to be in the box. Son is always a threat from outside the box but its not really working for him right now and he should have really scored that 1:1 with Pope. Skipp did his best Winks impression. The wingbacks are consistently the biggest issue for me: Sessengnon had a terrible game as far as I'm concerned, and his potential seems to evaporate a little every game. Emerson wasnt as bad going forward as he can be, but he just isnt the answer. This system whether its 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 depends so much on the service and finishing of the wingbacks, I feel like Doherty has to start, and Perisic, with managed minutes, although he hasnt been great either. Obviously the injuries to Kulusevski, Richarlison, Hojbjerg, and Romero hasnt helped, but the wingback play has been really poor, so many wasted chances from good positions.

I dont really blame Conte, I do wonder about the quality of some of the transfers though: Lenglet, Emerson, Spence, Gil, even Bissouma. All questionable. I think they were all Paratici transfers. He did nail Kulusevski, Bentancour, Romero, and Richarlison. They need to unload quite a few of those, in addition to Ndombele, Lo Celso, Winks. I'm sure there's others on loan.

[Wombatz]

it was pretty depressing ... the last half hour was no joy to watch, with newcastle settling in preposterous timewasting mode and spurs clearly unable to get much going ... still there were chances, but nobody in the stadium seemed to believe ... actually we were somewhat disappointed by the crowd, they seemed a fickle bunch even compared to the notoriously well-mannered rats fans. even after the kane goal there was no real spurring em on ... yes, it felt futile, but still.

it started pretty cool, the music is much better than in german stadiums, we were high up but it doesn't feel too removed and the view is gorgeous. the stadium is nice but lacks a bit character from the inside, we thought, like a dressed-up bunker with emergency seating. but spurs started lively and should have had a goal ... i need a pair of new glasses so i can't discuss individual performances in such detail, but it was obvious that the mood changed before the first newcastle goal as spurs increasingly started playing backpasses whenever the enemy jogged at them. by ccontrast, it was obvious that newcastle players had been forbidden to play the ball backwards, and so they held their line, and the crowd started grumbling, and spurs players started doing silly stuff (dier had a couple of screamers that didn't result in goals but could have). runs and passes that in the first minutes looked coordinated started becoming hail marys (increasingly through the game; of course they became easier to defend once newcastle noticed long balls were the only strategy). after the first goal (i'd say it was a foul, but the way lloris decided to fall on his back like a bug hitting a window pane looked so silly he deserved no whistle). then we got a properly doomladen thunderstorm during the break.

we do blame conte. yes, same problems for a row of coaches now, kind of. but in the absence of a midfield it's the coach who has to find ways for his team to get the ball up front. so much is so obvious. individual decisions were cowardly, but also the team don't play following a structure. once in the first half skipp (who refused a couple of shots but had good movements) was completely free at the edge of the box, son saw him, recognized who it was and turned around to look for other options instead of finishing the collective movement ... it's clear that spurs cannot play a high press, but unpredictable little press gangs work well for them, as in the opening minutes ... tell kane to stay up front and drop deep only occasionally for some more surprises. don't play through the back. run around some. i think conte expects too much of the individual and they can't deliver. what spurs haven't tried yet is a collective approach with a proper tactics geek, we want tüchel!

[surfer]

Great update, sorry the stadium experience and the on field entertainment wasnt what you hoped for. Longer response to come. I heard the home fans booed the team off the field at half time so loudly that it drowned out the thunder. I wonder if Conte stays, his contract is up at the end of the season. My sense is no, he goes back to Juve. God I hope they dont bring back Poch.

[surfer]

... it's clear that spurs cannot play a high press, but unpredictable little press gangs work well for them, as in the opening minutes ... tell kane to stay up front and drop deep only occasionally for some more surprises. don't play through the back. run around some. i think conte expects too much of the individual and they can't deliver. what spurs haven't tried yet is a collective approach with a proper tactics geek, we want tüchel!

I agree with you Lutz. Since the footsie with City, I dont think managers get hired at Spurs without the tacit agreement and consultation with Harry and possibly Son. And I dont think either of them want to or are able to consistently play a high press. Theyre getting older and dont have the legs for it, and I think Harry in particular is looking to extend his career and go after Shearers record. Extended injuries would obviously derail that and I think he wants to play a lower effort medium block and counterattack style which fits with the last three managers. He does not want to go back to a Poch style press.

Little press gangs (aka a more proactive approach) does work better when done selectively and targetedly. But it seems like Spurs are trying to tread water for 45 and reduce games to 1 half. Like yesterday, they get caught off guard trying to manage games when teams come at them with sustained pressing and midfield pressure.

Agreed they shouldnt on principle always play through the back, they didnt even do that 100% of the time under Poch. Its just too predictable and we arent Ajax to be honest. So many giveaways Dier, Sanchez, Lloris, Bentancour, really they all are guilty of it.

Kane dropping deep is sometimes the only outlet they have. If we had better wingbacks or a better deep lying DM playmaker he wouldnt need to but we dont. You could argue if we bypass the midfield playing direct balls, or selectively press we wouldnt need him as an outlet, but I do think they should play out the back most of the time, just not all the time. Plus Kane is undoubtedly the best playmaker on the team, so limiting him to target striker is not to our advantage imo.

"Run around some." Sure. I support this statement.

I also agree that technically some of our players are not of the highest caliber. Watching replays of Emerson just playing a simple through pass straight out of bounds, Sessegnon waste delivery after delivery, is starting to affect my mental health.

[surfer]

Crazy second half. What a difficult team to criticize. Obviously you want them to play as they did in the second half all match but maybe this is not something they're entirely in control of.

[roger.haddad.]

Decided to tune in to the Spurs/OM game since Liverpool were already through. What a rollercoaster.

[Wombatz]

that first half was the most insipid yet (except for some comic relief e.g. when dier twice answered the request for more crosses from the back line with unprovoked blind passes into his own box). luckily marseille aren't very good, still it could have gone wrong. some of the players, kane first of all, look sooo tired. let's hope england go out early. anyway, we just remembered that under mourinho spurs often played well until they had taken the lead and then started sitting back, so obviously we need a double team (unbeknownst to each other) of mou as first half coach and conte for the second half (and i guess a malfunctioning scoreboard but somehow we'll make it work).

[surfer]

kane first of all, look sooo tired.

"And through this there was a familiar sadness about watching Harry Kane in this team. He roams across those spaces, looks for stray balls. It’s just a kind of scavenging existence, living off your wits, pushing that trolley across an empty landscape. Early on Son picked up the ball, ran forward, saw only Kane surrounded by white shirts, then just turned and ran back – towards what exactly? – before finding himself surrounded." - Barney Ronay

He does cut a very Beckettian (or Cormac McCarthian) figure out there all alone in the opposition half, like a man being set upon by vultures.

[surfer]

Decided to tune in to the Spurs/OM game since Liverpool were already through. What a rollercoaster.

Roger thoughts on this weekend? Im sure Spurs will lose or at best draw, esp missing Son, Kulusevski, Richarlison, Romero. They are down to stone soup.

[Wombatz]

mature rats performance, rooting hard for a visit from spurs and for spurs to show up this time

[surfer]

Yeah they're quietly . . . . . . . . good again? Nkunku and Werner both in good form? How's my boy Gvardiol doing before the WC?

[Wombatz]

werner's out for the year. gvardiol is fine after some some struggles, good energy, sometimes awkward, but really i'll have to see how everything settles under the new coach. they always become better when they revert to type, still the rangnick blueprint, and allow for more chaos. how long can they do that ... now the rats boss is leaving to become red bull overlord, so there's only a few players left who remember how it's done (forsberg is good again). it continues to be amazing how well they always manage to repair things, but with all the foot and brain power constantly evaporating (nkunku etc. next ... not shedding any tears for nagelsmann, btw, who's so unlikable he truly belongs at bayern), further progress is hard to imagine.

[Wombatz]

hey, for once the performance was better than the result ... so is this progress or standard spursiness?

re cl draw: barf, pep gets a free pass and we don't get to see spurs or any interesting club ... since the boy is not a rats fan anymore, we wouldn't mind witnessing a slaughter, but not at the hands of the evil empire (who got gifted their weekend win again, as if they needed that, it's sickening).

spurs should be able to do this, no? or maybe not do it themselves but hoping for italian teams to combust is mostly a valid strategy.

[surfer]

Milan is not a bad draw, although I havent watched them much, Spurs should be able to handle them. Last time we played at the San Siro in the CL is one of my favorite memories of Spurs ever! "He's away Aaron Lennon . . . . CROUCH! YES!"

Antonio Conte's first 38 games under Tottenham have yielded him his highest points tally (79 points - more than Klopp and Guardiola got in their first season at City and Liverpool) of any club he's managed in his career so far.

The lineup today would have been fine had he started Dier in the middle, and Doherty in place of Emerson. Is Royal the worst Spurs player in recent memory with the ball at his feet? I'd even take early Sissoko. I'd take Aurier back in a heartbeat.

[surfer]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck31fhvo ... MyMTA2M2Y=

[Wombatz]

I'd take Aurier back in a heartbeat.

haha yeah we discussed him too, he would be such a good fit now and of course the energy would be welcome.

we'll be watching the world cup without any moral qualms but without much initial enthusiasm either. we just hope for the early demise of england so kane can get some sleep, for the early demise of germany because any nation state celebrations right here right now would make us puke, and for the coming out of some qatari functionary. just looking at the names of the teams, i will root for senegal, coasta rica, mexico, and of course the hosts. and messi will finally get his world cup.

[roger.haddad.]

I'd take Aurier back in a heartbeat.

haha yeah we discussed him too, he would be such a good fit now and of course the energy would be welcome.

we'll be watching the world cup without any moral qualms but without much initial enthusiasm either. we just hope for the early demise of england so kane can get some sleep, for the early demise of germany because any nation state celebrations right here right now would make us puke, and for the coming out of some qatari functionary. just looking at the names of the teams, i will root for senegal, coasta rica, mexico, and of course the hosts. and messi will finally get his world cup.

Called it, nice.

Very much looking forward to the regular season resuming. It was getting tough having so many casuals asking me if the US "had a chance" and such

I am not entirely convinced Gakpo is an ideal signing but I'll keep an open mind. I enjoy knowing United wanted him and we prevented that from happening but maybe they'll have the last laugh after all.

[Wombatz]

can spurs please go for tüchel now before he takes over another worn-down klopp team? spurs so very obviously need a tactics geek, the lack of energy might seem befuddling with conte on the sidelines but really it's because nobody knows what to do. and miracle of last season my ass, what's that to do with handing over the points at home to aston villa?