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Lack of mental strength or ability?

Biggest hurdle


  • Total voters
    144
  • Poll closed .

Shadydan

Well-Known Member
Jul 7, 2012
38,247
104,143
Once again, our mental strengthed wasn't questioned when we were scoring those late winners recently, why is it all of a sudden an issue now?

The truth is though it's somewhere in between, lack of quality especially having key players in injured at times this season and not losing Dele was a blow too far but at times I think we lack the nous to get through games and dig in but it's not exclusive to us it happens to everyone. Don't think it's a problem that some people are making it out to be mind you, we've already proved that we've got mettle about us many times this season, more often than our perceived lack of mental strength is bought up anyway.
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
So what I want to know is - what differentiates say Liverscum players and our players when it comes to mental strength - why are they mentally stronger? and before anyone says theyre not - they kinda are, just look at the last two results... when they needed results they got results. We needed results and we fucked up.

Its not that they have better players because all I hear is our players and particularly first 11 are as good as anyones with perhaps the exception of Man Shitty.
 

Cambridge Spur

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2015
346
1,133
So what I want to know is - what differentiates say Liverscum players and our players when it comes to mental strength - why are they mentally stronger? and before anyone says theyre not - they kinda are, just look at the last two results... when they needed results they got results. We needed results and we fucked up.

Its not that they have better players because all I hear is our players and particularly first 11 are as good as anyones with perhaps the exception of Man Shitty.
I think Liverpool are better than us at present. Fullbacks are better than ours, midfielders are better than ours, Mane would also get in our team. We were better, they’ve strengthened their squad, we haven’t and some of our players have regressed.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,385
Something else that seems to afflict us is that we pull off a stellar result like we did v Dortmund and then immediately afterwards we go into a slump where it looks like we expect lesser teams to roll over. That is definitely a mentality issue that nedds sorting out, and has needed sorting out for quite a while.
 

CoopsieDeadpool

Well-Known Member
Jun 8, 2012
18,257
70,419
Yep should have a 'both' option.

We all know we're lacking quality & need to upgrade/refresh, whatever you wish to say.

Mentality is, in my opinion, unquestionably weak. Yes, I agree with @Shadydan , nobody was questioning our mentality when we were scoring those late winners recently.

But I still say our mentality is unquestionably weak. Why? Well because of those late winners, funnily enough. Each and every one of those winners came when the games were coming thick and fast. We were playing every 2/3 days and the players simply never had time to mentally shut off, culminating in a ridiculously good second half performance, and result in the CL.

Then we have a break.

Look at the performances since those late winners, and the emphatic second half in the CL, and the preceding 9 day break. Everyone's gone missing. It's like they're unable to mentally switch back on. Weak mentality if they can't get themselves back to where they were before a break.

A few of us have said it on here for quite a while now. Breaks seem to do us no favours at all.

Can't wait for the upcoming 3 weeks without a match :cry:
 

SugarRay

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2011
7,984
11,110
Well, I would class mental strength as being part of a players ability. So it’s a combination of both.
 

jay2040

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
2,635
4,165
So we are third in the league despite a tough season with injuries, World Cup hangover, no signings or home ground.

So things are good but naturally we want to improve.

Lots of talk of certain players not being good enough and also about us not having the mental strength to get over the next line.

So is our squad quality or mentality our biggest hurdle right now?


Pointless debate as you have to factor in the opposition's ability and mental strength, and as the opposition changes game to game you would need to assess each loss individually, I think!
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,985
81,899
Pointless debate as you have to factor in the opposition's ability and mental strength, and as the opposition changes game to game you would need to assess each loss individually, I think!

That’s just really weird.
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
I think Liverpool are better than us at present. Fullbacks are better than ours, midfielders are better than ours, Mane would also get in our team. We were better, they’ve strengthened their squad, we haven’t and some of our players have regressed.

Their fullbacks are definitely better... maybe not better than Rose at full pelt but agree in that they have a better squad. I just think Why do they have better mentality than us, i dont think it is to do with just quality of players. I hear them and they seem convinced they could go all the way

Just annoying
 

dtxspurs

Welcome to the Good Life
Dec 28, 2017
11,234
46,574
I thought that WC semi's loss was going to help us solve this problem? Hmm...
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
Mentality is the buzz word around Spurs. It will continue to come up weather we like it or not , until we break free from the norm. The norm for Spurs is we play decent football, we compete up to a point, then the wheels come off selling our best players and start over again.

Some changes have taken place though were now competing later into competition, were not selling our best player readily however we’re still short
 

vegassd

The ghost of Johnny Cash
Aug 5, 2006
3,356
3,330
So what I want to know is - what differentiates say Liverscum players and our players when it comes to mental strength - why are they mentally stronger? and before anyone says theyre not - they kinda are, just look at the last two results... when they needed results they got results. We needed results and we fucked up.
If you only look at the last two results it also looks Chelsea are a gritty and determined team full of leaders who are playing for the shirt... which they aren't.

I do agree with what you're saying in terms of Liverpool getting good results when the pressure is on, and us struggling to do so when similar pressure is applied. But there's also the Leicester and West Ham results for Liverpool - by no means easy games but ones they (and everyone else) expected to win and would have seen them pull away at the top. It's a different type of pressure and they didn't respond well to it.

What I actually think is that our league can still see games go either way, even though the talent gap between the top 6 and the rest is massive. I think we would benefit from a couple of additional "leaders" in the dressing room to help keep the whole team switched on for both the pressure games and the "easy" games.

I can see why Poch may have turned down the likes of Grealish/Tielemans if they were on the table if he doesn't feel they have that quality. We do need to add something to our squad in terms of mentality though in my opinion.
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
If you only look at the last two results it also looks Chelsea are a gritty and determined team full of leaders who are playing for the shirt... which they aren't.

I do agree with what you're saying in terms of Liverpool getting good results when the pressure is on, and us struggling to do so when similar pressure is applied. But there's also the Leicester and West Ham results for Liverpool - by no means easy games but ones they (and everyone else) expected to win and would have seen them pull away at the top. It's a different type of pressure and they didn't respond well to it.

What I actually think is that our league can still see games go either way, even though the talent gap between the top 6 and the rest is massive. I think we would benefit from a couple of additional "leaders" in the dressing room to help keep the whole team switched on for both the pressure games and the "easy" games.

I can see why Poch may have turned down the likes of Grealish/Tielemans if they were on the table if he doesn't feel they have that quality. We do need to add something to our squad in terms of mentality though in my opinion.
Any Suggestion?
 

Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,341
87,796
I just see the usual Spurs DNA still... we go on a flyer, have an amazing run of form, culminating in a season best performance against Dortmund... then 10 days later we go to Burnley expecting to roll them over and get caught out. That makes us wobble, and in this case we've gone up against a team who love to beat us.

Complacency is the problem, as it always has been imo.
 

mil1lion

This is the place to be
May 7, 2004
42,333
77,592
I think people over analyze things at times. Every team will hit a stumbling block every now and again. We've seen Liverpool and City drop unlikely points too. In fact in December we were a similar distance off the top as we are now. We went on a great run and both City and Liverpool dropped some points. All of a sudden we get about 5 points off the top and we're talked up as possible title contenders. Then it's us who drop points while the other 2 keep winning. The league just fluctuates. We were never really likely to catch up back in December, we just closed the gap and then it opened again. Hopefully the same happens with us and the 3 behind us.

I think we're rightfully the 3rd best team at the moment but Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea are not far off. Everytime we fall short people will say it's the same old Spurs. The truth is we're not the same old Spurs because we never used to even challenge for a title. We're in a different bracket from past seasons yet we're judged the same as previous seasons. We bottled in the past if we finished top 6 and missed out on 4th. We bottle it when we miss out on 1st and finish 3rd. We bottle it when we lose a semi final. The truth is we're not the best team in the country, we're just not far off. We're not mentally weak, just not got the quality to take us up to the next (and top) level.

The trouble is the players with the quality needed will often go to teams that have been winning things (and pay more money). That's why we have to develop that talent from a young age. We have the perfect manager to do that, but we're not bringing enough young talent into the club of late.
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Clearly something amiss
in the water supply
at the Training ground.
Dodgy DNA innit.
 

Monkey boy

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2011
6,379
17,039
Yep should have a 'both' option.

We all know we're lacking quality & need to upgrade/refresh, whatever you wish to say.

Mentality is, in my opinion, unquestionably weak. Yes, I agree with @Shadydan , nobody was questioning our mentality when we were scoring those late winners recently.

But I still say our mentality is unquestionably weak. Why? Well because of those late winners, funnily enough. Each and every one of those winners came when the games were coming thick and fast. We were playing every 2/3 days and the players simply never had time to mentally shut off, culminating in a ridiculously good second half performance, and result in the CL.

Then we have a break.

Look at the performances since those late winners, and the emphatic second half in the CL, and the preceding 9 day break. Everyone's gone missing. It's like they're unable to mentally switch back on. Weak mentality if they can't get themselves back to where they were before a break.

A few of us have said it on here for quite a while now. Breaks seem to do us no favours at all.

Can't wait for the upcoming 3 weeks without a match :cry:

If we don’t pick up at least 4 points from the next 2 games, those 3 weeks are gonna feel like 3 months.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
It's not about mental strength in my opinion...it's a matter of 'experience'. We have neither a manager or a player who has enjoyed significant trophy or title wins. When it comes to the crunch matches nobody can look back on such games based on previous successes.
Having someone who's 'been there, seen it, got the T shirt' carries a lot of weight inside the dressing room and the younger players will respect and acknowledge such a person's CV.
I just feel with Poch it's all too friendly and cosy at the moment within the squad and a shake up is required. Should the manager decide to move on then I want to see the next one (NOT Mourinho !!!!) be able to say "This is what I have achieved so far" rather than talk about 'projects' and 'potential' for the future.
Harry and the rest will be getting itchy feet and wanting silverware in their cabinets, which anyone can understand. So there is a need for someone to come in and take the team 'over the line' and past the winning post before they decide to do so.
Brendan Rodgers said "I have perhaps taken Celtic "as far as I could" as the manager completed his move to Leicester City. Maybe Poch is in the same situation but without the trophies. Has he and his crew taken this squad as far as he is able to and it's time for someone new to take us that extra rung up on the ladder ?????
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
It's not about mental strength in my opinion...it's a matter of 'experience'. We have neither a manager or a player who has enjoyed significant trophy or title wins. When it comes to the crunch matches nobody can look back on such games based on previous successes.
Having someone who's 'been there, seen it, got the T shirt' carries a lot of weight inside the dressing room and the younger players will respect and acknowledge such a person's CV.
I just feel with Poch it's all too friendly and cosy at the moment within the squad and a shake up is required. Should the manager decide to move on then I want to see the next one (NOT Mourinho !!!!) be able to say "This is what I have achieved so far" rather than talk about 'projects' and 'potential' for the future.
Harry and the rest will be getting itchy feet and wanting silverware in their cabinets, which anyone can understand. So there is a need for someone to come in and take the team 'over the line' and past the winning post before they decide to do so.
Brendan Rodgers said "I have perhaps taken Celtic "as far as I could" as the manager completed his move to Leicester City. Maybe Poch is in the same situation but without the trophies. Has he and his crew taken this squad as far as he is able to and it's time for someone new to take us that extra rung up on the ladder ?????

With the current squad no one can do better. Unless we actually invest in good quality players I dont think we will progress and will remain potentially toggling between 4th and 6th. The others will invest and they will get better...
 

JCRD

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2018
19,153
30,013
If you only look at the last two results it also looks Chelsea are a gritty and determined team full of leaders who are playing for the shirt... which they aren't.

I do agree with what you're saying in terms of Liverpool getting good results when the pressure is on, and us struggling to do so when similar pressure is applied. But there's also the Leicester and West Ham results for Liverpool - by no means easy games but ones they (and everyone else) expected to win and would have seen them pull away at the top. It's a different type of pressure and they didn't respond well to it.

What I actually think is that our league can still see games go either way, even though the talent gap between the top 6 and the rest is massive. I think we would benefit from a couple of additional "leaders" in the dressing room to help keep the whole team switched on for both the pressure games and the "easy" games.

I can see why Poch may have turned down the likes of Grealish/Tielemans if they were on the table if he doesn't feel they have that quality. We do need to add something to our squad in terms of mentality though in my opinion.

Teams will always win lose or draw but those games for liverscum werent as crucial as say the game against Watford. Even Man Shitty pulled an ugly win against West Ham at home. We needed the ugly win against Burnley.

It will be very interesting to see how Liverscum go against Everton, whilst Everton are not all great shakes, Liverscum will go and even win ugly but i hope im wrong and they fuck it up.
 
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