If Dier plays this weekend he will get a deserved month off and hopefully will be fighting fit for the run in.Pretty clear that Winks wasn’t fully fit really. Hope the setback isn’t too long.
Shame Rose didn't play that ball through to himself at LB, probably would have had that extra yard of pace to deliver a decent ball to Kane.Played a lovely ball through to Davies I think it was
Agreed. Got my concerns on Eriksen's focus. Gave the ball away loads 1st half. Not like him.
Two different points of view, but I am siding with the former, although I would go further and say that he has been playing poorly for some time now, not only todayEriksen knitted most things together, roaming the pitch nicely and dictating our play.
I had real fear that we would contrive to lose this like Spurs of old. Luckily the Dortmund we played aren’t the high flyers of late last year. This was a battle between two teams who have the stutters. I think Poch had the right game plan and even though the 5-3-2 looked a little narrow when the FBs pushed up we rode our luck. Hugo MOTM for me. Good saves from great positioning and anticipation and really gave the defence confidence in that awful period when we could have been at least 2-0 down on another day.
Kudos to Harry Kane, Jan and Sissoko. But all round a measured disciplined performance from the team. So proud of the lads. We’ve learned a lot from Juve last season. COYS!!!
Another game we started with the wrong formation and were far better when we changed it. It didn't help that a lot of the players froze, but the formation put them in a position to fail too. First half an hour or so we were 532 and extremely lucky not to have conceded, and our football was awful. We then changed to a 541 and it was no coincidence that we created our only chance in the first half almost immediately afterwards and had our only period where we kept possession.
Second half we were much better. The goal obviously helped a lot, but we had a much better shape than we started with, defended much better as a unit rather than relying on individual bits of defending to bail us out, and we able to pass it through the lines instead of losing it the second it got to the halfway line We conceded only one chance until the very end, and we probably should have scored more with a bit of care with the final ball.
Lloris 8 - Some great saves to stop it going all Spursy.
Aurier 6 - Terrible opening 30 minutes. All over the place and lazy too. Biggest benefactor in the change of formation because having Eriksen in front of him stopped him wondering around and forced him to stay in line with and beside Alderweireld. Good second half with two good passes that could/should have resulted in more.
Alderweireld 6 - Didn't look comfortable in the first half. Better in the second.
Sanchez 7 - A shaky start but made a shitload of blocks.
Vertonghen 7 - Tackle on Reus was better than a goal. Had a couple of other good moments.
Davies 6 - Nothing great. Nothing terrible.
Sissoko 8 - Marvellous second half. Couple of times I thought he was spent but he never stopped.
Winks 5 - Not in the game in the first 40 minutes and didn't offer much protection either. Never got close to their players.
Eriksen 6 - Better after the change. Still not kicking the ball cleanly, but created a couple of good chances nonetheless.
Son 6 - Bit of a tough one. Anonymous in a front two, but that wasn't all his fault. Should have had a penalty and possibly red card for them. Couldn't control the ball half the time it came to him, but made some good runs.
Kane 6 - Held onto the ball too long nearly every time and lost it too much, but took his only chance which helped settle us.
He started up front with Kane and moved back after 30 minutes or so, which I pointed out at the start of my post.He wasn't one of a front two. We switched things up in the first half to put Harry up top as the lone striker. It was obvious Poch asked him to provide more defensive cover, and to do runs for Harry so that he can stay up top.
He started up front with Kane and moved back after 30 minutes or so, which I pointed out at the start of my post.
It came just after Aurier went down. Don't know the exact moment that was, but it was around the 30 minute mark.Sorry, missed that bit. I also thought the change was made much earlier than that. Poch must have been quite worried with all the shots fired from them.
Another game we started with the wrong formation and were far better when we changed it. It didn't help that a lot of the players froze, but the formation put them in a position to fail too. First half an hour or so we were 532 and extremely lucky not to have conceded, and our football was awful. We then changed to a 541 and it was no coincidence that we created our only chance in the first half almost immediately afterwards and had our only period where we kept possession.
Second half we were much better. The goal obviously helped a lot, but we had a much better shape than we started with, defended much better as a unit rather than relying on individual bits of defending to bail us out, and we able to pass it through the lines instead of losing it the second it got to the halfway line We conceded only one chance until the very end, and we probably should have scored more with a bit of care with the final ball.
Lloris 8 - Some great saves to stop it going all Spursy.
Aurier 6 - Terrible opening 30 minutes. All over the place and lazy too. Biggest benefactor in the change of formation because having Eriksen in front of him stopped him wondering around and forced him to stay in line with and beside Alderweireld. Good second half with two good passes that could/should have resulted in more.
Alderweireld 6 - Didn't look comfortable in the first half. Better in the second.
Sanchez 7 - A shaky start but made a shitload of blocks.
Vertonghen 7 - Tackle on Reus was better than a goal. Had a couple of other good moments.
Davies 6 - Nothing great. Nothing terrible.
Sissoko 8 - Marvellous second half. Couple of times I thought he was spent but he never stopped.
Winks 5 - Not in the game in the first 40 minutes and didn't offer much protection either. Never got close to their players.
Eriksen 6 - Better after the change. Still not kicking the ball cleanly, but created a couple of good chances nonetheless.
Son 6 - Bit of a tough one. Anonymous in a front two, but that wasn't all his fault. Should have had a penalty and possibly red card for them. Couldn't control the ball half the time it came to him, but made some good runs.
Kane 6 - Held onto the ball too long nearly every time and lost it too much, but took his only chance which helped settle us.
I agree he’s been poor for a while, and he still wasn’t his best v Dortmun, bit I thought he was much improved and a lot of what we did well involved him.Two different points of view, but I am siding with the former, although I would go further and say that he has been playing poorly for some time now, not only today
Totally agree with that. Something is certainly off with him. He touch isn’t as sure. His passing is more wayward than what we’re accustomed to. And while he’s never been one to get stuck in, he’d at least make a passable effort, but there’s been a slight downtick with that part of his game too. When you add it all up, you have a few conclusions; 1) He’s simply a touch out of nick and it’s effecting his confidence. 2) Might be carrying a couple of long term nigling injuries. 3) He’s distracted, as his head is elsewhere. Wants his dream move, but also wants to avoid getting hurt as that would diminish his chances of leaving.Two different points of view, but I am siding with the former, although I would go further and say that he has been playing poorly for some time now, not only today