2020/21 Season Review

[southlondonyiddo]

Best Player: Kane

Worst Player: Doherty. Out of his depth.

Best up and comer: Rodon. Yeah, like this guy.

Most improved player: Lloris. Underappreciated.

Most disappointing player: Ndombele. A wasted talent. Also Dele, of course.

High point of the season: Top of the league

Low point of the season: Leeds. Not because it was the worst performance, but because it meant there was just no hope now.

Favourite Goal: Lamela

Best all-round performance: I didn't feel we put in any. Mourinho didn't have us playing as a team

Worst all round Performance: Zagreb was truly shambolic

Season Rating. 6/10. It was very depressing, but 7th isn't that awful in the greater scheme of things (yes, I lived through the 90s). We also got to a cup final and we still finished above Arsenal. Despite everything, had we beaten Leeds we could have made Champs League, perhaps. Not long ago that would have been an 8/10. Yes, the vibe at the club has been terrible, but if you think the achievements were then you clearly haven't been supporting Spurs for long.

We do have one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation playing for us who is also a fantastic creative player

Add that to Sonny & Bale and 7th is a pretty pathetic effort

 

[Monkey Bastard Hands]

Best Player: Kane

Worst Player: Sissoko

Best up and comer: Rondon

Most improved player: N'Dombele

Most disappointing player: Dier

High point of the season: Being top of the table

Low point of the season: Exiting the Europa League in the fashion that we did

Favourite Goal: Lamela Robona vs Arsenal

Best all round Performance: 1-6 at United

Worst all round Performance: Zagreb in the Europa League

Season Rating. 3/10

A lot of people have put Doherty as worst player but I personally think there have been worse. Whilst he has not been the standout replacement for Aurier that we hoped for, he has shown glimmers and I hope next season he knuckles down and improves.

My take on this season ultimately is that yes, it was shit, and yes it was a disappointment. But this may just be the kick up the arse we need to get to the level we were at 5 years ago, and ideally move to the level higher than that. This is an opportunity and whilst it's disappointing to finish trophiless and 7th, we can look at the likes of Liverpool who were in a similar situaiton a few years ago. They used it as an opportunity to properly invest, get a good coach and bring success.

We are at a crossroads right now and arguably this summer is the most important summer in our recent history (arguably since ENIC took over). Turn right, we get a world class manager and invest in the squad and success is on the horizon. Turn left, we lose our best players and our ambition drops from Top 4 to Top 10 within a couple of years.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

There is a bit of emotional distortion, fuelled by understandable disappointment, creeping into the analysis.

How did our season go? Why was it a failure? The goal difference gives it away.

It was not because our defence was shit. It wasn't. In reality, it was very effective - near the top of the league in terms of goals conceded.

It was not because we failed to score goals. We had three of the most effective goalscorers in the league, at different times, and we scored plenty of goals.

It was not because individual players in the squad were inadequate. The squad is very good. Some players will deservedly depart this summer, but the squad as a whole was solid and full of quality. There have never been so many match threads when people posted "the bench is incredibly strong" before the match.

Our season was a failure because the team could not hold a lead. There really isn't any more to it, although that short sentence hides a warren of interesting tunnels to explore. We dropped 12 points late in matches because a squad assembled to play attacking, goal-scoring football, control midfield and take matches away from the opposition was coached to protect one-goal leads and concede possession when it was mentally unfit to do so. Had we not dropped those 12 points, we would have finished second and felt relatively satisfied with our achievements, despite the lack of a trophy.

Look at the table. Five teams have goal differences greatly superior to the others - over +20. But Tottenham finished below clubs with far inferior goal differences because we threw leads away, from lack of defensive discipline, lack of attacking ruthlessness, panic in midfield and lack of mental strength.

Strip away the emotional involvement and that's all that happened. We conceded late goals and dropped points, because our manager set up our squad to play in a manner to which it was ill-suited.

We don't need a "clear-out". There are a few time-expired players who are good footballers, but need to go and be an asset to other teams. Everyone knows the candidates: Winks, Sissoko and Sanchez. They do not deserve the abuse they get, but they do not belong in any new manager's plans. Sissoko has his uses, but is getting older. Winks has not realised his promise with us. Sanchez has been given enough seasons to eradicate the brain-farts that undermine his pace and physical abilities.

We need a manager who will play to the strengths of the squad. Attack. Score goals. When you have a one-goal lead, attack and score more goals, unless it is minute 85 or later. Build fitness. Press. Win the ball high. Play one-touch. Don't drop off in midfield and repeatedly play unforced passes to the opposition, because no one has rehearsed any coordinated attacking moves and no one is moving off the ball. Drill patterns for attack as well as defence and force the opposition to play our way, rather than setting up a side full of strong characters to play chameleon-style, with the main goal being to neutralise the oppositions' strengths.

Play like Tottenham.

 

[JimmyG2]

There is a bit of emotional distortion, fuelled by understandable disappointment, creeping into the analysis.

How did our season go? Why was it a failure? The goal difference gives it away.

It was not because our defence was shit. It wasn't. In reality, it was very effective - near the top of the league in terms of goals conceded.

It was not because we failed to score goals. We had three of the most effective goalscorers in the league, at different times, and we scored plenty of goals.

It was not because individual players in the squad were inadequate. The squad is very good. Some players will deservedly depart this summer, but the squad as a whole was solid and full of quality. There have never been so many match threads when people posted "the bench is incredibly strong" before the match.

Our season was a failure because the team could not hold a lead. There really isn't any more to it, although that short sentence hides a warren of interesting tunnels to explore. We dropped 12 points late in matches because a squad assembled to play attacking, goal-scoring football, control midfield and take matches away from the opposition was coached to protect one-goal leads and concede possession when it was mentally unfit to do so. Had we not dropped those 12 points, we would have finished second and felt relatively satisfied with our achievements, despite the lack of a trophy.

Look at the table. Five teams have goal differences greatly superior to the others - over +20. But Tottenham finished below clubs with far inferior goal differences because we threw leads away, from lack of defensive discipline, lack of attacking ruthlessness, panic in midfield and lack of mental strength.

Strip away the emotional involvement and that's all that happened. We conceded late goals and dropped points, because our manager set up our squad to play in a manner to which it was ill-suited.

We don't need a "clear-out". There are a few time-expired players who are good footballers, but need to go and be an asset to other teams. Everyone knows the candidates: Winks, Sissoko and Sanchez. They do not deserve the abuse they get, but they do not belong in any new manager's plans. Sissoko has his uses, but is getting older. Winks has not realised his promise with us. Sanchez has been given enough seasons to eradicate the brain-farts that undermine his pace and physical abilities.

We need a manager who will play to the strengths of the squad. Attack. Score goals. When you have a one-goal lead, attack and score more goals, unless it is minute 85 or later. Build fitness. Press. Win the ball high. Play one-touch. Don't drop off in midfield and repeatedly play unforced passes to the opposition, because no one has rehearsed any coordinated attacking moves and no one is moving off the ball. Drill patterns for attack as well as defence and force the opposition to play our way, rather than setting up a side full of strong characters to play chameleon-style, with the main goal being to neutralise the oppositions' strengths.

Play like Tottenham.

I knew them spreadsheets
would provide some balance
Avoiding relegation, yet again
must be worth a couple.
Top in November another
and top half finish another
So that's at least 4.

The abuse that some players
get on here is disgraceful.
None of our players are shit or toilet.
They are all current or recent Internationals
with successful careers.
They may be past their best
or are not going to achieve their promise
but don't take your frustrations
out on the players.
Its been a funny old year
in the funny old game.
We have a decent squad
'Lions led by donkeys' at every level
comes to mind.
Fans vent, supporters support.

My blogging and posting memo to self:
Don't post when tired or emotional
or when hungry or hung over.
And never, ever in the match thread.

I don't always obey these rules
but that doesn't make them wrong.
This season, like the Curate's egg
has been 'good in parts'
so let's rebuild it under whomsoever
Should be fun.

Sorry for the long post.
it's the way I tell em.