Fiorentina Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[Archibald&Crooks]

I wasn't even making excuses for him, I just thought we'd been playing pretty well and it didn't warrant the mass SC panic reaction.

"Shoot him!" "Burn him!" "He punched my dog!"

Plus the glee with which some people are goading anyone who gives the bloke a bit of support. Oh and the hilarious puns on his name. Top notch.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

As in the home leg - and as in so many matches this season - we should be a couple of goals ahead, but we aren't. Granted, Fiorentina have let us have the ball, but we've made very good use of it and we've applied a lot of pressure, but without actually mustering a lot of shots.

OK, Soldado wants shooting for that casual layoff - you just can't be so sloppy and lackadaisical in that situation and I'm sure he's well aware of what a colossal mistake that could turn out to be if we don't go through. But we've created a consistent platform ouside the box, without delivering the ball at the right time or with enough skill to create genuine chances.

Defensively, we've been OK, with the occasional compulsory Chiriches 'moment' for relief. Salah started well, but has been kept in a box for the last half hour. Gomez looks sluggish so far.

But we needed a goal in that half and we didn't get one. I never expect us to play two halves of that level of quality in the same match, so I anticipate pressure from Fiorentina in the second half to score one and then kill off the game.

We aren't being helped by a fussy referee who is blowing the whistle for any kind of contact, especially when we're attacking in the penalty box.

 

[theShiznit]

Think we're doing well and in control. However, Our final ball/crossing has been a real weakness all season.

The ref won't give us anything, we just need to keep plugging away.

That fuck up by Soldado was comical. His ball was terrible but the run he made straight at the keeper was even worse. Chadli did the same. Such basic stuff. Work a better angle.

He never even thought of shooting. That's what made it worse, that and the fact that he and Chadli were running closer to each other making the pass even harder with every passing moment and by the time he made the pass they were so close together it had to be deft (just not that deft) he just needed to run it out right taking the keeper across with him and making the pass (and finish) a lot easier.

But apart from that howler he is contributing well to our attacking play.

 

[yiddo23]

If Bobby had thought about it he would have scored, with Chadli running left the goalie had started to commit himself, Bobby should have taken a step to his right and he would have had an empty goal.

The thing was he did think about it, and he ran out of time because he got lost in Hus thoughts thinking about something that takes absolutely no thought at all. You 2 on 0 against a goalkeeper in football, there could not be a more simple situation to gain points in all of sports

 

[TheChosenOne]

If Bobby had thought about it he would have scored, with Chadli running left the goalie had started to commit himself, Bobby should have taken a step to his right and he would have had an empty goal.

Exactly my thought

 

[sebcole]

Poor Bobby.

Anyway, whilst it was mostly due to Fiorentina letting us, we controlled the half and should have gotten that goal we needed. It'll get easier as they tire. It's tough as they're so compact, but I think we'll get to the stage where lumping it continually into the box will be our best option.

Eriksen gets the ball > Everyone else gets in the box > Ball gets cleared > Ball is picked up > Give ball to Eriksen

Rinse and repeat, and that should get you a goal eventually.

We are more likely to tire before they do as in the first leg. They have conserved their energy.

 

[DanNolan]

I have to say we have been very good that half!
This team has so much potential we need to be clinical though and unfortunately the lack of confidence from soldado not to step right and shoot but also the terrible run at no angle by chadli were laughable!
It's one of them when soldado looks to his left and thinks here u go whereas a confident striker would look left think wow what a crap run Nacer, and dig it instead!
Need to be patient but I love bentaleb and stamboulis performance first half

 

[225]

Unbelievable that someone can try and excuse that miss. It was embarrassing and lazy. The bloke's supposed to be a goal scorer, just put it away ffs

He's not been a goal scorer since he's been here. The guy is struggling.

The idea to square it was a safe option, but it just didn't happen. It happens all the time to plenty of players.

No point in getting blood pressured raised, we're still in it.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Not going by the first leg when they looked more likely as the game went on.

They are probably having a smoke and an espresso now, while we have Lloris yelling at everybody.
We'll take this home. Literally.

 

[yankspurs]

Okay guys, we can stop with the nicknames. None are funny and are just overkill. Enough already

 

[Bobbins]

Plus the glee with which some people are goading anyone who gives the bloke a bit of support. Oh and the hilarious puns on his name. Top notch.

"loldado"
"Goalloldo"
"Solloldo"
"Soldadlol"

Etc.

The possibilities are endless...ly unfunny.

Fucking awful, laughable miss but the names are so boring.

 

[Gbspurs]

Okay guys, we can stop with the nicknames. None are funny and are just overkill. Enough already

Have the big kids been calling you wankspurs again?

 

[EnfieldYiddo]

Okay guys, we can stop with the nicknames. None are funny and are just overkill. Enough already

Coming from the guy who basically froths at the mouth in rage over Adebayor and Sherwood.

Pot Kettle...

 

[Bobby Zero]

If Soldado's confidence wasn’t shot to shit the keeper would think he is going to shoot (he probably would). His mental state is fucked, so the keeper knows he is going to pass, fakes left and goes right. Honestly I love Soldado but his Spurs career is fucked.

 

[sebcole]

i honestly cant wait till we have a striker other then kane who can score regularly.

The odds for seeing this sentence at this time 12 months ago were unimaginable

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Amazed at the number of people who think Soldado should have shot. No way. It was screaming for a layoff about 0.3 seconds before he did it - and Chadli would have had a tap-in. Soldado had drawn the goalkeeper, but then he was indecisive and waited too long to try to get the ball to Chadli.

 

[wpd659]

Lloris starting tonite makes me think Vorm is playing sunday

Soldado is trying so hard i want it to work for him! All the players know how good a finnisher he is! I want it to work with him. But i fear its just not going to happen

 

[CrazyHeart]

Okay... here we go! This is IT!

 

[CrazyHeart]

Joaquin... PHOENIX a goal, I'll be pissed!

 

[tooey]

COYS!!!!!!