Hangover

[peter123]

1st Half Crouch was the best player on the park. All the play went through him and he was quality. him going off at half time was a distaster because we had no one upfront to win/hold up the ball. As they defended deeper 2nd half the problem got worse of course... We need a second big man upfront (pav is obviously not a player that can hold up the ball).


Anyway we missed modders and many of the players looked VERY jaded but I really have to ask was this just tiredness or over-celebration? For me several players out there were well off the game and simply couldnt move off the ball and keep up with the pace of the game. I cant believe this was only due to playing on wednesday. Am I being naive here?

 

[paddy30]

1st Half Crouch was the best player on the park. All the play went through him and he was quality. him going off at half time was a distaster because we had no one upfront to win/hold up the ball. As they defended deeper 2nd half the problem got worse of course... We need a second big man upfront (pav is obviously not a player that can hold up the ball).


Anyway we missed modders and many of the players looked VERY jaded but I really have to ask was this just tiredness or over-celebration? For me several players out there were well off the game and simply couldnt move off the ball and keep up with the pace of the game. I cant believe this was only due to playing on wednesday. Am I being naive here?

We cant be using tiredness or over celebration as an excuse imo,this happened to many times last year as well i think its just been pure cocky goin into games like these and definately agree with ya about the striker situation

 

[Krafty]

I dont think Crouch did all that well, but that was mostly down to Wigan being very organised and, significantly, putting a player in front of him when balls are played up into the air to him. Its how you negate Crouch's game, because while he has the height he doesnt have the strength to battle for the ball.

We were far too preoccupied with looking for Crouch, maybe because this was because of wednesday, but we need to be able to recognise that teams in the Premiership will be much better at dealing with his threat than continental teams

 

[peter123]

I dont think Crouch did all that well, but that was mostly down to Wigan being very organised and, significantly, putting a player in front of him when balls are played up into the air to him. Its how you negate Crouch's game, because while he has the height he doesnt have the strength to battle for the ball.

We were far too preoccupied with looking for Crouch, maybe because this was because of wednesday, but we need to be able to recognise that teams in the Premiership will be much better at dealing with his threat than continental teams

Crouch played very well today and he led to the spells where we dominated their area. Bottom line is he is another option when we are playing poorly, but 2nd half that option was needed because of their serious bus parking. I think the poor passing is more than just tiredness though.

 

[roosh]

1st Half Crouch was the best player on the park. All the play went through him and he was quality. him going off at half time was a distaster because we had no one upfront to win/hold up the ball. As they defended deeper 2nd half the problem got worse of course... We need a second big man upfront (pav is obviously not a player that can hold up the ball).


Anyway we missed modders and many of the players looked VERY jaded but I really have to ask was this just tiredness or over-celebration? For me several players out there were well off the game and simply couldnt move off the ball and keep up with the pace of the game. I cant believe this was only due to playing on wednesday. Am I being naive here?

I reckon a lot of it was probably down to a European hangover, more a psychological hangover though.

Going into the game against Young Boys, the players probably would have felt that their entire season was dependent on that game, and would have been almost entirely focused on it.

Having that out of the way, I can imagine that the players might be psychologically drained after it, and would find it very hard to "switch on" to a game like Wigan.

Hopefully today's game will be an very important lesson [learned] for them.

 

[Winchy85]

Crouch did nothing first half. Everything was hoofed to him and he generally nodded the ball on to either an offside Defoe or to no one. He once got a free kick for mis-controlling and falling over though.

Our problem today was we played both Huddlestone and Palacios. It doesn't work. So negative it's unreal. Jenas should have been on the pitch. Not the most liked player by a long way but a player who would have thrived on the attacking role today.

When will Sandro be present? We need to put Palacios further down the pecking order as he really isn't good enough.

 

[Michey]

I reckon a lot of it was probably down to a European hangover, more a psychological hangover though.

Going into the game against Young Boys, the players probably would have felt that their entire season was dependent on that game, and would have been almost entirely focused on it.

Having that out of the way, I can imagine that the players might be psychologically drained after it, and would find it very hard to "switch on" to a game like Wigan.

Hopefully today's game will be an very important lesson [learned] for them.

this is why you'd like to make some changes in the line-up. Kranjcar, Dos Santos, Keane, Pav etc should have played from the start

 

[striebs]

Crouch did nothing first half. Everything was hoofed to him and he generally nodded the ball on to either an offside Defoe or to no one. He once got a free kick for mis-controlling and falling over though.

Our problem today was we played both Huddlestone and Palacios. It doesn't work. So negative it's unreal. Jenas should have been on the pitch. Not the most liked player by a long way but a player who would have thrived on the attacking role today.

When will Sandro be present? We need to put Palacios further down the pecking order as he really isn't good enough.

I was baffled by the need to play Palacios , a defensive midfielder , against Wigan at home when we had the first choice centre back pairing of King and Dawson .
Completely agree about Jenas .

Not sure whether Lennon was disinterested or tired but he was very disappointing .

For the second time this season already we had to waste a substitution because of Benny's casual attitude .

 

[guate]

Unfortunately not one of our players in the Wigan game stepped up to the plate thereby motivating the rest to do so. Ledley tried to do so late in the second half hoping to get at least a draw but it simply didn't happen. 'Arry has even said that we're missing one or two MEN and I believe this is exactly what he's harkening on about, we simply don't have a Roy Keane type to cajol the players, dragging some even by the scruff of their necks into performing better.
However I'm also sure this game was a learning experience and even though both Tim Sherwood and 'Arry had said before the game that we wouldn't be underestimating Wigan it appears that no-one was prepared for such a physological hangover from the Young Boys game.
Frustrating to say the least but an experience I'm quite sure we'll be better prepared for so as not to allow it to happen in the future.

 

[piedpiper]

I have seen Man U,Chelsea,Arse and Liverpool suffer the odd lapse after a CL game particularly a wednesday game.

What happened to us yesterday was no bloody hangover. There is only ONE person responsible for that defeat, actually make that THREE people. Harry Redknapp,Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan. We played 4 games in 11 days with virtually the starting core in each of those games. there were changes made for the first leg of YB game from the opener with City but the same side has played since the opening day really. what is the point of having Gio,Jenas,Keane,Pav,Niko,Bassong if you are not going to use them. all of those players should have been there from the start. keeping the squad fresh is key to us getting a degree of success in the Pl and CL not to mention the CC or FA cup. So Harry and Co MUST shoulder all the blame for the loss. 4 games in 11 days says it all for me.

 

[Michey]

I have seen Man U,Chelsea,Arse and Liverpool suffer the odd lapse after a CL game particularly a wednesday game.

What happened to us yesterday was no bloody hangover. There is only ONE person responsible for that defeat, actually make that THREE people. Harry Redknapp,Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan. We played 4 games in 11 days with virtually the starting core in each of those games. there were changes made for the first leg of YB game from the opener with City but the same side has played since the opening day really. what is the point of having Gio,Jenas,Keane,Pav,Niko,Bassong if you are not going to use them. all of those players should have been there from the start. keeping the squad fresh is key to us getting a degree of success in the Pl and CL not to mention the CC or FA cup. So Harry and Co MUST shoulder all the blame for the loss. 4 games in 11 days says it all for me.

Very true

 

[DerrySpur]

I have seen Man U,Chelsea,Arse and Liverpool suffer the odd lapse after a CL game particularly a wednesday game.

What happened to us yesterday was no bloody hangover. There is only ONE person responsible for that defeat, actually make that THREE people. Harry Redknapp,Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan. We played 4 games in 11 days with virtually the starting core in each of those games. there were changes made for the first leg of YB game from the opener with City but the same side has played since the opening day really. what is the point of having Gio,Jenas,Keane,Pav,Niko,Bassong if you are not going to use them. all of those players should have been there from the start. keeping the squad fresh is key to us getting a degree of success in the Pl and CL not to mention the CC or FA cup. So Harry and Co MUST shoulder all the blame for the loss. 4 games in 11 days says it all for me.

Ageed with most of this.

We really need to show the depth of our squad this season as the games will come thick and fast, things will need freshened up game by game. I dont mean wholesale changes, bring in some fresh legs willing to prove a point in order to give others a rest.
We see this all the time with united,e.g. nani will play at home and against weaker teams where park will come in and do a shift in the tighter games.
This is the type of variation we need to have, but for this to happen players need to be given a chance from the start not 20 minutes at the end. I thought keane and jenas in particular coulda started yesterday but hey thats just me - they could both be on their way by tues.

I think Harry went with his tried and trusted yesterday, just didnt want to make any changes as he saw an international break looming and a chance for some to get rest. Although i agree, a few changes after european games is what will be needed this season in order to keep our "first team" players fresh and our "squad" players happy.


Also have to mention that king playing yesterday was a strange one to me, he just didn't look fit. By all accounts, his knee can only allow him to play once a week but here we are 3 days after a european match and we throw him in from the start against WIGAN, ok i can understand if this is a top side and we try and get him out there for his leadership alone but today is one of the main reason bassong is here, he has never let anyone down in a spurs shirt and is more than capable of playing against the likes of Wigan. Again this must have has something with the international break looming and a chance for king to get 2 full wks rest, the only explanation i can think of.