- May 8, 2005
- 41,857
- 25,920
- Admin
- #1
Pace is a bit of a buzz word for Spurs fans. Every summer, we have the same clamour for players with pace. Pace is the key to unlock the defences that so stubbornly sit before us. Pace was the answer to a small pitch at White Hart Lane, and pace is the answer to make the most of the space at Wembley. We're obsessed with pace.
Since the season started the discussion has taken further focus, we need pace like Liverpool. Mane and Salah are the kind of players we need, and the goals they scored against Arsenal are the kind of things we should be doing.
But is all of this actually true? Two repeating thoughts keep coming to me as I read these desperate cries for pace.
First, acknowledging I'll sound like BC, pace in the head is more useful than pace in the legs. We had Lennon and Walker for years who had pace to burn, but lacked the in-game intelligence to really make the most of their physical advantage.
Second, would it even work in our team? We have a very clear and relatively set game plan. We look to dominate possession and grind our opponents down. We constantly build from the back, and are willing to go backward to maintain possession and rebuild attacks. We're not a team that looks to constantly play on the counter or in behind. The goals Liverpool scored on Sunday, are not the type of goals we're likely to score with any kind of regularity. Is a Mane or Salah really as effective in a set up like ours?
Don't mis-hear me, I'm not saying pace is pointless, but I think there's a nuance to the argument that is sorely missed. Pace for pace sake isn't really going to help us. We maybe need more choice of spark in the final third, and of course we need athleticism in our full backs/wing backs, but I'm not sure the key feature we need in this team is pace.
Is the frustration more with the system, rather than the players?
Since the season started the discussion has taken further focus, we need pace like Liverpool. Mane and Salah are the kind of players we need, and the goals they scored against Arsenal are the kind of things we should be doing.
But is all of this actually true? Two repeating thoughts keep coming to me as I read these desperate cries for pace.
First, acknowledging I'll sound like BC, pace in the head is more useful than pace in the legs. We had Lennon and Walker for years who had pace to burn, but lacked the in-game intelligence to really make the most of their physical advantage.
Second, would it even work in our team? We have a very clear and relatively set game plan. We look to dominate possession and grind our opponents down. We constantly build from the back, and are willing to go backward to maintain possession and rebuild attacks. We're not a team that looks to constantly play on the counter or in behind. The goals Liverpool scored on Sunday, are not the type of goals we're likely to score with any kind of regularity. Is a Mane or Salah really as effective in a set up like ours?
Don't mis-hear me, I'm not saying pace is pointless, but I think there's a nuance to the argument that is sorely missed. Pace for pace sake isn't really going to help us. We maybe need more choice of spark in the final third, and of course we need athleticism in our full backs/wing backs, but I'm not sure the key feature we need in this team is pace.
Is the frustration more with the system, rather than the players?