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Match Ratings Ratings vs Chelsea

MOTM

  • Gazzaniga

    Votes: 89 35.0%
  • Trippier

    Votes: 8 3.1%
  • Sanchez

    Votes: 9 3.5%
  • Toby

    Votes: 36 14.2%
  • Rose

    Votes: 51 20.1%
  • Sissoko

    Votes: 21 8.3%
  • Winks

    Votes: 3 1.2%
  • Eriksen

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Son

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Deli

    Votes: 10 3.9%
  • Kane

    Votes: 19 7.5%
  • Lamela

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kane

    Votes: 5 2.0%
  • Llorente

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 3 1.2%

  • Total voters
    254

MrWoolley

Moderator
Staff
May 26, 2004
13,415
576
Toby for me. He had a good game and despite facing some challenging situations playing at left centre back and playing out from the back, on the whole he dealt with it well.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,512
Great that we came away with the first leg advantage, because we really struggled our way through the game and had to grit it out - often playing on the back foot.

Across the 90 minutes some of it was that key individuals couldn't get into the game/weren't at their best, tiredness or whatever, but I thought mainly it was due to the tactical aspect. For long spells we were second best and struggled, whilst the plans Chelsea came with were effective. With the ball it was often torturous to advance beyond our third and we resorted to hoofing it long in desperation many times (and out of nothing got a goal in the way), without it Chelsea did as a few teams have now done and decided to stretch and switch the play with width, and try to expose how narrow our shape is, and to be honest they did drag our midfield around and make us chase and get very out of shape numerous times...... The saving grace was that for all their possession they were toothless and lacked a cutting edge around the box, and their play often fizzled out and really disappeared up it's own backside.

Now to go off on a tangent.......

In this thread so far I've seen various posters giving their opinion on who is to blame for us not being able to move the ball about and advance up the pitch (again...). For me it is a collective issue, everyone has to take responsibility and in several aspects you have to look at what is happening.

This is a crude drawing and not to be taken as absolutely exact, but when we struggle to progress up the park, or are playing overly safe, we often end up in this sort of shape (spoilered for size):


Sometimes we need to use the centre of the pitch a bit better, we often leave it quite vacant. We don't always need the centre backs to split and the midfielder to drop, often the centre backs should be striding up the pitch and bringing the ball out and our midfielders to stay up towards the halfway line. Sissoko doesn't always need to drop in as a false fullback, instead of going from A to B to C, it should often be A to B and expecting the centre back to be able to find his fullback in one pass, rather than the additional one in between. And we often have three players stood up occupying their backline, and it then leads to a bit of a disconnect and a lack of passing options when the aforementioned is going on. And above all, the tempo of the play has to go up a notch, it's got to be zipped about at one or two touch rather than players getting the ball, looking up and pondering their options, and then deciding what to do with it.

Add a standard opposition shape and you can see how it becomes a struggle to find passing options when the ball is very deep in our possession, and so get forced wide or to play the direct pass:


For all the good things the team do, I still feel we could go up a level by dealing better with the teams who do press or are able to squeeze us, and collective responsibility/tactical tweaks has to be taken. Rather than pinning all the hopes and dreams on getting some uber midfielder to solve all the problems and take us to new heights......

Anyway, back to match. We got a barely deserved goal and then really had to batten down the hatches. I think everyone tried to put in a shift, the defence scrambled well when they needed to, and we fought to that slender advantage which is pleasing. Job half done though, and will need another big performance, and probably a better one in all truth, in a couple of weeks time. And I do think more teams are going to keep trying to expose our narrow shape, one for Poch to ponder.......


Gazzaniga - Solid in pretty much everything he had to do. Scrambled well a couple of times.

Trippier - Competent display. Defended well when called upon.

Sanchez - Defended the penalty area well, couple of crucial bits of defending.

Alderweireld - Ditto.

Rose - Was also pretty solid, but a few too many times for my liking when he gave players too much room and stood off them. For example there was a moment of panic late on that comes from Hazard retrieving the ball back to goal and he should have nothing on, Rose (then joined by Alli) doesn't get anywhere near him and allows him to turn and advance towards the box, then allows him to cross and we have a big scramble. Did scramble well at times though, most notably that tackle towards the end of the game.

Sissoko - Worked hard, but often dragged about by the tactical issues. Just about clung on for dear life.

Winks - Ditto.

Eriksen - Also got exposed, and then second half he seemed completely out on his feet and I would have subbed him much earlier as it was like playing with 10 men.

Alli - Dropped in to midfield for the last part of the match and did battle away well, before that though offered fuck all and was too slow (again...) with the ball.

Son - Also offered very very little.

Kane - Won and scored the decisive penalty. Felt he went missing for a good half hour, and then suddenly realised about 15 minutes from the end his team actually needed a bit more from him and he did some work for the cause.

Subs:

Lamela - Did some good defensive work two or three times, thought the booking was harsh.

Skipp - n/a.

Llorente - n/a.
 

Spurrific

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
13,501
57,356
All the bookings for fair challenges on Hazard wound me up. If the little fat-arsed bitch didn't scream and cry every time he got tackled, the ref wouldn't have been so desperate to massage his shaft by reprimanding our innocent players.
 

Gilzeanking

Well-Known Member
May 7, 2005
6,093
5,019
I accept that it is pleasing that our defence wasn't breached and that we won . But thats the end of the good news imo .

Chelski hit the woodwork twice and were completely dominant for long spells . For me it highlighted that the most expensive players
are so expensive because of their technique and to see us floundering at home like this emphasises that the Levy/Poch success is based on a different template that works mainly , but not vs the best teams .

If we are pressed like this we simply cannot operate , we don't currently have the technique . Worst of all was to see the 'hot potato'
desperate to get rid of the ball , panic of our players . Their footballing confidence collapsed . I hear all this 'don't play it short from the keeper' stuff...but many desperate defenders were aimlessly lumping the ball upfield anyway..it was always a turnover of possession .

We won , but clearly aren't in the first rank of teams imo and as Poch was saying recently , we need to operate differently to get major trophies . We have to buy the most expensive commodity...serious technique ..and Levy simply won't ...impasse.

Agree with MPickard, Rose (6) was standing off his attacker...fear of being beaten I suppose . Free crosses from his side for Chelski.
Eriksen(4) has form when contracts come up for going absent . Creatively he was a blank, an earlier Sub would have been better.

A grim watch for me . maybe some solution can be found for next leg , Jan has skill to bring the ball out of defence , he coming back soon ? I hope so .
 
Last edited:

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
Back five 7
Gaz and Toby 8

Midfield 6 inc.Dele and Eriksen
Son 5.
HK (MBE) 7+1 for goal and build up
and pass to Son in the channel.

Forced to play long and concede possession
Nearly played ourselves into trouble
with short balls out.
Winks did very well receiving the ball
at the edge of the penalty area centrally.

If Hazard was a team player
instead of merely individually stellar,
or Giroud had been on from the start
or if Harry had changed sides
we might not have won

Third win in a row over Chelsea.
You picked the wrong team Mr. Willian.
 

Spurs 1961

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
6,665
8,739
Just looked like we were running on fumes for a lot of that game. Credit to Poch for extracting every bit of juice he can from that Sissoko/Winks CM pairing. It looked thinner than a Ralph Coates combover yesterday. Dele and Eriksen are tasked to do a lot defensively as a consequence, especially against a good attacking outfit like Chelsea.

Poch's had to work miracles with Dier, Dembele and Wanyama being out for so long; plus having to manage Lamela's gametime due to injury. Good to know Verts, Dier and Dembele (maybe), and Erik, who got a brief showing, will be good to go soon.

We got the win despite being threadbare in central midfield, and having Toby as a left CB. Thought we did well considering; thought Gazza, Rose, Toby, Davinson, Dele and Kane all did well. We ground out a result that gives us a narrow advantage in the return.

Yesterday was crying out for Dembele or Dier and of course Verts. We needed their competitiveness. However as you said we did the job required in the end
 

ralphs bald spot

Well-Known Member
Jul 14, 2015
2,777
5,177
I

Agree with MPickard, Rose (6) was standing off his attacker...fear of being beaten I suppose . Free crosses from his side for Chelski.
Eriksen(4) has form when contracts come up for going absent . Creatively he was a blank, an earlier Sub would have been better.

A grim watch for me . maybe some solution can be found for next leg , Jan has skill to bring the ball out of defence , he coming back soon ? I hope so .

I thought it was a a really interesting game - about Rose the Spurs full backs don't really engage with the wide man the wide midfielder often closes down the cross with full backs keeping a 4. Rose I thought had an outstanding game and even Trippier whose defending I am at best unsure of was very decent keeping his composure much appreciated. Chelsea despite having a lot of the ball created very little the deflected cross would have been hugely fortunate and the other one hit the outside of the post and was relatively comfortable

I thought the defence was pretty much foot perfect last night and that's why we are one of the top teams you can't always blow sides away and sometimes you have to win 'ugly' and that's something we were never any good at. This current side has found ways of winning much to their credit.

I thought Chelsea played well the problem we had is that Rudiger was excellent against Kane who in the first game bullied Luiz so Spurs who played very directly in that game never had the outlet further up the field.

That game should not worry you it should leave you oozing confidence
 

Deggsy56

Active Member
Aug 17, 2018
496
361
Gazzaniga had another good game. Bags of confidence. I felt much more relaxed knowing he was in goal and not Vorm.
 

Flashspur

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2012
6,882
9,068
All the bookings for fair challenges on Hazard wound me up. If the little fat-arsed bitch didn't scream and cry every time he got tackled, the ref wouldn't have been so desperate to massage his shaft by reprimanding our innocent players.

Nice turn pf phrase mate - your improving. I agree with your comments on Hazard. The little **** is a player you would hate even if he played for your team. Unlikeable little shit for the most part with a face you'd like to punch if you could be half arsed. He's the kind of player that has Real tattooed all over him.
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
Back five 7
Gaz and Toby 8

Midfield 6 inc.Dele and Eriksen
Son 5.
HK (MBE) 7+1 for goal and build up
and pass to Son in the channel.

Forced to play long and concede possession
Nearly played ourselves into trouble
with short balls out.
Winks did very well receiving the ball
at the edge of the penalty area centrally.

If Hazard was a team player
instead of merely individually stellar,
or Giroud had been on from the start
or if Harry had changed sides
we might not have won

Third win in a row over Chelsea.
You picked the wrong team Mr. Willian
.

Strong ending there Jimmy, 10/10.
 

Lighty64

I believe
Aug 24, 2010
10,400
12,476
Hold on, I thought it wasn't Sissoko's role in the team to be good on the ball? If Winks escapes criticism for keeping it simple, because apparently that's his job, why does Sissoko get stick for not doing something which he isn't in the team to do? At least Sissoko tried to make something happen with runs forward and actually got stuck in defensively. Winks was chasing shadows in the middle of the park.

The difference with players like Son, Alli and Eriksen having off days like tonight, is that we know they are top class players and so you can forgive the poor performance when it happens. Son, Alli and Eriksen are regular match winners.


Winks though, he never seems to excel on anything like a consistent basis. In fact, he's bang average. Considering he's supposed to be a amazing on the ball, he never shows it. That first half moment when Winks had the ball 30 yards from goal and we had a fantastic chance to score and he did a pathetic little chip straight to Keppa just summed him up. In fact I don't think I am alone, as I heard audible groans from the crowd a few times when Winks lost possession etc Winks has actually made me pine for Dier back in CM, as Winks somehow manages to be even less adventurous on the ball than Dier is, yet way way worse off the ball and defensively. He goes missing when we are under pressure.

The more I see it the more I am absolutely convinced of the urgent need to upgrade Winks's position. By far our weakest link, by a huge distance.

The trouble with Winks is he couldn’t get stuck in, he picked up an early booking which takes contact out of it, especially with a ref that didn’t want to give us anything (thank god for var getting involved), yet was giving hazard free kicks for falling over his own shadow. Christensen would of seen red if he referred it to var. more contact on Son compared to the Salah penalty.

Just hope he doesn’t ref the return
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
The trouble with Winks is he couldn’t get stuck in, he picked up an early booking which takes contact out of it, especially with a ref that didn’t want to give us anything (thank god for var getting involved), yet was giving hazard free kicks for falling over his own shadow. Christensen would of seen red if he referred it to var. more contact on Son compared to the Salah penalty.

Just hope he doesn’t ref the return

They checked it via VAR.
 

Hakkz

Svensk hetsporre
Jul 6, 2012
8,196
17,270
Rule change re centre backs being last man.

Also, isn't the point that VAR can only overturn clear errors by the ref. Even if they find that it possibly could be a pen it doesn't necessarily mean that they would go in.
 
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