Match Threads Spurs vs Leicester - Match Thread

[DaSpurs]

Aurier must have gotten ahold of a video series or something about how to defend in football during quarantine, as he's gotten better and better at the primary role of his position. My props to him. I thought surely he was finished under Mourinho, but he's been quite good in recent games.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

Tut tut. Your standards are dropping, Mr Matzdorf.

Lucas has more to come, in my opinion. Once that confidence builds up with the JM system.

Sorry, I needed to open another beer and have a pee before the second half kicked off. Promise not to do it again.

 

[rupsmith]

That second half was Mourinho's Spurs. Tough, organised, robust, communicative, focused and effective on the break.

I like watching good defending. It's got a powerful teamwork component to it and football is a team game. I don't like watching eight Spurs players prowling around the edge of the box with not a bloody clue how to pick apart a 9-man opposition defence. But we didn't defend like that today. It was just Lloris and the back four, with Lucas tracking back and Sissoko or WInks blocking up the gaps.

Leicester made good chances and they failed to score not because we were fortunate, but because there was always a Spurs defender in the right place with a block or a header. If not, Lloris was alert.

It's not virtuoso football, but neither is it boring, grim football. It's good teamwork.

Obviously, Kane deserves the MotM award, but really it should go to the whole Spurs defence. Solid.

Agreed -apart from that spell after we took the lead when they upped their game and Hugo saved very well from the volley, we never really looked under threat. Good organised defending and a sense of calm.

 

[spurs mental]

Gonna head over to the Mourinho thread where this victory is no doubt being hailed as Poch’s work

You should see the Dublin spurs page. This was at half time.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

I love Spurs winning football matches.

That'll do nicely.

 

[Danny1]

Shocking football.

Ah yeah it’s shit winning games ain’t it. I’d much rather have 73% possession and have absolutely no idea what to do with it and ultimately lose games! Bring back those days!!!!!

 

[markt]

A lot of Brendan Bashing going on - not entirely sure why.

Mourinho Masterclass. 5-2-1 since the restart.

We look a solid team with a clear game plan and tactical flexibility. And confidence is clearly building. Also he is clearly doing something right on rest and recovery - the players don’t look so bloody tired anymore. Towards the end under Poch and before COVID under Jose everyone seemed to be running on fumes.

Interesting point. There have been too many matches where certain players looked so leggy and looked like they were moving through treacle. Hopefully it is a sign of things moving in the right direction and we don't fade away in 2nd half of the season in the future.

 

[hughy]

Great week all things considered. Lockdown seems to have done us wonders.

What's that, 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat since we've been back? I'd have taken that all day long at the restart.

 

[emiley heskey]

Five Premier league games unbeaten for over 18 months !!

 

[sweyid]

Mourinho ball. Not pretty but it got the result. Very good defending and great finishing. Good signs for the coming season.

 

[rupsmith]

Interesting point. There have been too many matches where certain players looked so leggy and looked like they were moving through treacle. Hopefully it is a sign of things moving in the right direction and we don't fade away in 2nd half of the season in the future.

Exactly - and that tiredness and lack of sharpness used to lead to a lot of dithering particularly in central midfield. But everyone looked sharp today, our front 3 exploding when we swept into attack; Winks and Sissoko looking good as well - putting in the yards, keeping defensive shape, moving the ball reasonably well. When Sissoko is doing Cruyff turns before passing accurately you know something is going right.

 

[chrissivad]

Great week all things considered. Lockdown seems to have done us wonders.

What's that, 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat since we've been back? I'd have taken that all day long at the restart.

Players got a rest, son and Kane back.
Jose got extra time working with the squad.
The break has been good for us

 

[whitelanefever]

After a disastrous season, I think we can finally see light at end of tunnel.. Bring on next season.. I'd love us to be brave in transfer market & pair Belotti with Kane.. We'd tear defences apart.. know money isn't there.. So just dreaming

 

[tony0379]

Shocking football.

Another one living in the past

 

[Escher]

Nice to beat Leicester, shame we did Man Utd and Chelsea a favour though.

Fun Fact: If we beat Crystal Palace it will be the first time since 1958 that we managed WWWW at the end of the season.

http://www.topspurs.com/5758.htm

 

[WinksyBoy]

Shocking football.

You mean 'winning' football, no?

 

[Shadydan]

 

[C0YS]

Defence has definitely tightened. Toby looks so composed at the back. Lloris gave the team confidence.

Yeh, I think his loss was definitely understated. Before his injury his record was w3-D2-L1 (not including 8 minutes against Brighton) and we were looking alright. The next 5 games after he was out W0-D3-L2.

His complete record when playing this season is W11-D5-L3, or 2 points a game, enough to put us in 4th without much problems. Similarly he has had 20 games 20 goals conceded, 6 clean sheets in the PL. That's very respectable figures.

Now, these things are not all down to Lloris, but I fully believe that his influence and the confidence he gives the defenders is understated. Lloris' shot save percentage is the top of the league, bar none with 79%, Paulo does alright with 71%, that puts him mid-table with Nick Pope. Lloris has consistently been among the highest for some seasons now. Ironically, his stats have got better in this regard year on year even though the perception is that he has been on a downward spiral.

 

[Barrd10]

Ah yeah it’s shit winning games ain’t it. I’d much rather have 73% possession and have absolutely no idea what to do with it and ultimately lose games! Bring back those days!!!!!

The best teams that win stuff now don’t play how we play because the game has moved on. We play like a team that is trying not to lose games not a team trying to win them. In the end that won’t be enough to win things.

 

[Barrd10]

You mean 'winning' football, no?

No. It’s the same as Brighton and Sheffield Utd with a different result.