Team v Man City

[Bus-Conductor]

Our mentality in these games fucks me right off. Personnel wise, I just don't see us being far off Roma's standard. They were able to marshall City around and dictate a lot of the play - we 100% won't do that and our lack of minerals is appalling sometimes.

I'm really hoping that will improve under Pochettino. I really don't think it's in his DNA to play the wounded hamster.

I think this was AVB's ethos too, IE never intentionally just park buses. Even when we lost 6-0 to City last season we had more ball than they did. Before the anti-possession crew get all fucking precious with me for using possession stat, what I mean is, there was never a timid bus park type intention that day, people will, rightly or wrongly claim that they would have preferred that, but not me and I don't think AVB or Pochettino subscribe to that philosophy either.

Doesn't mean you just attack, attack, attack or play lottery shite either but that completely passive, lets just sit on our 18 yard line shitting ourselves and pray for a miracle bullshit will never be acceptable to me. I'd rather stifle the fuck out of a team with "pointless possession" than that timid, passive "look how scared of you we are" crap.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

and liverpool at home.

Capoue played as a CB against Liverpool at home.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Capoue played as a CB against Liverpool at home.

yes?

but it was a game whereby sandro, dembele and paulinho all started, which is what was being discussed.

 

[Blake Griffin]

I'm really hoping that will improve under Pochettino. I really don't think it's in his DNA to play the wounded hamster.

I think this was AVB's ethos too, IE never intentionally just park buses. Even when we lost 6-0 to City last season we had more ball than they did. Before the anti-possession crew get all fucking precious with me for using possession stat, what I mean is, there was never a timid bus park type intention that day, people will, rightly or wrongly claim that they would have preferred that, but not me and I don't think AVB or Pochettino subscribe to that philosophy either.

Doesn't mean you just attack, attack, attack or play lottery shite either but that completely passive, lets just sit on our 18 yard line shitting ourselves and pray for a miracle bullshit will never be acceptable to me. I'd rather stifle the fuck out of a team with "pointless possession" than that timid, passive "look how scared of you we are" crap.

The manager I probably respect the most is Mourinho, a man who's has no beautiful possession philosophy, just the ability to adapt and win.

does not compute.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

does not compute.

Why ?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

yes?

but it was a game whereby sandro, dembele and paulinho all started, which is what was being discussed.

Yeah but one went off after 30 minutes injured and one was sent off on 60. Hardly a good example.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Why ?

because jose has been doing exactly what you've said you hate for years now? yet apparently he's the manager you respect the most? choose a side.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

because jose has been doing exactly what you've said you hate for years now? yet apparently he's the manager you respect the most? choose a side.

Mourinho's teams never just sit there shitting themselves and praying for a miracle. Even on the occasions he plays defensively, his players don't just amble around letting the opposition walz through them piling pressure on the back four. His defensive is never timid or insipid.

There are other managers I probably enjoy more, there's plenty I also respect, maybe one or two more than him (which is why I said probably) but his ability to apply varied tactical strategy for best outcome at various clubs in various top leagues is pretty outstanding amongst current managers and that I respect enormously.

Why do I have to choose a side ? Can't I like and/or respect more than one type of manager ?

 

[Shadydan]

Mourinho's teams never just sit there shitting themselves and praying for a miracle. Even on the occasions he plays defensively, his players don't just amble around letting the opposition walz through them piling pressure on the back four. His defensive is never timid or insipid.

There are other managers I probably enjoy more, there's plenty I also respect, maybe one or two more than him (which is why I said probably) but his ability to apply varied tactical strategy for best outcome at various clubs in various top leagues is pretty outstanding amongst current managers and that I respect enormously.

This is exactly what they did against Atletico Madrid at the Calderon last season and against Man Utd and Liverpool in the league. In fact they had absolutely no attacking intent in those games. What you describe as pray for a miracle bullshit describes Mourinho-ball perfectly.

 

[Blake Griffin]

Mourinho's teams never just sit there shitting themselves and praying for a miracle. Even on the occasions he plays defensively, his players don't just amble around letting the opposition walz through them piling pressure on the back four. His defensive is never timid or insipid.

There are other managers I probably enjoy more, there's plenty I also respect, maybe one or two more than him (which is why I said probably) but his ability to apply varied tactical strategy for best outcome at various clubs in various top leagues is pretty outstanding amongst current managers and that I respect enormously.

reading that is like caveat central. jose has on countless occasions gone away to a big/top four side with the sole intention on getting out of there with a 0-0, he does this by setting his team up to sit deep, give up possession because he knows it's not massively important and break when they can, no different to how poch had us set up away to arsenal. in fact, if anything ours was the more ballsy approach considering the personnel we went with, jose often clogs his midfield up with defenders just to be doubly sure the handbrake is on. i do like jose though, he's pragmatic and he's adaptable, something you and your idols pep and 'dre need to work on. i was a little worried that poch was going to be similarly stubborn in his ways but he alleviated those fears against arsenal.

 

[slartibartfast]

We had no chance against Arsenal.
We got a point.
We were gonna struggle against Southampton.
We won and deservedly so.
Lets have a bit more positivity please.
Shit, even if we lose 3-0 its an improvement on last season lol.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

reading that is like caveat central. jose has on countless occasions gone away to a big/top four side with the sole intention on getting out of there with a 0-0, he does this by setting his team up to sit deep, give up possession because he knows it's not massively important and break when they can, no different to how poch had us set up away to arsenal. in fact, if anything ours was the more ballsy approach considering the personnel we went with, jose often clogs his midfield up with defenders just to be doubly sure the handbrake is on. i do like jose though, he's pragmatic and he's adaptable, something you and your idols pep and 'dre need to work on. i was a little worried that poch was going to be similarly stubborn in his ways but he alleviated those fears against arsenal.

Why does it have to be black or white. Team possession v team lottery ? Why should Pep adapt, he keeps winning, has won more than anyone else in the last 6 years ?

Mourinho's teams never, never get away with allowing people to stroll around with the ball and do what the like. no matter what you say. I never said he was the bravest, or the most daring, I said I respect his ability to tactically effect outcomes.

I can respect that and also Guardiola's ability to to win by doing the exact opposite, rigorously adhering to a more singular philosophy.

What you don't seem to get is that I have no problem with tactical pragmatism, I have a huge problem with tactical white flagism, tactical lotteryism and plain lazy bollocks.

What some of our players did without the ball against Arsenal would never have been tolerated by Mourinho.

 

[Huddlebone]

---------Lloris
Dier-Kaboul-Jan-Rose
--------Capoue-
---Mason-Dembele
Lamela----------Chadli
---------Soldado

 

[SpursManChris]

Maybe we should ask the EPL for dispensation to play 12 players ?

...armed with guns.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

With the lack of Kyles Dier is a show in. I do hope Hugo is fit, but at least we have a pretty good goalkeeper of similar style to come in if he isn't. Of the two returning from Africa, the one shouldn't figure in this game anyway as there are others ahead of him, the other will hopefully be fit (and interested), but if not then it's time to give either the young upstart or the lost soldier a go. Chadli is of course also a doubt.

I'd go:

Lloris
Dier Kaboul Vertonghen Rose
Capoue Mason
Lamela Eriksen Chadli
Adebayor

Vorm Fazio Davies Dembele Townsend Kane Soldado
​

Now, if Adebayor is out I'd throw in Kane as right now he's going to be full of confidence and he works his nuts off. If Adebayor and Chadli are both out I'd throw in both Kane and Soldado, put Soldado up front and Kane in Chadli's position (or maybe even push Eriksen to the left and have Kane as the number 10). If Lloris is out then obviously it's time for Vorm. As far as I'm concerned the side actually picks itself as we've just had two consecutive league performances which, for different reasons, were pleasing, and are beginning to look good. Other players can come in when there's loss of form, injury and suspension, or when the put in a cup performance that makes them undroppable, but right now this is what works best and changing it means going back to square one without reason.