The Defence Thread

[idontgetit]

My reading of this is that by playing negative and defensive football we are unlikely to concede in open play, especially on the counter. Due to us surrendering possession and territory, opposing teams will put us under a lot of pressure in our own box through crosses, corners and free-kicks conceded in dangerous areas. This pressure will likely result in conceding from set-pieces and own goals at a higher rate than teams who defend more actively higher up the pitch or who can keep hold of the ball.

Edit: Another factor to this could also be that our lack of attacking threat late in the game enables the opposition to commit more players forward into our box that would otherwise be to wary to join.

 

[dtxspurs]

He wanted him in the summer though, maybe he's changed his mind.

Maybe because he was playing Sanchez to start the season? Maybe he's changed his mind on Sanchez and would rather replace that role than the one that Dier/Alderweireld can play.

 

[idontgetit]

I'm starting to have an internal debate about the defenders. Has Jose made them all better players or are we instructing the team to setup in a way that it makes them look vastly better than they are?

I'm fully on the train of not slating any attacker that isn't Kane/Son for their goal contributions because of how defensive they play. Starting to wonder if that is having the opposite effect on the defense. Serge has 2 players cover for him all game for example.


?‍?‍?‍

It's definitely a factor but they've also been working hard and have improved. I just think there's a ceiling on how good some of those defenders can be and they won't keep clean sheets week in week out, even if they can still be relatively tight defensively. Winning any game with a single goal will involve a lot of luck and I don't think we can win the Prem or even get a CL spot by flipping coins all season.

There isn't a limit on how good our attacking unit can be and therefore it's a mistake to focus so much on defending.

 

[SUIYHA]

Dier and Sanchez nowhere near good enough - don't want to see either in a Spurs shirt ever again. Tanganga is too raw and needs a loan out. We're always liable to concede a goal after a good performance and even if Romero is the second coming of Cannavaro then we're going to need to sign more defenders to stand a chance.

What a difference one game makes. Am wondering how people's opinions have changed now that it appears we have a manager that can actually organise a defence and have just seen players that were completley written off by the majority of this forum put in top class performances yesterday.

Where does Romero fit into this side? Who gets dropped to accommodate him?

Do you want us to stick with a 4 man defence or revert to a back three? It felt like Skipp moved into a third CB role at times during the game yesterday

Keep Tanganga out on the right or move him into the middle in favour of a more attacking full-back?

Do we need to play both Skipp and Hojbjerg together in games against weaker sides or can we sacrifice a bit of protection in favour of a more attacking player like Lo Celso, Ndombele or even Gil?

Do we need to make more defensive signings? Tomiyasu or anyone else still on your shopping list?


What does your ideal Spurs defence look like this season? Keen to hear people's thoughts on this

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Dier and Sanchez nowhere near good enough - don't want to see either in a Spurs shirt ever again. Tanganga is too raw and needs a loan out.

Was all set to pounce on this with some of my best sarcasm until I read the rest of your post and saw what you were doing. Good post.

I’ve been saying since last summer at least that I think Tanganga is going to be a top right back, so I’d love to see him given that run to try to solidify that position from now. He’s hardly going to be treated more than v Grealish and Sterling after all.

Sanchez, and less so Dier, I still think probably need to be upgraded, or at the very least play alongside not one another… but CB is all about partnerships and if one meshes well enough with Romero then it could solve a big problem. Romero and Sanchez the dogs, Dier and Rodon the cats, for instance.

At left back I really think between Reguilón, Sessegnon and Davies we are sorted, and if Davies leaves then still fine. The other side all depends on what Tanganga can do and if we can ship off the other two. I doubt Doherty is leaving but Serge may well, so it might be a case of signing someone like Tomayisu to compete for both that spot and centre back.

Promising start yesterday though.

 

[sammyj]

Please bring the Welsh prince home