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The Mauricio Pochettino thread

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PeeLee

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Oct 2, 2019
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Clubs due to play Spurs in the coming weeks, after yet another international break in 2019, aren't waiting to be beaten by Spurs or anyone else. Brighton had been assigned that role by people who imagined Spurs would just want to reorganise and fight, except the 7-2 beating was just a bit too recent, public and shaming for players to have broken out of that post-thumping and self-defeating very individual introspection. Brighton probably took offence at the disrespect of some commentators and rival club fans, and Watford could very well do the same. If by then, however, Spurs have used the international break for a break from the feverish glare and have reminded each other just how good they actually are, as proved to themselves time and again, then Spurs could well get points.
 
May 17, 2018
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I’m not saying I agree with everything Pochettino has done lately but he does see the players in training day in day out and would have a better knowledge of these young players and if they are ready for first team action

Bearing this in mind, do you honestly believe that the likes of Sancho or James would have had a chance here?

The stupidest thing in global football is that all of these big players come from somewhere, and the cycle is often as follows:
- Big team doesn't give young players a chance
- Big team needs new player
- Big team pays smaller team big money for breakout young player who was given a chance

We've just done it for NDombele (and to a lesser extent, Clarke), and by all accounts he was practically written off at a young age, too. Someone gave him a chance and he thrived. Some clubs do it to their own players and end up buying them back. At one point we deemed Crouchy not good enough, and eventually bought him back. Players like Fredericks and Button were, at one point, not good enough for even the odd game, but are PL players now.

I don't like the idea that we would write off players without giving them an opportunity, as it means we're further behind other, similar-level clubs in our direction. I would like us to be the ones finding ourselves with a pair of Longstaff brothers, a Rashford up front, an Alexander-Arnold at RB etc, as those are the players (like Kane) who fight in times like these. It's just disappointing that we don't look or feel like that's where we are going to be any time soon - and not, imo, because we don't potentially have them in our ranks.
 

garyhopkins

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Jun 22, 2008
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The greatest trick Poch has ever pulled is convincing the fans that getting in the top 4 is some kind of miracle. The really impressive thing is Levy managing to assemble it with minimal net spend and a strict wage budget.

That's not criticism of Poch btw, but he's hardly managed Leicester to the title.

It may not be a miracle but he's done it in 4 consecutive seasons with a squad bought at minimal net spend and on a strict wage budget.

It's really not easy getting top 4. Outside the so-called 'top 6' and Leicester's amazing season only Leeds (2000), Newcastle (2001/2002) and Everton (2005) have managed it in the past 20 years.

Your glib assessment of some trick Poch has pulled is just that.....glib.
 

midoshairband

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Apr 25, 2006
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The next two league games probably aren't going to show us much at all. Watford....everyone is beating Watford at the moment and Liverpool, well they look unbeatable in the league and although we normally give them a good game up there, we don't stand much of a chance.

It's the 3 away games following Liverpool that is the real test, Everton, West Ham and United, we somehow need to regain our away form and those 3 games are must wins, I believe we won all 3 of those last season.

Either way, I suspect we will hammer Watford then be brought back down to earth and go into another slump, much like the Palace game.

it will show us something if ‘everyone beats Watford’ except for us.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
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The greatest trick Poch has ever pulled is convincing the fans that getting in the top 4 is some kind of miracle. The really impressive thing is Levy managing to assemble it with minimal net spend and a strict wage budget.

That's not criticism of Poch btw, but he's hardly managed Leicester to the title.
I think that Poch did do very well to achieve the 4th place finishes but I get what you're trying to state - the team has lacked the mentality to actually succeed in winning trophies. I guess now they need to just achieve a mentality of being able to string consecutive wins together before we can think about anything else!
 

markiespurs

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Jul 9, 2008
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I think that Poch did do very well to achieve the 4th place finishes but I get what you're trying to state - the team has lacked the mentality to actually succeed in winning trophies. I guess now they need to just achieve a mentality of being able to string consecutive wins together before we can think about anything else!

At the moment, I'd settle for the team having the mentality to string consecutive passes together
 

JayB

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Aug 24, 2011
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Seems that he's going to stay, at least for a while. He needs to see we've simply declined too much to be able to play the way we have done in previous seasons and make tactical changes beyond just the shape.

For me, we need to adopt a low block and set up on the counter. We've shown in Europe and in that infamous 4-1 match against Liverpool at Wembley that we're absolutely deadly on the counter, and playing with a high line is exposing us on the flanks and in behind. Keep it tight, don't put our aging defenders in positions where they'll be beaten for pace, and let the likes of Sissoko, Son, Moura, etc. carve teams open on the counter.
 

Mr Pink

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Aug 25, 2010
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Seems that he's going to stay, at least for a while. He needs to see we've simply declined too much to be able to play the way we have done in previous seasons and make tactical changes beyond just the shape.

For me, we need to adopt a low block and set up on the counter. We've shown in Europe and in that infamous 4-1 match against Wembley that we're absolutely deadly on the counter, and playing with a high line is exposing us on the flanks and in behind. Keep it tight, don't put our aging defenders in positions where they'll be beaten for pace, and let the likes of Sissoko, Son, Moura, etc. carve teams open on the counter.

Its so obvious it's painful.

Honestly think we'd be formidable playing like that.
 

JayB

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Aug 24, 2011
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Its so obvious it's painful.

Honestly think we'd be formidable playing like that.
I think so too. It would at least allow us to crawl to January where we can maybe beef up the defensive midfield, add a right back, get the three new signings up to speed and get the squad to a place where it's even within the realm of possibility to implement Poch's preferred tactics.

I also think we'd be able to get away with it now in a way that we couldn't have done before. At our best the mid-table clubs and relegation contenders would park the bus from the first minute against us, now the Brightons and Villas of the league see how vulnerable we are and set up on the front foot. We'd be able to concede possession a bit for the sake of abandoning the high line and looking to counter.
 

ajspurs

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Jul 7, 2007
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Seems that he's going to stay, at least for a while. He needs to see we've simply declined too much to be able to play the way we have done in previous seasons and make tactical changes beyond just the shape.

For me, we need to adopt a low block and set up on the counter. We've shown in Europe and in that infamous 4-1 match against Liverpool at Wembley that we're absolutely deadly on the counter, and playing with a high line is exposing us on the flanks and in behind. Keep it tight, don't put our aging defenders in positions where they'll be beaten for pace, and let the likes of Sissoko, Son, Moura, etc. carve teams open on the counter.

This is my concern when I think about it though. I'd love to see us at least try this but I think we're much more likely to see Poch pushing fullbacks high, playing a general high line and leaving space in behind, playing in front of the opposition in a slow manner etc. Also, I'm convinced that if most other teams had Son and Lucas in their squads they'd both be used at the same time to a much greater affect than seen with us. Those two (alongside Kane also) should be causing mayhem against most teams in the league.
 

Legacy

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Mar 29, 2007
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Seems that he's going to stay, at least for a while. He needs to see we've simply declined too much to be able to play the way we have done in previous seasons and make tactical changes beyond just the shape.

For me, we need to adopt a low block and set up on the counter. We've shown in Europe and in that infamous 4-1 match against Liverpool at Wembley that we're absolutely deadly on the counter, and playing with a high line is exposing us on the flanks and in behind. Keep it tight, don't put our aging defenders in positions where they'll be beaten for pace, and let the likes of Sissoko, Son, Moura, etc. carve teams open on the counter.
You'd see Ndombele shine in a counter attacking team too.
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
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Levy isn't about to throw away 5 years of hard work an 4 years of compensation he needs to pay out

At the end of the day we need to get used to Poch staying on as Spurs manager unless we really hit the shit.
I think you’re right, Slim.

And if you are, the rebuild needs to start in January with a DM (I’d take Sander Berge) and at least a mobile RB incoming. If Levy does stick with Poch, we have to get it right in the transfer market- and that’s down to Poch and Levy
 

shelfboy68

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Jun 14, 2008
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I think you’re right, Slim.

And if you are, the rebuild needs to start in January with a DM (I’d take Sander Berge) and at least a mobile RB incoming. If Levy does stick with Poch, we have to get it right in the transfer market- and that’s down to Poch and Levy
But we have been repeatedly told by Mr levy himself that the January window is a notoriously difficult one to attain value in the market which is his thing, surely panic buying would see potentially sellers just laughing and Put prices up knowing levy won't get drawn in.
So if that is the case are we likely to see the wage Bill trimmed and muddle through until the summer to hopefully buy 1/2 that would seem the logical way of our business unfolding.
 
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Stamford

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Sep 15, 2015
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People that are saying Poch should be given the chance to rebuild need to realise that can only happen if we maintain our recent league positioning whilst doing so. We've struggled to pull the very few players Poch will accept as is, no CL will hamper that even further. No way can we start this project again, wait another 5 years just to rinse and repeat.

No champions league didn't stop arsenal bringing in their front line which has performed very well. Don't buy that line personally
 

shelfboy68

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Jun 14, 2008
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I'm worried that Kane sees his future with Poch, wherever that may be.
You could not blame him if he wanted to leave soon I think he is 26 and hitting his prime not sure he wants to hear from poch or levy the words" just give us five years to build again Harry old son and we might challenge", not sure those are the words a striker of his ambition wants to hear.
 
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