Missing Mason...

[Lighty64]

Dier and Alli statistically the best but i have not seen us dominate and control(with eye pleasing aesthetics to boot) so many consecutive matches since the days of ratboy as we have seen with Carrol's inclusion in the side. I think we have struggled not becausem of this but because of a drop-off in terms pressing and energy notably from Kane. Not to mention teams starting to sit deeper and deeper. We obviously need more invention in the final third but i dont believe either Mason or Bentaleb will make any dramatic difference. It has to come from our forwads who are looking jaded and not meeting our excellent defence halfway to produce the results our performances merit. I think we have been playing some of our best football in years. Our forwards are just lacking that extra bit of energy and incision.

the results where pretty good
Palace (h) 1-0 = Dier & Alli
Man C (h) 4-1 = Dier & Alli
Swansea (a) 2-2 = Dier & Alli
Bournemouth (a) 5-1 = Dier & Alli
A Villa (h) 3-1 = Dier & Alli
Arsenal (a) 1-1 = Dier & Alli

thought we definitely dominated in those in bold, and if memory serves me right Arsenal took control after both Lamela and Alli went off

 

[ClintEastwould]

We have players like Chadli, Onomah, Pritchard and Oduwa as well as Son who can provide competition and rotation for the forward players.

Putting Mason or Bentaleb isn't going to improve the IQ of any of our forward players but these two both se and recycle more ball, they do it more quickly than the likes of Dier, Dembele and Alli and the pass forwards more. So, in other words, may not improve the IQ of the attacking players but could possibly aid quicker forward transition, putting the forward players into situations where they are more often attacking fewer and less well set/prepared defences.

Dembele is hard working, tenacious, robust and hard to knock off the ball but invariably misses opportunities to speed up transition because he wants to dwell on the ball, Dier doesn't dwell but he's not a quick thinking, 360 degree picture in his head, risk taker, incisive or forward passer either.

Dembele, despite his faults has to be on the field whether that be AM or CM. The fact is he makes us a much better team, i'm not sure that can really be argued. Dier is at the moment making himself look slightly dispensable by way of having a slightly unfamiliar and foreign role to most eyes. He effectively has played as a 3rd CB since late fall as opposed to a defensive midfielder. For that role, there is not a single player who could step in and adequately replace. Whether we actually need someone playing that role is up for debate obviously but our defensive record is absolutely nothing to sniff at and Dier's slightly nuanced role is undoubtedly a huge contributing factor.

There is not much wrong with what goes on up until our AMs IMO. They are being fed consistently in great positions. Alli Kane Eriksen Lamela Son etc all are constantly with the ball at their feet within 25 yrd of goal yet always lose chances because of carelessness and 'bumbling'. No one is making runs in behind either. This i feel is where Mason i believe may help but that of course would be at the exclusion of Dembele Dier or even Carrol. Also, I honestly fail to see what Bentaleb could offer us at the moment that would make us a better overall team.

People keep going on about those great performances last season against arsenal and liverpool where they played but we have already reached that level or at least very close many times already this season without them. I think the only way we'd see either starting games again would be if there is a massive drop in form

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Dembele, despite his faults has to be on the field whether that be AM or CM. The fact is he makes us a much better team, i'm not sure that can really be argued. Dier is at the moment making himself look slightly dispensable by way of having a slightly unfamiliar and foreign role to most eyes. He effectively has played as a 3rd CB since late fall as opposed to a defensive midfielder. For that role, there is not a single player who could step in and adequately replace. Whether we actually need someone playing that role is up for debate obviously but our defensive record is absolutely nothing to sniff at and Dier's slightly nuanced role is undoubtedly a huge contributing factor.

There is not much wrong with what goes on up until our AMs IMO. They are being fed consistently in great positions. Alli Kane Eriksen Lamela Son etc all are constantly with the ball at their feet within 25 yrd of goal yet always lose chances because of carelessness and 'bumbling'. No one is making runs in behind either. This i feel is where Mason i believe may help but that of course would be at the exclusion of Dembele Dier or even Carrol. Also, I honestly fail to see what Bentaleb could offer us at the moment that would make us a better overall team.

People keep going on about those great performances last season against arsenal and liverpool where they played but we have already reached that level or at least very close many times already this season without them. I think the only way we'd see either starting games again would be if there is a massive drop in form

I think there is often plenty wrong with goes on before we get to our AM's, namely Dembele doesn't release the ball quick enough, Dier is very risk averse and Alli doesn't see enough of it.

I like Dembele much more as an AM than a CM where he has rarely put in a consistent run of form - which is why he's rarely (in 3 years) managed to nail down a spot there. Teams know that if they set about him they can catch him dawdling on the ball and turn over possession in dangerous areas.

We all know our forwards/AM's all have flaws, but I think there's a better balance to found, for many games, and that balance could and should include players like Mason and Bentaleb (and Carroll) who offer us more control of the ball, higher quicker pressing, quicker transition, more vertical passing with more incisive value.

 

[Ossie85]

I hope he returns soon. I can't watch any more games with little tommy carroll in the middle

 

[Bus-Conductor]

the results where pretty good
Palace (h) 1-0 = Dier & Alli
Man C (h) 4-1 = Dier & Alli
Swansea (a) 2-2 = Dier & Alli
Bournemouth (a) 5-1 = Dier & Alli
A Villa (h) 3-1 = Dier & Alli
Arsenal (a) 1-1 = Dier & Alli

thought we definitely dominated in those in bold, and if memory serves me right Arsenal took control after both Lamela and Alli went off

I seem to remember Villa actually had a bit of a go second half and things got a bit dicey until we added the third and a feature of that game was both Dier and Alli going a bit awol second half.

 

[Lighty64]

I seem to remember Villa actually had a bit of a go second half and things got a bit dicey until we added the third and a feature of that game was both Dier and Alli going a bit awol second half.

your right, but their goal, or a very good chance soon after happened when Dier & Mason got in a tangle.

I'm not saying they are perfect, but 3 of our best 4 wins have been with them in the centre

 

[edson]

 

[Hoops]

When is Mason back? we need him for Fiorentina

 

[chrissivad]

When is Mason back? we need him for Fiorentina

he was on the bench against Watford and City, so would hope he gets some game time in the next few games (guess would be fa cup)

 

[Lighty64]

he done well to play the whole 90, considering he usually gets taken off after 65-70 mins

 

[sim0n]

he done well to play the whole 90, considering he usually gets taken off after 65-70 mins

Very nice to see him back and with a full 90. Maybe we'll see him next thursday again as well?..

 

[thinktank]

Love the mase.

 

[allpaths]

decent enough performance for just coming back from injury a little rusty and very unlucky on the deflection for Fiorentina's goal. Great to have him back and Captaining the side.

 

[Spursidol]

he done well to play the whole 90, considering he usually gets taken off after 65-70 mins

More to the point did well to play the 90 after not playing for a while.

Good to have him back, we need to rotate the games a lot when playing weekend-midweek -weekend-midweek as we will be for the next few weeks.

 

[Tucker]

decent enough performance for just coming back from injury a little rusty and very unlucky on the deflection for Fiorentina's goal. Great to have him back and Captaining the side.

Decent performance on the whole. But I don't think he was unlucky on the deflection, it was a pretty half hearted attempt at a block. If he had put his laces through it we would have come home with a one goal lead.

Shit happens though.

 

[allpaths]

Decent performance on the whole. But I don't think he was unlucky on the deflection, it was a pretty half hearted attempt at a block. If he had put his laces through it we would have come home with a one goal lead.

Shit happens though.

The deflection couldn't have placed the ball any better, could he have made more effort to cover off course, but 9 times out of ten his half block would have been enough

 

[EJWTartanSpur]

Was nice to see Mason play a full 90 tonight. No idea when the wee gobshite is back, but I've been itching to see Mason v Wilshere in an NLD since last season. Mason would let him know he's in a contest no doubt. In fact, seeing the full three of Dier, Mason and Alli in an NLD all buzzing around and get in the faces of Wheelchair, Ramsay et al is something that I'm dying to see.

 

[Kiedis]

Decent outing for him, but there's no doubt he was a bit rusty.

Very nice to see him captaining the side, it shows his standing in the group despite him not having been very much involved this season.

 

[matthew.absurdum]

I hope we miss him

 

[rabbikeane]

It's a bit unfair to Mason, he loves Spurs and has been told to play with pain injections lately.
Getting the Chris Armstrong treatment. Shouldn't have been selected, for his own good as well as ours