Match Threads Spurs vs Aston Villa - Day 13

[nicdic]

I think we used all our luck up in the first quarter of the season.

Was it all in the Diaz goal, because I can't really think of any other point at which we've really been lucky.

 

[Mattspurs1982]

Finding it very frustrating today reading journalists wax lyrical over Villa and how they’re the team on the up vs spurs (this just from SSN). Anyone who actually watched the game would realise they didn’t exactly play our B team off the park. Who writes these articles!

 

[cjbyid]

Finding it very frustrating today reading journalists wax lyrical over Villa and how they’re the team on the up vs spurs (this just from SSN). Anyone who actually watched the game would realise they didn’t exactly play our B team off the park. Who writes these articles!

Yeah for all the hype Villa have been getting I didn't think they were that great.

 

[easley91]

Finding it very frustrating today reading journalists wax lyrical over Villa and how they’re the team on the up vs spurs (this just from SSN). Anyone who actually watched the game would realise they didn’t exactly play our B team off the park. Who writes these articles!

Villa were incredibly poor and it was Watkins having his shooting boots on that won it. If Son or others had the same boots we win that comfortably. They were better second half, but I still felt we were the better side creating the better openings.

 

[tevezito]

That and the really long VAR call. There was a period after the goal where it felt like no football was played for about 10 minutes. Were pretty rampant prior to that.

I’m beginning to wonder if VAR delays are a disproportionate disadvantage to Ange's style of football. We seem to start games fast and furious and really build up momentum and then along comes a delay and it gives the other team the chance to catch breath and take stock. And since the Liverpool game VAR delays for even the most obvious decision seem to take forever. It also cools our muscles and has contributed to injuries, but at the very least it curbs our momentum and flies in the face of our ‘We never stop’ style.

 

[bigfrooj]

On reflection I’m pretty upbeat if a little gutted. What Ange has done is something the great Mourinho and Conte couldn’t do - he took a mishmash of a team full of second stringers and made them competitive. In fact we could easily have come out 4-2 winners if the small margins had gone for us, against a decent top six contender. I know that he is building something special, let’s be patient.
I was a bit harsh on Bryan Gil too, looking back he had a very good game. I think he’s on a journey to become a genuine top PL player but I think he can do it.

 

[soflapaul]

A lot of the players who came into the starting line up have barely played 180 minutes in the last few months. We looked knackered from 70 minutes


I thought it was quite obvious why. We were losing the midfield battle, and gil was blowing.

It was more about picking Skipp then it was about the midfielder. Yes, the bench was threadbare but he pulled off an attacking player for a defensively minded mid. Perhaps Skipp has been impressing with forward forays in practice but historically, Skipp and Hojbjerg are not a progressive combination in midfield. To be clear, having one of the two on the pitch isn't a big deal as long as they are with some of the more technical players. The two together are a recipe for nothing that we're supposed to be about now.

 

[rossdapep]

Losing to Wolves was really shitty because it makes me feel a lot worse about this. Big (or I guess medium) picture is 3 losses in a row, but the smaller picture is we played pretty well and then gave Watkins too much space for a 1-2. I wasn't too angry about it. Also, with the Chelsea game going how it did, it was hard not to expect things to go wrong. That helped. If we'd played Villa before that Chelsea debacle I'd have been livid to lose yesterday.

I think the key point here is that we started strong in both games and went 1-0 up.

Villa was of course much better than Wolves but I do also believe missing Udogie really fucked us up and Lo Celso wasn't deemed ready enough. Bentancur wasn't either.

We probably would have played in a similar fashion with these 3 as they really allowed us to attack yesterday and control.

So it really comes down to us not seeing the game off and our defensive frailities becoming more exposed as the game goes on.

All the parts in between that are great.

 

[Toast]

If we'd played Villa before that Chelsea debacle I'd have been livid to lose yesterday.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Just watching the game back and on top of what should have been a straight red for Cash anyway, he then fouls Udogie from behind too and doesn't receive a second yellow.

Added to this Kamara then follows through on Porro and catches his ankle but doesn't receive a second yellow either (Romero got a straight red for a follow through!).

Unbelievable. Ever since the Pool game we are getting absolutely nothing.

 

[newbie]

Just watching the game back and on top of what should have been a straight red for Cash anyway, he then fouls Udogie from behind too and doesn't receive a second yellow.

Added to this Kamara then follows through on Porro and catches his ankle but doesn't receive a second yellow either (Romero got a straight red for a follow through!).

Unbelievable. Ever since the Pool game we are getting absolutely nothing.

I’ve seen the game but apparently Gil was elbowed in the box but var was down

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Finding it very frustrating today reading journalists wax lyrical over Villa and how they’re the team on the up vs spurs (this just from SSN). Anyone who actually watched the game would realise they didn’t exactly play our B team off the park. Who writes these articles!

BBC article said we completely outplayed them and they weren’t that impressive and struggled to get over the line against essentially a Spurs B team.

 

[newbie]

Difficult not to see this as a downward turning point
after 3 consecutive losses.
But we must.
Only a third of the season gone and steady in 5th.
though with City immediately ahead
and a mixed bag of fixtures before Xmas.
We deserved at least a draw against Villa,
Sonny scored a hat-trick of narrow offsides
Kulu hit the post and both Davies and Johnson
had excellent chances missed or saved.
Once again the football was terrific.
but our defence struggled with key figures missing.
Nobody picked up Watkins for the winner
and Pau had warned us earlier before he scored.
The old set piece bogey struck again.
The squad is not good enough but we know that.
I am disappointed but hopeful
though top four might be an ambition too far.

Agree we need patience and to back Ange

When Romero is back, it will make a huge difference.

Really Romero has cost is 9 points

 

[philll]

It's a relief that there weren't any decisions to make in the period where VAR wasn't fully functional.

 

[Jay.]

It's a relief that there weren't any decisions to make in the period where VAR wasn't fully functional.

If it’s not working 100% the kick off should be delayed - if it’s likely to be a 10 minute wait. If they want to bring these things in then they have to be 100% at all times.

 

[muppetman]

Just watched the highlights (https://www.reddit.com/r/footballhighlights/) and it absolutely cements what I felt at the time, that we just couldn't "quite" get it right. So very many nearly moments, that on another day manage to click.

Never happy about losing, but it's clear and obvious that we are building towards something and it'll be pretty special when it does click.

 

[kitchen]

Finding it very frustrating today reading journalists wax lyrical over Villa and how they’re the team on the up vs spurs (this just from SSN). Anyone who actually watched the game would realise they didn’t exactly play our B team off the park. Who writes these articles!

Standard bile spewed by pundits and journalists. Results are everything and performances mean nothing. The team that wins on the day is the best team and it's as black and white as that.

We've seen enough times that performances are greater indicators of long term success than a smash and grab result or two.

 

[Meercat]

Let’s be honest most opinions are formed by the score line, in the same way as the man of the match is picked by the guy who scores the goal, not the guy who has the best game. I thought it was interesting that a couple of times today I’ve seen round ups where the presenter/pundit has framed it as Ange is out of ideas, Spurs are collapsing, and the foil on the show has basically called bullshit on that and gone against the narrative that because they won Villa were awesome and we collapsed again.

 

[nicdic]

It's a relief that there weren't any decisions to make in the period where VAR wasn't fully functional.

Well that's absolutely bullshit, and they ought to be called out on it. Unfortunately (although I'm glad he won't) out manager won't do that, but that means the media also won't.

 

[Whitey]

Great idea. Up to City next week with Dorrington and Donley starting. every chance of getting battered.
probably destroy them.

Lol... You've slightly missed the point. There has been games that they could have played in, and gained the experience.... But you go on thinking were better off with 2 fullbacks at CB or playing Dier or any others that we clearly want shot of. Were ahead of the curve in this process/rebuild. So why not make more use and blood youngsters we feel may have a future... I thought that was Ange's remit when he laid out his plans....