Match Threads Spurs vs Villa - Match Thread

[The Apprentice]

The point is that his value to us on the pitch would exceed the value of a low-ball offer from a club who think they have us over a barrel due to his contract. The CL run last season was worth €100m. Finishing in the top four is worth a huge amount of money as well. Continuing to do well in the league and in Europe is also crucially important for our ability to grow the club's brand and the commercial revenues that come along with it, not to mention our ability to remain an attractive prospect to players on the level of Ndobmele, Lo Celso, and Dybala.

We saw today how incredibly influential he is for us. If he stays and plays at his best level, even if in an attempt to make himself attractive to a megaclub on a Bosman, it will be hugely valuable for us. We can't sell him away for anything less than a fee that reflects his worth.

That’s kind of my feeling as well. 50 million or keep him for another season, surely it’s better long term to keep him. He didn’t seem to be lacking the appetite today and think he’d knuckle down for the remainder of season if he knew he could go anywhere after.

I guess it’s the romantic in me who still thinks he might sign a new contract after a few training sessions with Tanguy and Giovanni.

 

[StevePil]

Whatever has happened with verts, I hope it can be swiftly resolved.
We cant afford to lose him with the window closed. we are in a mess re contracts at present - Toby, Jan, Rose, Eriksen all up this summer - it is going to be a huge summer next to replace them 4 if they all go.
To think the best def we had of TOby, Jan, Walker and Rose may all have gone by next summer....

 

[bozzaSPUR]

Not in the squad for "tactical" reasons.

Worrying ‘comments’ from Poch in his post match interview about Jan’s non-inclusion and Eriksen’s influence when he came on. Basically he dodged both questions and gave some vague answer to both questions. Before Poch supporters (I am one by the way) start going mad and giving the usual defence that his English language skills aren’t great, for someone who uses ‘capacity’ and ‘continuity’ in the correct context in the interview, that defence holds no water. Something has happened with Jan. For him to come out only days ago and to say that he was very happy at Spurs and that he hoped that something could be sorted out re. his contract, what has happened in a couple of days? Guards (the well known and respected ITK!) stated earlier that he had a ‘niggle’. Complete and utter BS. Poch never alluded to any injury concern in his interview- only a tactical decision. Even then why wasn’t he included in the squad. If he had been playing we wouldn’t have conceded the joke first goal. As for Eriksen thank goodness Poch hasn’t completely lost faith with him because if he had and had he not included him in the squad or not brought him on when he did we would not have won that game. Eriksen’s influence can’t be ignored which Poch did; he talked about Eriksen’s op and implied he wasn’t 100% fit and tried to give a ‘political’ answer that we were getting on top anyway in the second half and would probably have won anyway. BS! Despite the brilliant win this is a worrying start to the season. We need to keep Eriksen and need to have Jan in a stable back four. On a completely different note, how well did KWP play? No need for an expensive RB signing on this showing although I appreciate that there will be sterner tests ahead.

 

[SonicSarr]

Sissoko was rubbish. Time to get over the love-in.

We did another pre-season game and got away with it.

 

[gilzeantheking]

 

[$hoguN]

Great to see Kane scoring early and looking so composed. Also well done to Ndombele, what a strike!

We got it all wrong in how we set up, but credit where it’s due Pochettino changed it to a 4-2-3-1 and we looked better. The change of bringing on Eriksen suddenly created space against their tired legs.

Have to say that I never want to see Sisokko play out wide again

 

[ardiles]

Im not saying there’s a direct correlation but the come back wasnt on until my phone got destoryed. So in other words, you can all thank me for destorying my phone.

Now to find a verizon?

Now go on and buy another 37 phones. We need you to destroy one each during our remaining PL matches. Only then would we know if there is a correlation.

 

[theShiznit]

I've avoided reading the in-play comments on the match thread, because I'm sure they're full of so-and-so is shit and we were useless today - they're even at it on this page - all of which is absolute bullshit. We totally dominated the game, from start to finish, such that there was no 5-minute period in either half when we were not out-pressing and out-passing Villa.

I'm going to take my Spurs hat off for a minute, because for a neutral it must have been a fascinating game. The dominant theme of the match for a neutral would have been Villa's superb and well-drilled defending, from 8 minutes when they scored until about 70 minutes. At one point, there was a stat that we had taken 17 shots, of which 2 were "on target" But the other 15 were not "off target" in the sense of missing the goal. At least half of them, probably two thirds, were blocked by the energetic, focused and organised Villa defence.

It's not even quite so that they "parked the bus", in the sense of being relentlessly negative. They had two banks of four, but the movement and the closing of gaps were very dynamic. Then, after 70 minutes, they started tiring noticeably. As well as having had to work hard constantly because of our pressure and possession, Villa were also consistently out-muscled in midfield throughout the match, which is knackering.

Some small gaps appeared, then Heaton saved and Ndombele collected the rebound and belted in his first goal. What I didn't expect was what happened next: right from the kickoff, Villa's disciplined shape disappeared completely. The two banks of four wandered around the pitch in two minds, not sure whether to attack for the win or settle in for the draw (not a difficult question, I would suggest, for a newly promoted side playing away against the CL finalists). Gaps appeared everywhere and the rest of the game was attack v. defence. The shots weren't being blocked anymore and two of them went in.

Another way to look at the change in momentum is: Eriksen came on and we promptly scored three goals. That didn't look like an unmotivated player to me. Arguably, there was a risk in removing Winks and leaving Sissoko on his own in front of the defence, but by that time Villa couldn't get the ball anyway. Having Eriksen playing 10m further up the pitch than Winks enabled us to thread balls for Kane through the defence, for the first time in the match.

It was a very frustrating hour of being 0-1 down, but I can't say the final score was a great surprise. Not a lot of teams will be able to keep us out for 90 minutes, nor will a lot of midfield be able to cope with the pressure.

P.S. The fullbacks were fine. Some of the crosses were good, even in the first half. They were defended very well.

Agree with the first part, their shape and discipline just evaporated after the Equaliser.

How many times have we seen that first half display against well drilled sides with Eriksen in the team.

To just attribute it to Eriksen coming on is pretty lazy. (Not on your part pretty much all the pundits on sky just said Eriksen changed the game)

Of course bringing on a better technical player is going to improve your performance but he did not magically create all that space that up until the Equaliser had been non existent...

 

[rossdapep]

Eriksen was not awful last year although he was worse than in previous seasons. He still had one of the highest assist numbers in the league and scored important goals.

No doubt if he leaves we will be worse. Even if Lo Celso reaches his level it will take time and will impact this season. I’d want to keep him regardless.

I don't think people realise how much effort he had to put in. When we had that injury collapse, Eriksen was afforded no rest and we essentially pinned all our hopes on him to carry us through. The games came thick and fast and it fatigued him.

With Lo Celso coming in, he should be afforded a rest from time to time........should he stay.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

Worrying ‘comments’ from Poch in his post match interview about Jan’s non-inclusion and Eriksen’s influence when he came on. Basically he dodged both questions and gave some vague answer to both questions. Before Poch supporters (I am one by the way) start going mad and giving the usual defence that his English language skills aren’t great, for someone who uses ‘capacity’ and ‘continuity’ in the correct context in the interview, that defence holds no water. Something has happened with Jan. For him to come out only days ago and to say that he was very happy at Spurs and that he hoped that something could be sorted out re. his contract, what has happened in a couple of days? Guards (the well known and respected ITK!) stated earlier that he had a ‘niggle’. Complete and utter BS. Poch never alluded to any injury concern in his interview- only a tactical decision. Even then why wasn’t he included in the squad. If he had been playing we wouldn’t have conceded the joke first goal. As for Eriksen thank goodness Poch hasn’t completely lost faith with him because if he had and had he not included him in the squad or not brought him on when he did we would not have won that game. Eriksen’s influence can’t be ignored which Poch did; he talked about Eriksen’s op and implied he wasn’t 100% fit and tried to give a ‘political’ answer that we were getting on top anyway in the second half and would probably have won anyway. BS! Despite the brilliant win this is a worrying start to the season. We need to keep Eriksen and need to have Jan in a stable back four. On a completely different note, how well did KWP play? No need for an expensive RB signing on this showing although I appreciate that there will be sterner tests ahead.

I agree He did seem to dodge both issues re Vert and Eriksen. If he thinks Sanchez is a better player than Vert then he is very much mistaken. I have never seen anything in Sanchez that makes me think he will be a great player, Vert already is and He and Toby are the rock we need to build this defence around otherwise we will be found out over the season. They are probably the best defensive duo in the league and to plan with out them would be suicide.
I do feel Poch seems to have a problem with the senior players and doesn't like them to speak their mind, when they do he seems to drop them. Rose and Toby last season for example.

 

[Thewobbler]

I agree He did seem to dodge both issues re Vert and Eriksen. If he thinks Sanchez is a better player than Vert then he is very much mistaken. I have never seen anything in Sanchez that makes me think he will be a great player, Vert already is and He and Toby are the rock we need to build this defence around otherwise we will be found out over the season. They are probably the best defensive duo in the league and to plan with out them would be suicide.
I do feel Poch seems to have a problem with the senior players and doesn't like them to speak their mind, when they do he seems to drop them. Rose and Toby last season for example.

I said in the vertonghen thread that poch may have decided its time for verts to be moved on. He is the the only player who wants a new deal yet we do not seem interested and that decision would have come from poch.

 

[JCRD]

Certain players should be fined for taking shots outside the box and Sissoko is one of them.

Dude it was inside the box... I think inside the six yard box.

He should be fined for taking shots full stop

 

[wrd]

I've not read the match thread but what was the general consensus on Sanchez, a few of my friends were blaming him for first goal which I felt was harsh he was left 2on1 in a position he shouldn't have been, thought he was great myself throughout the game, felt he did extremely well to make sure that the ball was back with the attackers right way, there was one nice tackle where he managed to get it out his feet to Alder with some good footwork. Tougher tests to come for him.

 

[rossdapep]

I've not read the match thread but what was the general consensus on Sanchez, a few of my friends were blaming him for first goal which I felt was harsh he was left 2on1 in a position he shouldn't have been, thought he was great myself throughout the game, felt he did extremely well to make sure that the ball was back with the attackers right way, there was one nice tackle where he managed to get it out his feet to Alder with some good footwork. Tougher tests to come for him.

It was a bit harsh yeah. His job was to stop Wesley, which he was doing, he'd have got to the ball quicker than him.

The fault was allowing McGinn to ghost in, someone wasn't tracking back. Then Rose got desperate and prematurely threw himself to stop the shot. Up until that point we'd been absolutely dominant and the players got sucked in to much.

 

[14/04/91]

Poch hates discussing players that aren’t playing, always has. So whether Vertonghen had a slight knock or didn’t have a great pre-season, he won’t want to talk about it.
That’s why he was evasive in his press conference, he feels its unfair on the player that comes in.

 

[WiganSpur]

The point is that his value to us on the pitch would exceed the value of a low-ball offer from a club who think they have us over a barrel due to his contract. The CL run last season was worth €100m. Finishing in the top four is worth a huge amount of money as well. Continuing to do well in the league and in Europe is also crucially important for our ability to grow the club's brand and the commercial revenues that come along with it, not to mention our ability to remain an attractive prospect to players on the level of Ndobmele, Lo Celso, and Dybala.

We saw today how incredibly influential he is for us. If he stays and plays at his best level, even if in an attempt to make himself attractive to a megaclub on a Bosman, it will be hugely valuable for us. We can't sell him away for anything less than a fee that reflects his worth.

Absolutely this. But I just don't think Levy ever seems to think in this manner. He obviously has his reasons.

 

[wrd]

It was a bit harsh yeah. His job was to stop Wesley, which he was doing, he'd have got to the ball quicker than him.

The fault was allowing McGinn to ghost in, someone wasn't tracking back. Then Rose got desperate and prematurely threw himself to stop the shot. Up until that point we'd been absolutely dominant and the players got sucked in to much.

It seemed to me on the replay that Sissoko was the one who let McGinn get away then yeah Rose got destroyed was great play from McGinn with the feint. Great ball too by Mings.

 

[Romulus]

I've not read the match thread but what was the general consensus on Sanchez, a few of my friends were blaming him for first goal which I felt was harsh he was left 2on1 in a position he shouldn't have been, thought he was great myself throughout the game, felt he did extremely well to make sure that the ball was back with the attackers right way, there was one nice tackle where he managed to get it out his feet to Alder with some good footwork. Tougher tests to come for him.

im still not convinced with him atm. he always does something in a game that worries me

 

[wrd]

im still not convinced with him atm. he always does something in a game that worries me

Personally I see so much I like about him, I agree he's rough around the edges but the only way you smooth those out is with consistent playing time. Same with Foyth and KWP.

 

[belsunz]

Eriksen changed the game. Everyone played so much better with him on the pitch. Please don't leave.

Thought he had a good understanding with Tanguy from the start. Could be so promising...