Tactical decisions: Harry`s Achilles heal?

[tobi]

So, just to be clear, you're expecting Harry to react to something the opposition does before they've done it...?

Sorry, couldn't resist...;-)

?

 

[WhiteHart4Ever]

I don't think Redknapp got a lot wrong tactically today to be honest. Considering we lost Bale, VDV and Parker I think his tactics saw us dominate the team above us in the league.

I had plenty of grumbles last week, and over the last few weeks, but today I've got none really. We worked hard, we pressed well and we played some decent stuff against good opposition. Individual mistakes and lack of the rub cost us today, not anything the manager did or didn't do.

Agree.

Major choice he had to make was whether to keep it tight in midfield with Luka on the left, somewhat more open with Kranjcar on the left, or even more tight/solid with Kranjcar on the left and Ade alone up front with Luka joining both Livermore and Kranjcar in CM.

In the end I think he did the right choice. We bossed the game, but lacked a bit of cutting edge, defensive steel and were unlucky a couple of times. But that wasn't down to tactics.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

It's not really hindsight though.

Last week Harry sat with his cheeks puffed out and shaking his head as we were overun by an average Arsenal team,he hadn't a clue what to do to stem their attacks.

At half time today Walker should have been given the hair dryer treatment and perhaps Luka and BAE might not have been so lazy at marking their men.

After 60 minutes if your 2 strikers haven't scored,it's time to make a change and if your team is 2-0 down,it's an absolute crime if you don't.

What I was referring to was OP assertion of how Harry "should" of set his team out to start with. I didn't read a peep from him before the match. As I said hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Gilzeanking]

I agree with the OP regarding the Arse match particularly .

and re the Utd match...its true we dominated , but also true we rarely threatened

 

[mrlilywhite]

What I was referring to was OP assertion of how Harry "should" of set his team out to start with. I didn't read a peep from him before the match. As I said hindsight is a wonderful thing.

You are right, I never said anything prior to the match, Does not mean I had not thought it though and actually had stated this to mates on many occasions and It is not as if it is rocket science is it?

This is not the 1st time that Harry has been found wanting regarding tactics, Granted he did not do a lot wrong against Utd, We just did not have any cutting edge to our play, Though the most glaringly obvious was playing Modric out left when there were better options, I think it is fair to say that hindsight was not needed here.

The Arsenal game was another situation where hindsight was not needed, All that was needed was to look at the team sheets and the line-ups and the answer was pretty much there, Of course jumping on the bandwagon and slating Harry for his tactical ability or lack of it is wrong if it is a one off but his reign at Spurs has been littered with indecision regarding tactics and formation, A lot of times he has got it right, Though other times he has made elementary mistakes that have proved costly.

I am not a serial poster on here or any other forum if I am honest, I tend to keep my opinion to myself quite a lot, Though sometimes I feel the need to express it and be heard, Hence the wait and see what happens option..:wink:

 

[Supersi32]

I don't think Redknapp got a lot wrong tactically today to be honest. Considering we lost Bale, VDV and Parker I think his tactics saw us dominate the team above us in the league.

I had plenty of grumbles last week, and over the last few weeks, but today I've got none really. We worked hard, we pressed well and we played some decent stuff against good opposition. Individual mistakes and lack of the rub cost us today, not anything the manager did or didn't do.

You`re spot on....

 

[Real_madyidd]

So, just to be clear, you're expecting Harry to react to something the opposition does before they've done it...?

Sorry, couldn't resist...;-)

Exactly my point! Tobi thinks you can react to something that hasn't happened?


Tobi
Proactive= before it happens
Reactive = after it happens.

 

[kaz Hirai]

clincal players was the difference yesterday, united have a 2 or 3 we have none without VDV

 

[Maske2g]

I agree Redknapps not great tactically, but yesterday tactics were fine.

We dominated for 45 mins. We had two good chances. We didn't take them/cleared them off their line for them.

Your not going to create 10 clear cut chances against Man Utd on any day of the week.

They played defensively, and they defended well.

This game was down to one thing only. Individual errors.

How could the game have been crying out for Modric in the middle when he absolutely ran the game as it was?

 

[mattyspurs]

Mental thread

 

[tobi]

Exactly my point! Tobi thinks you can react to something that hasn't happened?


Tobi
Proactive= before it happens
Reactive = after it happens.

My wording was wrong.

 

[lillywhites61]

I thought we dominated from the 10th min until around the 70 min mark, we were by far the better side and we were creating chances but we lacked in a cutting edge, if we had had bale and vdv in that team we would probably have gone in a couple of goals to the good. I thought sandro and Livermore did well but we made to many silly errors at the back which you get punished for at that level! I hope Harry sits down with certain players and explains how they must now learn from them now.

And the set pieces as said in other threads are now beyond farcical!!

So although I have my doubts with Harry tactically sometimes, I think today wasn't as bad as some are making out

 

[Paolo10]

Ah brilliant, more 'tactical' shite in light of a defeat.

Everyone's an expert when we lose, what the fuck do tactics have to do with individual errors in a game we controlled for an hour?

 

[bubble07]

fergie said he got his tactics wrong first half. I wonder whether RedCafe have a thread on Fergie about poor tactics?

 

[Sir Henry]

It would not matter who we have managing us, there would still be the large % of football managers thinking they know better or will moan on forums that he should have done this or shouldnt have done that. It's just that Harry is the current manager and is taking the brunt of it.

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

fergie said he got his tactics wrong first half. I wonder whether RedCafe have a thread on Fergie about poor tactics?

Big difference is that when Fergie gets his tactics wrong, they generally win the game. When Harry gets it wrong we ship a shed load of goals and get stuffed.

 

[mrlilywhite]

It would not matter who we have managing us, there would still be the large % of football managers thinking they know better or will moan on forums that he should have done this or shouldnt have done that. It's just that Harry is the current manager and is taking the brunt of it.

Of course there will always be that element to it and football has always provided the springboard for high debate, I for one don't see it as moaning, Unless someone posts "Harry is fucking clueless and don't know what he is doing"! For me, Harry has done a great job with the players and has allowed us to express ourselves in the Tottenham way, Though, what I alluded to was the fact that tactically he gets it wrong, Sometimes he makes small errors and sometimes he makes glaringly obvious ones.

The Arsenal game was a perfect example of how wrong he got it, Irrespective of how people claim that Arsenal wanted it more, Mentality was a small part of that victory, We gave them the belief that they could win, Those who watched that game will tell you we were the masters of our own demise and not Arsenals superiority.

The Man utd game was different, 1st and foremost he got a reaction from the players and well done to him, the tactics worked, up until a point, Tell me what did you think when you saw the teamsheet before kick-off? I saw it and thought straight away that we would not win. The team was set up too defensively minded, Even at 0-2 down he did not want to make a tactical change, At that point in the game you have to throw caution to the wind to some extent and make a tactical decision.

It becomes frustrating as a fan to watch something like that and know you can not control any of it and the same has to be said about the arsenal game, It beggars belief how Harry failed to see our short comings in that match.

There will always be criticism where it is due as far as I am concerned but I will not moan about it, for I don't claim to be a "Football manager", I hung my FM boots up long ago :wink:

What I will say is, Regardless of our current form I still firmly believe that we have enough left in the tank to finish 3rd and Harry has enough about himself to turn it around

 

[saintlyspur]

I thought the tactics against the arse were wrong but not yesterday you dont dominate possesion against man utd for 70 mins if that were the case.my grumble was waiting untill the 80th minute to change it up front when we were creating fuck all because the game had died.he should have made the changes as soon as we went two down

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Tactically Redknapp did fine yesterday, but the thing that some of us keep talking about, that coached ethic, drilling a philosophy into players day in day out, is important, it is what keeps ManU - who I think aren't as good as us man for man (or Arsenal for that matter) - always up the top. Tactically I don't think Ferguson was any better than Redknapp yesterday. But that attitude he instills of always working until the last second of the game, always taking responsibility for your corner, is what keeps them winning ugly even when they aren't playing scintillating football.

This article in the Standard touches on it:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport...eeping-into-spurs-beautiful-game-7537487.html

"It is an eternal source of frustration to followers of every other club that United seem to ‘get the breaks’ more than anyone else but their diligence and focus is so great that it enables them to take maximum advantage when their chance comes. United’s consistent application is a testament to Sir Alex Ferguson and while his team do not necessarily compare favourably with his greatest, they are brimming with resilience and knowhow.

Tottenham may have been the better side here but they failed to match United’s maturity and handed their opponents a vital win. Small moments clearly matter. Danny Welbeck could have allowed Brad Friedel to catch a looping ball but instead applied pressure, forcing the Spurs goalkeeper to tip the ball behind.

From the resulting corner, Kyle Walker’s lackadaisical approach to marking Wayne Rooney had disastrous consequences and suddenly, after controlling most of the opening 45 minutes, Spurs were behind."

 

[kernowspur]

I am in New Zealand at present and have no access to see the games, only a few reports. Two consistent things from the reports of the last two matches in reports is defensive frailties and questionable tactics. If true both can be laid at the door of coaches and manager.