Tottenham Vs Leicester (EPL): Match Thread

[Damian99]

Think Toby was marking Huth and Dier was blocking his way so he just threw him to the ground in an effort to get to Huth. Dier at fault for switching off in my book

That is just total and utter nonsense, sorry.

Toby is IN BETWEEN them, so how can Dier be blocking him?

 

[longtimespur]

Alderweireld is a big unit and sure is ball watching here, but dumping Dier on the ground looks to be a deliberate action.
Now maybe Alderweireld thinks Dier is a liability as a third CB and just gets in the way.
He may be right, but with one of the best defensive records, the extra CB generally seems to be effective, and while it could easily have been Walker we were cursing today, the evidence shows that Alderweireld takes the blame this time for a very poor decision.
It is a shame as he has had a stand out season, but in this game he let the pressure get to him.

Ranieri got the tactics spot on, and his players bullied our younger players all over the pitch.
The only way through for us was going to be from out wide - Townsend on the left or Danny Rose would have been better options.
MP needs to quickly work out where he went wrong as Fat Sam has no-doubt watched this game 10X and will be looking to do the same to us this weekend.

Can't agree with this bit. I thought Davies did really well controlling Mahrez and set up at least 2 chances for Lamela with good crosses.

 

[Damian99]

If you look at the clip again you will also notice at the end Leicesters number 5 appear to wander aimlessly towards our 6 yard box totally UNMARKED - it's shocking that both opposition CB (generally good in the air) are fucking totally left to do as they please.

 

[Breezer]

If you look at the clip again you will also notice at the end Leicesters number 5 appear to wander aimlessly towards our 6 yard box totally UNMARKED - it's shocking that both opposition CB (generally good in the air) are fucking totally left to do as they please.

The two biggest threats Huth and Morgan unmarked. If the cross fell 5 yards shorter it would have been a free header for Morgan. MADNESS!!!!

 

[Conando]

The number of times the ball went to either walker of Davies and we had Kane in there against 8 leicester players was staggering. I know they play counter attacking football and we needed to be mindful of that. But the chances of finding one player in that box against a well drilled defensive team like leicester were practically zero. We need to be a little more gung ho against teams that park the bus.

The issue with this isn't the lack of players in the box, it is the fact that they kept crossing the ball when no one was there.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

The issue with this isn't the lack of players in the box, it is the fact that they kept crossing the ball when no one was there.

Hold on.......

Let me look one more time.......

The issue isn't the lack of players in the box, it's the fact that they kept crossing the ball when there was no one there....

So, the issue is that there isn't enough players getting into the box

 

[NEVILLEB]

Like Bale, yes. Like Lennon, no.

Lennon was very good at getting to the byline and then cutting the ball back. That's pretty much all he did.

He wasn't very good at a proper crosses I'll give you that!

 

[BuryMeInEngland]

So to recap…….Last night can be blamed on…..

Walker
Defending from set pieces
Offering nothing going forward
Eriksen
Carroll
Pochs subs
Lack of pace
Lack of movement
Our poor corners
Having three creative players behind Kane
Lack of 'intricate' passing moves (lol)
Tiredness
Poch looking nervous
Lack of a 'Plan B' (no seriously, someone actually trawled out that tired old cliche)
Not creating chances (which confuses me because we really actually did create enough chances to have won the game)
And probably a number of other things i've left out

Also, in the match thread, during the match there were multiple calls for Dembele to be introduced yet once he was, he pretty much did fuck all/had no effect. Nobody has remarked on that. Strange.

So yeah, fuck me that's a helluva list. We're a club in crisis. Can't believe we've fluked our way to fourth

I really don't see why he persists with Carroll. You hardly notice him, he is too weak, doesn't get stuck in and passing isn't that great. Id prefer Mason or Bentaleb when fit. Also where on earth was Chadli, Mason (OS said he was available) and Bentaleb last night? instead we had 3 defenders on the bench.

Also I think Poch's substitutions are not great. Always too late and don't have enough time to impact. If we aren't getting anywhere and players are looking tired or out of ideas, why not change it earlier?! We didn't rotate enough or make use of the subs over xmas and now we are paying.

Eriksen needs to wake up. Lamela needs to start producing more than just a few jinks inside. Why do we never cross the bloody ball? Kane aint getting the ball enough in the box, we lack bodies in the box and never are 1st to the ball when it drops.

Tell me you copied A&C's post and just threw it back out

 

[Conando]

Hold on.......

Let me look one more time.......

The issue isn't the lack of players in the box, it's the fact that they kept crossing the ball when there was no one there....

So, the issue is that there isn't enough players getting into the box

Don't be a pedant.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Don't be a pedant.

In what dimension am I being a Pedant?

Somebody stated something like...

"we don't get enough players into the box"

And your response was something along the lines of...

"It's not that we don't get enough players into the box, we cross when there's nobody in there"

So, by sheer association, if our players got into the box quicker, the crosses wouldn't be going into an empty area, would they?

 

[kaz Hirai]

The two biggest threats Huth and Morgan unmarked. If the cross fell 5 yards shorter it would have been a free header for Morgan. MADNESS!!!!

That's what hurt the most.
You just had to concentrate on 2 players mostly, I mean it was mega obvious.
Like not bothering to mark cahil and Terry

So amateur it was upsetting

 

[ataggy]

Tell me you copied A&C's post and just threw it back out

Nope, hadn't even seen it until now.

 

[Conando]

In what dimension am I being a Pedant?

Somebody stated something like...

"we don't get enough players into the box"

And your response was something along the lines of...

"It's not that we don't get enough players into the box, we cross when there's nobody in there"

So, by sheer association, if our players got into the box quicker, the crosses wouldn't be going into an empty area, would they?

It is pedantic.

The crosses are being made when there is no one in the box; this decision is made by the crosser with the knowledge no one is in the box. This isn't Schrodinger's cat.

EDIT: I did misread the point of the initial post, I thought it was in reference to Davies and Walker slinging in numerous crosses last night to an empty box.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

So to recap…….Last night can be blamed on…..

Walker
Defending from set pieces
Offering nothing going forward
Eriksen
Carroll
Pochs subs
Lack of pace
Lack of movement
Our poor corners
Having three creative players behind Kane
Lack of 'intricate' passing moves (lol)
Tiredness
Poch looking nervous
Lack of a 'Plan B' (no seriously, someone actually trawled out that tired old cliche)
Not creating chances (which confuses me because we really actually did create enough chances to have won the game)
And probably a number of other things i've left out

Also, in the match thread, during the match there were multiple calls for Dembele to be introduced yet once he was, he pretty much did fuck all/had no effect. Nobody has remarked on that. Strange.

So yeah, fuck me that's a helluva list. We're a club in crisis. Can't believe we've fluked our way to fourth

Discussion boards, where people discuss stuff, who'd have thought it?

 

[DiscoD1882]

It is pedantic.
The crosses are being made when there is no one in the box; this decision is made by the crosser with the knowledge no one is in the box. This isn't Schrodinger's cat.

this wasnt on the odd occasion it was all night. If the players dont arrive in the box at the right time and hang around on the edge as they did all last night then there is NEVER going to be anyone in the box regarless. and waiting to put the ball in the box would mean the winger was closed down before being able to put the ball in the box.

 

[Gaz_Gammon]

Davies is so much better than he's given credit for!!

He really has improved under Poch in my opinion, and though Rose has more pace (as an ex winger you'd expect that) Davies is by far a better defender, which i guess we should also expect.

 

[Conando]

this wasnt on the odd occasion it was all night. If the players dont arrive in the box at the right time and hang around on the edge as they did all last night then there is NEVER going to be anyone in the box regarless. and waiting to put the ball in the box would mean the winger was closed down before being able to put the ball in the box.

Then do something else with the ball.

Lamela had two great chances from crosses, and should have done better with a cross to Kane first half.

 

[Damian99]

The two biggest threats Huth and Morgan unmarked. If the cross fell 5 yards shorter it would have been a free header for Morgan. MADNESS!!!!

Surely these situations are discussed prior to a game and who will pick who up beforehand as you can't decide who is going to mark who as a set play is about to be taken - it just doesn't happen. Responsibilities have all ready been set out - too much chaos during a set play to start deciding who is going to pick up who - so out of curiosity which two players would we have had to pick up their two CBs i wonder?

Obviously as the games develops, certain players may have gone off or simply not come forward for a certain set play - but regardless of that opposition players cannot be just left - in that video clip there are two fucking players with as much space and time to do what the hell they like - Sunday morning marking at best.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

He really has improved under Poch in my opinion, and though Rose has more pace (as an ex winger you'd expect that) Davies is by far a better defender, which i guess we should also expect.

I can't for the life of me understand why, when we're looking somewhat clueless in games when trying to break down a stubborn defense (like last night) Poch doesn't try Rose ahead of Davies later on in a game. Davies is the better 'defender' , and is smarter when in possession in a dangerous area. Rose showed last season that he used to be a winger. I can't remember the game, but he played a lovely one-two with someone, burst into the area & finished off a fine move. It was clearly instinctive!

Our sub's are so bloody predictable, we could probably all call the changes that will be made in our next game, and when they'll likely take place. If we could do that, I'd imagine professional managers can also do it.

So why not throw an odd one in the works every now and again? Why predictably do what those other managers have probably spent the last week planning for before playing us? Everyone knows Chadli is probably going to replace Eriksen, just as everyone knows that Dembele is probably going to replace Carroll (or vice versa), and Son is going to replace Lamela, etc etc.

I'm clueless anyway, but if I were an opposing manager, and saw Eriksen's number raised to come off, but then noticed it was Davies or Rose that was the number replacing him, I'd be thinking "WTF, we never planned for this"...

 

[whitesocks]

Can't agree with this bit. I thought Davies did really well controlling Mahrez and set up at least 2 chances for Lamela with good crosses.

Davies did have a good game, and while his crosses are nothing special, they are better than anything Rose ever comes up with. But Rose drives into the box with intention and he makes things happen.

It is all about transitions these days and a cross into a crowded box by an advanced FB can leave a side open to the counter attack.

With Walker in particular I feel he is quite pleased when his crosses are continually blocked for corners, as he can then run back and get in position. And Rose hits them so hard they often go for throw ins on the far side. But again perhaps thinks that is not so bad.

So for me the idea of the FBs providing the width is literally a bit of a dead end. It is a ploy to maintain harmless possession in a corner which at best will be worked back to midfield, then back up the other wing.
And no-one is in the box anyway.

I favour Rose as he will switch with Lamela/Eriksen and drive into the box as the AM should. Things happen.
But I doubt this is part of MP's master plan, and possibly the reason Rose is continually dropped.