Pococino signing an extended contract must give the present squad a mental boost, the timing of this is a perfect deflection from the build up to Sunday COYS
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Match Final game of the season vs. Newcastle (away)
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Newcastle v Spurs Preview
It was only a couple of weeks ago I made myself look a right tit by saying that we are at such level beyond our opposition in these final games that we need not worry about their game but merely concentrate on our own.
Cut forward to Wednesday night and I’m celebrating a Sunderland win that means Sunday’s opponents are already relegated.
Tim Sherwood claimed that AVB was fired because ‘Winning isn’t enough.’ at Spurs ‘You have to win pretty.’ And that certainly rings true with me. Without beauty, results are joyless.
This Sunday, however, I’ll take the most boring, insipid, backwards joke of a game. Anything. As long as we don’t lose. As long as we get a point. As long as we finish above Woolwich.
Newcastle might be relegated but they were also the first club to show the league that without Dembele our playstyle leaves us too physically weak in midfield and easily pressed.
Ryan Mason has been his stand in and while I’ve defended him, and while I maintain that he is a good player he’s not suited to playing in midfield for this Spurs side right now. No-one is going to compare to Dembele for physical presence but Mason is especially lightweight and I suspect a little more fearful of contact since his injury.
Without a miraculous return to fitness and form from Nabil Bentaleb replacing Mason in midfield to beef it up is a tricky one. There’s a handful of possibilities and none really stand out.
We could bring in Wimmer and have either him or Vertonghen play in midfield alongside Dier.
Starting all four centre-backs is a bit Tony Pulis and certainly leaves us short of creativity from deep but I’ll refer you to my intro: I’d play 10 defenders if it meant we came away with a point this weekend.
We could introduce Chadli and drop Eriksen alongside Dier.
Eriksen is no less lightweight than Mason but he has the touch, vision, creativity and skill that may mean he is able to avoid those battles without losing the ball.
There’s Tom Carroll but he’s even worse for that and now we’re running out of options. We could bring in Onomah.
Bringing in a 5’11 19 year old to add strength to your midfield isn’t standard procedure and Onomah certainly isn’t a powerhouse. But he does have the control and on-the-ball confidence that could just be enough to help us out.
Nacer Chadli is a big lad with a good touch and Sherwood once played in in central midfield. But no.
Son or N’jie could move up top to let Kane come deep and do a job in midfield, I actually quite like that idea, but there’s no way Poch would go for that.
In fact I feel there’s a strong possibility that Pochettino won’t do any of these or think up one of his own. I think he’ll do as he has before, show faith in a decision he’s previously made and play Mason again.
There’s something to be said for two existing media narratives about relegated teams. One is that they can sometimes improve once they are free from pressure and I think that’s been shown to be true. The other is that relegated teams can become even worse than they were because relegation can suck the life out of you and I think that’s shown to be true too.
Relegation means freedom. You’re free to make mistakes. You’re free to take risks in the final third which means that you can start making plays and converting chances that you previously hadn’t. And that freedom also means you don’t really care if you slip up defensively.
The one worry from Newcastle coming into this game is that they would play a physical, pressing game against a demoralised Tottenham side with Mason in midfield which would see us get overturned. But I don’t think that’s how you play after you’ve been relegated. I certainly hope it isn’t…
It was only a couple of weeks ago I made myself look a right tit by saying that we are at such level beyond our opposition in these final games that we need not worry about their game but merely concentrate on our own.
Cut forward to Wednesday night and I’m celebrating a Sunderland win that means Sunday’s opponents are already relegated.
Tim Sherwood claimed that AVB was fired because ‘Winning isn’t enough.’ at Spurs ‘You have to win pretty.’ And that certainly rings true with me. Without beauty, results are joyless.
This Sunday, however, I’ll take the most boring, insipid, backwards joke of a game. Anything. As long as we don’t lose. As long as we get a point. As long as we finish above Woolwich.
Newcastle might be relegated but they were also the first club to show the league that without Dembele our playstyle leaves us too physically weak in midfield and easily pressed.
Ryan Mason has been his stand in and while I’ve defended him, and while I maintain that he is a good player he’s not suited to playing in midfield for this Spurs side right now. No-one is going to compare to Dembele for physical presence but Mason is especially lightweight and I suspect a little more fearful of contact since his injury.
Without a miraculous return to fitness and form from Nabil Bentaleb replacing Mason in midfield to beef it up is a tricky one. There’s a handful of possibilities and none really stand out.
We could bring in Wimmer and have either him or Vertonghen play in midfield alongside Dier.
Starting all four centre-backs is a bit Tony Pulis and certainly leaves us short of creativity from deep but I’ll refer you to my intro: I’d play 10 defenders if it meant we came away with a point this weekend.
We could introduce Chadli and drop Eriksen alongside Dier.
Eriksen is no less lightweight than Mason but he has the touch, vision, creativity and skill that may mean he is able to avoid those battles without losing the ball.
There’s Tom Carroll but he’s even worse for that and now we’re running out of options. We could bring in Onomah.
Bringing in a 5’11 19 year old to add strength to your midfield isn’t standard procedure and Onomah certainly isn’t a powerhouse. But he does have the control and on-the-ball confidence that could just be enough to help us out.
Nacer Chadli is a big lad with a good touch and Sherwood once played in in central midfield. But no.
Son or N’jie could move up top to let Kane come deep and do a job in midfield, I actually quite like that idea, but there’s no way Poch would go for that.
In fact I feel there’s a strong possibility that Pochettino won’t do any of these or think up one of his own. I think he’ll do as he has before, show faith in a decision he’s previously made and play Mason again.
There’s something to be said for two existing media narratives about relegated teams. One is that they can sometimes improve once they are free from pressure and I think that’s been shown to be true. The other is that relegated teams can become even worse than they were because relegation can suck the life out of you and I think that’s shown to be true too.
Relegation means freedom. You’re free to make mistakes. You’re free to take risks in the final third which means that you can start making plays and converting chances that you previously hadn’t. And that freedom also means you don’t really care if you slip up defensively.
The one worry from Newcastle coming into this game is that they would play a physical, pressing game against a demoralised Tottenham side with Mason in midfield which would see us get overturned. But I don’t think that’s how you play after you’ve been relegated. I certainly hope it isn’t…
There are numerous cliches in football, mostly they are true but occasionally they aren't, it all evens itself out at the end of the season is one of life's great nonsenses for example.
However the league table doesn't lie is normally spot on; however if we finish below The Goat Felchers then I truly believe that statement will be incorrect. We have been far, far better than they have; their wins have been, aside from when they bashed United at home, unimaginably dull.
We simply have to finish above them, regardless of if it's goal difference or 5 points.
However the league table doesn't lie is normally spot on; however if we finish below The Goat Felchers then I truly believe that statement will be incorrect. We have been far, far better than they have; their wins have been, aside from when they bashed United at home, unimaginably dull.
We simply have to finish above them, regardless of if it's goal difference or 5 points.
Townsend to score a 30yd wondergoal is nailed on but we'll get the point needed.
I feel like celebrating now; for once we're not locked in a battle for El 5th Placio. Which also means that if Line of Duty 4 gets shown on a Thursday we can watch it live with no spoiler panics.
Lennon at the Blue Mickeys......
Strange feeling this. We have achived the objective, CL football for next seaxon- we should be estactic . Yet this, our last game of the season which should account to nothing, we can spoil the mood by allowing the Scum to climb above us if we dont win or draw. Why do we make things so differcult for ourselves. I am so happy with Spurs at the moment, Im worried. Really cant lose this as it will be so disheartening although things couldn't be better for us.
Spursy will always be with us.
Embrace it.
If you don't it will fuck you up.
"Eriksen is no less lightweight than Mason"Newcastle v Spurs Preview
It was only a couple of weeks ago I made myself look a right tit by saying that we are at such level beyond our opposition in these final games that we need not worry about their game but merely concentrate on our own.
Cut forward to Wednesday night and I’m celebrating a Sunderland win that means Sunday’s opponents are already relegated.
Tim Sherwood claimed that AVB was fired because ‘Winning isn’t enough.’ at Spurs ‘You have to win pretty.’ And that certainly rings true with me. Without beauty, results are joyless.
This Sunday, however, I’ll take the most boring, insipid, backwards joke of a game. Anything. As long as we don’t lose. As long as we get a point. As long as we finish above Woolwich.
Newcastle might be relegated but they were also the first club to show the league that without Dembele our playstyle leaves us too physically weak in midfield and easily pressed.
Ryan Mason has been his stand in and while I’ve defended him, and while I maintain that he is a good player he’s not suited to playing in midfield for this Spurs side right now. No-one is going to compare to Dembele for physical presence but Mason is especially lightweight and I suspect a little more fearful of contact since his injury.
Without a miraculous return to fitness and form from Nabil Bentaleb replacing Mason in midfield to beef it up is a tricky one. There’s a handful of possibilities and none really stand out.
We could bring in Wimmer and have either him or Vertonghen play in midfield alongside Dier.
Starting all four centre-backs is a bit Tony Pulis and certainly leaves us short of creativity from deep but I’ll refer you to my intro: I’d play 10 defenders if it meant we came away with a point this weekend.
We could introduce Chadli and drop Eriksen alongside Dier.
Eriksen is no less lightweight than Mason but he has the touch, vision, creativity and skill that may mean he is able to avoid those battles without losing the ball.
There’s Tom Carroll but he’s even worse for that and now we’re running out of options. We could bring in Onomah.
Bringing in a 5’11 19 year old to add strength to your midfield isn’t standard procedure and Onomah certainly isn’t a powerhouse. But he does have the control and on-the-ball confidence that could just be enough to help us out.
Nacer Chadli is a big lad with a good touch and Sherwood once played in in central midfield. But no.
Son or N’jie could move up top to let Kane come deep and do a job in midfield, I actually quite like that idea, but there’s no way Poch would go for that.
In fact I feel there’s a strong possibility that Pochettino won’t do any of these or think up one of his own. I think he’ll do as he has before, show faith in a decision he’s previously made and play Mason again.
There’s something to be said for two existing media narratives about relegated teams. One is that they can sometimes improve once they are free from pressure and I think that’s been shown to be true. The other is that relegated teams can become even worse than they were because relegation can suck the life out of you and I think that’s shown to be true too.
Relegation means freedom. You’re free to make mistakes. You’re free to take risks in the final third which means that you can start making plays and converting chances that you previously hadn’t. And that freedom also means you don’t really care if you slip up defensively.
The one worry from Newcastle coming into this game is that they would play a physical, pressing game against a demoralised Tottenham side with Mason in midfield which would see us get overturned. But I don’t think that’s how you play after you’ve been relegated. I certainly hope it isn’t…
Mason works his nuts off and gets stuck into tackles.
Eriksen works his nuts off but bottles every tackle that's not 80/20 in his favour.
Yeah I think I may have been guilty of recency bias here. For the Southampton game I was sat East Lower giving me a great view of Mason's game. He appeared to back out of every physical challenge and even using his head unmarked.
I also said that maybe he's a little injury shy following his time out this season but then I remembered his big slide tackle v Dortmund so maybe he was just being especially soft v Southampton. Maybe carrying a minor injury?
I'm very good (learnt over the years) in burying my head in the sand when it all goes tits up. Its either that to take to drink.Spursy will always be with us.
Embrace it.
If you don't it will fuck you up.
We do like putting our head above the parapet ..
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Yeah perhaps he is. Considering his history the fact he goes in for any big tackles is a credit to him.
I've got a bit of an issue with Eriksen because I've never seen a player pull out of so many tackles in my life before and I've got absolutely no time for that. It's shamefully how blatantly he does it too.
Obviously there's no denying who the more talented player is tho and ability wise he aught to be able to deputise in the middle and play a Modric type role for us.
I think 30 mins into the game we'll be 2 or 3 up, game over, showboating time and wondering where all the melting went.
This is an already relegated Newcastle side who couldn't score in 90 mins against the worst side in the division who were in total disarray!
Yes they beat us at the Lane earlier but lightning doesn't strike twice!
This is an already relegated Newcastle side who couldn't score in 90 mins against the worst side in the division who were in total disarray!
Yes they beat us at the Lane earlier but lightning doesn't strike twice!
They're already demolished.
Whatever we do tomorrow will be kicking a crippled person when they've fallen down.
Hugo gets it. Let's hope he doesn't have another game like last week though.
Let's get the job done & put this season to bed.
Arrived Newcastle having a pint of Hotspur at the Hotspur pub!
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