Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace - FA CUP 5th Round

[Boysownstuff]

Hurts to go out, but perspective. If the 'proper' 2016 team had lost like that I would be worried. But we played a 2014-15 midfield and got a 2014-15 result. We don't do that anymore with the first choice team, the shame is we don't yet have the depth of quality to rotate quite so much.
No Toby, no Dier in midfield, Bentaleb and then Mason as well - it was always possible we would lose.

 

[1882]

... I still remember us winning the cup, it was great fun but winning the league? In my life time....fuck me. I will literally drink myself to death and die a happy man.

I need this, I need it so bad. LET ME DIE HAPPY

I think the queue at the "DEATH OUB" is gonna be pretty long... I'll be right behind you ordering a Gallon of Whiskey... though I'm not sure if Nutter-Naylor has seen us win the league in HIS lifetime... I THINK he was at the 1921 Cup Final but not sure if that counts?

 

[The Dane]

Bentaleb should take a long hard look at himself, his attitude today was very poor. He shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 11 right now, hopefully he can turn it around.

 

[scott]

He had a bit of a mare, but it's hard for Bentaleb.
A long injury lay off, and a guy who has come into the team in his position and played like a God.
He is not going to get a run of games unless he plays an absolute blinder straight out of the blocks, so he tries too hard and it goes tits up. His confidence takes a knock and he plays worse. All that at 20-21 years of age.
If Poch didn't see something in him he would not start, let alone play 90 minutes ... see Kaboul, Chiriches, Fazio, Capoue, Stambouli, Lennon, Townsend, probably others ...

he may as well go out on loan in the premiership next season & get games under his belt.
he will barely play for us.
if we lose on thursday he may not play again this season.
i dont want to lose him or give up on him yet.
so i wouldnt sell him in the summer.

 

[slickz]

Just got back from the game, took my daughter for the first time. I knew it would be the kiss of death!

Dissapointing performance all round. Bentalab was our weakest link and moose seemed right of the pace. Eriksen was also way off it today.

Palace played the ref to perfection, very frustrating, going down at every Oppotunity. We were very naieve in that regard.

Good day out but disappointing performance.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

I'm not setting myself up to fail. There's not a damn thing you or I can do about it. Ignoring the fact that we have an excellent chance to win the league is just as bad as hopelessly unrealistic treble aspirations.

I'm not ignoring the possibility. But I prefer to wait until after we've won before celebrating. I think that's a much more logical approach as it means the disappointment of missing out isn't so crushing.

Call it my anti-melt maneuver.

 

[DevonLilywhite]

Reality check. Lose this one, lose to Fiorentina, lose our next 2 in the league - shows how quickly the season can be over.

Maybe we'll look back and see this game as the kick we needed? The reminder that we're not the finished article - especially in the attacking four.

I've been slightly uncomfortable for a few games now. I don't think our front 4 (whoever's played there) have had great games for the past few. (Our back 6 and Hugo have just been immense though.)

But I'm gutted. I had this horrible tiny inkling of hope that the double was on. It's hope that kills you....

We've got to enjoy this season lads. Hopefully the crowd roars them on on Thursday....

Oh, and I hate to say it, but time to cash in on Nabil.

 

[Totti]

Win at Swansea is very big.

West Ham and Woolwich are not easy games, especially coming within 3 days of each other.

 

[StuG]

Not sure if today was down to a weak selection or post Europa League blues.

Hopefully it was just a bad day at the office.

 

[SouthStand Billy]

Well that was all a bit of a non day. We played well enough but just couldn't score. Bentaleb seems to have an attitude problem to me. He had his chance today to show that he could have a big part to play in this squad but spent all game skulking around, did nothing to prove Poch is wrong to leave him out.
It's never nice to lose but shit happens and we move on.

 

[Scubaglue]

To futher defend our players today I wasn't at the game nor did I watch it. I'm judging purely on the content of what I've read and past performances. Vorm, now I know I made a comment that Vorm should be keeping the bench Vorm against fiorentina but that was a play on words in an attempt to be funny, not I hate Vorm. I obviously don't think he should start ahead of Lloris either. If Hugo was fit and Poch chose to start Vorm it would have been a tough decision of what's more important? A better chance of progressing or keeping a very good second choice keeper match fit and reducing the odds of getting to the next round. You need to keep your second choice playing some competitive football purely on the basis if Hugo gets injured (like he is now) the second choice is as prepared and as confident as possible. Its never easy, Vorm knows hes second choice for a reason the weight of expectation having to live up to the impossibly high standards set by Lloris must be nerve racking enough never mind as a keeper you are the absolute last line of defence and any mistake you make is magnified massively as its the last one before any goal is conceded. This isn't football manager, we will never have De Gea come on off the bench if Hugo can't carry on. Is Vorm good enough? As a number two, yes 100%.

Bentalib is not as easy to defend but I'll have a go. This will be sort and sweet. He's young, what is he 20? Think back to being 20. I know I was a cunt. He's learning. If his attitude was wrong I believe Poch would have never give him the start. I could be wrong I never watched the game and we may never see him again. What I've seen of him before the injury and after making sub appearances he looks hungry to earn his place. He young and he's talented. Is he needed? IMO no but for the duration of his spurs career I'm backing him. He could well develop into a great and while he's at my club and that's a possibility I will support him and hope that he does.

 

[Joe Clash]

Well that was all a bit of a non day. We played well enough but just couldn't score. Bentaleb seems to have an attitude problem to me. He had his chance today to show that he could have a big part to play in this squad but spent all game skulking around, did nothing to prove Poch is wrong to leave him out.
It's never nice to lose but shit happens and we move on.

Agree. A day to forget. Bentaleb isn't helping himself.

 

[mouse]

Palace defended brilliantly today, won everything in the air in both boxes. and got bodies in front of everything we threw at them. Ultimately we didn't really create enough chances and where very unlucky with the ones we did get. In contrast we have been pretty lucky with some handball decisions recently (for and against). So, swings and roundabouts / you make your own luck / what comes around etc....

Bentaleb had another forgettable game, but in fairness if Carroll's fit then he doesn't start. We looked a different team in the second half without Dembele as we did when he came on last Thursday, but I hear the sub was made to rest a groin issue.

Ultimately, even champions lose games and just because we do it doesn't suddenly make "all the players shit". The way some of the people on here turn on the team and start calling players out twenty mins into a game is embarrassing to me.

The positives are one less comp to worry about although i thought we had a good chance of another cup final this year with how hard our first team is to beat.

Plus a piss up in Brum is still on because the VIlla game wont get moved now.

 

[SouthStand Billy]

Agree. A day to forget. Bentaleb isn't helping himself.

Today just proved that a settled and regular side makes all the difference. We looked nothing like the well oiled unit we have done of late.

 

[NorseYid]

What seems to be clear to me is that we have a very solid starting 11, However our squad players would struggle to win games. And i am talking about that defensive pairing of wimmer +alderweireld. Dier in midfield. Lloris in goal. Not to mention having Dele + Kane in form (who are our match winners).

Fine point. I wouldn't slag the "squad" though.

It's not just the first XI who are good. I think they first 4-5-6 players on the bench are pretty good too. Finally, I think we have some squad youngsters who are firmly above par compared to league average.

We also, however, have a number of players, who despite status of internationals with very recognized countries, struggle to keep up by delivering performances at match winning levels.

Good enough for what, then?

Good enough for a team delivering results to take us 2nd in the league and into late European status.

I have to assume by now, that we make at least top 4, possibly top 3 too, and will be purchasing players matching that. Let's say 3 players gunning for first XI, 1 wild card and 2 youngsters. Let's assume we make 3 outgoing loans. To counter it Pritch and Yedlin return. Then we have Clinton back from injury. We have to assume Poch wants him, despite his unfortunate debut season injury.

Without making this a witchhunt, I see players like Chadli, Bentaleb, Yedlin, Carroll or possibly even Mason struggling to get squad numbers. Someone like Lamela has been very good lately, yet miles off his value. I doubt we'd reject get even half our money back from e.g. an italian or spanish club.

 

[Kafkaesque]

poch struggled with team selections this stage last year with the league cup final & europa tie.
he seems to be struggling again this time.
rotation & getting the balance right for all these games is tricky.
a draw away is ok but the defeat today obviously is not.

If you're looking at the last 4 days isolated, then yes. But jesus fucking christ, 7 wins on the bounce followed a 1-1 away to a team third in the Italian league and a cup defeat that could've gone the other way is struggling? Fuck off! Just fuck off.

Oh, and only someone looking to be deliberately negative would think that 1-1 result is "ok".....

 

[NorseYid]

Today just proved that a settled and regular side makes all the difference. We looked nothing like the well oiled unit we have done of late.

I don't wholly agree.

What it shoves is that some players are near irreplacable in the starting XI - and that other backups, who used to be first XI material, have been left behind by our succesful evolution.

From a tactical perspective our game is built on gegenpressing in a very well drilled organisation, a cool central defence and some very sharp front 4 players with good rapport.

 

[Joe Clash]

Today just proved that a settled and regular side makes all the difference. We looked nothing like the well oiled unit we have done of late.

I saw the team sheet and winced a little bit tbh. I accept the arguments about rotation, and we have bigger fish to fry, but to go out to Palace at home is a bit shit. I don't want to go overboard on Bentaleb, but this isn't just down to form - as you say his attitude is unacceptable and a detriment to the amazing team spirit Poch has built. It's difficult to like him at the moment.

 

[NorseYid]

I saw the team sheet and winced a little bit tbh. I accept the arguments about rotation, and we have bigger fish to fry, but to go out to Palace at home is a bit shit. I don't want to go overboard on Bentaleb, but this isn't just down to form - as you say his attitude is unacceptable and a detriment to the amazing team spirit Poch has built. It's difficult to like him at the moment.

I haven't seen any proof of this attitude thing, tbh. My biggest worry is his shocking positioning and his complete disregard to tactical discipline. So many times did he follow the ball out e.g. in front of a fullback only for Palace to pass inside and have 2 players running at our central defenders - and Nabil just jogging casually back doing nothing to get back to cover the space.

He is beginning to reek of instinct player - someone who looks a world beater because of natural ability on the ball and/or athletic profeciency, but who in reality is severely lacking in basic concepts, tactics and team discipline.

And that is just unacceptable as a part of a midfield 3 in a team, whose succes is built on structure, discipline and patience.

 

[Kafkaesque]

I saw the team sheet and winced a little bit tbh. I accept the arguments about rotation, and we have bigger fish to fry, but to go out to Palace at home is a bit shit. I don't want to go overboard on Bentaleb, but this isn't just down to form - as you say his attitude is unacceptable and a detriment to the amazing team spirit Poch has built. It's difficult to like him at the moment.

I get the exact same feeling as you do when watching him play. I will say this though. As much as it looks like his attitude is shit, I doubt it actually is. We've seen it several players and Poch. If the right attitude isn't there, they simply do not play. So Bentaleb playing today tells, he's still doing alright in the training and with the squad spirit imho.