City v Spurs 19/20 ratings and ramblings

[Steve73]

Didn't understand playing 2 in midfield against them at all, taking Winks off and putting Sis in his place to take the ball off the back 4 is very very bizarre. Love him or hate him, that really isn't his game so not sure what Poch was playing at.

Watching City up close (and I've been up there a few times) they really are impressive and this is the best I've seen them apart from in front of goal and going to sleep for our goals.

I actually thought Winks had a good game and showed a lot of courage in wanting the ball in tight situations. I was also impressed with KWP - he was targeted but stood up to it really well and showed a lot of character and bravery against one of the best attacking players in the league. If he can stay injury free he'll be our RB for years to come.

The City fans were cunts and waiting for us outside the away end they were absolutely fuming, there weren't enough old bill and then they just started hitting people who weren't even provoking them (not me obvs cos I'm hard as).

Would've taken 4 points at the start of the season from these 2 games, Poch needs to improve tactically in these big games but this team has character and fight and I love that they don't know when they're beat. Love VAR too.

 

[Airfixx]

I just don't buy this. This is separating the result from the performance IMO. Result was good, performance was in most ways utter garbage. We conceded ball, territory, chances, good chances and created absolutely fuck all, I doubt if anyone will get much below the x/g of 0.11 we managed throughout the season. I looked back through last season and only Everton equalled that against City all last season. Nobody created less. A shot from outside the box and one set-piece header.

There was a 20 minute spell before half time where we seemed to be managing the game slightly better, but the taking off of Winks just reduced us to bus parking nothingness.

Jose made a career out of it tbf.

(Winks off cut our bollocks off for sure tho...)

 

[hiatus]

Ndombele 4
Kane 1

Lol you okay?

 

[StripiestPilot]

Lloris 8 - one dodgy punch but some brilliant saves
KWP 7 - caught out for the first goal but stood up well to Sterling
Toby 4 - one good block but was sleeping on the second goal
Sanchez 8 - beast, immense second half and deserves to keep his place
Rose 3 - away with the fairies once again, repeatedly allowed De Bruyne time and space to deliver killer passes and dithered whenever he had the ball
Winks 5 - tried to be brave on the ball but physically looks short of his best
Sissoko 4 - needed to help KWP more, he’s standing still on the first goal instead of following in
NDombele 6 - adapting quickly to the PL and doing a good impression of Dembele
Eriksen 4 - non-entity
Lamela 6 - great goal and good corner delivery
Kane 4 - didn’t do anything wrong but we simply couldn’t find him

Lucas 7 - great header
Lo Celso N/A - I don’t think he touched the ball
Skipp N/A - as above
VAR 10 - made key contribution late on

 

[bus-conductor]

Didn't understand playing 2 in midfield against them at all, taking Winks off and putting Sis in his place to take the ball off the back 4 is very very bizarre. Love him or hate him, that really isn't his game so not sure what Poch was playing at.

Watching City up close (and I've been up there a few times) they really are impressive and this is the best I've seen them apart from in front of goal and going to sleep for our goals.

I actually thought Winks had a good game and showed a lot of courage in wanting the ball in tight situations. I was also impressed with KWP - he was targeted but stood up to it really well and showed a lot of character and bravery against one of the best attacking players in the league. If he can stay injury free he'll be our RB for years to come.

The City fans were cunts and waiting for us outside the away end they were absolutely fuming, there weren't enough old bill and then they just started hitting people who weren't even provoking them (not me obvs cos I'm hard as).

Would've taken 4 points at the start of the season from these 2 games, Poch needs to improve tactically in these big games but this team has character and fight and I love that they don't know when they're beat. Love VAR too.

Agree with all of this and have always maintained that Poch has instilled some bollocks, which for us older Spurs fans is lovely, because we'd lacked it for so long, but I'd like to see us start some of these games with more bollocks, rather than wait until we've been outplayed and gone behind before it kicks in.

I'd like to see us come out and look like everyone is aggressively "on it", hungry not to lose a single personal battle. Start with some intensity. Instead we come out of some of these (big) games looking timid and/or lethargic, ill prepared and lacking belief.

 

[spursmalc]

Was not looking forward to this match as expected nothing from it. Wanted to get through 20 mins without conceding. Well nearly did it. However how many times do we not start playing until we go behind. Is it Poch's problem or is their a collective mentality in the players. The times I have moaned when we concede points when we are so dominant but this was the other way around. Fully expected MC to score even as late as added mins. No one really played well and collectively they must accept that.
We have 1 more point than I expected at this stage but need to wait and see if we lose any players in transfer window and have to integrate new players and those returning from injury that missed pre season. Will be a couple of months before I expect us to be playing well.
Positives from match 1 point and no obvious injuries
Negatives We are light years behind MC.

 

[prinmemo]

Was not looking forward to this match as expected nothing from it. Wanted to get through 20 mins without conceding. Well nearly did it. However how many times do we not start playing until we go behind. Is it Poch's problem or is their a collective mentality in the players. The times I have moaned when we concede points when we are so dominant but this was the other way around. Fully expected MC to score even as late as added mins. No one really played well and collectively they must accept that.
We have 1 more point than I expected at this stage but need to wait and see if we lose any players in transfer window and have to integrate new players and those returning from injury that missed pre season. Will be a couple of months before I expect us to be playing well.
Positives from match 1 point and no obvious injuries
Negatives We are light years behind MC.

We are not light years behind MC. If we can have a midfielder that can get the ball from our CBS and FBs and get it up the pitch to our wings and forwards without losing the ball then we are on equal footing with MC. A CM that can handle the press.

Having watched GLC for Argentina at the Copa America this summer, I am optimistic that he could be the guy we need in the midfield.

 

[Steve73]

Agree with all of this and have always maintained that Poch has instilled some bollocks, which for us older Spurs fans is lovely, because we'd lacked it for so long, but I'd like to see us start some of these games with more bollocks, rather than wait until we've been outplayed and gone behind before it kicks in.

I'd like to see us come out and look like everyone is aggressively "on it", hungry not to lose a single personal battle. Start with some intensity. Instead we come out of some of these (big) games looking timid and/or lethargic, ill prepared and lacking belief.

Yes agree with this, we looked overawed and overrun at times in front of the back 4, like you said in your original post it's not like City sprung a tactical surprise themselves so really no excuse to be under prepared.

That being said, they are a fantastic side, possibly the best I've ever seen in England, certainly up there with the best 2 or 3 and when you add in a new midfield player who's clearly still adjusting and a weakened starting 11 then the result is very lucky (when you consider the data) but warranted when you consider the spirit of the group.

 

[bfwolf]

We are not light years behind MC. If we can have a midfielder that can get the ball from our CBS and FBs and get it up the pitch to our wings and forwards without losing the ball then we are on equal footing with MC. A CM that can handle the press.

Having watched GLC for Argentina at the Copa America this summer, I am optimistic that he could be the guy we need in the midfield.

You have got to be kidding. You think GLC coming good puts us on equal footing with City??

I’m not saying we should kowtow to them or anything, but it would take a massive blow-up from City for us not to finish 10+ points back of them.

 

[Spursidol]

I just don't buy this. This is separating the result from the performance IMO. Result was good, performance was in most ways utter garbage. We conceded ball, territory, chances, good chances and created absolutely fuck all, I doubt if anyone will get much below the x/g of 0.11 we managed throughout the season. I looked back through last season and only Everton equalled that against City all last season. Nobody created less. A shot from outside the box and one set-piece header.

There was a 20 minute spell before half time where we seemed to be managing the game slightly better, but the taking off of Winks just reduced us to bus parking nothingness.

Just a question of degree I guess. ManCity were always going to be superior with the players they have after spending a billion or so over the last few years, and certainly in the first half, any form of heat map would show a backs to the wall situation for Spurs.

With the players fit, not sure Poch had too many other choices to start, although I'd have preferred something with a real CM 3 rather than the CM2 we got. And maybe Lamela told to go wide occasionally as we were set up to be very narrow (hence pressure on FB's)

Absolutely agree Winks should have stayed on and possibly Eriksen (ineffective v City) or Lamela hooked for Moura to come on.

Dier for Sissoko at the same time would have also been an option to get better control of midfield and more protection to defence by having 3 CM's (Sissoko really wasn't doing that role) - by the end of this season I would probably suggest Skipp for his better passing etc over Dier but possibly too soon v City yesterday (even though Poch brought him on in the last few minutes).

Would have liked Mura on before he did to stretch City.

For all noise about City and us having an XG of 0.11, City were restricted to 10 shots on target from which they scored from 2 - I'm not convinced they had a lot of good quality opportunities though and maybe the XG number was not as representative of the match as it might have been.

But we certainly had some luck that we scored two and didn't concede more.

 

[Mr Lurker]

Lamela MOTM for me. He buggered up a few times but at least he had the fighting spirit and fearlessness to have a go. Moura too. Sanchez best in defence and I think KWP did ok. Baptism of fire and all that. It does seem that the fastest legs fair the best against city.

The positives for me are that we were clinical enough to punish them with two goals - their defence wasn't all that yesterday. Tbh it was worth it just to see the admittedly brilliant De Bruyne looking annoyed again. That guy really does think they are masters of the universe and hates it when we piss on their chips. And the pundits love saying De Bruyne. Gets on my tits. De Bruyne, De Bruyne....sounds like Zebedee if you say it repeatedly.

Their pressing was unbelievable though and we were wise to go Mourinho style and batten down the hatches as best we could. In the past we'd probably have tried to play them at their own game and lost. But it's a sign of maturity that the manager and players recognised that the team was not functioning at full capacity and adjusted accordingly. We sure didn't look good doing it but seeing 2 - 2 away against them gives me bloody good vibes.

 

[prinmemo]

You have got to be kidding. You think GLC coming good puts us on equal footing with City??

I’m not saying we should kowtow to them or anything, but it would take a massive blow-up from City for us not to finish 10+ points back of them.

Look, we beat them in the UCL last season without Kane. A relatively healthy season last year and we are closer in the PL. Add some capacity in the midfield and we stand a chance.

You have a loser mentality.

 

[Downunderspurs]

I think we would have had a much more attacking threat if Son was available. Outside of Lamela, our attack was non-existent. Even if he has a few frustrating moments when looking for that final ball.

 

[harry7]

Your forgot to include our new summer signing and man of the match - VAN DER VAR!

 

[harry7]

It doesn't matter how 'well' we played. What matters is the result - and holding City to a draw at the Etihad is massive for us. CITY gave 101% in that game and threw everything they had at us - and probably wanted this game to be a revenge attack for the ECL.

Poch and the squad held them to a draw - which we should consider a victory of sorts. They will be frustrated and annoyed with this result and we have got the psychological victory.

Let's see how many other teams go to the Etihad this season and pick up a point.

 

[Yorkshire Yid]

It doesn't matter how 'well' we played. What matters is the result - and holding City to a draw at the Etihad is massive for us. CITY gave 101% in that game and threw everything they had at us - and probably wanted this game to be a revenge attack for the ECL.

Poch and the squad held them to a draw - which we should consider a victory of sorts. They will be frustrated and annoyed with this result and we have got the psychological victory.

Let's see how many other teams go to the Etihad this season and pick up a point.

The way we play 100% does matter if it's indicative of how we will approach big games all season. Let's face it if we lost that 5-0 we couldn't have grumbled.

Not often I agree with Blakey on here but he's spot on with this one. Set up was terrible from the off and other then the 15 minute spell after our first goal, we looked like a league 1 side clinging on against a side in the prem.

We had injuries and fitness issues granted but we could and should have had a midfield 3 of Ndombele Winks and Sissoko with Eriksen playing just infront, Kane occupying the CBs whilst Moura exploited the holes there fullbacks leave especially Zinchenkos side IMO.

On defense Eriksen and Moura could have dropped back allowing the two CMs to track the fullbacks as they moved forward.

Instead we just packed the midfield allowing KDB free roam on the flanks and our fullbacks both flanks where almost always 2v1. Whilst Kane was stuck up top solo against 3 men one of them Rodri who dominated in the air

 

[harry7]

The way we play 100% does matter if it's indicative of how we will approach big games all season. Let's face it if we lost that 5-0 we couldn't have grumbled.

But we didn't lose 5-0.

I am not sure it is indicative of how we will approach big games all season. We were playing against a fresh, hungry City team out for revenge. Of course we know we do not have the quality they do and going out with our backs to the wall ensured we didn't get our backsides penetrated!

Not often I agree with Blakey on here but he's spot on with this one. Set up was terrible from the off and other then the 15 minute spell after our first goal, we looked like a league 1 side clinging on against a side in the prem.

And we did cling on and work hard the entire game. Had we tried to play attractive football against them, we would have lost.

I think Poch approached this game as a 'must not lose' and will be very pleased with the result. That isn't a lack of ambition - that is playing away to the best squad in world football and coming away having taken 2 points away from out main rival for the title - in a league with 36 games still left to play.

If we do not drop stupid points to the likes of Southampton, Burnley, West Ham this season - this represents a significant result in the title race.

 

[BangkokSpud]

The way we play 100% does matter if it's indicative of how we will approach big games all season. Let's face it if we lost that 5-0 we couldn't have grumbled.

Not often I agree with Blakey on here but he's spot on with this one. Set up was terrible from the off and other then the 15 minute spell after our first goal, we looked like a league 1 side clinging on against a side in the prem.

We had injuries and fitness issues granted but we could and should have had a midfield 3 of Ndombele Winks and Sissoko with Eriksen playing just infront, Kane occupying the CBs whilst Moura exploited the holes there fullbacks leave especially Zinchenkos side IMO.

On defense Eriksen and Moura could have dropped back allowing the two CMs to track the fullbacks as they moved forward.

Instead we just packed the midfield allowing KDB free roam on the flanks and our fullbacks both flanks where almost always 2v1. Whilst Kane was stuck up top solo against 3 men one of them Rodri who dominated in the air

If you're going to base your thoughts on a presumption we should have lost 5-0 what's the point?

We can all list you games we should have won 5-0, last season Utd a Wembley for starters, but that's all hypothetical bollocks. The fact is we were in still in the game after 15 minutes that changed the way the next 75 minutes were played ... just as the 1st minute in the CL Final changed the way that game was played ...

To write several paragraphs about events that never happened? what's the point.

We packed the midfield, gave them the flanks and were the first team in 2019 to get a point at the Etihad ... your summation is that we did everything wrong ... go figure

Why do people want to rip everything down instead of praise the achievement ... sure City were better but we employed a strategy and battled for 95 minutes to make that strategy work ... was it pretty? was it creative? was it what we will do every week?

No of course not ... but instead of whinging and moaning think on this ....

Every team that goes to the Etihad attempts to shut down City out wide, double up on Sterling and cover Walker's overlapping runs ... how's that worked out for every single one of them in 2019? Every single one of them lost ... so Poch tries something radically different, packs the centre and exposes the flanks, he comes away as the first manager to take a point this year ... yet here are the regular keyboard "fans" lining up to criticise and explain how they would have done better ... just wow

 

[COckneY Spurs]

The whole team 10/10, we went into the trenches and dodged a bullet, no scratch that we dodged machine gun fire.

People being over critical after going to City and it’s only 2 games into the season are just being critical for the sake of being critical.
Wait at least 6 games in then start forming critical opinions if we must.

 

[sudoku]

We won the 2nd half.