It's done, let's move on, I'm still 100% confident we'll comfortably finish in the top 8 of this.
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Match Galatasaray VS Tottenham Hotspur. Thursday 7th November @17:45. UEFA Europa League.
- Thread starter FOK
- Start date
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Again it wasn't a weak team.Depends how you define weak.
We had a 36 year old in goal who hasn't started a Premier League game since May 2023 and was making his 3rd start since then. And probably doesn't even get in the Galatasaray team.
An 18 year old midfielder at left back who's never started a Premier League game.
A third and fourth choice centre back pairing that were starting just their 3rd game together and are scared of having the ball. Up against one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few years...
An 18 year old in central midfield, who again, probably doesn't even get in the Galatasaray team. Another who's never started a Premier League game. And our 6th choice in that position.
A 19 year old striker who also hasn't started a Premier League game. And only started because our back up striker is injured..
So that's 6 players I've named there. Three teenagers who have 0 combined Premier League starts between them.
It's about as weak as we could have fielded without fully taking the piss.
It was stronger than we had any right putting out considering we have a more important fixture at the weekend.
You're right.
Sure, in isolation and on paper.
But throwing it together and expecting it to be fluid and a seamless transition to our strongest possible line up was silly.
But Forster is no Vicario on the ball and Dragusin and Davies treat the ball like a bomb. So yes, you've got three experienced enough players but you've also gone from being one of the best teams in Europe in build up (Vicario, Romero, VDV) to arguably one of the worst we've seen at Spurs.
Prospects.
Neither have started a game at the top level or even started a competitive game against a team the calibre of Galatasaray before. And thats saying something.
I'm pleased all three got minutes, it's great for their development at their age. But they only started due to injuries, squad registration issues or because the starters, who are lightyear better, are being rested.
So dramatic
There was nothing about that performance that was worrying outside of what we all knew going in
- We need a better back up goalkeeper
- We should have a registered Spence
- We need a left sided centre back
- We need left back depth
- Dragusin cannot play football
- Our kids are talented, but are also kids.
It was no surprise that even with 10 men when we got some first team players on, we looked much better.
Forster a vastly experienced goalkeeper. kept it a respectable scoreline imagine if Austin or Whiteman were in goal.
Gray was good on the ball, however playing at LB is on management and recruitment team, Udogie could of played Vs Gala and Spence against Ipswich (think he injured but you get my point)
Our third and fourth CB's were good enough to see out games against City and Villa, they are currently our first choice pairing. Both internationals and have about 500 top flight appearances between them. (I do think the noise didn't help communication between them and Forster, all three are not vocal and I think, Vicario would have organised them better) But still they shouldn't have shit the bed like they did.
Had no problem with Lankshear starting he got his goal and tried to compete. Got sent of because of frustration and his senior pros let him down.
Again Bergvall another talented lad let down. but did seem a overoared by the occasion himself but had noone to lean on, as every single senior player made mistake after mistake.
For the young lads all these minutes will be good for them, I don't doubt that. Every single professional player shouldn't give the ball away as much as we did and that is poor we have done this before.
We just could not deal with their 3412 set up and a 37 year old Merteens ran the show. There was not an ounce of leadership on that pitch despite the amount of senior players on it, our captain, vice captain were both on the field, that's a worry for me as I want to win this competition and we need to win away, probably with injuries.
In isolation its not terrible....but what's not in isolation is our poor away form and away performances that can be terrible, that is worrying.
I don't see this game less important than Ipswich. What if this was a champions league game? You wouldn't be saying this.
Compared to our strongest team, it was.
Vastly experienced doesn't mean strong. There's a reason he has relegated himself to number two and not started a top flight game since May 2023.
So, a weaker option then...
If you can't see the differences between each three games. That's on you.
All three of them are bang average on the ball. For a team that heavily relies on starting everything in its own third and are one of the best in Europe at doing so, that's a problem.
Again, you're mixing up experience for strength. I am not really sure why you're purposefully doing that but whatever.
He's 3rd choice
He's 6th choice.
Yeah, our weakened team ultimately wasn't good enough because there's players in there who aren't suited. Again. We knew all this beforehand.
Mix that in with a lack of fluidity and familiarity with each other and the result was fair.
This was a full strength well rested Galatasaray team at home. Zero shame.
Well, our second and third string players couldn't. I can't say I am surprised.
Experience doesn't equal leadership.
We made SEVEN changes to the team that beat Villa.... With three teenagers playing.
Who cares?
I'm not worried.
It wasn't a Champion's League game. Nor would I give a toss it it was. The new format means we can rotate and play weakened teams knowing that if our strongest team IS required, we'll likely win considering we probably have the best team in the competition.
I think the "we looked better" was mainly because they stopped pressing.Depends how you define weak.
We had a 36 year old in goal who hasn't started a Premier League game since May 2023 and was making his 3rd start since then. And probably doesn't even get in the Galatasaray team.
An 18 year old midfielder at left back who's never started a Premier League game.
A third and fourth choice centre back pairing that were starting just their 3rd game together and are scared of having the ball. Up against one of the best strikers in Europe over the last few years...
An 18 year old in central midfield, who again, probably doesn't even get in the Galatasaray team. Another who's never started a Premier League game. And our 6th choice in that position.
A 19 year old striker who also hasn't started a Premier League game. And only started because our back up striker is injured..
So that's 6 players I've named there. Three teenagers who have 0 combined Premier League starts between them.
It's about as weak as we could have fielded without fully taking the piss.
It was stronger than we had any right putting out considering we have a more important fixture at the weekend.
You're right.
Sure, in isolation and on paper.
But throwing it together and expecting it to be fluid and a seamless transition to our strongest possible line up was silly.
But Forster is no Vicario on the ball and Dragusin and Davies treat the ball like a bomb. So yes, you've got three experienced enough players but you've also gone from being one of the best teams in Europe in build up (Vicario, Romero, VDV) to arguably one of the worst we've seen at Spurs.
Prospects.
Neither have started a game at the top level or even started a competitive game against a team the calibre of Galatasaray before. And thats saying something.
I'm pleased all three got minutes, it's great for their development at their age. But they only started due to injuries, squad registration issues or because the starters, who are lightyear better, are being rested.
So dramatic
There was nothing about that performance that was worrying outside of what we all knew going in
- We need a better back up goalkeeper
- We should have a registered Spence
- We need a left sided centre back
- We need left back depth
- Dragusin cannot play football
- Our kids are talented, but are also kids.
It was no surprise that even with 10 men when we got some first team players on, we looked much better.
Because they were knackered.
They went all out to beat our bunch of second and third stringers. Fair play to them.
How is Porro, Son, Maddison, Bissouma, Johnson second string, that is basically half our first team on a day.
It's a squad game and we underperformed it's as simple as that, like I said the result is one thing it's a tough place to go but that performance shouldn't be acceptable.
You can't just switch performances on or off when you want, it don't work like that, you know this.
We haven't qualified for the top 8 yet we didn't gain anything other than a good couple of goals for our strikers.
I never said there was any shame I just expect better as I reckon most of our squad starts for them.
I care...cos a good away win and performance can build confidence and resilience for our squad.
What's the point in competing then if we're happy to not give a toss and throw away games.
I agree, it was because they were knackered. But I'm not sure we looked so much better just because we brought on Kulusevski, Solanke et al but because they stopped pressing. Our centre backs finally had the time they needed to find our players with their passes.
Thanks , that would be appreciated , as would some of the royalties , and to be honest I think you need to reference it in the 18th century novel just for the fun of seeing who picks it up .Love that expression "instant noodle society".
If I ever use it in a best-selling novel I will be sure to credit you. Thing is, at the minute I'm writing about the mid-18th century, the reference might jar a little.
Totally agree , the bit I never understand is that it can't be much fun supporting a team that annoys you that much from the time you open your eyes , would be much better served taking up knitting or crochet , much less stress .
Did you forget Forster, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Bergvall and Lankshear?
Are we just going round in circles here?
Who said we didn't?
Ive accepted it and moved on.
You can however expect the strongest eleven to perform better than a changed one.
We gave most of our best players half a games rest, experience for the youngsters and yet still found ourselves in the top 8 at the end of the night, 3 points off top and 1 off of second with our hardest fixture out the way.
Lovely stuff.
I'd say only Porro, Bissouma, Maddison and Son starts for that Galatasaray team in that system. From the team that started last night.
Four players.
You could probably argue Dragusin, I guess. But that's not really the point. Games aren't won that way.
Galatasaray had their full strength team. Plenty of rest. Home fixture. Against a make shift Spurs team made up of teenagers and non-starters and others who have shown inconsistencies for 12 months.
Or it does absolutely nothing for the majority of those who don't play.
Id say beating City (and advancing to the next round) and Villa (closing a gap on them and above) was much more important than our second string losing to Galatasaray. But that's just me.
Do you think we're somehow less competitive because of one loss away at Galatasaray with a weakened team? Really?
I personally couldnt give a shit about the game. It's over and done with. We lost with a weakened team. It's happened to every single team that's competed in Europe. Still in a perfectly fine position to qualify with easier games to come.
I would have loved it if we had scrambled a point after that first hour!
Minor setback hopefully and lessons learned.
And they were knackered
We were shit, we lost. Ipswich next, Hopefully none of that second string and weakened team start for us in our important games coming up.Did you forget Forster, Dragusin, Davies, Gray, Bergvall and Lankshear?
Are we just going round in circles here?
Who said we didn't?
Ive accepted it and moved on.
You can however expect the strongest eleven to perform better than a changed one.
We gave most of our best players half a games rest, experience for the youngsters and yet still found ourselves in the top 8 at the end of the night, 3 points off top and 1 off of second with our hardest fixture out the way.
Lovely stuff.
I'd say only Porro, Bissouma, Maddison and Son starts for that Galatasaray team in that system. From the team that started last night.
Four players.
You could probably argue Dragusin, I guess. But that's not really the point. Games aren't won that way.
Galatasaray had their full strength team. Plenty of rest. Home fixture. Against a make shift Spurs team made up of teenagers and non-starters and others who have shown inconsistencies for 12 months.
Or it does absolutely nothing for the majority of those who don't play.
Id say beating City (and advancing to the next round) and Villa (closing a gap on them and above) was much more important than our second string losing to Galatasaray. But that's just me.
Do you think we're somehow less competitive because of one loss away at Galatasaray with a weakened team? Really?
I personally couldnt give a shit about the game. It's over and done with. We lost with a weakened team. It's happened to every single team that's competed in Europe. Still in a perfectly fine position to qualify with easier games to come.
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Maybe some have become so FANATIC they have forgotten how to SUPPORT !
I'll go to my roomFar too sensible a post, it'll never do!
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Our entire starting core was missing from the starting lineup, Vic, Rom, VdV, Bent,Kulu, Sol (won't count Sarr because Maddison started)
When you remove the core players then you will struggle.
Take out Ederson, Dias, Akanji, Rodri, De Bruyne and Haaland out of City at the same time they're significantly weaker.
I don't doubt we were still missing some core players but it wasn't a weak team, weaker yes but not weak. It was still good enough to compete, we have fielded weaker teams in years gone by and even in defeats have performed a lot better than that.
I wasn't expecting a win but that performance was self inflicted because our passing(even without pressure) and ability to deal with the oppositions tactics just wasn't there.
If any player performed like some of ours did in training at a new club they be laughed at out the door.
The worst thing about it is Galatasaray were not even that good and we caused them problems once we got our act together.