I think we have to hope Solanke and Kulusevski are back soon, if nothing else they're quite physically and mentally strong, and won't be so easily nudged off the ball as some of our weaksters.
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Tactics TFC's Tactical Autopsy Thread
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According to FBref we're 15th in xG, 16th in xGA and 16th in xGD. We're 5th at the moment.
In the admittedly brief history of xG since 2017, only 17/18 Burnley enjoyed this kind of a trend of overachivement over the course of a full season. They were 18th in xG, 13th in xGA, and 17th in xGD while finishing 7th. Similar but not as extreme cases are:
23/24 United: 10th in xG, 16th in xGA, 15th in xGD, 8th place
23/24 West Ham:13th in xG, 18th in xGA, 16th in xGD, 9th place
24/25 Forest: 15th in xG, 9th in xGA, 13th in xGD, 7th place
Other major leagues have some rare cases of their own, including but not exclusively:
22/23 Union Berlin- 17th in xG, 3rd in xGA, 12th in xGD, 4th place
19/20 Nice- 7th in xG, 18th in xGA, 15th in xGD, 5th place
Let's just say that we're trying to make history at the moment.
In the admittedly brief history of xG since 2017, only 17/18 Burnley enjoyed this kind of a trend of overachivement over the course of a full season. They were 18th in xG, 13th in xGA, and 17th in xGD while finishing 7th. Similar but not as extreme cases are:
23/24 United: 10th in xG, 16th in xGA, 15th in xGD, 8th place
23/24 West Ham:13th in xG, 18th in xGA, 16th in xGD, 9th place
24/25 Forest: 15th in xG, 9th in xGA, 13th in xGD, 7th place
Other major leagues have some rare cases of their own, including but not exclusively:
22/23 Union Berlin- 17th in xG, 3rd in xGA, 12th in xGD, 4th place
19/20 Nice- 7th in xG, 18th in xGA, 15th in xGD, 5th place
Let's just say that we're trying to make history at the moment.
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Tottenham 0-1 Chelsea
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Hey, does anyone know if it’s helpful to have midfielders who can pass the ball?
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Tottenham’s attack has been truly, genuinely stinky all year and this game exposed their in-possession game for what it is. Thomas Frank has done wonderful work improving the team’s defense and set pieces, but they’re creating absolutely nothing from open play, and it’s difficult to see this changing without a dramatic shift in personnel and style. They play 2 midfielders who cannot pass, every game. How is anyone supposed to overcome that?
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I dispute the "improving the team's defence" bit somewhat too.
Estavao is litterally, off the charts. Real jealous of that one.
Posted during the half time of the two most recent games respectively.
I think a pattern is slowly emerging here, even though the whole thing is fragile in the sense that it cannot even get off the ground without some key personnel in Kudus on the right and Udogie on the left among others.
The issue of a lack of a deep playmaker in midfield is still here, but I don't know what can be done at the moment. Romero as a modern day libero ?
I feel like there's been a notable change in our build-up over the past couple of games. In the first part of the season we were lumping it long a lot more. Particularly up to Kudus. But with Kudus out, the absolute disaster of Chelsea looming large, and increasing scepticism around Frank's style of play, we've made much more of a concerted effort to keep it on the ground, play a little more through the middle and get Xavi into the game more. Without Kudus as an out-ball, Porro's not constantly launching it down the line to him, which has meant we've actually been slightly more varied and less predictable in how we progress the ball. It's still stodgy but not to the same degree as in previous weeks.
The changes certainly aren't groundbreaking and against United we still looked very ordinary, but I think it's clear Frank is at least trying to mix things up a little. Xavi's floating around much more on the right than in his natural left position, and we're building up more with a back 3. There were no long throws, a bit more first-touch passing, and in a few moments we played some nice stuff.
Trying to play out was also the cause of United's first goal yesterday, which is unfortunate, but I think being able to pass through a press is something we're going to need in our locker: our worst league performances by far (Bournemouth, Chelsea) were against teams that basically pressed us to death and were able to completely dominate us as we turned the ball over constantly. It's unfortunate we conceded trying to play out but I think it's good that we're actually adapting and attempting to play out rather than launching the ball every time.
Overall, we're looking a functional but very uninspiring team - based on our performances we deserve to be mid-table and that's where we will end up soon, no doubt. However, I do see a manager that's making slight adjustments, enhancements and 'adding layers' as he says. Frank won't have us playing liquid football overnight and a lot of fans will remain underwhelmed but I do think we'll gradually improve over the course of the season if we stay patient and, importantly, make a couple signings in key areas in Jan.
The changes certainly aren't groundbreaking and against United we still looked very ordinary, but I think it's clear Frank is at least trying to mix things up a little. Xavi's floating around much more on the right than in his natural left position, and we're building up more with a back 3. There were no long throws, a bit more first-touch passing, and in a few moments we played some nice stuff.
Trying to play out was also the cause of United's first goal yesterday, which is unfortunate, but I think being able to pass through a press is something we're going to need in our locker: our worst league performances by far (Bournemouth, Chelsea) were against teams that basically pressed us to death and were able to completely dominate us as we turned the ball over constantly. It's unfortunate we conceded trying to play out but I think it's good that we're actually adapting and attempting to play out rather than launching the ball every time.
Overall, we're looking a functional but very uninspiring team - based on our performances we deserve to be mid-table and that's where we will end up soon, no doubt. However, I do see a manager that's making slight adjustments, enhancements and 'adding layers' as he says. Frank won't have us playing liquid football overnight and a lot of fans will remain underwhelmed but I do think we'll gradually improve over the course of the season if we stay patient and, importantly, make a couple signings in key areas in Jan.
We need another Left footed left back if Udogie isn’t reliable enough.
Frank also has the option of bringing Danso in and shifting Micky to the left as well.
Frank also has the option of bringing Danso in and shifting Micky to the left as well.
This is the problem with a) our midfielders and b) Frank’s ideology
View: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextrainch/video/7571220568716922134
View: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextrainch/video/7571220568716922134
Bournemouth and Woolwich pretty impressive
View: https://bsky.app/profile/statsbomb.com/post/3m5gejff4fw25
View: https://bsky.app/profile/statsbomb.com/post/3m5gejff4fw25
Brutal stat 
