The Press

[BangkokSpud]

Bloody hard to press a team with 10 defenders just happy top kick it away up-field ... we had the ball 80% of the time when were we supposed to be pressing? Newcastle managed just 140 passes they gave the ball away 28% of the time how on earth do you press that?

I get where you're coming from but you can't press a team that doesn't have the ball .. basic physics ... if you look at there back five yesterday how can you win the ball back when they don't have it?

Krafth 16 passes - Schar 17 passes - Lascelles 9 passes - Dummett 13 passes - Ritchie 27 passes and a quarter were just passes up-field to nobody ...only 76% pass success because they were nearly always under pressure

Compare that to Winks who managed 134 passes 94% success ... under no pressure at all

I agree our game lacked aggression but that wasn't off the ball pressing we did that all over the field, the problem was when we had the ball .... we simply had little idea what to do with it.

 

[Tottenham Sean]

We had 80% possession lol are guys wanting 90%?

I'd rather 30 % if there was an end product.Pointless having loads and not scoring.

 

[1882]

I thought this thread was gonna be about The Media!!!

WRONG 'Press'!

 

[Totti]

We pressed quite well early in the game yesterday.

Then stopped doing it when we went a goal down - I definitely remember us doing it though as I specifically mentioned it was nice to see pressing Spurs back.

 

[sammyspurs]

We pressed quite well early in the game yesterday.

Then stopped doing it when we went a goal down - I definitely remember us doing it though as I specifically mentioned it was nice to see pressing Spurs back.

I enjoyed the first half....then we abandoned the one thing we had going for us, lined up in two banks of 5 infront of Newcastles two banks of 5, and passed the ball sideways for 45 minutes.

 

[Deleted member 13260]

we have never been able to perform well come the end of the season under Poch, pressing or not.

 

[Cravenspurs]

I don’t expect this thread to get much traction, but I wanted to consolidate the topic of pressing. Seems like ancient history when articles and YouTube videos popped up about Poch’s use of the press and how it differs from Klopp’s/Pep’s. When we were chasing the title we were the hot shit, with a team of minions hunting down the ball. It was brilliant to watch our whole squad suffocate the opposition in parts of the pitch and turn their mistakes into goal scoring opportunties. The press, for me, was a huge reason why we scored so many goals in the title chasing season and why we are currently struggling to challenge keepers.

So what happened to that courage to win the ball back?

The poll above gives a few choices for the fans here to select, but I also want to discuss other beliefs. I could very well be wrong and this thread could be dead soon, but I do feel we can all agree that something has changed.

For me, I think it comes down to management. I know some think that without Wanyama and Dembele, we lack the muscle to win the ball back, but I see Pool and City win plenty of the ball with technical midfielders. So for me it comes down to Poch. For some reason he has turned off the press and especially against teams like Newcastle, whom we just lost to.

In order to challenge for the title, we need to refocus our desire to destroy teams. We need to be winning the ball back as soon as we lose it. We need to give ourselves a chance to attack teams when they are out of shape. Poch, stop slowing the play down, and turn the volume up to 11.

 

[Incomplete_usernam]

Bloody hard to press a team with 10 defenders just happy top kick it away up-field ... we had the ball 80% of the time when were we supposed to be pressing? Newcastle managed just 140 passes they gave the ball away 28% of the time how on earth do you press that?

I get where you're coming from but you can't press a team that doesn't have the ball .. basic physics ... if you look at there back five yesterday how can you win the ball back when they don't have it?

Krafth 16 passes - Schar 17 passes - Lascelles 9 passes - Dummett 13 passes - Ritchie 27 passes and a quarter were just passes up-field to nobody ...only 76% pass success because they were nearly always under pressure

Compare that to Winks who managed 134 passes 94% success ... under no pressure at all

I agree our game lacked aggression but that wasn't off the ball pressing we did that all over the field, the problem was when we had the ball .... we simply had little idea what to do with it.

Agreed with you here, in general however our press has dropped off and Poch has said many times that's not a tactical thing and he's "not sure" why we aren't more "aggressive" which indicates the players simply aren't wanting to do it.

Every CL knockout game last season we pressed like maniacs, night and day difference to the PL fixtures at the end of last season where we looked tired and lethargic.

You're right in saying we had little idea what to do with the ball but that is a tactical issue, we are far too predictable in the final third because we don't have enough runners off the ball, we move the ball too slowly and allow teams to get back into their shape and that comes from our central midfield, winks, as much as I love the boy, slows our play down, I don't understand why we persist with the same tactics week in week out.

I think if we moved the ball quicker we would win more games, that's the biggest thing Ndombele has contributed to us so far, once he gets the ball, he moves it quick.

 

[Totti]

I get that we deploy a press, but it's a half ass approach to what made us one of the most entertaining and threatening teams to play against.

And I don't buy fitness as Pool play a way more aggressive style of play against all clubs and are showing they get shit done.

But we've never pressed as well as Southampton did under Poch.

The only times we really pressed were towards the end of the 14/15 season when Poch as getting to grips with his best team and 15/16 which saw us burn out significantly towards the end.

We didn't have anywhere near an intense press in 16/17. We just had a better system, control in midfield and pace.

That deserted us for the last few years because we lost Rose and Walker and Wanyama got crocked.

Truth is, our press has been no different the last 3 seasons. The system and the team however has

 

[Spursidol]

Unless you've got a ridiculous amount of money and a squad capable of competing 10 comps a season, you cannot play an intense press every week, for 90 minutes. Ffs, even Liverpool can't do it, they just have a system that suits them and their players and fans who back it

IIt's a small teams mentality.

Why do you think we have NEVER pressed as good as Pochs Southampton did!?

Agreed pressing every game is impossible - unless we are not in Europe and get knocked out early from domestic cups so only have 40 game season - when it might be possible.

Think a full press might be effective against the likes of Chelsea and other relatively good teams who try to play us ,( a press ineffective against teams who gave 10 behind the ball - I recall a match with Mason and Kane when we did just that to Chelsea and won well.

But it's really tiring to do, which is why we could only do it highly selectively and if we can rotate perhaps 6 or more players for the following game (assuming we are playing weekend and midweek,)

Poch clearly saying he expects us to press - but I think he means selectively and only sometimes.

 

[Totti]

I went for 'Other' - in reference to the pitch.

We pressed teams all over the place at White Hart Lane. The pitch Dembele blamed for being too narrow and allowing teams to defend deep against us easier - but less ground to cover and maintain the press too I suppose.
Maybe it's coincidence, but the press seemed to die off after leaving home.

What a fantastic season that was in the league.. but at Wembley we didn't press and looked poor.
I thought that might have been a 'European game pace' thing at the time.. Not sure, but curious.

Our press wasn't anything special in 16/17. We just started games quicker, aimed to get in behind with pace.

If we had the exact same team in 17/18 that we had in 16/17 we wouldn't have seen much difference to the performances at Wembley. We just had a different team with a different way of playing.

 

[Jayc1]

2014/15 - 5 losses, 2 draws, 6 wins

2015/16 - 5 losses, 4 draws, 4 wins

2016/17 - 2 losses, 12 wins. By far our best finish, despite losing in the semi final

2017/18 - 4 losses, 1 draw, 8 wins. A decent finish, but knocked out of the FA semi final and CL

2018/19 - 8 losses, 2 draws, 6 wins. The most losses we've had under Poch at the end of a season.

So that's 5 seasons and we've finished like shit in 3 of them, incredible in 1 and well in 1 of them. We're definitely not a team that consistently ends a season well, but for me to say never was an exaggeration.

 

[Totti]

2014/15 - 5 losses, 2 draws, 6 wins

2015/16 - 5 losses, 4 draws, 4 wins

2016/17 - 2 losses, 12 wins. By far our best finish, despite losing in the semi final

2017/18 - 4 losses, 1 draw, 8 wins. A decent finish, but knocked out of the FA semi final and CL

2018/19 - 8 losses, 2 draws, 6 wins. The most losses we've had under Poch at the end of a season.

So that's 5 seasons and we've finished like shit in 3 of them, incredible in 1 and well in 1 of them. We're definitely not a team that consistently ends a season well, but for me to say never was an exaggeration.

2017

The anomaly. The one year his future wasn't called into question.

Probably helps that it was our last season at White Hart Lane and we played out of our skin to make sure we didn't drop points there.

Willing to bet, if it wasn't our last season there, we wouldn't have done so well at home.

 

[Totti]

To think that only 2 years ago we were above City and Liverpool and only 7 points off winning the title.

Then we lost half of our defence and half of our central midfield and our home got pulled down.

It's quite something that we still managed to do as well as we have.

 

[Cravenspurs]

Bloody hard to press a team with 10 defenders just happy top kick it away up-field ... we had the ball 80% of the time when were we supposed to be pressing? Newcastle managed just 140 passes they gave the ball away 28% of the time how on earth do you press that?

I get where you're coming from but you can't press a team that doesn't have the ball .. basic physics ... if you look at there back five yesterday how can you win the ball back when they don't have it?

Krafth 16 passes - Schar 17 passes - Lascelles 9 passes - Dummett 13 passes - Ritchie 27 passes and a quarter were just passes up-field to nobody ...only 76% pass success because they were nearly always under pressure

Compare that to Winks who managed 134 passes 94% success ... under no pressure at all

I agree our game lacked aggression but that wasn't off the ball pressing we did that all over the field, the problem was when we had the ball .... we simply had little idea what to do with it.

I see your point, but I didn’t see much team coordinated ball hawking against Newcastle. We were lethargic in all aspects of the game, from build up to the nonexistent pressure on the ball. Their goal was a great example of how we have literally turned off all pressure on the ball. See below.

Premier League Soccer: Tottenham vs. Newcastle United | NBC Sports Network

www.clippituser.tv

I am all fine and dandy when we get beaten by class, but I think there is clear instruction from Poch that to sit off and not collectively attack like we used to. Watch Pool from Saturday. They are on top of Woolwich from the jump. City against us? We could barely string passes together.

We are failing at what gave us an identity, the spine so to speak. You can press even when you have 80% possession and today was a perfect example of the lethargy that has overtaken our form. When they had the ball, outside a stretch in the opening of the second half, we let them easily find their pockets. That stretch of pressure by the way was when Son missed that cross from KWP and we had a corner shortly after. We were at them, and then we turned it off.

 

[Spursidol]

I see your point, but I didn’t see much team coordinated ball hawking against Newcastle. We were lethargic in all aspects of the game, from build up to the nonexistent pressure on the ball. Their goal was a great example of how we have literally turned off all pressure on the ball. See below.

Premier League Soccer: Tottenham vs. Newcastle United | NBC Sports Network

www.clippituser.tv

I am all fine and dandy when we get beaten by class, but I think there is clear instruction from Poch that to sit off and not collectively attack like we used to. Watch Pool from Saturday. They are on top of Woolwich from the jump. City against us? We could barely string passes together.

We are failing at what gave us an identity, the spine so to speak. You can press even when you have 80% possession and today was a perfect example of the lethargy that has overtaken our form. When they had the ball, outside a stretch in the opening of the second half, we let them easily find their pockets. That stretch of pressure by the way was when Son missed that cross from KWP and we had a corner shortly after. We were at them, and then we turned it off.

We have looked tired and lethargic in our 3 games this season - why is the question. I fear that Poch intense training methods has handicapped us at the start of this season.

As we all remember 10 players made the last 4 of WC and consequently had no preaseson which iin turn caused a multitude of muscular injuries such as hamstrings last season, and having half a dozen injuries to players meant the others couldn't be rotated properly so we never got out of the injury cycle. Whilst other PL sides went on holiday in early May we played CL final end of May....and then many players were involved in internationals in June.

I think for those reasons Poch gave all players a slightly longer holiday break to recover from a tough year playing and started preseason in mid July, rather than start of July which would have been usual. But with first PL game being 10 August, in short the players have imo maybe over trained to get fit for the first game - we probably needed 6 weeks preseason rather than 4 weeks or less.

That I suspect is why the players look tired/lethargic atm.

I'm guessing the players we now over the hump but having started preseason in mid July it'll be end August before their bodies get to the stage that they have absorbed all the training is 6 weeks after starting.

This might also explain why we have lost Dele Foyth and KWP to hamstring injuries so early in the season.

But to come back to your question of he press - tired players are not going to press continually, if you ask them to expect more hamstrings

When might they start to press - I guess September but not necessarily early in the month ........and when we have a relatively full squad to rotate as pressing is physically draining

BTW Liverpool pressing Woolwich is what we need to repeat next match, but whether the players are in a good shape to do it is the question.

 

[Wallander]

Maybe because some of the players who were part of that side are two years older and less physically able (or less willing) to run around all game. Alex Ferguson often said he gave youth a chance because they'd run through brick walls even if they weren't actually that talented. Poch used to start Bentaleb and Mason in midfield and play good football with them because they provided lots of energy and enthusiasm. We need to give some new guys a go

 

[Spursidol]

We pressed quite well early in the game yesterday.

Then stopped doing it when we went a goal down - I definitely remember us doing it though as I specifically mentioned it was nice to see pressing Spurs back.

Think we want to press but not sure the players have it in them atm to do it all game - see my earlier post on player tiredness.

 

[Totti]

Think we want to press but not sure the players have it in them atm to do it all game - see my earlier post on player tiredness.

Newcastle goal probably knocked the stuffing out of us and we panicked.

We went from a team pressing to a team scared to lose the ball.

 

[Cravenspurs]

We pressed quite well early in the game yesterday.

Then stopped doing it when we went a goal down - I definitely remember us doing it though as I specifically mentioned it was nice to see pressing Spurs back.

The only stretch I remember was early second half, when son has his chance. At least a similar intensity press of old that was full on harassment style.

The press that is consistent is from our CBs attempting to win the hold up ball that comes to forwards, but there is no longer a coordinated effort between the first two lines of players. Long gone are the days were we ran raggid.

Also, the idea that we are tired from Spursidol cannot be. We have looked slow for sure but there should be no excuse for being knackered three games into a season where ample rest was given during the off-season.