Tottenham Hotspur FC v Sport Lisboa e Benfica

  • The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...

    Get involved!

Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports

Sort by date Sort by reaction score
Awful stuff. Even when we were terrible, I can't remember it being less fun than this.

People said the team was overcoached under Villas Boas. No idea what it is now. Job of a coach to set a side up and improve his players, seeing none of that. People accused Redknapp of being a chancer, there are lightyears between him and Sherwood. No one moving for the ball, no one with any idea where they should be, no pressure on Benfica. Look at the difference with their movement when our back four had the ball - they hurried us and closed off options. We just lumped it to the strikers.

Benfica fans in the Paxton and east stand (couldn't see anywhere else). Celebrating, wearing flags. Nothing happened. Paid £35 for my ticket - price it accordingly and fill it with Spurs fans.

For what it's worth:

Lloris - 5 - made a decent save, had one or two moments of madness
Walker - 5 - nothing bad, nothing exceptional
Kaboul - 5 - lost the physicality he used to have, was trying
Vertonghen - 5 - not as bad as he has been, again nothing exceptional
Naughton - 6 - purely for effort, he didn't let his head drop. At fault for the goal, but don't think playing on the left (when he can't use his left foot) behind an out of position midfielder helps him at all
Lennon - 3 - dire. Huge fan of Lennon and a big defender of him. Seemed to tuck inside without the ball rather than stretch play, scared to take on his man (did it once first half and it was effective). No idea whether that's an instruction or a confidence issue. Game was crying out for Townsend. Kaboul made more of an effort at wing play
Paulinho - 2 - again a player I like, not looking for scapegoats. God awful. First instinct was to pass it back to the keeper, we missed Dembele's physicality
Sandro - 4 - love him as a player, thought he had a mare. Too many headers in the middle of the park fell short to Benfica players, sloppy on the ball
Eriksen - 6 - the one positive. Wasted on the wing, our only truly creative player
Adebayor - 5 - not the in the game, not his fault as he's not a typical 50/50 header big man. Should have scored
Kane - 5 - made an effort, bit of quality to win the freekick, shouldn't have started

Soldado - 5 - couldn't get into the game, despite that made two runs of the defender (something no one else did all night). Dropping him for Chelsea I understand, dropping him for Harry Kane is nuts. Must do wonders for his confidence
Rose - 5 - thought he was ok, bar the ball rolling under his feet at the end, nice to have a left footed option
Bentaleb - 5 - a better option than our £17m Brazilian international #Spursy

Terrified about Sunday/
 
Smoked Salmon said:
The players did what they could.They had clearly responded to the "intervention" during the week.
Click to expand...

IMO:
Lloris, Kane, Paulinho, Lennon and Sandro were all utter shit.
The rest were average, apart from Eriksen who played well.

Tactically we were a mess, but there is no winning when only one player turns up, for any team on earth.
 
Blanchflower said:
Sherwood: "[There was] no problem with the desire and effort tonight," he said. "That's what I questioned and asked for. We've got to see it over a consistent basis so I've got no complaints about that.


Does he think no one actually watches and will just accept what he says?
Click to expand...
Apart from Lennon I though everyone put in a good shift. Just it didn't click.
 
sammyspurs said:
IMO:
Lloris, Kane, Paulinho, Lennon and Sandro were all utter shit.
The rest were average, apart from Eriksen who played well.

Tactically we were a mess, but there is no winning when only one player turns up, for any team on earth.
Click to expand...
I think when I say they did what they could I mean you could see that they were trying to muster something, as opposite to the very slow, lacklustre style of play that had plagued them for so many games. I didn't say however, that they played well - and part of this was down to the fact that they had no idea what to do. That, alas, goes back to the manager. They clearly have no structural plan when they are playing. Players don't know who to pass to. They don't know how to deal with the style of opposition. They don't even seem to know how to play with their own team mates.

A cluster fuck all round. But you can't berate a squad of players for lack of effort if, when they at least try, you're sending them out with no clue what to do.
 
Anyone else really pissed off by sherwoods post game comments.

"I've got no problem with the attitude or desire," he said. "It's just we have to hold our hands up and say they're a class above."

If we've already set our bar below Benfica, what's the fucking point
 
Dan R said:
Awful stuff. Even when we were terrible, I can't remember it being less fun than this.

People said the team was overcoached under Villas Boas. No idea what it is now. Job of a coach to set a side up and improve his players, seeing none of that. People accused Redknapp of being a chancer, there are lightyears between him and Sherwood. No one moving for the ball, no one with any idea where they should be, no pressure on Benfica. Look at the difference with their movement when our back four had the ball - they hurried us and closed off options. We just lumped it to the strikers.

Benfica fans in the Paxton and east stand (couldn't see anywhere else). Celebrating, wearing flags. Nothing happened. Paid £35 for my ticket - price it accordingly and fill it with Spurs fans.

For what it's worth:

Lloris - 5 - made a decent save, had one or two moments of madness
Walker - 5 - nothing bad, nothing exceptional
Kaboul - 5 - lost the physicality he used to have, was trying
Vertonghen - 5 - not as bad as he has been, again nothing exceptional
Naughton - 6 - purely for effort, he didn't let his head drop. At fault for the goal, but don't think playing on the left (when he can't use his left foot) behind an out of position midfielder helps him at all
Lennon - 3 - dire. Huge fan of Lennon and a big defender of him. Seemed to tuck inside without the ball rather than stretch play, scared to take on his man (did it once first half and it was effective). No idea whether that's an instruction or a confidence issue. Game was crying out for Townsend. Kaboul made more of an effort at wing play
Paulinho - 2 - again a player I like, not looking for scapegoats. God awful. First instinct was to pass it back to the keeper, we missed Dembele's physicality
Sandro - 4 - love him as a player, thought he had a mare. Too many headers in the middle of the park fell short to Benfica players, sloppy on the ball
Eriksen - 6 - the one positive. Wasted on the wing, our only truly creative player
Adebayor - 5 - not the in the game, not his fault as he's not a typical 50/50 header big man. Should have scored
Kane - 5 - made an effort, bit of quality to win the freekick, shouldn't have started

Soldado - 5 - couldn't get into the game, despite that made two runs of the defender (something no one else did all night). Dropping him for Chelsea I understand, dropping him for Harry Kane is nuts. Must do wonders for his confidence
Rose - 5 - thought he was ok, bar the ball rolling under his feet at the end, nice to have a left footed option
Bentaleb - 5 - a better option than our £17m Brazilian international #Spursy

Terrified about Sunday/
Click to expand...
Spot-On!
 
Dan R said:
Awful stuff. Even when we were terrible, I can't remember it being less fun than this.

People said the team was overcoached under Villas Boas. No idea what it is now. Job of a coach to set a side up and improve his players, seeing none of that. People accused Redknapp of being a chancer, there are lightyears between him and Sherwood. No one moving for the ball, no one with any idea where they should be, no pressure on Benfica. Look at the difference with their movement when our back four had the ball - they hurried us and closed off options. We just lumped it to the strikers.

Benfica fans in the Paxton and east stand (couldn't see anywhere else). Celebrating, wearing flags. Nothing happened. Paid £35 for my ticket - price it accordingly and fill it with Spurs fans.

For what it's worth:

Lloris - 5 - made a decent save, had one or two moments of madness
Walker - 5 - nothing bad, nothing exceptional
Kaboul - 5 - lost the physicality he used to have, was trying
Vertonghen - 5 - not as bad as he has been, again nothing exceptional
Naughton - 6 - purely for effort, he didn't let his head drop. At fault for the goal, but don't think playing on the left (when he can't use his left foot) behind an out of position midfielder helps him at all
Lennon - 3 - dire. Huge fan of Lennon and a big defender of him. Seemed to tuck inside without the ball rather than stretch play, scared to take on his man (did it once first half and it was effective). No idea whether that's an instruction or a confidence issue. Game was crying out for Townsend. Kaboul made more of an effort at wing play
Paulinho - 2 - again a player I like, not looking for scapegoats. God awful. First instinct was to pass it back to the keeper, we missed Dembele's physicality
Sandro - 4 - love him as a player, thought he had a mare. Too many headers in the middle of the park fell short to Benfica players, sloppy on the ball
Eriksen - 6 - the one positive. Wasted on the wing, our only truly creative player
Adebayor - 5 - not the in the game, not his fault as he's not a typical 50/50 header big man. Should have scored
Kane - 5 - made an effort, bit of quality to win the freekick, shouldn't have started

Soldado - 5 - couldn't get into the game, despite that made two runs of the defender (something no one else did all night). Dropping him for Chelsea I understand, dropping him for Harry Kane is nuts. Must do wonders for his confidence
Rose - 5 - thought he was ok, bar the ball rolling under his feet at the end, nice to have a left footed option
Bentaleb - 5 - a better option than our £17m Brazilian international #Spursy

Terrified about Sunday/
Click to expand...

Superb post
 
Utter shambles last night.

Lennon is a shadow of the player he once was at the moment. When did he stop taking on the full backs? He used to draw the yellow and then frighten them for the rest of the game. Maybe his pace as gone, because I don't see any signs.

No left wing, again acres of space down that side in the first half, but no-one to use it. Naughton tried a couple of times but either cut-back at the halfway line or when he did get in the box remembered he doesn't have a left foot.

Harry Kane. Lots of heart but totally out of his depth. No Soldado. Jesus, what must that do for his confidence, after scoring against Cardiff then not playing.

No movement off the ball at all. Watch how Benfica pulled our defenders all over the place when they attacked, whereas we were so static. No pace, twice we got into break positions only to be outpaced by the Benfica defence who were excellent all night. The one time Eriksen almost made it through the two centre halves were berating each other for ages afterwards, that's giving a shit.

Why no subs directly after we scored? It was crying out for us to change it up. 72 minutes was way too late in the game.

Overall very poor and until we have a system, a first team and some belief it won't get sorted very quickly.

People are talking about the fans being shit, but you know, for 15 minutes or so last night there was unity there, Christ we were even singing in the Paxton. Once…maybe twice.

Bollocks fucking bollocks!
 
Well the two hour argument among the players did the trick.. They really showed us that they care and that they will bounce back.. This team couldn't give a shit and they proved that last night.
We are a circus freak show at the back. Every time we have the ball in our last quarter we look like we are going to perform some sort off clown act. I know most people rate Lloris, as do I, but he is an accident waiting to happen.. He nearly gave away a goal that would've been a massive laughing point even by our standards.
How many times did we give the ball away in stupid areas last night?
Lennon offered absolutely nothing again last night, we badly need an upgrade.
Perhaps someone could explain to me why Kane started in front of Soldado? What a dumb dumb decision that was..Kane is never going to make the grade, so why play him in a game that was our only hope of any glory this season?
This team could put things right by beat Woolwich this weekend but I'm afraid none of them have the bottle or passion to do so.

I always hate it when the season ends and there's no football but for the first time ever, I can't wait for this embarrassing season to be over..
 
Benjoss said:
Why no subs directly after we scored? It was crying out for us to change it up. 72 minutes was way too late in the game.
Click to expand...

This times 100 fucking thousand - I was literally screaming at the TV, it was so desperately obvious that was the right time to mix it up but instead, he stuck his hands back in his pockets and waited until it was far too late.
 
SouthStand Billy said:
I always hate it when the season ends and there's no football but for the first time ever, I can't wait for this embarrassing season to be over..
Click to expand...
I've been feeling like that ever since the Dnipro home game. Despite the win, the first half performance was so shocking that I knew then and there we were done for this year. I've been going in to the marches since with a shred of hope that we can still get something out of the season, but that finally vanished last night. First time in nearly 20 years, in fact ever, I want the season to finish without playing anymore games.
 
I actually thought Kane was ok. He was completely bypassed by the constant long balls and Eriksen got in his way too much - but when he was involved he looked decent to me. Used the ball intelligently and quickly, switched play a few times really nicely and showed a little skill.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom