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Match Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford | Saturday 21st Sept | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 3pm

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Zomb said:
That stuff can be improved (Vic). De Gea was the same at first. I think he needs to be told to go long if in doubt and remove that doubt of always playing for the back / risk taking and focus on his goalkeeping whilst in a rough period like this

Just boom the fucking ball 2 or 3 times a game, won’t affect the team build up really but will help him mentally - mate
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It will also put some doubt in their press if, every now and then, the ball goes long. I think it needs to be planned though, say half way through the first half to start with, when they feel comfortable thinking that we're going to be predictable in building from the back. At the very least, it may just gain our players in the middle of the park a half yard of space, if the opposition hang back a little because of that doubt. We've seen the damage they can do with just that half yard.
 
Zomb said:
That stuff can be improved (Vic). De Gea was the same at first. I think he needs to be told to go long if in doubt and remove that doubt of always playing for the back / risk taking and focus on his goalkeeping whilst in a rough period like this

Just boom the fucking ball 2 or 3 times a game, won’t affect the team build up really but will help him mentally - mate
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Not just at Solanke as the target man either. No reason Johnson can't make runs in behind when the ball is arriving at Vicario.
 
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bus-conductor said:
First half was the type of football I love most, super aggressive and high intensity, and that's probably the most intense we've been under Ange, possibly that I've ever seen a Spurs team be, and we've been getting more and more intense under him in general (the stats seem to bear this out). The way way piss away great situations, hard won with that intensity is absolutely fucking infuriating though, and must be killing Ange inside. Time after time the pre-emptive ball or final pass is just clumsy, careless or badly executed. we should have been comfortable by half time and able to shell out the second half or at least last 30, but constant bumbling meant the game was vulnerable and we couldn't fully commit to shell or attack for the last 30, which between 60-75 minutes got a little bit unnecessarily squeaky for 15 minutes.

Great example was late on (at 2-1) Son has been played through (again - I think by Maddison) and completely unaware that Maddison (I think) has made a run to his left, chooses an equally open Johnson, and he only has to play a 3 yard pass into the stride of Johnson and he's running clean through on goal. he slightly overhits the pass forcing Johnson to drift slightly wider than his stride, then Johnson, lacking the technique to compensate or wit to take another touch and choose a different option, chooses to trickle a wonky footed shot straight at the keeper.This passage just totally sums up our ineptitude in forward areas.

So many times we got to the byline, past the last man and just spaffed aimless balls to nobody, people not getting their heads up. We have to create absolutely tons of chances for this lot to turn them into goals. This is not going to change until we upgrade.

It's Kulusevski pissing away the ball needlessly that starts their goal in motion and VDV is probably not tight enough to Mbeumo, but it's a hell of a finish from a low probability chance, which sums up our luck lately.

Romero's box defending is still a fucking worry. He really isn't the smartest or most composed cookie. He just seems to lose focus and markers so easily. VDV is quick as fuck but can't jump. I actually won't be devastated if Real Madrid want to give us silly money for Romero. I'd like us to buy a good footballing CB who is quick but can actually be a bit more composed when box defending
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bus-conductor said:
. The fact that VDV isn't the smoothest in possession, means we have to have at least a RCB who can be comfortable on the ball, otherwise Dragosin might be more viable, I think he's quicker than Romero and probably a more reliable box defender...maybe..but looks far more uncomfortable on the ball - that great, incisive pass for the third goal by Romero being a great example of his upside.

It was fascinating to hear Maddison talk about how we'd been prepared for Brentford's man for man pressing/marking. In many ways that suits Angeball, but only if we get it right, and today that was Angeball working. Bentancur was good today when the game was in front of him, safe and steady, but there were odd times when he was reluctant to show when we trying to build out from the back as he's not as keen as Bissouma to receive with a man right up his arse. Today, it was minor grumble but it maybe did play a part in Vicario's clusterfuck as Bentancur is too slow ambling toward him. Bissouma is usually offering himself a bit quicker there.

Maddison was outstanding today. With and without the ball. He was involved in the press/moves for the first couple of goals. He has to take more responsibility when Kulusevski plays as the other floating 8, and also has to get on the ball in deep areas, because he's more press resistant than Bentancur in deep build up. He was fundamentally everywhere today, and then popped up with a great dink finish to wrap up the game. One of those great moments where the MOTM crowns the performance with a cracking goal that relaxes all our sphincters.

That third goal was fabulous, they are on the attack with their guy bearing down on our box, Bissouma sprints hard, catches him, tackles and scoops away the ball in one motion, Romero then plays a fantastic ball through to Son, who plays in Maddison, who, unlike all our other bumblers, actually has the technique and finesse to dink the keeper. I haven't punched a goal as hard as that one for fucking ages.

Good performance, good result.
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Yes agreed kulu lost the ball mid way through our half. This where he is not so good. This leaves to do all the receiving of the ball when marked and has turn away to get away from player. Also he provides most of the longer through balls and crosses. Kulu doesn’t provide hardly any of that tbh.
 
Ulrikacoglou said:
The poor start being conceding a worldie? That was clearly a unique goal after 25 seconds. I don’t hold much store by that.

Would have been easy for our boys heads to go down as a result but we did the opposite.

Let’s not forget that Brentford are a low block / counter attacking team which should be the antithesis to Angeball. We still regularly picked them apart.
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Think they weren’t low block as other teams. They had more of the ball.
 
Starks said:
Did you even watch the game?

Maddison was constantly floating left. Like he was doing early last season and what he hasn't been doing all season. Which allowed Son to occupy the central spaces, something he hasn't been doing all season. Hopefully that's the end of Son attempting to be a touchline winger.

Udogie and Porro was the most noticeable thing all game. Still inverted but nowhere near as much. It was no wonder it was Udogies best game of the season.

There's a full match replay going around if you fancy watching the game.
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Weirdly hostile reply. Yes I was at the game and have watched the replay.

Of course Maddison was on the left - that's where plays as part of the midfield three. What I said was that was playing deeper NOT higher as Kulu was the higher "8" - but don't take my word for it Madders said as much in his interview :thumbup:

And having been at the game and watched the replay I still didn't notice any discernible difference in our inverted fullbacks positioning.🤷‍♂️

Obviously there were tweaks made because Ange knew Brentford would man mark not zone but thats true of every match
 
glacierSpurs said:
When Son was playing and he's not so much hugging the left touchline but it was Madders instead, we looked so much more fluid in the final third. Unlock the Son's conundrum, we will unlock the floodgate to goals.
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Maddison and Solanke put Son in multiple times. Son just couldn't or wouldn't get his shot away. Which is very odd for his given his history.

But the floodgates were definitely being tested which was nice
 
Phomesy said:
Maddison was back to his very best and has been good all season tbf.

Kulu is a running monster. His fitness and endurance is incredible.

Our press is becoming elite. But we simply have to get the rewards in goals first half.

Great game to be at.
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I agree. I think madders has played well all season so far. His pass the other night got Deki to put Spence in was fantastic.

Deki is a beast. He took his top off at the end of the game and is shredded and less bulky. His fitness levels are top notch.

The amount of times we win the ball back is brilliant and if we can become more ruthless when we do that we will destroy teams.

Definitely the best game I’ve been at for ages. Weather was great,football was great the boozer was great after the game.
 
TottsAmazeballs said:
Usually you need to interact with the page again after all those popups and new tabs. it won't activate the play button until you've hit the 'required number of shit'. Sometimes it can be 4 or 5. Look for small 'X's to close overlays, too.

Using a VPN might help. Try using Brave or Firefox as a browser, too.
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Thanks pal. I gave up b4 seeing your reply but I appreciate the tips. I ended up following the game via a ‘watch along’ which I have never done before. A Spurs podcaster sitting in a pub in Sydney of all places. Funny to hear many of our stadium chants being sung by very drunk Australians in the background.
 
Brian Fantana said:
Interesting in that post match Maddison interview how he’s getting used to playing with kulusevski in midfield because it’s totally different to playing with Sarr. Hopefully they are working on this in training rather than finishing out about it and working off the cuff during games.

Playing them both means Maddison just won’t be as close to goal. I don’t want kulusevski deeper because he’s a risk at losing the ball as we saw yesterday.

I think it’s worth persevering with though because it just makes us that much more attacking.
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I think Maddison is more use close to goal than Kulusevski (it was Maddison that also set up Kulusevski) and he’s better at pressing/winning the ball high up and more likely to make an incisive pass.

I’d like a player more like Maddison in the R8 position, who is tactically aware, can get about the pitch, press intelligently and also actually produce quality in the final third.

Kulusevski is just too wasteful to justify sacrificing all the other stuff for.
 
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Zomb said:
That stuff can be improved (Vic). De Gea was the same at first. I think he needs to be told to go long if in doubt and remove that doubt of always playing for the back / risk taking and focus on his goalkeeping whilst in a rough period like this

Just boom the fucking ball 2 or 3 times a game, won’t affect the team build up really but will help him mentally - mate
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Watched the game back . First half Son had a 99/100 chance 1v1 with the keeper. Came from Vicario going direct to Solanke who layed it through to Son. We haven’t had that pass as an option since Kane.

They will 1000% look for it again as the chemistry grows.
 
Rather than a statement I'm going to ask a question: the stats suggest that possession was much more balanced in this game and that when we won the ball back or passed it out quickly from the back we were able to break quickly with Brentford's defence heading back towards their goal. So was this and the man to man marking that Maddison mentioned in the interview that resulted in the more positive outcome? As opposed to a low block team playing us on the break / transition with no space in behind with our attack not able to find the breakthrough despite the higher possession ?
 
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Ionman34 said:
It will also put some doubt in their press if, every now and then, the ball goes long. I think it needs to be planned though, say half way through the first half to start with, when they feel comfortable thinking that we're going to be predictable in building from the back. At the very least, it may just gain our players in the middle of the park a half yard of space, if the opposition hang back a little because of that doubt. We've seen the damage they can do with just that half yard.
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It’s not planned - if you are under pressure and unsure on the pass, whack the cunt
 
The Absolute GOAT said:
I'll police nonsense and negative hysteria because it needs calling out.

For the record, I don't think you're one of those posters. Mostly I find you a reasonable and balanced poster.

:dwi:
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It doesn't mean anything. I strongly disagree that we are part of some weird chain of cause and effect. We are not important and neither is chatting bilge online about 443 verse 442 or we should set up in tutu's, or sing the music of Michael Mcdonald at set pieces.

Some of us thought an adjustment was they way to go, however he came to this conclusion we have every right to comment on it. But I think it's remarkable you some how think I am dumb enough to believe we clicked our heels ' there's no place like home' and he did it as a result. Kid yourself you the sheriff but it's smacks of a loss of perspective.

I have met the man and spent a bit of time in his company, trust me he could careless what we say here. As is right and proper.

Bryan Cranston Mic Drop GIF
 
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Shotgunofmichalebrow said:
It doesn't mean anything. I strongly disagree that we are part of some weird chain of cause and effect. We are not important and neither is chatting bilge online about 443 verse 442 or we should set up in tutu's, or sing the music of Michael Mcdonald at set pieces.

Some of us thought an adjustment was they way to go, however he came to this conclusion we have every right to comment on it. But I think it's remarkable you some how think I am dumb enough to believe we clicked our heels ' there's no place like home' and he did it as a result. Kid yourself you the sheriff but it's smacks of a loss of perspective.

I have met the man and spent a bit of time in his company, trust me he could careless what we say here. As is right and proper.

Bryan Cranston Mic Drop GIF
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And yet I stand by what I said 10000000%

I’m right. You’re wrong.

top gun deal with it GIF
 
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