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Match Tottenham Hotspur v Qarabağ FK | Thursday 26th Sept | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | 8pm

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lots of what if's - both ways

but where we have been uber flakey and have gone under - we didn't last night, so let's seize a positive and not cling to how things might go wrong.

Too many people with feck all understanding on how to run an under 11's football team, let alone a top 5 team in possibly the toughest league on the planet, are slagging players and management off because of their assumption that they are owed instant gratification.

We don't have an oil rich gulf state pouring gold into our clubs bank account - we have to live within the means the team are given.
I run an u12’s team and we’ve gone from Div 6 to 2 in 12 months to be fair 😂

I’m saying it’s a positive - could have lost, but we won. Under Jose, could have drawn, probably would have still lost
 
One of the strangest games I've seen in a long while.
They had glaring chances and the penalty that they missed, that really should have gone in. Vicario made some excellent saves as well. We won 3-0 but could so easily have lost by the same score or worse tbh.
It's one of those multiverse situations where in another version of events, their chances went in and ours didn't. Our fans are all angry, the press are all over Ange for being naive with the defence etc.

Anyway.....
My thoughts on the game are that this is the 2nd game in a row we have had less possession overall than the opposition and ended up with 3 goals and some really good chances. Not sure the mystical XG reflected it, and Carrierbags was rightfully higher.
What it illustrates (again) is that just owning the ball is nothing. We're better and more dangerous when the final 3rd isn't massively congested. We could afford to leave 2 or 3 defenders a bit further back spreading out the play, reducing the chance of getting caught on the counter every 5 minutes and creating quality space to create better chances.
Also worth mentioning the instinct from Solanke to follow up on Son's shot. It feels like no one else in our team ever does that. How often do we see loose balls around the 6 yard box and nothing happens because nobody gambled?

Hopefully 83 minutes in the rain with 10 men didn't take too much of a toll, especially as United had an extra day off.
 
For someone that mocks those of us across the pond, you sure don’t seem to enjoy the beauty that is football.

We just hosed them 3-0 down a man. I couldn’t fucking care less about their xg. We were more clinical, good on us.
Agreed. I'm very happy to have a diverse range of countries and cultures represented on here and I think I speak for all but a few simple-minded twats.
 
See I don't need a "narrative" to support Spurs; I want us to win but think it's pretty sad if you need the blinkers on to deny reality.

You lot remind me of all the United fans who wanted to keep Ten Hag in a job just because he won the FA cup. We all laugh at them, because the football is fucking garbage and they concede 20 shots a game, so how could any idiot want to keep him?

But then you realise, our fanbase is just the same, just as blinkered as theirs. Happy clappers rule the roost. You were all here clapping away for Jose, Conte, and at the end of Poch, and it didn't help matters then. And you'll be clapping away for the next manager. Fine. You do you. I'll keep calling it as I see it.
Oh thank god for you keeping it real for me!
Thank you so much - you have opened my eyes, I now see the light.........

He is the Messiah - and I should know, I've followed a few........
 
I think most people were looking for some better balance in midfield, and Ange in fact made that change at the half, moving from 4-2-3 to 4-1-2-2.

The amount of ground Kulu and Gray covered on the right side in the second half was insane. Even Solanke dropped in the right CAM position at times.

Very strange tactical situation but it worked out well. I'm honestly surprised Qarabag couldn't score a goal or two, or pose more of a consistent threat, with the extra man.

1. Our continued aggression/press kept them pensive.
2. For the most part they lacked quality.
3. Their manager had a nightmare.
 
Just watched the highlights of Qarabag's games against Leverkusen in the round of 16 last year. 5-4 on agg, same team, same tactics and they really aren't bad to be honest, pretty much as they looked last night, good on the attack, some pacey players.

They were close to beating Leverkusen 0-2 despite playing with 10 men for a lot of 2nd half, but then just crumbled and conceded 3 goals in 20 mins.
they may upset Ajax and Lyon later next month

our next opponents Ferencvarosi looks like it will be a tough nut , don't concede much, decent modern little stadium though
We like to throw the term "farmers" around but at this level any team can upset anyone if they are lucky.

We need to adopt the mentality that there are no easy games.
 
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