Tottenham Hotspur v. Swansea (H) - The Wayne Routledge Derby

[Smoked Salmon]

For all the whingers, I'd remind everyone that we are on more points than we were this time last season, playing better football than we were this time last year, playing without Bale or his supposed replacement and have a greater number of new players who need to get used to the league. Need I remind everyone that last year we got a record number of points despite everyone's bellyaching and booing during the first few games?

People need to remember that our football isn't going to be as fancy as the Bale swashbuckling from now on. He's a player well above almost every other one in the PL, and beyond anything we have seen since the likes of Gazza. Fans have been spoiled and now impatient to the extent that they expect instant magnificence the minute new signings are made. That's cloud cuckooland stuff.

There were so many positives today. Paulinho was excellent, as was Capoue. We have a vastly improved Rose and Townsend. Soldado is a player who can actually tale a penalty. We actually produced a sound defensive display. Can people not see that we were missing these sorts of options last year? As for not creating chances, that is total bollocks. In the first half we were lucky not to go in 2-3 goals up, thanks mainly to Vorm. People are expecting Soldado to be a goal machine and have four million shots on target. But that's not how it works with other teams and it's not how it is likely to work with us, even after we improve service.

Patience. The positives are there, we've made babysteps forward each and every season (bar Ramos) for the best part of the past decade. I don't see why people can't do their fucking jobs as fans and get behind the players instead of being whiney little brats all the time. God, do you really forget the days of Stuart Nethercott and Rocket Ronny that quickly?

 

[linnet_spur]

But Lennon and Walker have fantastic link up around the box, the cheeky through balls and all that. And I feel Naughton and Townsend emulated that well on Thursday..

TBH, I don't think Lennon's and Walker's understanding is that great. Solid but unspectacular, especially when you compare it to how Corluka and Lennon used to be.

 

[Super Jan Fan]

Am I allowed to imagine this player as Bale?

Fair question. I think we all hope it will be but likely it'll have to be someone else unfortunately. Perhaps trying to convince him to stay has held up getting a replacement in..?

 

[zin]

When Dembele seems to be the weakest of our 3 central midfielders you know we're going in the right direction

and with Sandro on the bench instead of Parker, Huddlestone, Livermore or Jenas!

 

[Éperons]

Look at how Swansea play all of their games with an attacking possesion game. Watch the game again and you will realize that literally they got nothing going on in terms of possession in the middle. Our three midfielders played like they should defensively and completely bit up their small possession oriented midfkders.

That's the feeling I got, too. Swansea managed to out-pass us (381–427) and had the ball more than we did. So we let them play their possession game. The main difference was that they had to play all that in their own half. If you look at the player influence boards, all of their players are in their own half.

Furthermore, they had very, very little activity (passing or otherwise) in our territory. We just stifled them. It was beautiful. We were 88/128 in the final third. They were 49/81. This was in part probably the high line, but I think a lot of it was Capoue as well.

 

[philyjc]

Ever heard of training? They do it most days....

No no I haven't... its not the same as playing together in a competitive match though is it. Plus I'm sure AVB has them all training together in various combinations that may well be used in competitive games.

 

[Scottwallace15]

Why aren't we playing like we've got 50m worth of new signings? I mean my team plays great as soon as I add new signings on FIFA.

yeah yesterday i bought, hulk for 80 million and Messi for 100 million on my career mode and won the league 15 times in a row, why can't this happen in real life, like players need to 'gel' and 'settle in' and all that crap, how dare they

 

[TheLutonYid]

TBH, I don't think Lennon's and Walker's understanding is that great. Solid but unspectacular, especially when you compare it to how Corluka and Lennon used to be.

To be fair, AVB told Walker to lay off the attacking movement. But they do still link up well when they get a chance to.

 

[Spanish Spur]

I said much earlier on in this thread that it was a risky decision to give Townsend a start as a reward for his Dinamo performance. I hereby humbly eat pie.

 

[Guido 🇺🇦]

But Lennon and Walker have fantastic link up around the box, the cheeky through balls and all that. And I feel Naughton and Townsend emulated that well on Thursday..

Now we are clearly build a squad of x2 plus players per position, you may well see that combination. It's the 3rd game of the season..

 

[TheLutonYid]

I said much earlier on in this thread that it was a risky decision to give Townsend a start as a reward for his Dinamo performance. I hereby humbly eat pie.

No choice given lennon was out..

 

[zin]

On the subject of full backs, Rangel who is Swansea's equivalent of Glen Johnson or Seamus Coleman in terms of attacking play hardly got a sniff, I think I saw him twice in our half only and one of the times was when he was frustrated to shit towards the end of the game. I think we did our homework on him very well.

 

[JDK]

At this point last year we had 1 point from 2 games, needed a CAM, Striker, CM. Had Kaboul, Parker (our previous year's club player of the year), and BAE (leaving no fit LB) all down with long term injury. Plus, Livermore was starting. We ended the transfer window with Dembele, Dempsey, and Ade.

Puts in perspective how far we've come. I'd urge everyone to remember that.

 

[BushHillSpurs]

We actually produced a sound defensive display

I cant remember the last time we had two clean sheets in a row for the PL!

I don't see why people can't do their fucking jobs as fans and get behind the players instead of being whiney little brats all the time

Agree, for 90 minutes we need to get behind the team and will them on.

 

[zin]

At this point last year we had 1 point from 2 games, needed a CAM, Striker, CM. Had Kaboul, Parker (our previous year's club player of the year), and BAE (leaving no fit LB) all down with long term injury. Plus, Livermore was starting. We ended the transfer window with Dembele, Dempsey, and Ade.

Puts in perspective how far we've come. I'd urge everyone to remember that.

You forgot Vertonghen and Lloris

 

[JDK]

You forgot Vertonghen and Lloris

Lloris hadn't come in by then you're right but Vertonghen started our first two Prem games right?

 

[dmartins13]

I don't want to be pedantic, especially since I really like Portugal, but it's not racist. Portuguese is not a race, it's a nationality. So it's xenophobic if anything. And even then I think he was being descriptive not irrationally pre-judging someone based upon their country of birth.

I was joking. I'm Portuguese and didn't take it as racist BUT he's still a twat

 

[linnet_spur]

That's the feeling I got, too. Swansea managed to out-pass us (381–427) and had the ball more than we did. So we let them play their possession game. The main difference was that they had to play all that in their own half. If you look at the player influence boards, all of their players are in their own half.

Furthermore, they had very, very little activity (passing or otherwise) in our territory. We just stifled them. It was beautiful. We were 88/128 in the final third. They were 49/81. This was in part probably the high line, but I think a lot of it was Capoue as well.

Also, quite interestingly, yet also startlingly obvious, is that we were comfortably ahead of them with the passing pre goal. We only let them play their game once we scored. That is my only real worry from today.

 

[linnet_spur]

To be fair, AVB told Walker to lay off the attacking movement. But they do still link up well when they get a chance to.

True. Given time I think Townsend and Walker can build up an understanding, but it's always going to be more like a Bale/Walker partnership then a Lennon/Walker partnership, due to the way Townsend plays and being a leftie.

 

[BushHillSpurs]

I can see the issues that some people are having with the football we are playing at the moment, it isnt the best but it is still good. I know Swansea lost 4-1 last week to United but I watched some of the football they were playing and it was decent stuff. The scoreline very much flattered united.

I agree with Smoked that last year we had, 2 points after two games (I think?) and this time we have 6, going into a NLD and then Norwich at home afterwards. This is still within the transfer window too. Once that is closed and we have gotten rid of the uncertainty within the dressing room we may look a little more settled. (I feel crazy saying that, after two wins...)

Onwards and upwards guys.