Tottenham's pressing problem

[bus-conductor]

Tottenham's pressing problem: Is Mauricio Pochettino changing their approach this season?

Tottenhams pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately

www.skysports.com

Tottenham's pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately.

UEFA's newly-published technical report is full of interesting insights into last season's Champions League, but there is one statistic that stands out particularly strongly.

According to its findings, more than half of the goals scored in the competition - 185 out of 366, to be exact - came from possession regained in the opposition's final third.


It is an eye-catching detail which reflects the growing prevalence of pressing at the highest level of the game. The report specifically highlights the "extraordinary intensity" of Liverpool's press in their semi-final second-leg win over Barcelona. But Jurgen Klopp's men were not the only ones to profit from forcing mistakes high up the pitch.

The final, when Liverpool faced Tottenham, was billed as a meeting between two of the best exponents of high pressing. Curiously, though, Spurs went on to record their lowest number of pressures in any Champions League game all season, with 64. By way of contrast, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah accounted for 34 pressures on his own.

An anomaly or a trend?

What felt like an anomaly at the time - Spurs had recorded more than twice as many pressures in their semi-final second leg against Ajax a few weeks earlier - now feels like the beginning of a trend. At a time when high pressing is becoming increasingly prominent elsewhere, recent evidence suggests Spurs are moving in the opposite direction.


So far this season, the high press simply hasn't been there. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described Spurs as "lethargic" during their 2-2 draw with Manchester City last month. They were similarly flat in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle a week later. And while they did counter-attack at speed against Woolwich last Sunday, their pressing game was still oddly absent.

Unai Emery's side were able to build from the back more-or-less unchallenged at the Emirates Stadium, which was especially surprising given the obvious problems Liverpool's high press had caused them in their previous game. Klopp's side won possession in the final third 13 times at Anfield. At the Emirates, Spurs only managed it twice.

In fact, Spurs have only won possession in the final third nine times in four games all season, putting them 16th among Premier League sides. Their average of 2.3 per game represents a considerable drop-off on their usual numbers. Last season, they averaged 4.2 per game, putting them fifth. In 2017/18, their average of 4.4 per game put them third.

Opta's data for pressed sequences is even more revealing. Pressed sequences are defined as opposition passing sequences of three or fewer passes which end within 40 meters of their own goal. This season, Spurs have forced fewer pressed sequences (31) than any other Premier League side, averaging 7.8 per game compared to 13.2 last season.

It is a small sample size, of course, but it is still alarmingly out of character for a side whose aggressive pressing was once a hallmark. It is not so long ago that returning Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores was comparing Mauricio Pochettino's players to "animals" for the speed and determination with which they hunted down possession.

Concern for Pochettino

So what's happened? If it is a deliberate strategy, then it is not working. Spurs have survived away trips to Manchester City and Woolwich this season, taking five points from their first four games, but the lack of off-the-ball urgency has seen them give up a worrying number of chances. Only Aston Villa have faced more shots. Only Norwich have faced more shots on target.

It is also clear that the issues have been a source of frustration to Pochettino. He has cut a disgruntled figure since the Champions League final, complaining that his squad is the most "unsettled" it has ever been since his arrival at the club and alluding to its impact on the team's performances - specifically their pressing - after the Woolwich game.

"We need togetherness," he said. "The team wasn't settled and I told you from day one of pre-season that I wasn't happy. The most important thing is to all be on the same page and that the players have a clear idea of how we need to move."

An effective press requires total commitment from every player, it requires team spirit and focus. But with Christian Eriksen's mind elsewhere, with Jan Vertonghen mysteriously losing his place in the side and with new signings still bedding in, those factors have not been there. Tottenham's cohesion has taken a hit and recent evidence suggests their pressing has too.

Kane conundrum

Pochettino hopes the closure of the transfer window - coupled with a pause for the international break - will allow Spurs to get their rhythm back. But a high-pressing approach requires a striker to set the tone. Is Harry Kane still that striker? Is he still suited to playing in a high-pressing system?

It is a conundrum for Pochettino. There can be no questioning Kane's attacking contribution. He has scored seven times for club and country in the opening month of the season alone. But in the last few years he has suffered a string of ankle injuries and his game is evolving as a result.

Kane is still at his most dangerous in the opposition's penalty box, but these days he is just as likely to be seen dropping deep as he is playing on the shoulder of the last defender. Instead of running in behind himself, he now prefers to vacate the space for his team-mates to take advantage.

Kane's evolution has impacted his off-the-ball work, too. This season, he is averaging fewer ball recoveries and fewer attempted tackles than in any of his previous six campaigns with Spurs. So far this season, he has only won possession in the final third twice in 360 minutes on the pitch.

A player who once led the press for Pochettino is no longer playing with the same intensity, and it is perhaps no coincidence that, the last time Spurs produced the kind of breathless pressing they have become known for under Pochettino - in that Champions League semi-final second leg against Ajax in May - Kane did not feature at all.

His return to the starting line-up for the final was a welcome boost for Spurs, but as UEFA's technical report tells us, their intensity suffered.

What now for Tottenham?

Perhaps Pochettino is still hoping that Kane will get back to his old intensity levels. There was encouragement in how he won possession in the opposition half in the build-up to England's third goal against Bulgaria on Saturday. He then created another opening for Raheem Sterling in similar circumstances against Kosovo on Tuesday.

But the Premier League is an altogether more taxing environment. Kane's evolution suggests he knows his attributes are changing and Tottenham's adjusted approach this season suggests Pochettino knows it too. A side whose progress has been driven by high-pressing tactics must find a new way forward. For now, it remains a work in progress.



Really good article and well worth a read.

That's a really informative piece that not only confirms, but quantifies what many of us have been saying for quite a while now. The shots against we are allowing is staggeringly bad for an "elite" team

It's not just about "high" pressing either. We have the third fewest tackles per game in the PL right now. We have the lowest interceptions.

Defensively from top to bottom we've become a very lethargic and incoherent side. This is what I was stalking about last week in the Pochettino thread when I said he needs to get the intensity and aggression back. It doesn't matter what kind of "press" you are operating, any decent team is at least cohesive, coherent and aggressive. We got dicked about by shit teams last season, and it's already happening this season, Woolwich were allowed to just knock the ball about (as were City and Newcastle for their goal) and Poch needs to get a fucking grip of it.

 

[Incomplete_usernam]

Tottenham's pressing problem: Is Mauricio Pochettino changing their approach this season?

Tottenhams pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately

www.skysports.com

Tottenham's pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately.

UEFA's newly-published technical report is full of interesting insights into last season's Champions League, but there is one statistic that stands out particularly strongly.

According to its findings, more than half of the goals scored in the competition - 185 out of 366, to be exact - came from possession regained in the opposition's final third.


It is an eye-catching detail which reflects the growing prevalence of pressing at the highest level of the game. The report specifically highlights the "extraordinary intensity" of Liverpool's press in their semi-final second-leg win over Barcelona. But Jurgen Klopp's men were not the only ones to profit from forcing mistakes high up the pitch.

The final, when Liverpool faced Tottenham, was billed as a meeting between two of the best exponents of high pressing. Curiously, though, Spurs went on to record their lowest number of pressures in any Champions League game all season, with 64. By way of contrast, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah accounted for 34 pressures on his own.

An anomaly or a trend?

What felt like an anomaly at the time - Spurs had recorded more than twice as many pressures in their semi-final second leg against Ajax a few weeks earlier - now feels like the beginning of a trend. At a time when high pressing is becoming increasingly prominent elsewhere, recent evidence suggests Spurs are moving in the opposite direction.


So far this season, the high press simply hasn't been there. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described Spurs as "lethargic" during their 2-2 draw with Manchester City last month. They were similarly flat in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle a week later. And while they did counter-attack at speed against Woolwich last Sunday, their pressing game was still oddly absent.

Unai Emery's side were able to build from the back more-or-less unchallenged at the Emirates Stadium, which was especially surprising given the obvious problems Liverpool's high press had caused them in their previous game. Klopp's side won possession in the final third 13 times at Anfield. At the Emirates, Spurs only managed it twice.

In fact, Spurs have only won possession in the final third nine times in four games all season, putting them 16th among Premier League sides. Their average of 2.3 per game represents a considerable drop-off on their usual numbers. Last season, they averaged 4.2 per game, putting them fifth. In 2017/18, their average of 4.4 per game put them third.

Opta's data for pressed sequences is even more revealing. Pressed sequences are defined as opposition passing sequences of three or fewer passes which end within 40 meters of their own goal. This season, Spurs have forced fewer pressed sequences (31) than any other Premier League side, averaging 7.8 per game compared to 13.2 last season.

It is a small sample size, of course, but it is still alarmingly out of character for a side whose aggressive pressing was once a hallmark. It is not so long ago that returning Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores was comparing Mauricio Pochettino's players to "animals" for the speed and determination with which they hunted down possession.

Concern for Pochettino

So what's happened? If it is a deliberate strategy, then it is not working. Spurs have survived away trips to Manchester City and Woolwich this season, taking five points from their first four games, but the lack of off-the-ball urgency has seen them give up a worrying number of chances. Only Aston Villa have faced more shots. Only Norwich have faced more shots on target.

It is also clear that the issues have been a source of frustration to Pochettino. He has cut a disgruntled figure since the Champions League final, complaining that his squad is the most "unsettled" it has ever been since his arrival at the club and alluding to its impact on the team's performances - specifically their pressing - after the Woolwich game.

"We need togetherness," he said. "The team wasn't settled and I told you from day one of pre-season that I wasn't happy. The most important thing is to all be on the same page and that the players have a clear idea of how we need to move."

An effective press requires total commitment from every player, it requires team spirit and focus. But with Christian Eriksen's mind elsewhere, with Jan Vertonghen mysteriously losing his place in the side and with new signings still bedding in, those factors have not been there. Tottenham's cohesion has taken a hit and recent evidence suggests their pressing has too.

Kane conundrum

Pochettino hopes the closure of the transfer window - coupled with a pause for the international break - will allow Spurs to get their rhythm back. But a high-pressing approach requires a striker to set the tone. Is Harry Kane still that striker? Is he still suited to playing in a high-pressing system?

It is a conundrum for Pochettino. There can be no questioning Kane's attacking contribution. He has scored seven times for club and country in the opening month of the season alone. But in the last few years he has suffered a string of ankle injuries and his game is evolving as a result.

Kane is still at his most dangerous in the opposition's penalty box, but these days he is just as likely to be seen dropping deep as he is playing on the shoulder of the last defender. Instead of running in behind himself, he now prefers to vacate the space for his team-mates to take advantage.

Kane's evolution has impacted his off-the-ball work, too. This season, he is averaging fewer ball recoveries and fewer attempted tackles than in any of his previous six campaigns with Spurs. So far this season, he has only won possession in the final third twice in 360 minutes on the pitch.

A player who once led the press for Pochettino is no longer playing with the same intensity, and it is perhaps no coincidence that, the last time Spurs produced the kind of breathless pressing they have become known for under Pochettino - in that Champions League semi-final second leg against Ajax in May - Kane did not feature at all.

His return to the starting line-up for the final was a welcome boost for Spurs, but as UEFA's technical report tells us, their intensity suffered.

What now for Tottenham?

Perhaps Pochettino is still hoping that Kane will get back to his old intensity levels. There was encouragement in how he won possession in the opposition half in the build-up to England's third goal against Bulgaria on Saturday. He then created another opening for Raheem Sterling in similar circumstances against Kosovo on Tuesday.

But the Premier League is an altogether more taxing environment. Kane's evolution suggests he knows his attributes are changing and Tottenham's adjusted approach this season suggests Pochettino knows it too. A side whose progress has been driven by high-pressing tactics must find a new way forward. For now, it remains a work in progress.



Really good article and well worth a read.

 

[StripiestPilot]

I’ve been saying it for a long time, the balance of the team is completely wrong and it’s mainly due to our midfield. Ever since the Dier/Dembele pairing disappeared we have been flimsy and struggled to play serious football.

I understand that Poch has been forced through injury to rely on Winks and Sissoko as his central midfielders but it’s time to move on and restructure the team. We need to put Dier back in there and replace Sissoko with someone who isn’t afraid to touch the football and play. We basically need to start playing with 3 midfielders all the time. Our team isn’t young and fresh enough to play pressing football and properly cover the massive spaces left when we play Winks and Sissoko in the diamond.

 

[Cravenspurs]

Something has to change as we all see it and have been writing about it for awhile now.

I don't buy that it is Kane who is changing his game.

This is a Poch call as he is the one that sets the strategy. The stats are clear as day and it is time to shift our style back to what made us feared. The high intensity game of breaking the oppositions back from the first whistle.

This is why I watch so much City and Pool now. They are relentless and very entertaining to watch.

 

[Larry David]

I’d probably rather see Dier anchoring a cm3 than Sissoko, but ultimately don't want Dier in a midfield either, especially a CM2, it was putting Dier into midfield that was the beginning of the problems. Dier cannot support the press, he’s not dynamic or mobile enough, is too easily turned, and also isn’t comfortable when pressed himself, and therefore hinders us playing out and through pressure ourselves.

His reaction to pressure in games was to drop 10 yards into the cb’s pockets and drag the game back with him, inviting more pressure.

We have some of the same issues now with Sissoko playing there. Can't press, lack of defensive dynamism, uncomfortable under pressure, can't pass etc etc..

Poch hasn’t been entirely forced, he’s had options from the academy and lacked the bollocks to use them, preferring to make poor choices or play players he paid 30m for who were bought for different remits.

We were so much better when Wanyama replaced Dier in midfield and he dropped back into the defence as a CB for much of the season. Wanyama would hunt down danger rapaciously for 90 minutes, would support the forward press, had the dynamism to cover laterally advancing FB’s wasn’t flustered under pressure and moved the ball more efficiently under pressure than Dier.

That’s why we need a proper footballing 6 - either bought or promoted in from the academy- and get back to having a midfield with some tenacity and vim again.

I maintain Wanyama is the best DM we have ever had, such a shame he’s had such bad luck with injuries

 

[MiddxSpur]

I think nothing less than a change of manager will fix this. I don't think this group of players believes in Pochettino anymore.

God its depressing. We’ve reached levels i never expected to see ie came close to winning titles, could have won the Champions League last season, we had disruption of Wembley, few signings, only just got into our stadium and yet an increasing number of posters are slagging him off and wanting him gone.
Who do you want to replace him? Will that candidate likely come?
If you and others get your wish, there is a far, far greater likelihood that we will be weaker.

 

[Freundian slip]

Tottenham's pressing problem: Is Mauricio Pochettino changing their approach this season?

Tottenhams pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately

www.skysports.com

Tottenham's pressing has been a feature of their progress under Mauricio Pochettino, but they have done things differently lately.

UEFA's newly-published technical report is full of interesting insights into last season's Champions League, but there is one statistic that stands out particularly strongly.

According to its findings, more than half of the goals scored in the competition - 185 out of 366, to be exact - came from possession regained in the opposition's final third.


It is an eye-catching detail which reflects the growing prevalence of pressing at the highest level of the game. The report specifically highlights the "extraordinary intensity" of Liverpool's press in their semi-final second-leg win over Barcelona. But Jurgen Klopp's men were not the only ones to profit from forcing mistakes high up the pitch.

The final, when Liverpool faced Tottenham, was billed as a meeting between two of the best exponents of high pressing. Curiously, though, Spurs went on to record their lowest number of pressures in any Champions League game all season, with 64. By way of contrast, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah accounted for 34 pressures on his own.

An anomaly or a trend?

What felt like an anomaly at the time - Spurs had recorded more than twice as many pressures in their semi-final second leg against Ajax a few weeks earlier - now feels like the beginning of a trend. At a time when high pressing is becoming increasingly prominent elsewhere, recent evidence suggests Spurs are moving in the opposite direction.


So far this season, the high press simply hasn't been there. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described Spurs as "lethargic" during their 2-2 draw with Manchester City last month. They were similarly flat in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle a week later. And while they did counter-attack at speed against Woolwich last Sunday, their pressing game was still oddly absent.

Unai Emery's side were able to build from the back more-or-less unchallenged at the Emirates Stadium, which was especially surprising given the obvious problems Liverpool's high press had caused them in their previous game. Klopp's side won possession in the final third 13 times at Anfield. At the Emirates, Spurs only managed it twice.

In fact, Spurs have only won possession in the final third nine times in four games all season, putting them 16th among Premier League sides. Their average of 2.3 per game represents a considerable drop-off on their usual numbers. Last season, they averaged 4.2 per game, putting them fifth. In 2017/18, their average of 4.4 per game put them third.

Opta's data for pressed sequences is even more revealing. Pressed sequences are defined as opposition passing sequences of three or fewer passes which end within 40 meters of their own goal. This season, Spurs have forced fewer pressed sequences (31) than any other Premier League side, averaging 7.8 per game compared to 13.2 last season.

It is a small sample size, of course, but it is still alarmingly out of character for a side whose aggressive pressing was once a hallmark. It is not so long ago that returning Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores was comparing Mauricio Pochettino's players to "animals" for the speed and determination with which they hunted down possession.

Concern for Pochettino

So what's happened? If it is a deliberate strategy, then it is not working. Spurs have survived away trips to Manchester City and Woolwich this season, taking five points from their first four games, but the lack of off-the-ball urgency has seen them give up a worrying number of chances. Only Aston Villa have faced more shots. Only Norwich have faced more shots on target.

It is also clear that the issues have been a source of frustration to Pochettino. He has cut a disgruntled figure since the Champions League final, complaining that his squad is the most "unsettled" it has ever been since his arrival at the club and alluding to its impact on the team's performances - specifically their pressing - after the Woolwich game.

"We need togetherness," he said. "The team wasn't settled and I told you from day one of pre-season that I wasn't happy. The most important thing is to all be on the same page and that the players have a clear idea of how we need to move."

An effective press requires total commitment from every player, it requires team spirit and focus. But with Christian Eriksen's mind elsewhere, with Jan Vertonghen mysteriously losing his place in the side and with new signings still bedding in, those factors have not been there. Tottenham's cohesion has taken a hit and recent evidence suggests their pressing has too.

Kane conundrum

Pochettino hopes the closure of the transfer window - coupled with a pause for the international break - will allow Spurs to get their rhythm back. But a high-pressing approach requires a striker to set the tone. Is Harry Kane still that striker? Is he still suited to playing in a high-pressing system?

It is a conundrum for Pochettino. There can be no questioning Kane's attacking contribution. He has scored seven times for club and country in the opening month of the season alone. But in the last few years he has suffered a string of ankle injuries and his game is evolving as a result.

Kane is still at his most dangerous in the opposition's penalty box, but these days he is just as likely to be seen dropping deep as he is playing on the shoulder of the last defender. Instead of running in behind himself, he now prefers to vacate the space for his team-mates to take advantage.

Kane's evolution has impacted his off-the-ball work, too. This season, he is averaging fewer ball recoveries and fewer attempted tackles than in any of his previous six campaigns with Spurs. So far this season, he has only won possession in the final third twice in 360 minutes on the pitch.

A player who once led the press for Pochettino is no longer playing with the same intensity, and it is perhaps no coincidence that, the last time Spurs produced the kind of breathless pressing they have become known for under Pochettino - in that Champions League semi-final second leg against Ajax in May - Kane did not feature at all.

His return to the starting line-up for the final was a welcome boost for Spurs, but as UEFA's technical report tells us, their intensity suffered.

What now for Tottenham?

Perhaps Pochettino is still hoping that Kane will get back to his old intensity levels. There was encouragement in how he won possession in the opposition half in the build-up to England's third goal against Bulgaria on Saturday. He then created another opening for Raheem Sterling in similar circumstances against Kosovo on Tuesday.

But the Premier League is an altogether more taxing environment. Kane's evolution suggests he knows his attributes are changing and Tottenham's adjusted approach this season suggests Pochettino knows it too. A side whose progress has been driven by high-pressing tactics must find a new way forward. For now, it remains a work in progress.



Really good article and well worth a read.

"Under pressure" dum dum de de de dum

 

[bus-conductor]

I’ve been saying it for a long time, the balance of the team is completely wrong and it’s mainly due to our midfield. Ever since the Dier/Dembele pairing disappeared we have been flimsy and struggled to play serious football.

I understand that Poch has been forced through injury to rely on Winks and Sissoko as his central midfielders but it’s time to move on and restructure the team. We need to put Dier back in there and replace Sissoko with someone who isn’t afraid to touch the football and play. We basically need to start playing with 3 midfielders all the time. Our team isn’t young and fresh enough to play pressing football and properly cover the massive spaces left when we play Winks and Sissoko in the diamond.

I’d probably rather see Dier anchoring a cm3 than Sissoko, but ultimately don't want Dier in a midfield either, especially a CM2, it was putting Dier into midfield that was the beginning of the problems. Dier cannot support the press, he’s not dynamic or mobile enough, is too easily turned, and also isn’t comfortable when pressed himself, and therefore hinders us playing out and through pressure ourselves.

His reaction to pressure in games was to drop 10 yards into the cb’s pockets and drag the game back with him, inviting more pressure.

We have some of the same issues now with Sissoko playing there. Can't press, lack of defensive dynamism, uncomfortable under pressure, can't pass etc etc..

Poch hasn’t been entirely forced, he’s had options from the academy and lacked the bollocks to use them, preferring to make poor choices or play players he paid 30m for who were bought for different remits.

We were so much better when Wanyama replaced Dier in midfield and he dropped back into the defence as a CB for much of the season. Wanyama would hunt down danger rapaciously for 90 minutes, would support the forward press, had the dynamism to cover laterally advancing FB’s wasn’t flustered under pressure and moved the ball more efficiently under pressure than Dier.

That’s why we need a proper footballing 6 - either bought or promoted in from the academy- and get back to having a midfield with some tenacity and vim again.

 

[El flaco]

Can we get some kind of award for Sammy, maybe with 'I told you so engraved on it'?
He'd be a solid mother-in-law

 

[ArtyB]

Who needs a fucking high press...

 

[ElTel]

The Harry Kane team

If the man on 200k a week isn't going to press like an animal then why would anyone else

 

[magi]

Winks and Sissoko they are not good at pressing in my opinion

 

[Matt1882]

How are we supposed to win the ball back when in 2 out of 4 games we've had it almost entirely for the whole match?
And in the other 2, we've been mostly outplayed by top 6 teams?

The problem with the games against both Villa and Newcastle is that we had 70-80% possession and played almost entirely in front of 10 men.

We need to play a deeper defense, give the ball away in the final 3rd and then, when they spread out, press hard and fast. If we don't start doing this very soon, we will become easy to play against for everyone.

 

[NorseYid]

I’ve been saying it for a long time, the balance of the team is completely wrong and it’s mainly due to our midfield. Ever since the Dier/Dembele pairing disappeared we have been flimsy and struggled to play serious football.

I understand that Poch has been forced through injury to rely on Winks and Sissoko as his central midfielders but it’s time to move on and restructure the team. We need to put Dier back in there and replace Sissoko with someone who isn’t afraid to touch the football and play. We basically need to start playing with 3 midfielders all the time. Our team isn’t young and fresh enough to play pressing football and properly cover the massive spaces left when we play Winks and Sissoko in the diamond.

Dier, Ndombele and Dele. Easy

 

[Pete27]

As far as I am aware, everyone in my road has their own iron.

 

[sammyspurs]

Oct 2018

When does the manager become accountable for the deficiencies in the team?

Not injuries, not signings, not other teams spending, but the same group of players playing worse football than we used to.

Yesterday aside it was a decent show.
But how many weeks can we waste chances? When does the manager wield the axe or do what it takes to make players realize it’s not ok?

When does he implement our pressing game again?
When does he stop sitting slumped in his chair like a moody Jose man child and start bellowing from the touchline like he used to?

There will be hysterics and denial, but deep down I think you probably all know that the tosspot Klopp would have this same squad tearing the shit out of teams.
So it is possible. It is possible because Poch himself has done it with this squad.
So what gives with regression in our style of play?
Why have we gone from beating relegation fodder 7-1, 4-1 regularly to scraping wins with them coming away unlucky to have lost?

The training was too much and we are knackered? Where the rumours about players complaining that the regime is too tough and causing injuries true after all?

I want to know when we entertain a situation where people are comfortable question the managers part and stop wrapping him up in cotton wool.

When is Poch part of the problem?
And when does the stage come where people accept he needs to improve and it’s not all just the players and Levy’s fault.

So think about that because I think you all know it’s valid. See you in a couple months.

But we’re moving the discussion on John...the window is done.
That’s wasnt Pochs fault.

But the window isn’t the reason he’s abandoned our pressing game.
Where would we be now with Ndombele and Grealish? You think it would make a massive difference?

Where’s Llorente and why don’t we use wing play when he comes on?

You think if we have Poch 100M he’d make no mistakes? He’s playing Kane on his own on the halfway line yet he’s the slowest player in the PL. why isn’t he using Kane like he used him 3 years ago?

Why don’t you see the regression in our style of play as the managers fault? It’s the same players.

Dec 2018

Heard it all before.
Our style of play is not down to personnel.

It’s the same players that used to tear teams apart most weeks, like we did against Chelsea. The problem for me is that we don’t adopt a pressing game enough.

February 2019

There's a lot right, and whats frustrating for me is that we can play like we did at Barcelona and against Dortmund, and wipe the floor with Chelsea one week, then lose to them the next, ditto Utd...

We are so erratic, and our biggest opponent is ourselves.

It woud actually be easier if we simply were'nt good enough. But we are, and just keep falling short due to the same tiresome issues.

No leadership in the middle, 17 shots one goal, Poch flitting between Rinus Michels one week and Fat Sam the next, "key" players that wont be dropped or subbed off even when shite, not having the bollocks to get in touching distance of the leaders every single time a crunch match pops up, not defending corners, the abandonment of pressing.

Its all self inflicted.

Oh look someone at Sky has finally caught up, so now everyone can start to discuss the thing they didn’t agree with for nearly a year when I brought it up

aulinhobored:

 

[El flaco]

I think nothing less than a change of manager will fix this. I don't think this group of players believes in Pochettino anymore.

You're an enormous twat

 

[Matt1882]

Who needs a fucking high press...

Palace looked like their season was over already. Nothing going forward and no defence.

 

[sammyspurs]

Can we get some kind of award for Sammy, maybe with 'I told you so engraved on it'?
He'd be a solid mother-in-law

When you’re right you’re right.

We press, we win.

 

[NewZealand_Spur]

"nine times in four games all season"