It hard to know where to start. The team selection? The tactics? Our negative & direct approach? The abysmal defending for both goals? Son (again) kicking out after he’s been heavily felled? Eriksen’s dreadful attempts to put the ball in to dangerous areas from free-kicks late on? More and more players being played out of position (Vertonghen, Lucas, Dele, Sissoko)? The realisation that Alderweireld is our chief playmaker until further notice?

We were second best for virtually all the game.

As well as having to put up with all of the above we had the incompetence of Anthony Taylor who got the penalty decision wrong and then wouldn’t make a judgement on Son despite it being bang in front of him. On both occasions we had to put up with yet more VAR delay.

And then Azpilicueta complained quite rightly (if true) to the referee about some ignorant and shameful abuse of Rudiger. Taylor took ages to communicate what he needed to communicate to the fourth official and managers. No-one goes to football for this.

A waste of everyone’s time and money.

The cracks are being papered over. Brighton will fancy their chances on Thursday.

Happy Christmas.

COYS

The post Spurs 0 Chelsea 2 – Match report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Of the two teams we appear to be the ones in form. We have won four of our last five league games whereas as our opponents have lost four of theirs. When Mourinho became our new step-dad the gap between the two teams was in double figures, it’s slightly astonishing that we can move ahead on goal difference with a win.

Last week’s victory at Molineux was much better on paper than it was on grass. Our goals bookended a dominant Wolves display. We were pathetic in midfield, ineffective up front and the defence was at full stretch from beginning to end. Very predictably Vertonghen spent much of the ninety minutes being torn a new one by Traore, it was all the more ironic then that Jan’s fine, fine winning header was as a result of Traore switching off at Eriksen’s corner.

Our midfield needs some serious surgery if we’re going to stand a chance this weekend. It’s clear that Jose is a Dier lover, and I think we’re all probably fans of a fit and focused Wreckless Eric but the overweight and clumsy chap who has been stuffed in to the number 15 shirt of late is not that man.

The trouble is the lack of alternatives. Winks, Sissoko, Wanyama, Skipp, Ndombele? In each case they would be square pegs being forced in to a square hole.

So the chances are we will see Eric back in front of the regular back four (Vertonghen, Toby, Sanchez and Aurier) once again, probably with Winks alongside him. Harry and Dele pick themselves. Perm any two from Sissoko, Son and Lucas to make up the eleven.

Chelsea have been reliant on the impressive Abraham for most of the season. Makes a change from Hazard I suppose. Their midfield of Kovacic, Kante and Jorginho is of a far higher quality than ours and attempting to keep these three from gaining a stranglehold on the game is going to be key. Rudiger is back to strengthen their recently hesitant back four whilst Willian and Pulisic will do their best to provide ammunition for Tammy.

Mourinho has had the squad to coach all week for the first time. We really must hope that he and tactical expert Joao Sacramento have been able to get through to the players enough information for them to stand a chance of getting a clean sheet. If they have, then Dele and Harry may well be able to deliver a result.

Whatever happens, it should be a cracking game.

Anthony Taylor is the referee.

COYFS

The post Spurs v Chelsea – Match Preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

A harsh judge could view this as Mourinho’s second audition. He flunked the first one you’ll remember, majorly, by presiding over our meek display against Manchester United.

A dreadful display that night burst the bubble of optimism that had been created by the three successive wins that started at the London Stadium.

We were overwhelmed in midfield, anonymous up front, hesitant at the back and porous at Gazzaniga’s near post.

Since then, pretty much the same team took Burnley apart whilst Man Utd deservedly won at Middle Eastlands. This of course makes our loss look less concerning even if recalling the showing still induces a shudder.

Wolves have had a great few seasons. This year, it looked as though the extra burden of the Europa League was going to be their undoing but a few early hiccoughs have been overcome and they are currently on a run of only one defeat in eighteen games in all competitions. (That loss was to Aston Villa in the League Cup).

Their form is built on a string of solid defensive displays and the ability of the team to score from anywhere. Yes, Jimenez has led from the front with six goals but eight other players have contributed.

Their full backs are rampant, their centre-halves tree-like, their midfield industrious and very creative. Jimenez and Jota are both in form.

Sigh. Not the best time to play them then.

Still, this is what Mourinho is paid the big bucks for, to get results in games where getting results seems unlikely.

He left the majority of his first choice defence at home during the week presumably with the idea of someone in his new coaching team drilling in to them how to defend, or how he wants them to defend. Lord I hope it works, though it’s hard to see how much of an effect that can have with the midfield in Germany. Unless Winks and Ndombele are the new Makelele and Essien. Hmm.

Despite Wolves’ impressive form they are only one point clear of us in sixth place. A repeat of last year’s victory at Molineux would obviously enable us to leap frog them and would give Frank Lampard pause for thought given that we face them the week before Christmas. Chelski’s dip in form will also have been noticed at Old Trafford of course.

Kane and Dele are in good form but it’s likely to be the speed of Son and Lucas that Mourinho will look to for goals. The remainder of the side must must be more solid, decisive and dominating if we’re going to spring what would be a surprise (despite what the bookies think) and get the result we want.

Stuart Atwell is the referee.

COYS

The post Wolves v Spurs – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Three brilliant goals from Kane (2) and Son, a scrambled one from Moura and Sissoko’s calm finish led to the most comfortable victory we’ve had over the Clarets for many a year.

So what was the difference between today and Wednesday? Where did all that energy come from? The speed, the pressing, the dominant midfield…., well the swap of Winks for Dier was the only personnel change, so there you go.

I love Eric Dier and Eric Dier loves me.

I’d love to hear a disassembly on the subject by Mourinho. Why oh why did we look such a different side to the meek, slow and powerless side that played on Wednesday.

Oh yes, Eric Dier. I forgot.

Sipping from my glass half full, I’ll point to the wonderful finishes from Harry and Son. The transformation of Sissoko into a goalscoring midfielder and the improvement in Lucas now that he’s playing every week. As with Llorente last year, the improvement in displays once a marginal player is given a go regularly is always noticeable.

Rose will struggle to get his place back, Sanchez is improving all the time and Troy Parrott made his Premier League debut.

Harry scoring two from a predominantly number 10 position? Brilliant.

Glass half empty? The game was non-stop. Lively. Whilst Burnley created little in the second half they could have scored easily before half time. It played in to our hands that Harry and Lucas scored early (of course), and they decided to try and get back in to the game quickly rather that weather the storm, but until they sort of gave up late on, there was no sense that we were in proper control.

They could very easily have got back in to it and made the outcome as sweaty as West Ham and Bournemouth. They hit the bar and we coped with a few goal mouth scrambles.

There’s work to be done, and before next week’s visit to Molineux, there’s an opportunity to do it. I’ve heard…(from an unreliable source) that Mourinho is planning to take a B defence to Munich and for the remainder to be drilled by whoever’s our new defensive strategist is. I wish it were true. We shall see.

Those complaints aside… sixteen goals in five games? I’m sure Ossie’s in charge not Jose.

Taking of which, there have still been no concerted chants as yet for Mourinho from the South stand. It’s obviously still too soon after a family bereavement but a similar display and result against Chelsea and that’ll be the cherry popped.

It was verging on the nostalgic to see Harry ripping them in from everywhere, to see Son and Dele playing with such panache and confidence. Eriksen must look at Lucas and think, “that used to be me”.

Bayern’s midweek and then Wolves. Sack off the first and f*ckin’ go for them in the second.

Well done chaps.
COYS.

The post Spurs 5 Burnley 0 – Match report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Wednesday was abysmal and disappointing in roughly equal dimensions. Some weak goalkeeping, some slapdash defending, an unbalanced and overworked midfield and an absent attack. Dele’s genius goal and all round skilful display apart, there was little to suggest that Mourinho is anywhere near getting to grips with this side.

Two goals have been conceded in each of his four games in charge thus far. Barnes and Wood will fancy their chances of adding to that tally and giving Sean Dyche the opportunity to ruffle Jose’s hair at the final whistle.

So what can be done? Change the personnel and/or change the tactics is what.

What can be done at this moment in time and with the resources available is a more difficult question to answer.

Pochettino’s go to central midfield (in his diamond formation) was Sissoko and Winks. We assumed it was for pragmatic reasons but it’s not taken long for Mourinho to end up relying on the same pairing to give us a solid foundation and being similarly disappointed. It’s time for an extra body in there in my opinion. Dier or Ndombele perhaps.

It’s also time for Lo Celso. His quick feet and angled passing will give us a momentum we’re nowhere near achieving otherwise.

I think we need to build a base that will help us control games and not just encourage chaos hoping that we’ll come out on top.

Burnley are 12th and are having an up and down season. Their previous reputation for meanness at the back has disappeared, they have conceded three and four several times most recently on Tuesday against Man City. They still rely heavily on Ashley Barnes for goals, and to be fair, he often delivers.

In midfield Dwight McNeil continues to earn praise otherwise Brady, Cork, Hendrick and Aaron Lennon (!) don’t strike much fear in to the hearts.

Dyche v Mourinho is a classic Premier League encounter in many ways. Gravelly voices Northerner versus moneyed sophisticate. Both men are under different kinds of pressure so we shouldn’t expect a classic.

A good result for us depends so much on sorting our defence out. Do that, and stop this run of conceding goals, and Dele, Harry, Lo Celso and Son should be able to do enough to get us the win.

Kevin Friend is the referee.

COYS.

The post Spurs v Burnley – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Our new step-dad’s previous relationship was with these Mancs of course, and like any returning and disgraced parent, he’ll want to arrive and leave with his dignity intact, preferably having reminded those who spurned him why they fell in love with him in the first place.

Our position at the top of the log jam of teams between 5th and 11th in the table was usurped last night by Palace, Man Utd lie 10th. They have won three of their home league games this season, drawn three and lost once, to the aforementioned Palace. They have won just one of their last four league games, a 3-1 victory over Brighton. In the other three they drew with two promoted sides, Villa and the Blades, and lost to Bournemouth.

So we’re not exactly facing a side at the peak of their form.

Their side is full of youngsters, Williams, James, Tuanzebe and Greenwood, all trying to establish themselves whilst many of the ‘older’ hands, Rashford, Perreira, Wan-Bissaka aren’t exactly close to their testimonials. The remainder of their possible line-up, De Gea, Maguire, Fred, Lindelof, Martial, Mata, Lindgard, Shaw consists mostly of players who will feel that they have a point to prove against Mourinho. Oh dear.

Since our change of manager the games have come thick and fast so whilst Jose will be starting to get firm ideas about the players he wants to pick and in what formation, surely much of his team selection will be based upon fitness.

Given his apparent liking for this strange lopsided back four where Aurier spends his time pushed forward whilst the left back rarely crosses the halfway line – and tucks in to the centre backs whenever Aurier disappears over the horizon – it makes sense that Vertonghen gets another outing at left back. He will need more help than he got on Saturday from those in front of him though as there’s no doubt that the speedsters down United’s right, James, Wan-Bissaka and Rashford, will all, quite rightly, fancy their chances in a foot race against him. Maybe Sissoko will be asked to start on that side.

Ndombele’s display at the weekend was patchy thus it would be no surprise to see Dier and Winks take two of the other midfield places. Up front, Harry will start with Dele but the third spot may go to Moura rather than Son. Personally, I thought both he and Lo Celso, when they were brought on against the Cherries took a far more tigerish approach to affairs than usual, at Mourinho’s behest presumably. It’s the approach he’ll look for tonight whilst he attempts to solve the issue of our unbalanced midfield and slow on the turn defence.

This was the game last season that prompted Mourinho’s demand for “respect” from the press post match. Our 3-0 win put him under early season pressure. How he, and we, would love it if we could repeat the trick and leave Ole facing similar questions as to his longevity this time around.

Paul Tierney is the referee.
COYS.

The post Manchester United v Spurs – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Words can hardly do justice to the sense of shock that opening paragraph should impart.

Jose Mourinho. Blimey.

Believe what you read in the papers and Jose is the jockey that Daniel Levy has wanted at his stable for many a year. The players have given the impression that they’ve been flogged to death for a while now and that Lester Piggott would struggle to get a performance from them. We shall see.

Two and a half days is too short a time of course to have much effect on a squad but the comms team at Spurs should be pleased at the carefully managed media campaign that they have, presumably hastily, put in place because that gives the impression that the whole squad has known each other since the cradle. The clips of Son, Dele et al bantering with Jose and the lack of anyone obviously sulking by the corner flags gives the impression that to a man the players are behind the new man and have already bought in to the new regime and philosophy even though they don’t know what it is yet. Mauricio who?

What we, as fans, will be hoping to see straight away is a defence that looks more like a defence and less like a string bag. We want to see an end to the panic in Aurier and Sanchez’s eyes every time a ball is played over their heads. We want to see the back four properly protected by the midfield and the forwards do their job in disrupting opposition attacks before they begin.

This is the sort of thing Mourinho can organise quickly whether through a change in selection (Dier in as holding mid for instance) or through tactics (Lucas told to run his arse off for an hour perhaps). (Not the most sophisticated of options I agree.)

West Ham have had their own issues of late. They lie 16^th, below even us, and have picked up just one point from a possible fifteen. Their defence is poor (especially the goalie), their midfield talented but inconsistent and whilst Haller presents a threat, there’s little else up front assuming that Antonio is still injured and Yarmolenko not given much space.

It’s harsh to expect the new manager to break our shitey away run record on his first go, it’s far far more important that we win on Tuesday. We should’nt lose though.

It’s only a matter of time before Mourinho pisses off everyone at the club, let’s just get through these few opening games at least.

Michael Oliver is the referee.

COYFS

The post West Ham v Spurs – Preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Those writing or commenting on what events have led us to this shocking situation has to caveat everything by saying that they do not know what has happened behind the scenes and that, of course, includes me.

The list of reasons for our poor domestic form last season is long and well rehearsed, but here they are again anyway.

1. The lack of incoming players in the two transfer windows of last season either through transfers or the academy meant that there was no ‘organic’ rotation/replacement of the players.
2. The large proportion of our players in the England and Belgian squads for the 2018 World Cup meant that we started last season unfit and unready and arguably never recovered, just ask Dele. We spent the season patching the side up.
3. Poch has known for a while that there were players at the end of their useful life as far as Spurs were concerned. Rose, Aurier, Wanyama and Eriksen (now that we’ve seen him in action) at least should have been sold but have ended up starting games on a regular basis. There are also the key players whose contracts all came to an end at the same time. Why weren’t they replaced? We don’t know.
4. The injury curse that followed us through last season has continued in to this. Dele, Dier, KWP, Vertonghen, Lloris. Ndombele, Lo Celso, Sessegnon were all hired to be the future, it’s only in the last fortnight that they’ve been on the field together.

How much Poch could have done to solve these issues, we don’t know. We don’t know how much money was available for transfers, we don’t know what players were available, we don’t know what Poch thought of these players, we don’t know what efforts were made to sell Aurier, Wanyama etc. We know nothing.

‘But he hasn’t won any trophies’.

Oh but he has. He’s won our hearts.

He’s made us a force. He’s broken hoodoos, he’s made us shout, scream, laugh and celebrate. He’s made supporting Tottenham fun. He gave us a club to be proud of.

He’s made us the club everyone wanted to emulate; our players coveted all over Europe. We became the most hated club in London, a sure sign of success if ever there was one, we became fun to watch and follow. We became a tough, hard team that no-one wanted to play and one that fought to the last.

Perhaps beginning with the 5-3 battering of Mourinho’s Chelsea on New Year’s Day 2015, Poch gave us so many memorable days. A couple of months later we lost 2-0 in the League Cup Final where we witnessed a classic Mourinho tactically led team display of controlling the game by shutting down our best players, Eriksen and Kane, and ending up with the trophy. Exactly what Levy employed him for.

He held sway over Wenger’s moody and unloved, even by their own fans, Gooners. There were so many Kane-inspired batterings of them. He gave us that absolute belter of a last season at White Hart Lane, 17 wins out of 19. The victories at Wembley over Real Madrid, Chelsea again, Dortmund twice, the countless away triumphs all over the country. My favourites are the win at the Etihad with Eriksen’s late goal, the ending of the Stamford Bridge hoodoo and the last few minutes when we scored three at Swansea.

He gave us two title challenges. They weren’t the best of challenges but blimey, Spurs – Title Challengers!!

And there is of course the against all odds victories that got us to Madrid. The draw in Barcelona, the swatting aside of Dortmund, the epic games against City and the absolutely extraordinary night in Amsterdam.

These latter triumphs were played out against a backdrop of a series of worsening performances at home. If we’d won in Madrid then Poch would have walked and the defeats to Southampton, Burnley, Bournemouth and West Ham would have been forgotten but now they provide the statistical foundation for those making an argument that he ‘had to go’.

We all want trophies in the long term and six years is the long-term. Even so, I can’t believe he wasn’t backed properly and replacing him with the liability that the bullying, sniping Mourinho is, was viewed as the best way forward.

He has, as I say, won our hearts. He won the players hearts too, and their minds. Together we were a proud, proud family.

We will miss him.

He is still, and will always be, Magic You Know.

COYS.

The post He’s still Magic, You Know? appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

There’s no caveat here, it really is the last thing we need. If we conveniently forget Leicester for the moment, our record against our fellow Top Six competitors this season is played two, drawn two. Not bad. The truth is though, anything other than an emphatic home win would be a surprise.

Various sides have proven of late that there are ways tactically to combat Liverpool. All of Sheffield United, Salzburg and Man Utd made the scousers struggle for rhythm and form. It appears that putting pressure on Trent-Arnold and Robertson has been key. We have the players to execute this part of a plan, Lamela and Dele for example, what we don’t have currently is a defence that can be relied upon to not commit hara-Kiri at frequent intervals.

The initial Pochettino inspired surge to prominence of 4-5 years ago was based on a solid back five and a free-scoring Kane. Whilst Harry is still a vital cog in the machine, the back five are an enigma, wrapped in a puzzle surrounded by a slow-moving mystery that gets in to trouble when it’s asked to turn. I’m not sure what the answer is but persisting with a flat four of Aurier, Jan, Toby and Rose with no proper protection in front of them is definitely not it.

The end of Tuesday’s game saw Ndombele, Lo Celso and Foyth on the field all at once. It’s a partial glimpse in to what Poch sees is our future. You can add in Son, Dele, Kane and Sessegnon – that leaves a lot of places up for grabs though.

Liverpool have swept everyone aside who’s come to Anfield thus far. They, as ever, are reliant on Firmino, Salah and Mané for goals. Our problem is that they all know that they can get the better of our defence.

Still, nothing ventured nothing gained and if we’ve learnt one thing from the Pochettino era it should be to never count us out. A surprise is always around the corner; a massive improvement on Watford is required though if that surprise is to be this weekend.

Anthony Taylor is the ref.

The post Liverpool v Spurs – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Kane with a header direct from a corner, Son with a close range smack after Lamela had done well, Son again after an away player fell over with the ball at his feet in front of Ndombele, half-time, Lamela from an Aurier cut back and finally Kane with a precise angled finish.

Them’s the goals but there were plenty of other opportunities. Red Star came close a number of times too, it really was an open and flowing and very entertaining evening of football.

No Alderweireld, Sanchez instead, and no Rose, replaced by Davies. Poch’s selections are so random though that, ahead of Anfield at the weekend, we can’t read much in to either.

We did finish though with Foyth, Ndombele and Lo Celso all on the field together which is probably more of a pointer to the future. (Eric Dier was there too mind.)

Lo Celso’s ten minute cameo was typical of what we’ve seen so far from him. He is much slighter than he appears in his YouTube highlights. Very left footed, though not up to Lamela standards, and very careful in possession. He had two chances to either play Kane through or cross and hit the man right in front of him both times. There’s some rustiness there and mat be for a while. He was hit by a strong tackle at one point and took a while to recover. He did though so hopefully any fears of biscuit legs are unfounded.

Son, Harry, Ndombele, Sissoko, Lamela, they all played well as did Marko Marin, the Serbian no 10. He played against us for Werder Bremen during the Redknapp years. He looked a good player then, good enough for Chelsea to buy…. and play only 6 times in 4 seasons. Lots of loans of course.

Whilst it’s true that the visitors weren’t up to much, defensively at least (and the 200 or so vociferous and unwelcome intruders into the North Stand should be very unhappy with their team’s display), it’s not as if we are making a habit of putting weak teams to the sword at present.

The performance and result will rightly boost confidence ahead of not only two tricky looking away games coming up, but the ‘return leg’ of this fixture in a few week’s time.

Well done lads.

COYS.

The post Spurs 5 Crvena Zvezda 0 – Match report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

I’ll see your nothing, and I’ll raise you nothing.

No. Thing. Zero.

I could say we were poor, but we’ve produced so many displays like this in 2019 that we were in fact pretty average for us.

Poch’s Ronco Select-O-Matic threw up another enigmatic alignment, but I’m not going to argue as I’ve no idea about who is fit, who is focussed, etc. What is blindingly obvious though is that we’re not very good.

We look like we’re going to concede each time we’re attacked, we look like we’re running in porridge each time we go forward.

Keeper – Dodgy

Left backs – Past it and not recovered from summer op

Right backs – Injured, liability

Centre backs – Unprotected and slow

Defensive/Holding midfield – None

Rotating possession midfielders – …..

Well I could carry on, but that wouldn’t solve anything.

We are a (relatively) poor side. All of a sudden maybe, but it’s true. We won’t get relegated (!), but we’ve no chance of top four. City, Liverpool, Leicester and Chelsea. Can anyone see us finishing above those? Only 9 games gone I know, but even so.

Bring in, from the start, Son, Tanguy, Lo Celso, Sessegnon, Lloris, Walker -Peters…. now that’s a better side. Eriksen? Suits you Sir.

But let’s be realistic. The problems at the back and with no holding midfield player mean that we’ll struggle throughout the season.

A draw with Watford’s not good. The draws at the Etihad and the Haemerrhoids were good.

Nice to see Dele back, at least trying to make things happen. Son is lovely, Winks is great and Lamela helped change the game, which says everything about where we’re at.

Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday. We need a cautious but winning formula. Hmm.

COYS.

The post Spurs 1 Watford 1 – Report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

A lesson in clinical finishing and game management that looked totally unlikely during an opening half an hour that could have seen us three or four up. Ah well. Just shows how bad Southampton are. And us.

Our most impressive performances have come during the last couple of seasons via playing cagely  and on the break. Tonight, our tactics, given our abysmal defensive record of late and the lack of a need to win, should have reflected that. But no. Much as I (as every one should) love Poch, the weaknesses in our system and players don’t support a gung-ho attitude against good sides.

It was last year’s side plus an unfit (apparently) Ndombele and minus Trippier and Llorente, and after half time it wasn’t very good.

If you’re going to lose games that are the equivalent of a kick up the arse then getting knocked out of the League Cup and then losing to the best team in your Champions League group isn’t a bad way to do it. This scale of this result will though turn the key to unlock a box of unpleasantness that will make the next few days at least, pretty grim for everyone.

There are problems to be addressed, many of them not new.

C’mon Poch. C’mon Spurs.

The post Spurs v Bayern – Match report. Sort of. appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

As usual the international breaks, there’s one coming up in a couple of weeks, lend a staccato feeling to affairs and when combined with the injuries, the dodgy form, the selection eccentricities, Poch’s press conferences and the media speculation about the manager’s future, the whole thing feels like a porridgy fog thus far.

What will lift that fog is a return to action of some of the injured, Lo Celso, KWP, Sessegnon (where is he?), even Foyth, a return to form for Davies, Rose, Vertonghen, Dele and Eriksen, and a run of wins, preferably beginning with tonight’s game against Bayern.

In all honesty, our recent defensive travails mean that this is unlikely if we try and play our normal possession-based game. The diamond shape we’ve been playing involving Winks, Ndombele and Sissoko just doesn’t seem to give the back central two enough protection.

Compared to the Spurs of two-three seasons ago we’re like a sieve. A return to the holding midfielder and a more cautious attitude is the way to go I would suggest. Dier behind Winks and Ndombele. Son, Kane and Lamela in front of them with Dele, Eriksen and Moura on the bench.

At this point it’s only fair to point out that I know very little, very very little, compared to those actually in charge of stuff of course.

Despite continuing their run of domestic success last season with their seventh consecutive title, it’s fair to say I think that Bayern have been struggling to locate their mojo during the last few years. Guardiola was unable to bring European success and since he left in 2016 to follow the money, none of Ancelotti, Heynckes or current boss Kovac have managed to give them the formidable air of confidence they previously carried.

We saw with our very own eyes how average Dortmund were last season but they pushed Bayern to the last day of the campaign. This year RB Leipzig are currently threatening most to create a title race, though they lost at the weekend meaning that Bayern are top for the first time this season after winning 3-2 at bottom place Paderborn.

After our draw in Greece Bayern top the group due to their 3-0 victory over Red Star. Their last two goals came in the last ten minutes suggesting that the win wasn’t as straight forward as the scoreline suggests.

In summary, it’s another big night at the new White Hart Lane. We have enough about us to defeat Bayern, we should though be careful in our approach. With home games against the two other sides in the group to come, we can afford not to win and still qualify. A loss though would put us under pressure before we visit Belgrade.

The officials are from France.

COYS.

The post Spurs v Bayern Munich – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

It took us ages to come close to getting a grip on this game. Ndombele’s emphatic, (but still in the middle of the goal, keeper), gave us the lead after twenty odd minutes despite Lloris probably being the busier of the custodians to that point.

Boufal and Redmond had been giving Aurier a right old time from the beginning and when he pulled back a ‘Saint’, don’t know which one, (Boufal?), after clattering in to the back of one minutes earlier, he shouldn’t have been surprised to see red. From my vantage point in the Park lane the ball seemed to have clearly gone out of play in the build up to Aurier’s faux pas, but c’est la vie.

We were one up at this point. Sissoko moved to right back and coped well with Boufal but he and Redmond were still being given tons of space in front of him.

It wasn’t until the second half and subsequent to Loris’s gift of an equaliser to Ings that we made the tactical adjustment needed to staunch Southampton’s main avenue of progress.
To defend the restored lead given to us by Kane’s emphatic finish after Son and Eriksen had taken advantage of Ndombele’s mugging of someone in the centre circle to break at speed, Eriksen was moved to the right hand side in front of Sissoko and Son asked to tuck in on the left.

We allowed Southampton as much possession as they wanted, which was a lot.

It’s lucky that they’re not very good as despite a generally excellent display of what-we-have-we-hold type defending, Bertrand, Boufal etc still managed to reach the by-line regularly, they were too rubbish to profit it from them though.

Hugo semi-redeemed himself with two fingertip saves, both from dead balls whilst at the other end we threatened regularly with the marvellous Kane going close.

At half-time I’d confidently pronounced that we would “lose this game”. Shows what I know. It was deserved victory gained despite the hindrance of two calamitous errors.

Bayern next.

COYS.

The post Spurs 2 Southampton 1 – Match report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The amount of online hand-wringing that has gone on this week would put the winner of Ultimate Worrier to shame.

We’re not playing well, we’ve not played well since 2018. We put out a weakened team, we got a weakened performance. Surprise!! We didn’t lose, come on. We let the player who has already missed two shoot-out penalties this season take our first penalty in the shoot-out. We lost.

The positives are that Parrott & Tanganga got blooded and that the warning shot across our bows, if being beaten by Newcastle wasn’t enough of a sign that things aren’t well, at least came in a game that didn’t matter in the grand, Premier League, scheme of things.

The negatives? We’ll they’ve been rehearsed enough, no-one needs to hear them again.

Under Mark Hughes Southampton were beginning their plummet towards the Championship at this time last year. A change of the man in the driving seat in the driving seat, hello Ralph Hassenhüttl, in December soon put a halt to that though and they escaped the drop comfortably, deservingly beating us at St Mary’s on the way.

This season they have mixed the meh with the ordinary. Perhaps significantly both their wins have come away from home, at Brighton and Bramall Lane but they were also thumped by Burnley on the opening day.

Their last league fixture resulted in a spanking from Bournemouth at St Mary’s however they did have two thirds of the possession and way more shots suggesting that there’s more to the result than meets the eye. Redmond, Boufal and Hojbjerg supported Adams in attack with Ward-Prowse behind meaning that they are likely to be easy on the eye if nothing else. What we don’t want is for them to sit back a la Geordies, unless there are significant changes to personnel it seems unlikely that they will.

Fitness issues mean that Pochettino is limited in his selection options. Unless he decides it’s time to risk chucking the baby out with the bath water and go full Kaboul/Adebayor by sending those with the attitude problems (according to him) off to play on the swings with the kids. I can’t see him doing that until Sessegnon and Lo Celso at least are playing regularly so a line-up akin to Hugo, Aurier, Rose, Toby, Jan, Ndombele, Winks, Lamela, Son, Dele, Kane is likely though Sanchez may come in for Vertonghen. Or Aurier. Or Alderweireld. Who knows?

A win is needed to settle the nerves of the faint-hearted.

Graham Scott is the referee.

COYS

The post Spurs v Southampton – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Crystal Palace come to the new WHL on Sat as the Premier League cranks back in to action following the international break. Don’t get too comfy though, there’s another round of Euro 2020 qualifiers due in October. And November.

And so are Palace!

Having been the opponents in our first competitive fixture in our new Beavertown-fuelled home, the Eagles will become the first side to play us twice there. They’ll be aware that it’s hardly a fortress with all of the Hammers, Ajax and most recently Newcastle all departing with 1-0 wins. Three defeats in nine home games won’t strike fear in to anyone – it’s still better than traipsing over to Wembley mind.

Fear was one emotion that Palace most definitely did not display during their last away game, a 2-1 win at Old Trafford displaying yet again how far Ole’s men have fallen in the pecking order. Level with minutes to go the away side had no thoughts of settling for a draw and piled forward against a vulnerable defence looking for the win.

So, facing another ‘big’ side currently struggling for form and with a vulnerable defence (and injury problems) isn’t going to phase Zaha and chums.

You’ve been Tanguyed

Our summer transfer window was deemed on the surface to be a success despite loaning one of the four purchases back to Leeds for the season. To all intents and purposes, we have loaned the other three to St John’s Ambulance since we bought them.

Tanguy Ndombele was bought to solve our biggest issue, the centre of midfield, and he was sorely missed against Newcastle and the Gooners. The news from the press conference yesterday is that he may be available at the weekend and what a sigh of relief that would bring were he be able to turn out. There even seems to be a chance that Ryan Sessegnon might also be ready, presumably only for the bench, but even so. He may be one for the future but Rose’s recent form mans that he may be required a lot sooner than that, an unfair burden on a young man who hardly tore up the Premier League last season but there you go.

The news that Sanchez has a dodgy ankle is partly a relief as he might have been given the job of looking after Zaha otherwise. Who will be assigned that task is unknown currently. We should hope that KWP is back. Really, really hope.

Wounded Eagles

For Palace, Wickham and Martin Kelly are out, Dann and McArthur have late tests. Palace lie 4^th. Their two wins, draw and a loss have been earned by scoring three goals and conceding two. We look like the Harlem Globetrotters in comparison. So, what we can expect is a fairly typical, safety first type performance from Hodgson which for those who were at the Newcastle match does not bode well. We were dismal in that game and the thought of any sort of repeat is a miserable one.

Stand and Del(e)iver

Dele should be back though with a fitter Son available and more motivated Poch and Eriksen (and maybe Ndombele and Sessegnon as above) so all is not totally gloom and doom.

Palace won’t be beaten easily and shouldn’t be taken lightly. We need Kane to find some room and to bring his England form to WHL. Do that, and we’ll be fine.

Craig Pawson is the referee.

COYS.

The post Spurs v Palace – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The news that Tanguy Ndombele is likely to be unavailable for Sunday’s game in South London feels like a proper kick in the nuts. A perfect, well aimed, firm and truly struck, blow where it hurts.

Much of our pre-season optimism was built upon the fact that by spending big and early on the French central midfielder we had properly addressed the major weakness in the team in bold and emphatic fashion. The Winks/Sissoko stop gap was no more, that was it, with Lo Celso also brought in, that was the last we’d see of that particular little and large axis.

But no, here we are again.

Bad things come in droves

Ndombele’s absence isn’t our only current issue of course. At the back, Vertonghen is out of favour, Sanchez is out of sorts and KWP is still producing displays to be filed under promising rather accomplished.

In midfield, Sessegnon is still absent, Lo Celso is still finding his feet, Eriksen’s head is apparently God knows where and Lamela is playing every game in true random Lamela style.

Up front, Lucas is proving reactive and erratic, Son is just back from the naughty step and Dele is still missing.

It’s not good.

To Tinker Or Not To Tinker

So, what can Pochettino do to staunch the bleeding? What needs to change? Assuming that’s not a rhetorical question – the defence needs to become more solid, the midfield needs to transfer the ball to the front players quicker, the forwards need to press more and be more clinical. That’s ‘all’.

What about Dier or Skipp in to the middle with Winks and Sissoko to right back? How about starting with Vertonghen and Eriksen? How about Hugo, Rose, Toby, Vertonghen, Sissoko, Dier/Skipp, Winks, Eriksen, Lo Celso, Son and Kane?

We’re in a state that whatever team we put out feels like a gamble.

Jeez Luiz

The Gooners are also feeling their way in to the new season. They’ve had two unconvincing wins and a loss at Anfield where they appeared to commit Hara-kiri if you go by the MOTD highlights. They have speed, of that there is no doubt and Ceballos’s reputation is already such that that you wonder why Real Madrid were willing to lose him for a year. £20m had something to do with it I suppose.

Making no bones about it, our league form since the turn of the year has been abysmal. We should view any point we may get from this game as a good and precious one. It’ll boost everyone’s morale and get Poch through the international break in one piece. How likely a point is though is another thing. The bookies have the home team favourite at 13/10 (I’m surprised they’re not shorter) and us at 15/8 which shows where they think the spoils will lay at the end of Sunday.

As usual, we need big games from all our big players especially, Hugo, Son and the two Harrys.

Martin Atkinson is the referee.

COYFS

The post Woolwich v Spurs – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

Steve Bruce’s Magpies come to N17 on Sunday afternoon.

Newcastle haven’t had the best start to 2019/20. After losing narrowly to the filthy Gooners on the opening day, the Barcodes took a pasting at Carrow Road last weekend, a result that will have left most Geordie fans feeling that they probably face a long hard season even bearing in mind that there’s not yet been time for the new signings, Joelinton and Saint-Maximin in particular, to bed in.

The Nice Man Cometh

Talking of pastings, our game at the Etihad has of course been the subject of much debate, the majority of it around VAR and KDB whereas KWP and the rest of the much-improved-after-half-time- defence are also worth a mention. I’ve not seen anyone point out that if the goalies were swapped then Man City would probably have won. Hugo > Ederson.

Finally, Son is eligible once more. In fact, with Lo Celso apparently ready also, Poch has a selection dilemma. Assuming we stick with a back four (with or without Vertonghen) and Winks and Ndombele in front of them and Kane up front, then which three of Son, Eriksen, Lucas, Lamela and Lo Celso will get the nod? And there’s Sissoko of course.

Much depends on formation and fitness of course. The usual diamond or something from the back of the locker. I suspect Son will start on the bench as probably will Lo Celso. Sissoko started ahead of Lucas last week, the diminutive Brazilian is proving to be one of our best finishers however so it would not be a surprise to see him back in the team. Poch loves Lamela and Lamela loves Poch so I’d guess at Eriksen, Lucas and Lamela to start with Harry.

Dele, Davies, Sessegnon and Aurier are all still injured I believe, I may be wrong though, I’m writing this before the press conference.

“Say it to the camera”

The ego that is Mike Dean is the man in the middle. The last time he reffed us it did not go well. We were beaten at Burnley and Poch properly lost his rag at something that Dean said to him after the final whistle. What that was I don’t think has ever been discovered. Perhaps Bruce could get Steve Barnes, his legendary fictional detective on the case.

The Rhythm Method

We should have more than enough to see off Newcastle, we have thought that before though many times and been given a nasty shock. Almiron at least has the talent to hurt us. As well as a win, a sign that we’re heading towards some sort of attacking rhythm would be great. Against Villa there were promising signs at the end, with KWP providing width on the right and Lamela on the left allowing Ndombele and Eriksen to use the space in the middle left by a stretched defence. There was little to get excited about last weekend however. Three points beckon, surely?

COYS

The post Spurs v Newcastle – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

An early evening / late afternoon kick off this weekend as we head to the home of the Champions, the treble holders, the Bank of Abu Dhabi Works XI and favourites for every competition they will enter this year. Manchester City.

The Etihad has also been home to some great Spurs nights of course, two that spring to mind are Crouchie’s memorable winner in 2010 and then last season the epic drama-filled Champions League quarter-final. Unrepeatable we thought, and then we went to Amsterdam…

Unconfirmed team news

City have lost Sane (for a while) but gained Rodri and Cancelo. (Can you feel the heat Kyle?). They also have de Bruyne back fully fit. We have Ndombele (ready), Sessegnon and Lo Celso (not ready). We are minus Dele, Son, Davies, Foyth and Aurier.

“Who else?” you say. Eriksen and Vertonghen? Whaaaaaat!?!?!?

It is of course difficult to know what’s going inside the club but if Vertonghen doesn’t play this week then we’ll know it’s not good. I’d be amazed if Eriksen doesn’t start.

Tactics Shmactics

Last weekend’s deserved win against Villa was made much harder than it should have been by the shape and personnel chosen by Poch and by the performances of some of the individuals therein. Lamela’s contribution to the cramped and narrow front line was partly not his fault due to the strange formation selected, only partly though. His inability to create anything, keep possession in dangerous areas and force the likes of Mings et al in to errors only helped everything founder amongst the crowds in and around the Villa penalty area arc.

The improvement in the team performance once Eriksen was brought on has been well-documented but it wasn’t just him that made the difference, it was the change in shape and formation. Thus, everything that was wrong last week can be fixed this week. Eriksen in for Lamela and 4-3-1-2 with the Dane ‘behind’ Kane and Lucas and in front of Ndombele, Winks and Sissoko. 4-1-2-1-2 even. Possibly.

I’ll be Right Back

The ‘4’ in that formation though hides what is probably the key to us getting a result tomorrow. Assuming that the absence of Vertonghen was due to a domestic tiff, the defence picks itself. Rose, Toby, Jan and most importantly, probably, KWP……

In previous seasons Trippier has suffered badly at the hands of Sane and Sterling. There’s no Sane this time which is something that Walker-Peters will be pleased with but he’ll still have newly coronated National Treasure Sterling to deal with and how he manages that will very possibly dictate more than just the outcome of this game, but also his long-term future at Spurs. No pressure then.

Pep Talk

Who knows what the Citeh line up will be? Aguero and Bernardo Silva were on the bench last week meaning that they may start in place of the Silva (or Mahrez) and Jesus. But they may not. Guardiola made a mistake last season by underestimating us in the first leg of the CL quarter-final and leaving players out that he shouldn’t have done, it’s hard to imagine him doing it again but you never know.

For most teams a visit to Man City is a ‘free hit’. We though should have a different view given our ambitions for the season. We’ll need top performances from our key players – Lloris, Kane, the CBs, Eriksen, Ndombele, Winks, that’s most of the team J, but we’ll also need no doubt a slice of fortune and to stop letting in early goals in big games. A terrible habit that we developed last year.

If Kane is as clinical as he was last Saturday, if the defence keep calm and most importantly, don’t make mistakes, then we have every chance of avoiding defeat at the very least. Wouldn’t an off-the-bench Lo Celso winning goal be sweet?

Michael Oliver is the man in the middle.

COYS.

The post Man City v Spurs – Match preview appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.

The first half of this game put the pain in to painful rebuild. What a mess. The absence of Dele and Son was compounded by the banishing of Eriksen to the bench and Vertonghen to the naughty step. Possibly. Poch’s response to Jan’s absence was to bring in Sanchez predictably, but playing to the left of Toby, not so predictably. The first time I’ve ever seen that. Whether not that played a part in his ineffectual efforts to cut out Mings hoof forward to McGinn as he put Villa ahead is open to debate.

What with Sissoko playing on the left of the diamond, everything seemed out of kilter. It’s no wonder we had no intensity, rhythm or flow and looked vulnerable to the counterattack.

The Lamela Trap

After six injury fuelled and unfulfilled seasons the jury is still out on Erik Lamela. Not for the first time a decent pre-season has fooled people in to thinking that this, finally, might be his year. He was given the number ten role in front of Sissoko and NDombele and behind Kane and Lucas. It was an audition for him to prove that if he can remain fit then he can be at the heart of our attack this season, especially given the doubts about Eriksen’s future, but boy was he bad. Poch loves him so no doubt he’ll be given another shot at some point, he’s reached the page marked Enough is Enough though in my book.

All the creativity in the first half came from NDombele and Walker-Peters, not much of it enough to trouble Mings and co at the back for Villa. We were cramped, slow and nowhere near direct enough.

Thanks Erik, we’ll get back to you

Things improved immeasurably after half time as Lamela was shifted to the periphery out on the left and Ndombele, Lucas, Sissoko and Kane were better able to combine. The constant pressure on the Villa goal made it seem inevitable that we would break through but it was the arrival of Eriksen that confirmed it.

The three goals were late and a relief but no more than we deserved. The Villa players knew the game was up after NDombele’s fine edge of the boxcurled equaliser and Kane’s opportunism after Grealish had been pickpocketed by, ahem, Lamela saw their heads drop. Sissoko played in Kane for his second at the death.

What a Tanguy

NDombele ‘grew in to the game’ as the phrase goes. The disjointed shape and tactics at the start didn’t help him but by the end he was the dominant force in midfield we hoped he’d be. He already looks a wise and exciting addition.

Next up

Better to get that sort of performance out of the way before a visit to the Etihad next week. We need Eriksen and Vertonghen rehabilitated and Lo Celso integrated, as an option off the bench at least, especially with Son and Dele still out.

COYS

The post Spurs 3 Aston Villa 1 – Match report appeared first on Spurs Web - Tottenham Hotspur Football News.