Tottenham (A) 17/2: Build-Up & Match Thread

[The Bear]

Apart from the first 5 mins they've been shite.

Deserved lead and could have had more.

 

[Alan]

I dunno how you work on this in training, but Toti just got done by a run over his left shoulder again.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

This has been a really good performance hasn't it?

Everyone is 7+ except maybe Hwang.

 

[Jinky]

Close from Sarabia there. We are playing some excellent football. I do worry about us defensively, though (even though we’ve been pretty solid). Would love a second. Should have had two with Hwang’s early chance.

 

[Del Woppio]

What a half that was, absolutely mental pace, like a bloody basket ball game. When teams come out to play we can really go toe for toe with some really good sides. Done very well to keep Son and Maddison out of the game

 

[Deano]

We should be more than 1 up here, hopefully doesn't cost us later as we are well worth the lead so far.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I dunno how you work on this in training, but Toti just got done by a run over his left shoulder again.

He's very much been left back rather than LCB again today.

I don't know how he does it, positionally it must be really hard to compute.

 

[Alan]

Football opinions are so weird

I feel we’ve been basically at par, no more or less.

 

[Squeak]

Better finishing here and we'd be 3 or 4 up.... played well. Taylor has let a lot go and the game has been better for it.

 

[Paul]

Loving it (even better when I've figured out who this 'Sara Bia' is)

 

[YoungWolf]

That was a really impressive half. Enjoyed watching us pick our moments to press high and steal the ball. Some really good football at times, including some Nuno esque switches of play to our wing back with the inside forward dragging their full back inside.

There’s always a worry of us leaving too much space in the back of my mind but we’ve largely got it spot on so far. Dawson has sniffed out danger when it’s happened

Hopefully we can maintain this over 90!

 

[Alan]

He's very much been left back rather than LCB again today.

I don't know how he does it, positionally it must be really hard to compute.

He’s in a weird spot of (probably) having the lowest ceiling of our CBs, relatively speaking, but the traits he has are pretty crucial to how Gary wants our shape to change with the ball.

Really like him despite the rough edges.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Football opinions are so weird

I feel we’ve been basically at par, no more or less.

Shows how high your standards of this team are now really, and that's a good thing.

We've created the better chances and defended very well against a top team at their ground.

They haven't had a shot on target, we've had 4.

Xg is 0.39 v 0.64

 

[Dire Wolf]

Really enjoyable 1st half. We've been very good, both defensively and attacking. Sarabia has been excellent but Joao Gomes or Dawson been MOTM so far for me. I can't quite figure Toti out, there have been times when he's been virtually one of the front 3! He's been excellent mostly though.

A word for the ref, this might be the first time this season where I want to praise the officiating. He's actually let players make tackles and just got on with the game. How it should be IMO, as long as the tackle isn't a clear foul. Too many refs give a foul for the most minimal contact, it's time that shit was taken out of the game.

 

[Alan]

Shows how high your standards of this team are now really, and that's a good thing.

We've created the better chances and defended very well against a top team at their ground.

They haven't had a shot on target, we've had 4.

Xg is 0.39 v 0.64

I’m more used to thinking we’ve been alright whilst most think we’ve been bloody repulsive.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

He’s in a weird spot of (probably) having the lowest ceiling of our CBs, relatively speaking, but the traits he has are pretty crucial to how Gary wants our shape to change with the ball.

Really like him despite the rough edges.

He almost plays in a free role, which is bizarre to say for a CB, but he pops up all over the place, battling in midfield, or in the LW position, it's no wonder he gets done sometimes.

And RAN playing so far forward pins their RB so the overlap rarely happens as they're too scared to leave RAN.

 

[Alan]

I think it’s been a clever tactic from GO to try to get Rayan on the ball closer to the box. Try to take advantage of his ability when defenders get tight to him.

 

[Dire Wolf]

You have to praise GON so far for this performance, he's clearly got a plan on how to play these and so far it's pretty much spot on.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

You have to praise GON so far for this performance, he's clearly got a plan on how to play these and so far it's pretty much spot on.

Regardless of how this turns out, this has been a very positive performance, especially given the massive Cunha hole.

We're excellent at counter attacking, if we can find a consistent way to pull apart the sides who sit in (like Brentford) we could be really dangerous next season.

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

Richarlison is a cunt.

Fixed it for you