Tottenham (H) 27/12 Build up

[PuntsWolf]

Like every game, it’s how we play not who we play.

 

[redvictor]

The next 2 results are going to define the rest of the season for me. I hope we come steaming out the blocks and attack for the whole match like it's a cup final.
OK, maybe not, but dreaming is for free right?
I have nothing to offer up for a team selection, apart from i wish they would play Traore more in the middle between the midfield and forwards...

 

[AndyWolves]

The next 2 results are going to define the rest of the season for me. I hope we come steaming out the blocks and attack for the whole match like it's a cup final.
OK, maybe not, but dreaming is for free right?
I have nothing to offer up for a team selection, apart from i wish they would play Traore more in the middle between the midfield and forwards...

That's not going to happen.

We won't attack full pelt against two of the best teams in the country when we have 48 hours between games.

Expect classic Nuno tactics

 

[YoungWolf]

The next 2 results are going to define the rest of the season for me. I hope we come steaming out the blocks and attack for the whole match like it's a cup final.
OK, maybe not, but dreaming is for free right?
I have nothing to offer up for a team selection, apart from i wish they would play Traore more in the middle between the midfield and forwards...

Really? I don't see how they define the rest of the season whatsoever. The United game is a complete write off personally for me considering they have over a day extra rest than us

 

[redvictor]

Really? I don't see how they define the rest of the season whatsoever. The United game is a complete write off personally for me considering they have over a day extra rest than us

"For me". That is the important bit. Everyone else has their own thoughts on it.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Given their likely forward line then this is a game to play experience at the back

Boly - Coady - Marcal for me & can risk Ait Nouri at LWB to get at Aurier.

I can understand the questions over a Neves/Moutinho pairing as its not really worked particularly well this year yet - would be inclined to pair Otasowie with one of them (don't mind which) as we have MU 47 hrs later and we are going to need all of them at some point.

Neto - Silva - Podence up front to start with. Silva has no experience, but we lacked a focal point without him there last time out. Traore will be there if needed later on anyway & don't feel that he has the discipline to play from the off, as we won't be going gung ho into this

 

[YoungWolf]

"For me". That is the important bit. Everyone else has their own thoughts on it.

Yeah, we are on a forum, that's how it works. Quite good when people explain why though

 

[nimrod]

Really? I don't see how they define the rest of the season whatsoever. The United game is a complete write off personally for me considering they have over a day extra rest than us

only if we win them both, which is (probably) a long shot

 

[redvictor]

Yeah, we are on a forum, that's how it works. Quite good when people explain why though

Indeed. Defining it for me because lose both and i believe we will struggle with confidence for a while, which will push us further towards the lower end of the table. However winning, or a draw and a win might (said with bated breath) push us on a little in the confidence stakes. Like everything you do in life confidence helps a lot.

 

[prawnking]

I'm feeling a loss tonight and a draw against Utd

 

[prawnking]

Like every game, it’s how we play not who we play.

Genuine question, can you expand on this?

 

[Paul]

I'm feeling a loss tonight and a draw against Utd

Draw tonight, I'll stake my reputation on it

 

[YoungWolf]

Indeed. Defining it for me because lose both and i believe we will struggle with confidence for a while, which will push us further towards the lower end of the table. However winning, or a draw and a win might (said with bated breath) push us on a little in the confidence stakes. Like everything you do in life confidence helps a lot.

I get that, I just think we have had similar moments over the past two seasons, Nuno has worked it out and then we've gone back to being a top six performing team.

Not saying that is what happen this season as I think we have a few too many issues right now but even if we lose these two (likely, IMO), it doesn't end our season. It only takes us a couple of wins to get back on track and as this season has been a bit weird anyway, I don't think we'd get cut adrift of the top six/seven just yet.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Genuine question, can you expand on this?

Well let’s use Burnley as an example.

We didn’t try and maintain possesion in the middle of the pitch, sat deep and which resulted in leaving the forwards iosolated and reverted to hoofs.

As a result we offered nothing in an attacking sense and played into Burnley’s hands defensively allowing a team who can’t actually create chances, get chances by doing absolutely nothing. Ignoring injuries, if we’d have played Boly over Kilman, Donck over Otasowie, Traore over Podence, it in all likelihood would have made no difference. The issues are tactical/mentality rather than who played where.

 

[YoungWolf]

Well let’s use Burnley as an example.

We didn’t try and maintain possesion in the middle of the pitch, sat deep and which resulted in leaving the forwards iosolated and reverted to hoofs.

As a result we offered nothing in an attacking sense and played into Burnley’s hands defensively allowing a team who can’t actually create chances, get chances by doing absolutely nothing. Ignoring injuries, if we’d have played Boly over Kilman, Donck over Otasowie, Traore over Podence, it in all likelihood would have made no difference. The issues are tactical/mentality rather than who played where.

Think if we had played Podence where Otasowie was, there would have been some improvement. If we are playing 3412 or 4231, he has to be the ten for me (and maybe Vitinha, but not seen enough yet to know for certain).

But I agree with your general point. A few times this season we have played well in twenty minute spells not got the goal, and then it has gone to shit a bit. So at the moment we need the goal in those parts of the game, but long term we need to have more variety to find solutions as we quickly get found out.

 

[Johnny75]

Well let’s use Burnley as an example.

We didn’t try and maintain possesion in the middle of the pitch, sat deep and which resulted in leaving the forwards iosolated and reverted to hoofs.

As a result we offered nothing in an attacking sense and played into Burnley’s hands defensively allowing a team who can’t actually create chances, get chances by doing absolutely nothing. Ignoring injuries, if we’d have played Boly over Kilman, Donck over Otasowie, Traore over Podence, it in all likelihood would have made no difference. The issues are tactical/mentality rather than who played where.

It was and when we did the same against Palace in our first season back, which we lost 2-0, Nuno changed it for the next game and didn’t let it happen again. It changed our season.

I can see us doing the same again if we have the same approach today, win or lose.

 

[Johnny75]

Think if we had played Podence where Otasowie was, there would have been some improvement. If we are playing 3412 or 4231, he has to be the ten for me (and maybe Vitinha, but not seen enough yet to know for certain).

But I agree with your general point. A few times this season we have played well in twenty minute spells not got the goal, and then it has gone to shit a bit. So at the moment we need the goal in those parts of the game, but long term we need to have more variety to find solutions as we quickly get found out.

I think the front three aren’t linking particularly well at all. Neto is playing well but his link with Podence isn’t quite there yet which I hope improves quickly.

 

[redvictor]

I get that, I just think we have had similar moments over the past two seasons, Nuno has worked it out and then we've gone back to being a top six performing team.

Not saying that is what happen this season as I think we have a few too many issues right now but even if we lose these two (likely, IMO), it doesn't end our season. It only takes us a couple of wins to get back on track and as this season has been a bit weird anyway, I don't think we'd get cut adrift of the top six/seven just yet.

I don't think it would end the season, just define it. As in whether it becomes a struggle or more upwards than downwards. Again, it's just my opinion on it, rather than me telling anyone to think the way i do.

I still think this virus is having a big effect on everyone in the team. All of them are a big family in the way they do things, and it's been a massive disruption to that for the last 9 months or so. More than anything i think this has affected the players (and Nuno's) mentality, hence the onfield and off field struggles.

 

[prawnking]

Well let’s use Burnley as an example.

We didn’t try and maintain possesion in the middle of the pitch, sat deep and which resulted in leaving the forwards iosolated and reverted to hoofs.

As a result we offered nothing in an attacking sense and played into Burnley’s hands defensively allowing a team who can’t actually create chances, get chances by doing absolutely nothing. Ignoring injuries, if we’d have played Boly over Kilman, Donck over Otasowie, Traore over Podence, it in all likelihood would have made no difference. The issues are tactical/mentality rather than who played where.

Thanks, I think you've got something there.
I also tend to agree with YW about certain players making a difference though, whether because of their attributes/inherent style or how they play a certain role. RAN or Marcal at wing back or Traore and any other wide forward for example.

Those aren't value judgements on those players btw, for me it's up to Nuno to consider all these elements when putting a team out.

There are quite a few new bodies he'll still be discovering things about, as well as finding out how players he knows well perform when asked to do something different

 

[PuntsWolf]

It was and when we did the same against Palace in our first season back, which we lost 2-0, Nuno changed it for the next game and didn’t let it happen again. It changed our season.

I can see us doing the same again if we have the same approach today, win or lose.

Playing deeper isn’t the worst idea. Spurs are more likely to score with us attacking them rather than the other way round. So a similar strategy to Chelsea may get a result.

It wasn’t the way to go against Burnley though, but I won’t go over that one again.