Tottenham Hotspur FC 2013/14

[EJG1980]

It's a shame as I think his general build up play is decent, he has a good touch and an eye for a pass, but his main job is to score and he doesn't look any nearer to working out how to do that in our team. With our other signings from last season who had a tough start like Chadli and Lamela, you can see clear signs of progress and that they're improving. Soldado seems to still be in exactly the same place though.

I wouldn't be surprised if he moves on next summer, or even in January if an opportune deal comes along. He only played on Saturday because Adebayor was unable to train after he got back from international duty, so he's not going to get many league starts to give him a chance to improve his form.

It's hard to see him staying unless Ade gets injured, he gets a run in the side and it miraculously clicks and he scores 10-15 goals by the end of the season. I'm always very optimistic about every Spurs player, but it's a real long shot. Whenever Adebayor isn't fit / needs a rest, I think I'd rather see Kane be given a chance in the league, at the moment. He's done very well in the cups so I think he deserves a match or two to show what he can do.

[fallenangle]

The problem is that at the moment we really only have three dedicated strikers and we can't afford to lose any of them even though one is unproven, one under-performing and the last, ermmm ........ a mercurial talent.

I agree I think Kane is showing great promise and needs more top flight games, likewise Chadli. Lamela has shown improvement since last season too but he needed too. Poch seems to be giving him a good chance to prove his worth. He may well be another one who could really come good given more pitch time. Hope so.

[EJG1980]

Yes, I should have added that I'd only expect Soldado to leave (especially in January) if another striker arrived in his place.

There's definitely a lot more to come from Lamela in the future, but I've been pleased with his contribution so far this season. He's got something like five or six assists, and often decent ones that needed skill and vision to pull off (the run and cross for Chadli's goal against QPR, the lovely through ball for Chadli vs Arsenal) so he's definitely progressing in the right direction.

He made so few appearances last season (9 in the league, of which about 3 were starts) that this almost feels like his first season with us. Hopefully the fact that he's back playing for Argentina will also be an added boost for his confidence.

I think we should definitely stick with the trio of Eriksen, Chadli and Lamela as first choices for the players behind the striker (as it looks like 4-2-3-1 is going to be our usual formation). There have already been some good signs of them gelling, good passing between them and fluid movement with them swapping between who's in the middle and who's out wide. A lot of potential with those three, I think (and hope ).

[fallenangle]

Weird game tonight: an unconvincing 5-1 win. Great in attack with some excellent goals made out of almost nothing but Spurs defensive failings there for all to see. Then, right at end, we were made to pay for it with Lloris (I thought unnecessarily) getting sent off and replacement goalkeeper Harry Kane muffing the pretty easy save of the resulting free kick.

Very entertaining game to watch but you can well understand why Poch' sat grim faced through most of the match.

[EJG1980]

Before mentioning anything else, that Lamela goal... bloody hell. The reaction in the stadium was brilliant, everyone cheering and turning to each other to say "What did I see? Did he just..." and then seeing the replay on the big screen and the whole stadium doing a collective "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" like the top prize had just been revealed on a TV game show Incredible, incredible skill.

It was a slightly strange match though, I agree that 5-1 didn't really tell the whole story. Asteras look to be a decent team and they actually played well and made two or three decent chances before we put the game out of sight. It was no accident they were top of the group going into the match. Despite last night's scoreline I think the return match in Greece will still be a tough one.

I was a fun night though and certainly plenty of positives going forward. I said a few posts ago that I though Harry Kane deserved a chance to start a Premier League match and after his hat-trick last night he would be bursting with confidence if he got a start on Sunday. Only thing is he usually plays just behind the other striker in a similar position to Eriksen, but I think he could also play as the main striker. I don't think he will start, but I certainly wouldn't mind if he did.

[EJG1980]

What a disappointing day. The first half was fine, nothing amazing but we were playing decent stuff, well in control of the match and deserved to be in the lead.

Then the second half.......

Poor poor goals to give away, simply bad defending, and suddenly we're behind in a match where we were comfortable.

We didn't look much like getting back into it either. Our play was far too slow, very little movement in the attacking third, and so many passes misplaced by Lamela, Eriksen, everyone really. Can't think of anyone who had a good game in the second half.

I expected an inconsistent and up and down season this term, but it's a worrying run we're on now. One win in seven in the league I think. Poch needs to sort it out but the players need to stand up and be counted too.

[fallenangle]

Definitely, as you say, a game of two halves.

Looks like another season which will end up being a scramble for a top six place rather than a top four position. The only chance of a CL place will be winning the Europa League but we' we going to have to defend a hell of a lot better or use a different system to progress in that too.

Edit (Wednesday)

OK win against Brighton, Lamela and Kane scoring again and both playing well but over all not a particularly convincing performance. Still we should be taking this competition seriously as, at the moment, it looks like our best chance of qualifying for the Europa League next season.

Edit (Sunday)

Another unconvincing win today but they all count and boy did we need it in the Premiership. I still think Poch doesn't knows his best starting line up as it is only when he puts on the subs, principally Kane and either Chadli or Townsend, that things begin to happen.

[EJG1980]

One of those away matches where for eighty minutes you're wondering why you spent all that money to go (especially after getting absolutely soaked on the walk to the stadium) and then seemingly out of nowhere you're going nuts and celebrating the winner. My brother and I were only a few rows back right in line with the corner flag, right where the players celebrated when Kane scored.

Definitely not a good performance though. If Benteke was a bit sharper and had a few more games under his belt we would probably have been more than 1-0 down at half time. Lamela and Kane improved things in the second half, but even when Villa were down to ten men it's not like we were carving them open and creating lots of good chances.

Very important win though (it seems crazy that it's only our second win in eight yet we're only three points off the CL spots) and, although I'm sure I've said this more than once this season, hopefully this is the win that sets us on a run of decent and consistent results.

[fallenangle]

It's Spurs - it could go either way.

Without that win we'd have been only two points above the relegation places. Sobering.

[EJG1980]

What happened at the start of the second half tonight? First half was a good away performance in Europe: dominated possession, controlled the match, took our chances, gave ourselves a nice 2-0 lead going into the break. Solid, professional, getting the job done without a fuss.

Then we come out after the break and we can't keep the ball, the defence looks like Swiss cheese, and Asteras have four or five really good chances, really lucky for us that their finishing let them down.

Eventually got it back under control and were seeing out the game nicely, and then came that last minute penalty. Personally I thought it was really really soft, I was very surprised that the commentators thought it was a definite penalty. Luckily we held on after that but that second half was more nerve wracking than it needed to be.

Still, we got the win, can't complain too much A win against Partizan at home and we're definitely through and would be in the nice position of not needing anything from the Besiktas match.

I personally haven't thought too much of Andros Townsend's performances this season (he said himself after his previous start that he's been disappointed with his form this season) but I thought he was our best player tonight. Hope he keeps it up when he gets the chance to start.

[fallenangle]

Great Kane goal - proper winger (Townsend) crossing the ball perfectly and Kane doing what all old school centre forwards used to - rise up above the defenders and head the ball with such power and accuracy that the goalie has no chance. Gordon Strachan on ITV4 was spot on when he said everyone over 40 years old would have particularly loved that one.

But you're right about that second half, it was like another game. In the first half the Greeks barely turned up and Spurs dominated possession at least two to one. Then the second half started and it was like the Newcastle second half, where our defence was dozing and gave a away a goal within seconds of the restart. Luckily this time it didn't cost them as much but the back four were suddenly all at sixes and sevens being run ragged by almost every attack until right at the end.

That sort of thing shouldn't be happening. It would have been a good bet that the Greeks were going to change their approach and step up their game in the second half. On ITV4 they were saying that the tactics they were using during training sessions earlier were all based around quick counter attacks. Poch must have known that and especially after Newcastle, should have ensured they were ready for that sort of thing. They quite clearly were not.

Still Spurs won and that's what counts.

[Stoppy2000]

Danny Rose must be the worst defender I've ever seen in a spurs shirt.

[bwi]

You've obviously not seen the rest of em

[Stoppy2000]

Well Kaboul is also awful. Naughton too. And probably Fazio. Not looking good.

[EJG1980]

...I'm sure I've said this more than once this season, hopefully this is the win that sets us on a run of decent and consistent results.

Nope!

Positives? Chadli's finish. That's about it! Worse than the Newcastle match, at least in that we had one reasonably good half, poor the whole way through today.

Dodgy at the back, slow slow pace of play, barely any movement and when there is we don't spot the run or don't have the quality of pass to pick it out. Not much to put right apart from that

Sigh.