Crystal Palace (A) FA cup 4th Rnd Sunday Sun 27th Jan 2019 16.00

[skiathospurs]

Is the writing on the wall...... yet again?

Honestly I think that stadium will get smashed to bits if Levy fucks this up. Poch is the key to it all.

But is he??
This is a squad he has built over nearly 5 years and clearly it is massively short.Nearly every club fielded (including palace) weakened sides in this round of the cup,including midtable sides such as west ham&watford who face it have fuck all to play for except the cup,not going to make top 6 and far enough away from relegation.When city,chelsea,united, put squad players in they are just better than our players from 16-25 in the club.I completely accept rotating players,50-70 games you have to thats obvious.
Why havent we moved on llorente,wanyama,janssen,onomah,nkoudou,CCV,vorm,they are not doing a thing for the team even the few times any of them even make it on to the pitch,they and the club are just treading water holding on to guys who are never,never going to make it at spurs.And then we have 3 or 5 others up for debate if really we are a top 4 side or wanting champions league qtr finals or beyond,davies,trippier,KWP,aurier,lamela.I can go for Dier cos of his versatlity,Lucas still bedding in,skipp being so young,but they could easily be on the list from this last month or so.And remember we sold Dembele who in no way would have been at all useful yesterday??

We played a kid with a handful of games on the left instead of his natural right side,we played a right winger who was so dogshit he didnt get in Burnley`s side centrally and with son,kane and dele all out we are stuck with lolrente,my god he is up there with Rasiak,rebrov I would have rather Darren Bent played yesterday or peter crouch FFS.And even if you want to think llorente has a role,did we put any crosses in?did we fuck,we played tippy tappy with nkoudou and moura looking like a bulldog chasing a spacehopper around a field.It was a mess and it wasnt away against a league one side,this was a set up to beat a PL team in their ground.So it is another year without any silverware,barring the most spursy of miracles in the CL or title race.

This is what we have put together in 4½ years,yes injuries have been cruel but better care could have been taken putting together this squad because the players I am slating here,were as bad or useful as end of last season to most I would think?

I am devoted to Poch and the club,but it isnt blind,yesterday was a fucking mess,its not the losing,but that performance yesterday deserved all it got.We are on the edge now,a month ago on the edge of glory,now we are on the edge of fucking it up,got to beat watford to even try and justify what happened at selhurst park,and then newcastle.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.

 

[Chavhater01]

There was an element of ambivalence on my part with regards to the Palace result. I was so pissed off and deflated by the loss to the Chavs that I was already in a negative head space going into the Palace game. With the injuries, the sheer volume of games we’ve played and a Palace side, who it’s fair to say over the last month or so, have been playing some decent football, it was never gonna be a gimme.

My immediate reaction was ‘oh well’, which is bizarre, given that I love the FA Cup and it was realistically our last chance of silverware this season and a chance to put a smile on all our faces after Thursday night. I have a feeling that because it was only the 4th round it didn’t carry as much significance as it would, if we’d been knocked out in the quarters, it’s weird I just wasn’t as pissed as I thought i’d be.

 

[Don Diaz]

There was an element of ambivalence on my part with regards to the Palace result. I was so pissed off and deflated by the loss to the Chavs that I was already in a negative head space going into the Palace game. With the injuries, the sheer volume of games we’ve played and a Palace side, who it’s fair to say over the last month or so, have been playing some decent football, it was never gonna be a gimme.

My immediate reaction was ‘oh well’, which is bizarre, given that I love the FA Cup and it was realistically our last chance of silverware this season and a chance to put a smile on all our faces after Thursday night. I have a feeling that because it was only the 4th round it didn’t carry as much significance as it would, if we’d been knocked out in the quarters, it’s weird I just wasn’t as pissed as I thought i’d be.

I agree with some of that today, but yesterday evening was totally fucked off. Just don’t think Poch had that many options with the frequency of games. We’ve been so unlucky with injuries, but that’s become my favourite stuck record. Hated the Watford, Wolves and United games more. I’d we’d got 7 points from them look where we’d be.

Still overall, in the bigger picture and factoring in this seasons shit it’s not bad. We’d just all hoped for so much more. Life of a Spurs fan

 

[conor1]

I’m not sure that was metaphorically Poch speaking......they sounded like Levy words coming out of Poch’s mouth to me.

Very recently Poch was talking about the club needing to operate in a different way. That was a message to Levy in my mind.

Interesting Summer coming up. I think Levy needs to show Poch real tangible support, not lip service and a Jack Grealish type signing. We need to ship 3-4 players and bring in 2-3 proper quality. CL qualification will be necessary for that to happen.

My thoughts exactly mate. Imo, Poch is caught between a rock and a hard place. He's towing the party line. He needs top class players to be able to rotate and keep us in contention and we simply don't have the strength in depth. A few injuries and that has been the case. Greatest respect to Skipp but he's not there yet, we've Sterling on the bench, not there yet, Trippiers head has gone imo and Walker-peters, same as Skipp. Tbh, I'll take my love for Spurs to the grave but Poch's "words" spoke volumes for where we are at and where football in general is at right now.

 

[Don Diaz]

But is he??
This is a squad he has built over nearly 5 years and clearly it is massively short.Nearly every club fielded (including palace) weakened sides in this round of the cup,including midtable sides such as west ham&watford who face it have fuck all to play for except the cup,not going to make top 6 and far enough away from relegation.When city,chelsea,united, put squad players in they are just better than our players from 16-25 in the club.I completely accept rotating players,50-70 games you have to thats obvious.
Why havent we moved on llorente,wanyama,janssen,onomah,nkoudou,CCV,vorm,they are not doing a thing for the team even the few times any of them even make it on to the pitch,they and the club are just treading water holding on to guys who are never,never going to make it at spurs.And then we have 3 or 5 others up for debate if really we are a top 4 side or wanting champions league qtr finals or beyond,davies,trippier,KWP,aurier,lamela.I can go for Dier cos of his versatlity,Lucas still bedding in,skipp being so young,but they could easily be on the list from this last month or so.And remember we sold Dembele who in no way would have been at all useful yesterday??

We played a kid with a handful of games on the left instead of his natural right side,we played a right winger who was so dogshit he didnt get in Burnley`s side centrally and with son,kane and dele all out we are stuck with lolrente,my god he is up there with Rasiak,rebrov I would have rather Darren Bent played yesterday or peter crouch FFS.And even if you want to think llorente has a role,did we put any crosses in?did we fuck,we played tippy tappy with nkoudou and moura looking like a bulldog chasing a spacehopper around a field.It was a mess and it wasnt away against a league one side,this was a set up to beat a PL team in their ground.So it is another year without any silverware,barring the most spursy of miracles in the CL or title race.

This is what we have put together in 4½ years,yes injuries have been cruel but better care could have been taken putting together this squad because the players I am slating here,were as bad or useful as end of last season to most I would think?

I am devoted to Poch and the club,but it isnt blind,yesterday was a fucking mess,its not the losing,but that performance yesterday deserved all it got.We are on the edge now,a month ago on the edge of glory,now we are on the edge of fucking it up,got to beat watford to even try and justify what happened at selhurst park,and then newcastle.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Great post

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

 

[Don Diaz]

My thoughts exactly mate. Imo, Poch is caught between a rock and a hard place. He's towing the party line. He needs top class players to be able to rotate and keep us in contention and we simply don't have the strength in depth. A few injuries and that has been the case. Greatest respect to Skipp but he's not there yet, we've Sterling on the bench, not there yet, Trippiers head has gone imo and Walker-peters, same as Skipp. Tbh, I'll take my love for Spurs to the grave but Poch's "words" spoke volumes for where we are at and where football in general is at right now.

We, the fans are also a little bit to blame, but only a very little bit because we’re human and we’re as Spurs fans, supremely tolerant. If we look back to recent pre CL history, pre Kane and Son and Dele et al, most would have given various bits of our anatomy for where we are now - at all levels, regular CL performers, beating Real Madrid and Dortmund (easily) regular Cup semi finalists, and beating teams home and away that used to piss on us tbh.

Our expectations and base have changed quickly and out of all recognition. None of this explains yesterday’s predicament, team selection, abject performance or brainless decision making on and off the field. But it does put one pretty ‘shameful’ afternoon into overall context. I remember suffering afternoon’s like those quite regularly not that many years ago......now a single example gets us really angry, that speaks volumes.

I’m not over it, but getting there.

 

[deejbah]

I didn't watch the game but it sounds like there were some positives in the way Foyth played and the way that KWP recovered after his error. We're in a bit of a shit place atm with our four best attacking players out of the team for this game and having made some serious mistakes with signing attacking players who are just not up to it, or at least not with this team.

 

[skiathospurs]

Great post

Didnt see that coming that I would be the first to go rabid!!
In light of which this is my final word on it all,if I still find myself in this mood I will take myself away for a time because the thing I hate most with online posting is "missionary" posts which over&over say the same thing and try and convert others to their standpoint,that just isnt me.

I think what has also upset me most is the post match top 4,cup,egos comments and as "J" said post match interviews should be taken lightly,emotions and clear thinking arent always best then and perhaps foreign speaking,lost in literal translation soundbites arent a measure to hold someone too.BUT (here we go!) top 4,winning even lowly held domestic cups are not mutually exclusive to one or the other.History shows most cups are indeed won by top 4 teams,if you aspire to be an ambitious big club you have to aim for both,Poch`s comments came across rather one or the other in contrast to what Solskjaer said last night (perhaps a marker in the competition to be United boss?)
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47035494

It isnt the rotation or the defeat,"we just wernt good enough" would have sufficied,because that was the truth.The people we have on standby just arent good enough,we had 12 possible 1st teamers out,but to compete for 4 trophies you need more than a squad of 15/16 players.That is what we havent addressed in these years and Levy&Poch are in direct control of that.We arent going to get back what we spent on Janssen or probably Nkoudou,so what? we have gained value on so many other players purchased,take the hit and try 2 other players.Llorente hasnt worked,we all know we have played russian roulette with just having Kane as our only true striker (not goal scorer),leading the line,holdup play,assisting others,we all have know that since we sold adebayor&Soldado,we hoped Janssen and Llorente would do the business,but they havent and we havent addressed that.We sold dembele,wanyama is just so injury jinxed now,if sissoko hadnt improved 1000% we would be in even deeper doodoo.The make up of the squad so that even if we signed a Rabiot or whoever from abroad it would be them or foyth we register for champions league,but we hold on to vorm and moura/aurier were signed not helping with the foreign numbers we have.

The last 2 years we have been blessed with some players who would walk into any european side,kane,eriksen,dele,toby,jan,rose,Son probably now,and some solid players around them lloris,dier,davies.Others on their day are also very good sissoko,winks,trippier,lamela,foyth sanchez (but can all be flaky for periods too).So we arent far away,but in 2 years we havent signed or show ambition to be top 4,winning trophies for a golden era.We are now officially the 10th richest club in football,we are not acting like it,we arent paying the wages to keep toby&eriksen on longer contacts,we arent signing better competiton for places,we are standing still.Standing still while others are trying to improve.

If we settle for top 4 to keep the revenue coming,and settle for trophies not being important,that is what we will get.We need to up our ambition,even if we dont succeed, we need to want to win everything,not one or other,not to say top 4 is success winning the fa cup isnt,thats just bullshit and hurts to the core of our history like fuck.

 

[Don Diaz]

Didnt see that coming that I would be the first to go rabid!!
In light of which this is my final word on it all,if I still find myself in this mood I will take myself away for a time because the thing I hate most with online posting is "missionary" posts which over&over say the same thing and try and convert others to their standpoint,that just isnt me.

I think what has also upset me most is the post match top 4,cup,egos comments and as "J" said post match interviews should be taken lightly,emotions and clear thinking arent always best then and perhaps foreign speaking,lost in literal translation soundbites arent a measure to hold someone too.BUT (here we go!) top 4,winning even lowly held domestic cups are not mutually exclusive to one or the other.History shows most cups are indeed won by top 4 teams,if you aspire to be an ambitious big club you have to aim for both,Poch`s comments came across rather one or the other in contrast to what Solskjaer said last night (perhaps a marker in the competition to be United boss?)
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47035494

It isnt the rotation or the defeat,"we just wernt good enough" would have sufficied,because that was the truth.The people we have on standby just arent good enough,we had 12 possible 1st teamers out,but to compete for 4 trophies you need more than a squad of 15/16 players.That is what we havent addressed in these years and Levy&Poch are in direct control of that.We arent going to get back what we spent on Janssen or probably Nkoudou,so what? we have gained value on so many other players purchased,take the hit and try 2 other players.Llorente hasnt worked,we all know we have played russian roulette with just having Kane as our only true striker (not goal scorer),leading the line,holdup play,assisting others,we all have know that since we sold adebayor&Soldado,we hoped Janssen and Llorente would do the business,but they havent and we havent addressed that.We sold dembele,wanyama is just so injury jinxed now,if sissoko hadnt improved 1000% we would be in even deeper doodoo.The make up of the squad so that even if we signed a Rabiot or whoever from abroad it would be them or foyth we register for champions league,but we hold on to vorm and moura/aurier were signed not helping with the foreign numbers we have.

The last 2 years we have been blessed with some players who would walk into any european side,kane,eriksen,dele,toby,jan,rose,Son probably now,and some solid players around them lloris,dier,davies.Others on their day are also very good sissoko,winks,trippier,lamela,foyth sanchez (but can all be flaky for periods too).So we arent far away,but in 2 years we havent signed or show ambition to be top 4,winning trophies for a golden era.We are now officially the 10th richest club in football,we are not acting like it,we arent paying the wages to keep toby&eriksen on longer contacts,we arent signing better competiton for places,we are standing still.Standing still while others are trying to improve.

If we settle for top 4 to keep the revenue coming,and settle for trophies not being important,that is what we will get.We need to up our ambition,even if we dont succeed, we need to want to win everything,not one or other,not to say top 4 is success winning the fa cup isnt,thats just bullshit and hurts to the core of our history like fuck.

Brilliant post!

You’ve managed to put everything in one place, I’ve dabbled with a lot of that, although not as well phrased in lots of posts.

The only thing I would say is that ‘ the
Project’ was top 4 regularly when Poch came in. We were becoming ok for 5/6th every year, but needed to bridge the gap. Poch did that, so credit and huge credit at that, because we’ve beaten all the ‘big spending’ teams home and away in most cases, and the Stats will still likely show that we are second best performers in the League over the past 4 years. So from that point of view job done and some great football played.

I mentioned fans and fan perception somewhere else on here yesterday. Some of the above was what I was talking about, not an excuse for Sunday but an explanation. I agree with you and Poch’s presser when he said we now need to go in a different direction. Project stage 1 is complete, the Stadium is built (surely the revenue and potential naming rights etc etc were all part of The Project) we now need Stage 2 this Summer. That will involve as you say shipping players out and getting some in. But has to be quality. Your assessment of the quality of the squad is spot on imo, Sunday proved it. The rest of this season and the Summer is crucial now on a lot of different levels. We absolutely have to be in that Stadium, it might be the difference in keeping some players as well, Finance - naming rights etc and crucially transfer business. Chelsea’s squad is a bit thin so is Liverpool (we saw that against Wolves in the FA Cup) and Arsenal. That’s why we’re 3rd (remarkable in our case - Poch again, for me) 4th and 5th. Liverpool have been lucky with Salah and Van Dyck.

So you’re right, but those comments are instigated by Levy not Poch in my view. None of us know the deal and promises behind the scenes between those two, but I bet it’s significant.

No need to leave, you’re not a missionary otherwise you’d have been on the Politics thread before now. This site is fantastic for one main reason - it’s populated by grown ups who can argue, debate and discuss rationally and with reason. No-one is ever 100% right or wrong, including Poch, it’s very healthy on here, not sure what I’d do without it

Keep up the good work.

@Dorset I completely understand that today might be a tad busy.....I’m expecting a big No. 1 at some point. Clearly what’s more important than any life upheaval to warmer climes is a Watford match day thread........thanks in advance!

 

[Yid]

Agree with the sentiments above and it's why I said the writings on the wall..... again.

It seems history may be repeating it's self. Manager comes in, builds a great team and Levy fails to back them to the extent we need to take us to the next level. Been there before haven't we. Jol, Harry and now Poch.

I am (less of now) a Levy fan because he has built our club slowly and surely over the decades of my life into something I truly wasn't able to conceive. We're fucking great right now (last month aside). We have truly world class players and a gaffer that if backed could give us it all, I truly believe that.

But last summer "there wasn't value", this winter "there's even less value" is utter horse shit.

Yes we need to build a new home but your biggest assets that are allowing you to do that are running round fucked tired and worn out, with an exasperated (2nd biggest asset) gaffer who simply can't juggle the plates and better than he is. We're woefully under resourced and overachieving with the resource we have.

This season while not yet written off is only salvageable with a few more weeks in the CL and ticking off 3rd place comfortably. Anything less is a failure imo considering the woefullness of the other usual top teams.

Yes that does smack of entitlement and lofty expectations, but over the last 4 year's we've been building towards this as the norm. I don't think it is out of the question to expect to be in the CL. or in finals of cup comps. I think we've earned the right to expect a glimmer of hope and mild expectation.

The buck stops with the cash not being paid. Levy is the one controlling that. He has failed to back Poch in 2 windows at least. I do think our squad needs an overhaul as mentioned above.

This summer is last chance saloon for me in so many ways and I bet I'm not the only one.

I can't imagine Poch and his team will hang it out when he is in such high demand globally.

Players not signing new deals.... says it all. It's not all rosy behind the scenes by any stretch.

I think the success on the field has masked the historical antics of penny pinching off it that have always gone on.

 

[Don Diaz]

Agree with the sentiments above and it's why I said the writings on the wall..... again.

It seems history may be repeating it's self. Manager comes in, builds a great team and Levy fails to back them to the extent we need to take us to the next level. Been there before haven't we. Jol, Harry and now Poch.

I am (less of now) a Levy fan because he has built our club slowly and surely over the decades of my life into something I truly wasn't able to conceive. We're fucking great right now (last month aside). We have truly world class players and a gaffer that if backed could give us it all, I truly believe that.

But last summer "there wasn't value", this winter "there's even less value" is utter horse shit.

Yes we need to build a new home but your biggest assets that are allowing you to do that are running round fucked tired and worn out, with an exasperated (2nd biggest asset) gaffer who simply can't juggle the plates and better than he is. We're woefully under resourced and overachieving with the resource we have.

This season while not yet written off is only salvageable with a few more weeks in the CL and ticking off 3rd place comfortably. Anything less is a failure imo considering the woefullness of the other usual top teams.

Yes that does smack of entitlement and lofty expectations, but over the last 4 year's we've been building towards this as the norm. I don't think it is out of the question to expect to be in the CL. or in finals of cup comps. I think we've earned the right to expect a glimmer of hope and mild expectation.

The buck stops with the cash not being paid. Levy is the one controlling that. He has failed to back Poch in 2 windows at least. I do think our squad needs an overhaul as mentioned above.

This summer is last chance saloon for me in so many ways and I bet I'm not the only one.

I can't imagine Poch and his team will hang it out when he is in such high demand globally.

Players not signing new deals.... says it all. It's not all rosy behind the scenes by any stretch.

I think the success on the field has masked the historical antics of penny pinching off it that have always gone on.

I think we’re all agreeing in various ways and various levels. Need to be careful to not completely over react to one performance though. Great strides have been made in recent years, just need to move on again now.

 

[skiathospurs]

https://www.football.london/tottenh...lts/pochettino-ill-stick-spurs-until-15748067

 

[J.spurs]

"You know how we work. In the last minute everything can happen. "

I need Poch to say this leaning out a car window while leaving training.

 

[deejbah]

"You know how we work. In the last minute everything can happen. "

I need Poch to say this leaning out a car window while leaving training.

Reporter: Mauricio, is there anyone on the way?

Poch: I am so so happy.

In the background, a helicopter with a journeyman Ligue 1 winger/forward with pace rating of 80+ in FIFA on board lands.

Poch speeds off and drives into a wall.

 

[J.spurs]

Reporter: Mauricio, is there anyone on the way?

Poch: I am so so happy.

In the background, a helicopter with a journeyman Ligue 1 winger/forward with pace rating of 80+ in FIFA on board lands.

Poch speeds off and drives into a wall.

Or, simply, Poch saying "I'm not a fackin' wheeler-dealer" in Spanish.

 

[Don Diaz]

Tottenham Ladies beat Crystal Palace ladies 3-0 at CP in the FA Cup 4th round last weekend. Well done achieving what the blokes couldn’t.