B
Basskadet
Well-Known Member
Founding Member
Last season was great, despite how it ultimately finished. We played some wonderful football and we finished in our highest Premier League position ever. However, we somehow managed to negotiate virtually the entire season without picking up any really disruptive injuries. Yes, we did lose Jan for a bit, but big Kev stepped up admirably and filled in without really missing a step. I do think that that is FAR easier if it is the only real change and it becomes considerably harder once you start having to have another 1 or 2 players coming in and covering in other positions at the same time. In fact, whilst I believe that our decline at the end of the season was largely psychological, it also coincided with us losing part of our midfield spine in Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele both picking up suspensions. And us losing several big players at the same time is a trend which, unfortunately, has really dogged us throughout this season. We started off with Dembele continuing his suspension and Lloris getting injured, with Dele Alli in and out the team with niggles and Harry Kane then picking up a long-term injury. We then lost Lamela, who has still not returned, and now we've lost the whole left side of our defence, with both Vertonghen and Rose missing extended periods. I am sure there were more as well. In between we've had a period where everyone got back fit and, just to demonstrate the point, that coincided with our improved form.
It goes to show that, scratch beneath our surface, and our squad is maybe not as strong as we hoped. Perhaps that is a little too simplistic however, as I think any team, even with a supposedly strong squad, will struggle when they repeatedly lose several of their big players at the same time. We do have some excellent squad players who, as Kevin Wimmer, Trippier, Davies and Sonny have all shown at various times, when they are separately called on to slot in and cover they can do an excellent job. The problem starts when they all have to come in together as that not only starts to weaken the overall team, but weaken it with players who've not even been playing regularly.
I don't think referees have helped us much recently, I must say. I'm not blaming them for our stuttering form exactly, but in terms of protecting our players. We were on the wrong end of some really nasty challenges, both probably deserving of red cards,against both Sunderland and Middlesbrough and yet the refs did nothing. 1 of those tackles has directly led to Danny Rose's injury, which effectively amounts to Spurs being punished for being on the receiving end of a red card tackle.
What I would add is that none of this excuses our frailties in front of goal. We went through January almost averaging 4 goals per game, but since going to Sunderland we've managed just 1 goal in all competitions and even that was a penalty. Even when we were scoring 4 per game we were almost entirely reliant on Kane and Alli, and that's unacceptable for me. As great as Wanyama and Dembele have been for us defensively this year, I feel they hugely handicap us in the attacking 3rd. Dier, for me, is still far better in midfield than he is in defence and, for the small amount we lose in defensive cover with him in midfield (which wasn't much to be fair) he did offer more going forwards. In fact, since moving Dier backwards he's stopped finding the net altogether, so we've lost that (albeit minor) goal threat in more ways than 1. I can't remember the last time our CBs scored anyway and, from all our defenders, only Danny has found the net this season (although Kyle has certainly provided plenty assists). We just seem to be incredibly lacking in front of goal and creatively also, relying almost entirely on our wing-backs for assists. Eriksen has improved since his early season troubles, but to be honest his good form feels like more of a 'blip' than his bad form. I do think we miss Lamela. For all his frustrating play, he does have a wonderful habit of creating chances, and whilst he doesn't score lots, he's better in front of goal than many of our current midfield. He's also a big game player and I just hope he can get back and playing at his best soon.
Basically, some of our issues have been slightly self-inflicted, particularly in front of goal, but mostly we are suffering from constant squad disruption this season. However, as with earlier in the season when we lost a bunch of players, if we can just hang in there through this period until we get Jan and Danny and Erik back, we will hopefully pick our form up again at just the right time and, where we fell away in our last few games last season, maybe this time around we can come good instead.
I'm sure some might think me being much too forgiving by referring to our injuries over our recent poor performances, and I can't really excuse how bad we were against Liverpool and Gent, but losing the whole left side of our defence, particularly when that left side has been so brilliant for us this season, is a huge problem amd, whilst we all hoped that we had players to come inand do the job like before, I think we need to recognise just how much more difficult that job is this time around.
There, I feel much better having got that off my chest. Come on You Spurs!
It goes to show that, scratch beneath our surface, and our squad is maybe not as strong as we hoped. Perhaps that is a little too simplistic however, as I think any team, even with a supposedly strong squad, will struggle when they repeatedly lose several of their big players at the same time. We do have some excellent squad players who, as Kevin Wimmer, Trippier, Davies and Sonny have all shown at various times, when they are separately called on to slot in and cover they can do an excellent job. The problem starts when they all have to come in together as that not only starts to weaken the overall team, but weaken it with players who've not even been playing regularly.
I don't think referees have helped us much recently, I must say. I'm not blaming them for our stuttering form exactly, but in terms of protecting our players. We were on the wrong end of some really nasty challenges, both probably deserving of red cards,against both Sunderland and Middlesbrough and yet the refs did nothing. 1 of those tackles has directly led to Danny Rose's injury, which effectively amounts to Spurs being punished for being on the receiving end of a red card tackle.
What I would add is that none of this excuses our frailties in front of goal. We went through January almost averaging 4 goals per game, but since going to Sunderland we've managed just 1 goal in all competitions and even that was a penalty. Even when we were scoring 4 per game we were almost entirely reliant on Kane and Alli, and that's unacceptable for me. As great as Wanyama and Dembele have been for us defensively this year, I feel they hugely handicap us in the attacking 3rd. Dier, for me, is still far better in midfield than he is in defence and, for the small amount we lose in defensive cover with him in midfield (which wasn't much to be fair) he did offer more going forwards. In fact, since moving Dier backwards he's stopped finding the net altogether, so we've lost that (albeit minor) goal threat in more ways than 1. I can't remember the last time our CBs scored anyway and, from all our defenders, only Danny has found the net this season (although Kyle has certainly provided plenty assists). We just seem to be incredibly lacking in front of goal and creatively also, relying almost entirely on our wing-backs for assists. Eriksen has improved since his early season troubles, but to be honest his good form feels like more of a 'blip' than his bad form. I do think we miss Lamela. For all his frustrating play, he does have a wonderful habit of creating chances, and whilst he doesn't score lots, he's better in front of goal than many of our current midfield. He's also a big game player and I just hope he can get back and playing at his best soon.
Basically, some of our issues have been slightly self-inflicted, particularly in front of goal, but mostly we are suffering from constant squad disruption this season. However, as with earlier in the season when we lost a bunch of players, if we can just hang in there through this period until we get Jan and Danny and Erik back, we will hopefully pick our form up again at just the right time and, where we fell away in our last few games last season, maybe this time around we can come good instead.
I'm sure some might think me being much too forgiving by referring to our injuries over our recent poor performances, and I can't really excuse how bad we were against Liverpool and Gent, but losing the whole left side of our defence, particularly when that left side has been so brilliant for us this season, is a huge problem amd, whilst we all hoped that we had players to come inand do the job like before, I think we need to recognise just how much more difficult that job is this time around.
There, I feel much better having got that off my chest. Come on You Spurs!
