Spurs vs Manchester United - KO 8:15pm - 27/04/2023 - Official Match Thread

Originally Posted by dunk

Still think we're £#%&!ing miles away in terms of players, depth, organisation, fitness, intensity and actually implementing a style of play tbh.

It will be interesting to see us next season when the absurdity of this season's schedule is removed.

That schedule’s another big factor. Especially with the injuries we’ve had. I can’t imagine he’s had much time in a while to actually work properly with the players. Seems we’re just managing each week and getting through as best we can.

2 games a week, all with something on it, for months on end. With injuries piling up. It’s not a reflection of where we truly are IMO.

Originally Posted by dunk

We're not.

Depends how you define contenders. We could certainly amass a total of points similar to what Arsenal will finish on this season.

Originally Posted by dunk

Still think we're £#%&!ing miles away in terms of players, depth, organisation, fitness, intensity and actually implementing a style of play tbh.

It will be interesting to see us next season when the absurdity of this season's schedule is removed.

Casemiro needs a competent understudy/successor. When he was fresh and fully fit (I’m sure he’s carrying something), we were playing our best football this season. Honestly Declan Rice would be perfect - does all the hard work off the ball, is a competent passer and will allow our other midfielders to relax a little and create more. Him and Kane would be brilliant signings.

I think the mental fragility is what will concern ten Hag the most. Yeah it's all very well emphasizing the ability to bounce back, but it would be nice not to have had as many utter collapses to have to bounce back from. No one is suggesting we're not better than we were or that we should expect to win every game, but some of the capitulations have been shocking to be honest. It's no surprise our goal difference is this bad.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Casemiro needs a competent understudy/successor. When he was fresh and fully fit (I’m sure he’s carrying something), we were playing our best football this season. Honestly Declan Rice would be perfect - does all the hard work off the ball, is a competent passer and will allow our other midfielders to relax a little and create more. Him and Kane would be brilliant signings.

Cas is excellent, but recently it looks like he's wearing concrete boots.

They've played far far too much football, fighting in 4 fronts, Thur, Sunday, travelling Europe and playing £#%&!ing semi's in London all after a corrupt world cup mid season...

The subs he makes are needed due to the schedule, our depth and second string isn't good enough ...

Just need to get over the line for 4th now and never play these shitty fixtures again....
.

A centre forward and we put teams away and can then coast. Missing chances is costing us. We look tired and in every game we have 20 to 30 minutes when we struggle and just sit back. As soon as we lose Sancho and Antony the shape changes and we lose width.

Fred and Martial were atrocious.

Originally Posted by redhegemony

A centre forward and we put teams away and can then coast. Missing chances is costing us. We look tired and in every game we have 20 to 30 minutes when we struggle and just sit back. As soon as we lose Sancho and Antony the shape changes and we lose width.

Fred and Martial were atrocious.

Agree. We slot more goals, the rest can relax and be more confident. As it is, pressure is always invited and ends up exposing our weaknesses because we can’t kill games. We’ve never been great at killing games though - weirdly, we always seem to give opponents a chance to make it entertaining.

https://twitter.com/muppetiers/status/1651716502964543489?s=46&t=bfVvPcxzFISmV5ixy0aAOQ

He’s £#%&!ing useless.

TC 23 was in our end having beers and singing.

Blew that second half. Casemiro has to be said had a bad game again. Our subs verging on pointless. I know players are tired but can't understand bringing on Weghorst and at the expense of Antony makes no sense.

Still, a draw not too bad. Kind of seals top 4 is we can get results in our games in hand. More of that first half should do it.

Obvs not seen the game but seems like a bad result considering but we’d have taken it before I guess. Seems a bit unfair blaming individuals at this stage based on what this squad has been put through the last six months.

You’ve got to think that one is one the cup now considering the magnitude of a city final and you’d hope we’ve done enough to maintain that top four place. Arse will be twitching though over the next two games.

That weak mentality is still there.

Originally Posted by wiganste

That weak mentality is still there.

It is, but in defence of ETH, 70% of the squad isn't his by choice. Some awful dross we need to replace/upgrade before we can finish off a shite team at 2 nil up.

Have to beat Villa - then things will be a lot easier. Just happy we can get top 4 by winning our home games.

Originally Posted by marlo

his main sub was subbing on a decent player for weghorst and moving rashford central.

so that’s basically him correcting a mistake he made before the game.

What are you blathering on about? He got it right with the line up. Hardly his fault that the squad is still mostly full of complete shit.

He needs backing properly this summer to continue the good work of last summer.

He won't get it though.

The complete lack of depth is due to years of squad management it's not hard to understand.

I’ve calmed down. Was gutted last night.

We will get top 4 - I’m not worrying about that - but I’d like us to get 3rd place.

We knew we would be under the cosh and we don’t have the calibre of squad to sustain this - especially with our injuries/suspensions.

I honestly think we are 3 signings away from massively stepping up a level

We need that meaty CF who can score goals. Shocking revelation I know BUT it’s the truth.

I also think we need 1 fullback

Watch you taking about Willis?

I think Dalot, AWB, Shaw are great and one more would be brilliant

We should also have Shaw as our 4th choice CB. I’d love to see a young British defender replace Maguire too of course ideally.

Throw in a top class midfielder to support Casemiro, Bruno, Eriksen, Sabitzer and Fred and we have 6 players available for our miggul 3.

Up front I’m happy with our spotty urchins from south anerica, Dallo, New Guy, Rashers, Antony and Sancho ln The Last Chance Saloon.

I’d bin Martial

Anyway - gone off piste a bit but I think last night was not too grim. We are knackered and on the ropes. We just need to rest and prepare key players before the FA Cup final

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

What are you blathering on about? He got it right with the line up. Hardly his fault that the squad is still mostly full of complete shit.

He needs backing properly this summer to continue the good work of last summer.

He won't get it though.

The complete lack of depth is due to years of squad management it's not hard to understand.

6-7 players or we're going to have this same issue next year. It's clear now, as it's always been, that we don't have a squad deep enough or good enough to compete.

Out starting 11 is very good when everyone is fit, but when they're not...

Still, a draw is good. As I said above, barring an absolute Devon Loch from us and a miracle for one of the teams below us, that's top four done. Should hopefully finalise that on Sunday against Villa.

Positive overall, but as you say, manger needs backing next year.

Erik's work with certain players should be massively applauded. No question about that. But sooner rather than later they were going to revert to type.

I just can't fathom how the team can come out for the second half and just erase all the good work from the first.

Can’t disagree with the overall general sentiment about a weak squad and weak mentality but I can’t get past how the subs completely £#%&!ed us up last night. He clearly doesn’t rate Fred at all (which is reassuring) so why put him on for arguably our best player in the 1st half. A tiring Eriksen is better that a player so chaotic that you assume he’s playing for the other side. Binning AWB and bringing on martial was weird too. Martial is the last player you’d have on the pitch to shore things up - he’s already on his summer holidays the lazy good for nothing #@&%!.

Weggie is shite and whatever good stuff we squeezed out of him earlier on has long gone.

I realise he doesn’t have many choices and I still love Erik etc etc but we were shocking after the subs.

Result was fine. Win games in hand & min 10 pts clear w/ 6/5 to play respectively. It's done. Biggest one right now is avoiding more injuries before the Cup final & getting others back fit.

Even with the injuries, there was some £450 m. of transfer spend on the pitch vs Sevilla / last night (not to mention the obscenity of DDG/Martial/Sancho taking out close to 1 mil a week). As ever, the financial spend has never been the problem: recruitment & apportioning has. £50 m. in the right direction + proceeds from sales would make a huge difference next season.

Can't draw too many conclusions on performances given the odd state of the side at the moment. Needs to grind through then see what the summer brings.

This Jekyll and Hyde issue is now a thing for us. Play well and then play like we’re pissed. Total collapses aots. He needs to eradicate it and fast or the cup final will be embarrassing.

Originally Posted by My Name is Heath

I’ve calmed down. Was gutted last night.

We will get top 4 - I’m not worrying about that - but I’d like us to get 3rd place.

We knew we would be under the cosh and we don’t have the calibre of squad to sustain this - especially with our injuries/suspensions.

I honestly think we are 3 signings away from massively stepping up a level

We need that meaty CF who can score goals. Shocking revelation I know BUT it’s the truth.

I also think we need 1 fullback

Watch you taking about Willis?

I think Dalot, AWB, Shaw are great and one more would be brilliant

We should also have Shaw as our 4th choice CB. I’d love to see a young British defender replace Maguire too of course ideally.

Throw in a top class midfielder to support Casemiro, Bruno, Eriksen, Sabitzer and Fred and we have 6 players available for our miggul 3.

Up front I’m happy with our spotty urchins from south anerica, Dallo, New Guy, Rashers, Antony and Sancho ln The Last Chance Saloon.

I’d bin Martial

Anyway - gone off piste a bit but I think last night was not too grim. We are knackered and on the ropes. We just need to rest and prepare key players before the FA Cup final

Thing is unless we get new owners putting the club first not a lot will change.

As always it will take 2/3 windows to fix one problem and we will have another 2/3 issues by then.

We have no money , most of the shit@#%&!s at the club are on high wages so I cannot see them go for much. Likes of martial and slabhead are on 300 k and 200k a week. Will be lucky to get more than 20-25 mill for each. That’s a push.

We have enough money for one top striker that’s touted . Kane or osihmen . Will be north of 80 million.

If they then sign that striker for 80 million it will leave us roughly with 40-50 million to sign the other 2-3 players we require. Naturally they will be “hit and miss “ players from the Dutch league .

Even if we sign that striker and bin martial for funds. Realistically we need a cover striker aswell. Same with CM . Maybe we pick up a decent cheap/free transfer but don’t hold your breath. The club is run in such a way where we have handicapped ourselves .

This is all after barely having any money to begin with. The success of the window and next season hinges on if we get new owners or not.