Played: 7
Won: 5
Drawn: 0
Lost: 2
Goals for: 19
Goals against: 12
Results wise, I think we’re bang on the money where I’d expect us as a club to be, although I’m disappointed we couldn’t get at least a point v Manchester United. So while I consider those seven games par for the course, credit to Jose, we were in dire form before he came in.
The up turn in form since Jose has come in is marked.
Tactically, I’ve noticed a few tweaks:
- Play out of the back less
- quick transition forward / long balls / often miss out the midfield
- less reliance on everything going through Kane
- starting 11 has almost picked itself - no chopping and changing other than Bayern away.
I like the fact that we’re a settled 11. While I don’t think we play like a typical “Jose" team, I’d personally prefer the ball on the floor more, but hard to argue it hasn’t been effective.
So, is our up turn in form due to Jose and a few tactical tweaks, or a new manager bounce?
Is everyone happy with how the first seven games have gone? My preference was not to appoint Jose, but for what ever the reasons, it’s undeniable (IMO) he’s has a positive effect. I actually think the tactical tweaks HAVE made a difference - it’s almost a back to basics approach - don’t f@nni around at the back, and play to our strengths (pace up top in Son and Lucas with our other better players supporting ( Dele and Kane).
Shout out to Dele - his form was good pre Jose, but I think he’s really taken it up a notch.
Jose
posted on 16/12/19
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 16/12/19
comment by Boss By Hugo (U18550)
posted 23 minutes ago
What was brave and ambitious about firing Pochettino? Brave and ambitious would have been backing him in the market which he deserved for his work during his tenure.
With Jose, i'm pleased with the results but not overly impressed with the performances. Nothing i didn't expect to be honest and it will take more than that to win me fully over. I don't think we've seen his true side yet - he can benefit from a season where our expectations following his hire were minimal. Next season will be a good test for him (scouting right players) and Levy (making funds available).
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If Pochettino had still be in place Spurs would be sitting probably aroundabout 15th, possibly even lower. You can talk all you like about being backed with more money, but the bottom line is Mourinho has come in and got a tune out of exactly the same set of players that Pochettino had, without spending a penny.
Sure the team needs better players, but Pochettino had a set of seasoned internationals severely underperforming, and he was rightfully sacked, he wasn`t doing his job properly.
posted on 16/12/19
The problem with spurs is not the manager, it’s the board 👍
Manager after manager havent been backed by the board to the level required to meet the demands made by them
Poch was the first to consistently meet the demands whilst being underfunded.
They still fired him.
posted on 16/12/19
comment by Boss By Hugo (U18550)
posted 15 minutes ago
What was brave and ambitious about firing Pochettino? Brave and ambitious would have been backing him in the market which he deserved for his work during his tenure.
With Jose, i'm pleased with the results but not overly impressed with the performances. Nothing i didn't expect to be honest and it will take more than that to win me fully over. I don't think we've seen his true side yet - he can benefit from a season where our expectations following his hire were minimal. Next season will be a good test for him (scouting right players) and Levy (making funds available).
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I am slightly more impressed with Jose than you, Billy. But I am in no way getting carried away. Poch has set a very high standards in our club, for the first time since the 60s
The team played some scintillating football, under Poch, with great outcomes too. Who can forget our unbeaten home run in the last season at the old WHL?
Fantastic run that was.
Then we had to endure playing all the games away for few seasons, and we were still chasing the title or getting top 4.
I am not saying Jose won't get us the same results at least, if not better. But this is the team Poch built, and as such fundamentally, Poch made this squad.
From what I have seen, Jose has already made impacts. He has simplified the instructions to the players, and I do believe certain players look energised and more freer as a result.
Yet it is still the same system fundamentally as the one Poch left 4-3-2-1. But Jose made sure the team don't try to play the ball from the back and put the team under pressure in our own box. It was silly of Poch to try to get te team to use that tactic. It requires players of highest calibre who can receive and pass under the greatest pressure and Aurier/Rose/Sanchez don't have those attributes. Why couldn't Poch see that? Every game, the players under the orders, were having to play it from the back and end up with conceding goals, and dropping points.
Another aspect of Poch was the high line. We conceded few goals at the start of this season to that tactic. Opposition just played the ball behind Sanchez to catch us cold and have their player run through to goal. Another silly instruction, and it just needed Poch to step back and see his own errors there.
Players had enough because these two aspects were causing mayhem with our games.
Jose has cut out all that. No more playing out from the back. Go long whenever feasible. Stay deep whenever we need to. None of that jittery stuff of move up and leave 50 yards of space behind the defense?
For me the most important thing I want Jose to teach our players is the mental toughness needed to win important games. Yesterday was one such occasion. You can see how the Portugese players approach such games. Watching Moutinho displaying a masterclass of desire, passion and stamping his authority in the midfield and yet he is not a spring chicken. Dendonker, Neves, Jota and Jimenez showed aggressiveness and desire to get to the ball and dictate the game. Hopefully, if Jose can get that to our players , wow!
posted on 16/12/19
* Portugese, Spanish and a Mexican players.
posted on 16/12/19
is Jose gonna turn it around though? initially might look good but if we dont finish top 4 and make the right adjustments to the squad in the summer then what progress then we are only going to keep going backwards regardless of the manager.
posted on 16/12/19
Very happy.
12/15 PL points. We were 12 points behind 4th, now we're 3 and have Chelsea at home next
We still look so carp at the back though. Though, that's more down to personnel rather than management.
posted on 16/12/19
comment by Smeg- levy out, anyone but Boris (U6574)
posted 2 hours, 11 minutes ago
The problem with spurs is not the manager, it’s the board 👍
Manager after manager havent been backed by the board to the level required to meet the demands made by them
Poch was the first to consistently meet the demands whilst being underfunded.
They still fired him.
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This
posted on 17/12/19
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/12/19
comment by Billy The Yidd (U3924)
posted 20 hours, 39 minutes ago
comment by Smeg- levy out, anyone but Boris (U6574)
posted 2 hours, 11 minutes ago
The problem with spurs is not the manager, it’s the board 👍
Manager after manager havent been backed by the board to the level required to meet the demands made by them
Poch was the first to consistently meet the demands whilst being underfunded.
They still fired him.
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This
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Thing is other clubs win trophies while spending less than us.
People still act as if we don't spend any money. Kane and Ndombele are on 200k. Eriksen was offered more than that to stay. We spent 60m on a midfielder in the summer, over 30m on a teenager, and we've committed another 50m or so for GLC.
People were all #backpoch but let's be real - he didn't get the sack for not winning the league or the CL. The demands aren't ridiculous. We'd almost certainly be mid-table watching Foyth at RB about now.