If we don’t have a plan B, I guess we need to be more effective at executing plan A.

comment by Automatic For The People (U21889)
posted 16 minutes ago
If we don’t have a plan B, I guess we need to be more effective at executing plan A.
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And to do that we need better players

only 2 teams gave beaten us by 2+ goals

Chelsea when we went down to 9 men and Brighton who scored 2 penalties

so given that we're competitive in every game, have scored in every game, have picked up like 15 points or something from losing positions, are 5th in the league, no I wouldn't say we are easy to play against.

Wolves had to work very hard and play very well for their points against us, I doubt they walked off the pitch feeling they'd just had it easy when Ben Davies had a chance to snatch a draw with a point blank header in the final seconds.

A lot of the bottom half sides don't give you an easy game, never mind the potential champions league sides

Id agree with him yeah but I dont think its a need to be overly critical on ange. He plays a high risk strategy. Its probably going to be a bit hit and miss until he gets more of the players he wants through the door.

Its a bit like us under klopp at the start. We were great going forward but a disaster at the back. Slowly but surely that changed. Guys like robertson vvd allison and fabinho came in and it made us solid. Given time ange I thinl will do the same.

Need champs league qualification but. That was key for us in the early stages. We dont sign them guys without it. We hobbled over line to 4th in his 1st full season. Yous need to do the same or you're going down the list for targets in the summer.

I don't think, in terms of systems, we're an awful lot different to City in our approach to the game and how easily we can we be cut open. The only difference, and this is a major difference, we currently don't have the personnel to control a game in the same way they do. If you beat City's press they do give away a lot of chances, as Chelsea found out earlier in the week. The problem is that they're so good at controlling a game, it's almost impossible to even get on the ball to do anything. Plus the opposition is often camped in and unable to break. Ange's system can work brilliantly IF, and only if, we control a game. If we don't then those attacking instincts are left exposed but no more than City's would with their full backs in midfield if they lost the ball.

I admire his determination to stick to a philosophy. If he'd done with Spurs what Ten Hag is doing at United, where you can't work out what he wants his team to be - attacking or passive, we'd all be grumbling about his lack of direction or decisiveness.

I think we have to just hope that with a few windows we start to see his philosophy work. It's no coincidence that a drop off in form coincides with the poor form of Bissouma and Maddison. We're no longer winning our battles in midfield and consequently have less of the ball. Control the midfield and our results will return. I think we're just going to have to be patient.

The only problem is that it's easy for the likes of City to put faith in Pep in those early years because he can just go out and spend fortunes to mould a team in his name. Attempting the same thing on our budget is not as easy. You've only got to look at Burnley as an example of where bloody-mindedness can get you. By all means, have a philosophy you want to stick to but if you're getting beaten every single week it just comes across as stubborn rather than any kind of long-term masterplan.

City managed it because they had the money to buy the players Pep needed.

Liverpool managed it because their recruitment was off the scale.

It's about players at the end of the day and if we can't get better ones in, there's nothing Ange can do. He can dream all he wants about having the perfect system but if he hasn't got the players to do it, it just won't work.

I get the feeling that he'd rather get sacked after a heavy losing streak than change the way he operates so we're just going to have to hold tight and have a little faith that long term this pays off.

comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 25 seconds ago
I don't think, in terms of systems, we're an awful lot different to City in our approach to the game and how easily we can we be cut open. The only difference, and this is a major difference, we currently don't have the personnel to control a game in the same way they do. If you beat City's press they do give away a lot of chances, as Chelsea found out earlier in the week. The problem is that they're so good at controlling a game, it's almost impossible to even get on the ball to do anything. Plus the opposition is often camped in and unable to break. Ange's system can work brilliantly IF, and only if, we control a game. If we don't then those attacking instincts are left exposed but no more than City's would with their full backs in midfield if they lost the ball.

I admire his determination to stick to a philosophy. If he'd done with Spurs what Ten Hag is doing at United, where you can't work out what he wants his team to be - attacking or passive, we'd all be grumbling about his lack of direction or decisiveness.

I think we have to just hope that with a few windows we start to see his philosophy work. It's no coincidence that a drop off in form coincides with the poor form of Bissouma and Maddison. We're no longer winning our battles in midfield and consequently have less of the ball. Control the midfield and our results will return. I think we're just going to have to be patient.

The only problem is that it's easy for the likes of City to put faith in Pep in those early years because he can just go out and spend fortunes to mould a team in his name. Attempting the same thing on our budget is not as easy. You've only got to look at Burnley as an example of where bloody-mindedness can get you. By all means, have a philosophy you want to stick to but if you're getting beaten every single week it just comes across as stubborn rather than any kind of long-term masterplan.

City managed it because they had the money to buy the players Pep needed.

Liverpool managed it because their recruitment was off the scale.

It's about players at the end of the day and if we can't get better ones in, there's nothing Ange can do. He can dream all he wants about having the perfect system but if he hasn't got the players to do it, it just won't work.

I get the feeling that he'd rather get sacked after a heavy losing streak than change the way he operates so we're just going to have to hold tight and have a little faith that long term this pays off.
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This

Right now with half fit players a constant changing of selection I’d still say no.

Can teams get behind us yes but we always have very competitive games.

comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 11 minutes ago
I don't think, in terms of systems, we're an awful lot different to City in our approach to the game and how easily we can we be cut open. The only difference, and this is a major difference, we currently don't have the personnel to control a game in the same way they do. If you beat City's press they do give away a lot of chances, as Chelsea found out earlier in the week. The problem is that they're so good at controlling a game, it's almost impossible to even get on the ball to do anything. Plus the opposition is often camped in and unable to break. Ange's system can work brilliantly IF, and only if, we control a game. If we don't then those attacking instincts are left exposed but no more than City's would with their full backs in midfield if they lost the ball.

I admire his determination to stick to a philosophy. If he'd done with Spurs what Ten Hag is doing at United, where you can't work out what he wants his team to be - attacking or passive, we'd all be grumbling about his lack of direction or decisiveness.

I think we have to just hope that with a few windows we start to see his philosophy work. It's no coincidence that a drop off in form coincides with the poor form of Bissouma and Maddison. We're no longer winning our battles in midfield and consequently have less of the ball. Control the midfield and our results will return. I think we're just going to have to be patient.

The only problem is that it's easy for the likes of City to put faith in Pep in those early years because he can just go out and spend fortunes to mould a team in his name. Attempting the same thing on our budget is not as easy. You've only got to look at Burnley as an example of where bloody-mindedness can get you. By all means, have a philosophy you want to stick to but if you're getting beaten every single week it just comes across as stubborn rather than any kind of long-term masterplan.

City managed it because they had the money to buy the players Pep needed.

Liverpool managed it because their recruitment was off the scale.

It's about players at the end of the day and if we can't get better ones in, there's nothing Ange can do. He can dream all he wants about having the perfect system but if he hasn't got the players to do it, it just won't work.

I get the feeling that he'd rather get sacked after a heavy losing streak than change the way he operates so we're just going to have to hold tight and have a little faith that long term this pays off.
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Easy is surely the wrong word here, you don't get the results you've got and score the number of goals you have if you're easy to play against.

Predictable is probably more apt. Carlo said this of Liverpool after the CL final - he knew how we would play. Same applies to Spurs I think, managers know how you'll play and will set up against you accordingly. Won't always work because you've got a decent squad, but there are no surprises.

'Easier' to play against rather than easy to play against.

Putting things into perspective, performances and results haven't been what we've all wanted of late but we have still only lost 2 games in our last 10 and before that was the blip that came about due to the events of the Chelsea game. Both first team full backs missing against Wolves may have made a difference, considering how good Porro and Udogie have been, particularly going forward, whereas Davies and Emerson were poor.

Are teams starting to find us out? Perhaps but I still think we aren't playing to our best at the moment and constant injuries and absences aren't helping.

To be honest I think the title of this article is a bit silly.

We have lost just twice in the last 10 PL games, so the evidence is there for all to see.

People seem to forget how bad we have played in the previous 2 or 3 seasons. I am really enjoying the way Ange is getting us to play and I accept that it is high risk at times, but I can see that he has a clear plan, which I think will be successful.

"Successful" does not mean he's going to win the PL (or anything else) in his first season. But it does mean the laying of solid foundations and solid progress.

When you consider the absences that we've had to endure due to injuries, suspensions and players away at international tournaments, it's remarkable that we are where we are. The likes of Maddison, Bents, Biss are still finding their feet after being out of the first team for so long and I'm sure that their from will return for the run-in and we will the force that we were in the opening 10 games

comment by Gezza-Spurs (U18952)
posted 3 minutes ago
To be honest I think the title of this article is a bit silly.


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It’s just a conversation starter, I didn’t say I agreed with him.

I think the oppo definitely know going into the game they don't have to be all that brave to get chances.

Ange is not going to change his style. He’s proved that time and again. So it’s down to levy. Will he buy the required players to make it work or will he sack another manager when that manager can’t get a song out of whatever cheap bargain levy brings in?

Arsenal dropped £100 mill on a single player to back the manager.

I think spurs will have to do something similar eventually to replace Kane.

Will levy do it? Probs not. My prediction is Ange will be gone before the end of next season. Not because I want him gone but because I just don’t think he will be bought the players to make it work.

The only problem with Ace is that he leaves little more to say. It's bang on. Personally, I will take the high of a last-minute goal against Brighton with the heartbreak of a last-minute goal by Everton over 2 solid draws. For entertainment alone as well as it being worth more points.

comment by Mack (U6574)
posted 41 minutes ago
Ange is not going to change his style. He’s proved that time and again. So it’s down to levy. Will he buy the required players to make it work or will he sack another manager when that manager can’t get a song out of whatever cheap bargain levy brings in?

Arsenal dropped £100 mill on a single player to back the manager.

I think spurs will have to do something similar eventually to replace Kane.

Will levy do it? Probs not. My prediction is Ange will be gone before the end of next season. Not because I want him gone but because I just don’t think he will be bought the players to make it work.
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Who is to know. Ange maybe wanted Dragusin. Also maybe wanted this kid Bergvall. We have spent money recently. It’s all about everyone associated with the club getting behind him win, lose or draw. Once he has the full club behind and the players understanding the system more, we can hopefully continue to push on.

comment by BelfastSpur (U15068)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Mack (U6574)
posted 41 minutes ago
Ange is not going to change his style. He’s proved that time and again. So it’s down to levy. Will he buy the required players to make it work or will he sack another manager when that manager can’t get a song out of whatever cheap bargain levy brings in?

Arsenal dropped £100 mill on a single player to back the manager.

I think spurs will have to do something similar eventually to replace Kane.

Will levy do it? Probs not. My prediction is Ange will be gone before the end of next season. Not because I want him gone but because I just don’t think he will be bought the players to make it work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who is to know. Ange maybe wanted Dragusin. Also maybe wanted this kid Bergvall. We have spent money recently. It’s all about everyone associated with the club getting behind him win, lose or draw. Once he has the full club behind and the players understanding the system more, we can hopefully continue to push on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The only problem with that is that it's a hell of a lot easier to get players onside and invested in your ideas when you're winning, which was the case early on in the season. If we start to really slip then a lack of belief begins to set in. Plus all of those players on the fringes will wonder where their game time will be given the chosen eleven aren't doing the business. You can't think completely long term because if things aren't addressed in the short term, long term doesn't exist. There does come a point where the club needs to meet him halfway and buy big in order to fast-track the success he seeks. It's all very well using Arsenal's model and say that loyalty and perseverance are the key but let's be real, the £400m spent didn't hurt either. It's not as simple as hoovering up all the young talent cheaply. You need experience around them to develop properly. At some point Levy will have to play ball. Ange's results up until recently have shielded Levy a bit but we've started to lose a few and then suddenly the Levy Out brigade are gathering momentum again. If he doesn't truly back Ange with a couple of truly big names - and I mean achievable players like Neto, then he really doesn't stand a chance, just as Poch didn't.

Ange is playing City football with Tottenham players. THAT's the problem. Until that's addressed, we can't expect any more.

comment by fridgeboy (U1053)
posted 1 hour, 13 minutes ago
comment by BelfastSpur (U15068)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Mack (U6574)
posted 41 minutes ago
Ange is not going to change his style. He’s proved that time and again. So it’s down to levy. Will he buy the required players to make it work or will he sack another manager when that manager can’t get a song out of whatever cheap bargain levy brings in?

Arsenal dropped £100 mill on a single player to back the manager.

I think spurs will have to do something similar eventually to replace Kane.

Will levy do it? Probs not. My prediction is Ange will be gone before the end of next season. Not because I want him gone but because I just don’t think he will be bought the players to make it work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Who is to know. Ange maybe wanted Dragusin. Also maybe wanted this kid Bergvall. We have spent money recently. It’s all about everyone associated with the club getting behind him win, lose or draw. Once he has the full club behind and the players understanding the system more, we can hopefully continue to push on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The only problem with that is that it's a hell of a lot easier to get players onside and invested in your ideas when you're winning, which was the case early on in the season. If we start to really slip then a lack of belief begins to set in. Plus all of those players on the fringes will wonder where their game time will be given the chosen eleven aren't doing the business. You can't think completely long term because if things aren't addressed in the short term, long term doesn't exist. There does come a point where the club needs to meet him halfway and buy big in order to fast-track the success he seeks. It's all very well using Arsenal's model and say that loyalty and perseverance are the key but let's be real, the £400m spent didn't hurt either. It's not as simple as hoovering up all the young talent cheaply. You need experience around them to develop properly. At some point Levy will have to play ball. Ange's results up until recently have shielded Levy a bit but we've started to lose a few and then suddenly the Levy Out brigade are gathering momentum again. If he doesn't truly back Ange with a couple of truly big names - and I mean achievable players like Neto, then he really doesn't stand a chance, just as Poch didn't.

Ange is playing City football with Tottenham players. THAT's the problem. Until that's addressed, we can't expect any more.
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I’d agree with that. I’d love Neto at spurs. Exactly the type of player we should be going for. Reckon he would be 60 mill plus though…

To much is being made of Saturdays bad result , we've lost 4 games in our last 14 ffs , hardly a crisis . Let's just call Saturday hat it was a bad day at the office and move on to the next game .

Our biggest problem is converting chances, we need to improve on that significantly. Hopefully Son will start scoring soon and also our midfield needs to regain their composure and assured play.
Confidence throughout the team will then surge and then it will mean clubs we play will be more on the back foot.
I am still relatively happy with the team, it’s just a question of them regaining their early performances and be more consistent.

Those whinging about Ange not having a Plan B should wind their necks and I will only judge him this time next year regarding how successful he has been.

There's still a way to go, but I'd say that where Spurs seem to be settling now in the table, either side of the CL cutoff point, would have been seen in advance as a more than acceptable return on Ange's first season.

Putting aside the accountant-like job of appraising everything in terms of points and wins, you shouldn't forget your recent past too quickly. Nuno, José, Conte? Give me Angeball any and every day of the week. I'd rather finish mid-table and win nothing whilst at least trying to play an entertaining brand of football, than still win nothing whilst wanting to gouge my eyes out with a hot poker every week.

Some of the `Levy Out Brigade` have never lost any momentum, even in the face of a decent start to the season, we have all seen this movie before.

Some of us will be Levy out until he is gone, or at least until he turns us into regular trophy winners, which is what we all deserve after 23 years of winning one poxy League Cup.

All that matters is winning football and the picking up of silverware, I don`t care about go karting, NFL, concerts or Levy`s cheese room.

comment by GeniusGreaves (U1302)
posted 2 hours, 20 minutes ago
Our biggest problem is converting chances
….
Spurs are statistically the most clinical side in the league this season. Man Utd are 18th best.

Spurs also were the most clinical side last season.

Man Utd were 19th most clinical last season.