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Why are first halves such a problem for us?

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posted on 12/5/24

Cos you're shiiit.

comment by Mack (U6574)

posted on 12/5/24

For me, Ange isn’t being brave enough with his team selection and is getting it wrong, meaning he has to make changes later on that make us look better.

posted on 12/5/24

Your just very easy to play against there are so many spaces to exploit that's before even discussing corners and free kicks. With the calibre of opposition in the Premier League most teams can hurt you, teams are doing the damage in the first half then sitting off. Against the smaller teams you can get away with it but not against the better sides.

For your manager to say we are just going to play this very open style of football irrespective of the opposition I find very arrogant almost reminds me of an aging Wenger. This ain't the SPL or the J league. Maybe he will realise in the summer he has to adapt otherwise he will be out of a job before the end of next season.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Mack (U6574)
posted 6 minutes ago
For me, Ange isn’t being brave enough with his team selection and is getting it wrong, meaning he has to make changes later on that make us look better.


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The team selection often looks ok to me, like I look at it and think Ange has gone with the best possible team. And then we play like we do.

Our first half performances are very predictable. We might start well for the first 5-10 mins or so, maybe even get an early goal if we're lucky, we dominate possession and then slowly but surely the opposition starts cutting through us with really good chances until they convert one and we're behind and playing catch up.

I guess the sense of urgency in the second halves when we're behind or not playing well takes over anyway.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Admiral Ozil is my new favourite Star Wars character (U10178)
posted 4 minutes ago
Your just very easy to play against there are so many spaces to exploit that's before even discussing corners and free kicks. With the calibre of opposition in the Premier League most teams can hurt you, teams are doing the damage in the first half then sitting off. Against the smaller teams you can get away with it but not against the better sides.

For your manager to say we are just going to play this very open style of football irrespective of the opposition I find very arrogant almost reminds me of an aging Wenger. This ain't the SPL or the J league. Maybe he will realise in the summer he has to adapt otherwise he will be out of a job before the end of next season.
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Yes we don't do ourselves any favours with how we play. The high line football is one thing and then you have the front players and midfield not at it and not able to create or take advantage of our possession. Then we're left being countered by teams that probably have already trained for this all week knowing Spurs are coming up and what they're like.

posted on 12/5/24

Good article Spurtle, I have no idea why but I can't remember the last time we played the same midfield in consecutive games. Or even the same eleven for that matter. It might have something to do with it?

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Luka Brasi (U22178)
posted 1 minute ago
Good article Spurtle, I have no idea why but I can't remember the last time we played the same midfield in consecutive games. Or even the same eleven for that matter. It might have something to do with it?

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I feel like he keeps changing the personnel based on the previous games performances, unless due to unavailability. One game Bentancur doesn't play so well then Sarr is put in or Bissouma, and likewise for them if they don't play well. More so than Ange just rotating to give players a chance.

I want to give the man time but my outlook for next season isn't so great at the moment. I hope it's a case of just needing to improve the players rather than managerial deficiencies cause he's not going to change his style.

posted on 12/5/24

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 39 minutes ago
Cos you're shiiit.
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Complains about the forum and then posts stuff like this.

posted on 12/5/24

Tactical stubbornness more than anything. Ange seems like the sort of person who sticks to his beliefs no matter what.

e.g. A lot Spurs fans have been calling for VDV to play at left back for a few weeks. But he chose Royal even though everyone knows he is crap, then went to Skipp. VDV plays a few mins as left back vs Burnley and kills it.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by HenryKamp (U21315)
posted 5 minutes ago
Tactical stubbornness more than anything. Ange seems like the sort of person who sticks to his beliefs no matter what.

e.g. A lot Spurs fans have been calling for VDV to play at left back for a few weeks. But he chose Royal even though everyone knows he is crap, then went to Skipp. VDV plays a few mins as left back vs Burnley and kills it.
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Hell just play VDV up front for the rest of the season. I saw more conviction in the play for his goal than from any of our other forwards for a while.

posted on 12/5/24

Ange on Micky playing left back which is fair.

'Yeah, but at the same time I've been mindful with Micky that he's had a couple of injuries and the demands of playing left-back are a lot different to playing centre-back. I just have to be careful - what's more important is what we're trying to build here, and I was reluctant to put him out there for that reason alone. It's been quite a disrupted season and playing full-back as opposed to playing centre-back is a lot different from a physical perspective. But yeah I thought for the last bit of the game it made sense, Skippy was only ever going to be able to play for more than about 60 minutes, he hasn't played for ages. And Radu coming on I thought was very good when he came on as well, so it helped us get over the line and Micky's goal was outstanding.'

posted on 12/5/24

generally I think we've probably been a bit unlucky to go behind as often as we have done - I think it's only 2/18 games in 2024 we've gone in at half time ahead. Obviously there have been some stinking first halves in there but I doubt it you play those 18 games a hundred times over that's the most common outcome, feels like a lot of sides are scoring from their first big chance against us like we used to do under Jose. Reason for that is probably Vicario not being able to maintain his unbelievable 2023 form.

so I think it's a variety of reasons really because a lot of those games have played out in different ways - some games we come out well and then get sucked punched, others we are just off it from minute one. I think the reality is that we're just not a good enough side yet to play well across 90 minutes.

id say the biggest problem is how uncreative we are in first halves, it feels like every week we're going into half time only having had 2 or 3 shots. Ange has mentioned several times how he's overall been happy with certain first half performances but felt that things were breaking down in the final third.

posted on 12/5/24

I've been pretty disappointed with Ange's team selection recently, it's felt a bit like he's scrambling. Bentancur as a 10 last week, Deki on the left yesterday? I understand feeling like you have to mix it up but I think you should probably prioritise having 11 players playing in their natural position. it was night and day when Scarlett came on up front rather than Son who seems allergic to entering the box, suddenly there was some good movement and space for the midfielders to work with.

Deki on the left was hilarious I can't believe some people have been suggesting it - he would receive it from Skipp against the touchline, realise that he can't turn to get it onto his left without going out for a throw in, start running back towards skipp, realises that he has nowhere to go because he can't use his right to pass inside, and then fall over

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 13 minutes ago
generally I think we've probably been a bit unlucky to go behind as often as we have done - I think it's only 2/18 games in 2024 we've gone in at half time ahead. Obviously there have been some stinking first halves in there but I doubt it you play those 18 games a hundred times over that's the most common outcome, feels like a lot of sides are scoring from their first big chance against us like we used to do under Jose. Reason for that is probably Vicario not being able to maintain his unbelievable 2023 form.

so I think it's a variety of reasons really because a lot of those games have played out in different ways - some games we come out well and then get sucked punched, others we are just off it from minute one. I think the reality is that we're just not a good enough side yet to play well across 90 minutes.

id say the biggest problem is how uncreative we are in first halves, it feels like every week we're going into half time only having had 2 or 3 shots. Ange has mentioned several times how he's overall been happy with certain first half performances but felt that things were breaking down in the final third.
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The opposition always seem to have the better chances against us so I don't know about luck. Burnley had the best chance of the game before they scored with that header from close range. We are always letting these teams carve out great chances while we often struggle to do the same. It's been the common theme for the second half of the season.

As for Ange's team selections they have looked more experimental lately now that we are in more desperate times with our form. Obviously Kulu being played on the left didn't work. One of his worst games and the few times Ange has decided he's not going to give him the full 90. Kulu is better in the middle if you're going to move him.

posted on 12/5/24

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 12/5/24

sure but I think it's unlucky that we've been punished for that so much is more my point

like for example, let's say we conceded a penalty in the first 5 minutes of all 18 games. 75% of penalties are scored, so you would only expect us go behind in 13-14 of those game. So even though you would say that we're not unlucky to be behind in any of the games individually, because we've conceded the biggest chance in each of them, you're still unlucky to concede 18 penalties across all the games in a more macro sense

but ultimately we just have to be better, we're always going to be liable to giving away big chances but if that's the case then we can't struggle going forward like we have been. I do think it's largely a personnel problem, it's not like we're not attacking enough

a winger who can actually beat their fullback and a CF who can stay fit so we don't have to see son play up front anymore and we will be firing imo

posted on 12/5/24

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 12/5/24

god you've been so doom and gloom all season long, you'd think we were 11th the way you talk about us.

very happy with the manager and how the season has gone, hoping we kick on next year

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 39 minutes ago
Cos you're shiiit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Complains about the forum and then posts stuff like this.
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couldn't resist the old fool...Must be same age as Sandy was when he left the forum now

To be fair, that is about the best summary of why that OP is asking

We are utter garbage - that's it

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 7 minutes ago
god you've been so doom and gloom all season long, you'd think we were 11th the way you talk about us.

very happy with the manager and how the season has gone, hoping we kick on next year
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How can you be happy about how the season has gone?

We've lost 4th spot, we concede goals at will, and our performances are highly suspect with poor defending and lack of being able to create. There's a reason our defence had to come up with the goals yesterday. Burnley helped us massively yesterday being as bad as they are.

The way our season has gone shouldn't be anything other than disappointing I would have thought.

posted on 12/5/24

because I was expecting all those things at the start of the season because I don't have ridiculous expectations

I predicted 5th, we got 5th. I'm happy.

posted on 12/5/24

People have to realise that there are long term gains and that everything does not stay the same for ever.

Arsenal fans wanted Arteta out for 18 months but their negative defensive football was laying the ground work while also evolving the squad. Now look at them. Klopp and Poch were more like Ange, focussing first on the fitness, pressing the approach, control and built from there.

Making judgements now on formations and players and selection and performances, as if that this is how it will be ad infinitum, is to jump the gun. We're a work in progress, it needs refining and that takes some.time and the right personnel

I don't believe we are any more open at the back than City or Liverpool, but we just don't stop the opposition transition well enough, and there are also individual error creeping in. Burnley goal was all about Skipp not being a LB, ball watching and reacting roo late to track his man.

As for second half performances I think many of yoj have answered the question already. We face low blocks teams set up like this and look to expose us on the break...but 60-70% possession takes its toll, some fresh legs too and often we come on stronger and finish stronger. It's not necessarily a flaw, it's almost inevitable that we will struggle at this stage in our development, as we face new challenges in response to opposition knowing us better. Opposition teams will be energetic in their press and defence for the first hour or so, but most do drop off and it opens up

City do much the same. They get stronger in games although also have the quality to perform at all times.

comment by Spurtle (U1608)

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 1 minute ago
because I was expecting all those things at the start of the season because I don't have ridiculous expectations

I predicted 5th, we got 5th. I'm happy.
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That's fine if you look at it simply just on where we're finished in the table compared to your expectations at the start. While my expectations were a little different at the start, they changed somewhat with how our form went after the first 10 games.

It doesn't take into account the performances either which have not been good. Did you not expect us for example, to be closer to the team Ange wants us to be, after a season of being here? Cause we do not look any closer and have gone backwards in terms of performance levels.

posted on 12/5/24

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 6 seconds ago
comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 1 minute ago
because I was expecting all those things at the start of the season because I don't have ridiculous expectations

I predicted 5th, we got 5th. I'm happy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That's fine if you look at it simply just on where we're finished in the table compared to your expectations at the start. While my expectations were a little different at the start, they changed somewhat with how our form went after the first 10 games.

It doesn't take into account the performances either which have not been good. Did you not expect us for example, to be closer to the team Ange wants us to be, after a season of being here? Cause we do not look any closer and have gone backwards in terms of performance levels.
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Isn't it harsh to change expectations based on over-performance? Imagine at work you got your year KPIs, smashed them and then was told that the targets were changed to match your early performance.

If instead of the 10 match run at the start, the results were more evenly spread would that make the season better?

posted on 12/5/24

I don't believe we are any more open at the back than City or Liverpool, but we just don't stop the opposition transition well enough, and there are also individual error creeping in. Burnley goal was all about Skipp not being a LB, ball watching and reacting roo late to track his man.
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Rewatch the goal. Skipp is partially to blame but their player rode three flakey tackles leading up to it. Soft centre Spurs.

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