Spurs v Everton. 30th Nov @ 16.00.

[applecrumble]

This game pretty much killed any chance we had of a top 4 imo - we are done

 

[TyphooToffee]

Bullied out of a game by ponces with weird tin tin haircuts. A bad day.

I can't remember feeling so disappointed after watching a game, possibly because I was so confident even before Kev's goal.

And why no blue kit? Black Sunday indeed.

We are lucky to have Hull, at home, at night. Hopefully that will prove to be wholely a Trinity that will inject some much-needed joy back into our blue hearts.

 

[tim cahill]

This game pretty much killed any chance we had of a top 4 imo - we are done

lol
Drama queen! We're 5 points off 4th with 75 to play for. It's far from over.

 

[R.Reddington]

Can't believe we got beat there when Stoke won. Get Mark Hughes in.

 

[Robertor]

Does this now conclude that James McCarthy is our most important and perhaps best player? We don't play the same without him. I'd love to see him as our next captain, he's a leader on the pitch always talking and what I like the most is that he's become a proper nark aswell lately. Well in James lad.

 

[yelyah]

Was way more difficult to wake up this morning than it was Friday morning following the Wolfsburg game.

Even harder result to take following how we threw the game away. 2 criminal mistakes and they punished us both times. Gutted.

Hopefully McCarthy is back on Wednesday and we can see Barkley behind Lukaku with Eto'o as an impact sub instead of just getting him on the pitch and not looking like he has a job or a position to play.

 

[tim cahill]

Spurs looked up for it and they looked fitter
They played midweek as well as us so maybe its an age thing?

2 home games are easier than 2 away games though.

 

[Ambient]

This game pretty much killed any chance we had of a top 4 imo - we are done

As long as most of the other teams are not playing that great either I think we still have a good shot for top 4.
But EL is propably our best way to CL

 

[Andy C]

You and I are on exactly the same page mate. The tactic/formation that seem to be being employed is called 'shoehorn' and entails putting all your name players on the pitch regardless of whether they are out of position. Roberto has tried it a couple of times...it does not work

This is completely agree with - we have to play with some width on the flanks, if Pienaar is fit he has to start. Then up top we choose 2 of Barkley, Eto'o and Lukaku. I would have actually given Atsu a go yesterday instead of McGeady (the most effective player ever at being ineffective).
The truth is the Premier League is full of average teams who all have a player or 2 that can produce a moment to turn a game, aside from City and Chelsea. The trick is putting those players in positions to be able to affect the outcome, and overloading the centre of park with Eto'o, Rom, Ross and even Kev coming inside - isn't allowing those players the space to be able to do anything with the ball when they receive it.
Spurs were just defending the centre and allowing us to play sideways in front of them, as they knew we had little width - so many times the ball would go to the front players, only to be crowded out by 2-3 white shirts. Yes, we could have moved it better and quicker - but for me football is all about creating and denying space.
Bobby has to figure out how to do a better job of this when teams press and make the game compact

 

[Billy Dean]

I was pretty happy pre-game with out starting XI but I think we looked much more coherent when mcgeady and osman came on and Barkley went through the middle. Much better balance. Hope we stick with something similar in mid week. Encouraging that Mirallas and Pienaar are coming back to fitness so we should be able to get through Xmas with our full strength front 4.

Thought Spurs did us tactically. Crowded us out through the middle knowing that we didn't have much width.

 

[marty mcfly]

Someone in the CBS coverage here in the states said they thought Kane intentionally hooked his foot around Besic looking for the pen. Don't know about it being intentional, but Kane is every bit the snide that Besic is and maybe more. The only call from that game I'm still curious about is Kane appearing to come from behind Barry at the end of the first half. US broadcast and pundits didn't break down either why that tackle was clean or why it should have been a foul. Would like to be educated about that.

The one against Barry came from behind and to the side but it was totally clean. Barry just dodled on the ball and didn't look up to the pace of the game at all.

It happens with coming back from injury. Tbh Howard, Barry and Eto'o IMO opinion was why we lost.

My Dad commented on the fact we had so many old players and it was probably due to us being really slow both with and without the ball.

It's actually my biggest concern with Martinez. He keeps giving contracts to older players and one or two are fine but yesterday if you take Ross, Rom and Besic out of the team I would hate to know the average age of our team or even most of the likely substitutes. And it showed.

 

[marty mcfly]

This game pretty much killed any chance we had of a top 4 imo - we are done

I think it's too soon for that but I do think this game shows its unlikely and with all our rivals winning it will be hard to reign in Utd and Arsenal who especially Utd look like they are finding form.

For us it's just the same old [Poor language removed] and its not just that we're out of form. There's structural problems. We have too many player in some positions and not enough quality in others. To fix those problems will require a bit of ruthlessness and money plus by January it might be too late.

 

[marty mcfly]

Does this now conclude that James McCarthy is our most important and perhaps best player? We don't play the same without him. I'd love to see him as our next captain, he's a leader on the pitch always talking and what I like the most is that he's become a proper nark aswell lately. Well in James lad.

I agree but not for this game. Besic was one of our highest rated players. McCarthy wouldn't have made much of a difference because Barry had a 'mare.

 

[The Mighty Quint]

I just hope Martinez realised his mistakes yesterday, properly buddy up our flanks and the rest will take care of it's self.

Spurs had nothing to worry about down the wings all game, very easy day for them, never seen Coleman and Baines so inactive, passing it sideways, passing it back.

You put threats down the wings and the whole middle of the park opens up, space is created, then you have room for someone like Barkley to pick it up and run with it.

Pienaar/Baines, Mirallas/Coleman partnerships and Barkley in the centre they'd have been on the back foot all game, sort it out Bob, learn the lesson.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Howard rolls it out to Jagielka, who passes it to Baines out wide, who turns back and plays it to Distin's feet. Distin takes a touch, plays the simple pass to Jagielka, who plays it to Barry and gets the return ball and sprays it out wide to Coleman. He takes a look up, but no movement, so he plays it back to Jagielka, who plays the one-two with Distin before pumping it long. Throw in to the opposition and we're still losing, but this time there's even less time remaining to get ourselves back into the game.