1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

Discussion in 'Tottenham Hotspur' started by PleaseNotPoll, Mar 13, 2021.

  1. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    I have no ostensible proof as to whether the way that we played yesterday was a decision made by Mourinho or the players completely disregarding his instructions and trying to shut up shop, when having been told to take the game to them. Of course, Mourinho would have us all believe that it's someone else's fault but personally, I doubt that and it's strange that it keeps on happening against anyone who isn't in the bottom half of the table. Is there anyone who actually believes a single word that this bloke says?

    However, the one thing that I'm pretty sure about, is that it really doesn't matter, either.

    If the players are ignoring his instructions to that level, then he's done.

    If he picked those players and chose to play that low block **** against that Arsenal team, then he's done.

    After the game, he called out our better players for hiding. I'm not sure what good that was meant to achieve, when he's flogged them to death and it can only be a matter of time before Kane pulls up lame again and we waste 2 or 3 of the best attacking players in the world.

    He's done and this ridiculous episode needs to end as soon as possible. However, Levy's going to give him enough rope to hang all of us...and he should have football decisions removed from him for that.

    P.s. Operation went fine...but I've got to spend the next 10 days with my arm up in the air...like I'm constantly asking for permission to go to the toilet.
     
    #321
  2. Left on the Shelf

    Left on the Shelf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2019
    Messages:
    7,733
    Likes Received:
    9,135
    Wouldn't disagree with most of that, although identifying the worst of the bunch yesterday is a tough call. One of 4 or 5 equally awful.

    As for Kanes challenge? Late, deliberate and a definite card. Yellow rather than red under the rules.
     
    #322
    gooner4ever likes this.
  3. Dier Hard

    Dier Hard G'day mate!

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2011
    Messages:
    36,290
    Likes Received:
    41,577
    His downturn in form over the last two or so months has been worrying. I think it's definitely down to fatigue but maybe the new signing momentum has also worn off and perhaps he's just not as good as we initially thought he was after his first few months? We'll probably need another season to really assess, as well as better management of him but right now he's gone from being a potential signing of the season contender to slowly but surely becoming just another in the line of poor additions we've made in recent years.

    He's played every minute in the league, unnecessarily brought on or used in multiple Europa games, played 120 minutes against Everton either side of two league games and so I definitely think that he's likely running on empty, just as Son was (and Kane is). However, his inability to tackle of late and his erratic positioning can't just be down to fatigue in my opinion, he's currently looking like the Danish Winks which for me especially, is probably my worst nightmare.

    Thankfully we'll have Skipp next season, who I now believe goes straight into our XI, whether that be alongside or even for Hojbjerg and so with having two options like that, we may see Hojbjerg used more effectively and not ran into the ground which in turn hopefully gives us more of his form from the first three or so months of this season and not the most recent two or so months.
     
    #323
  4. Dier Hard

    Dier Hard G'day mate!

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2011
    Messages:
    36,290
    Likes Received:
    41,577
    Someone's gonna have trouble wa....walking, walking.

    Good to see it went well though, mate <ok>
     
    #324
  5. Dier Hard

    Dier Hard G'day mate!

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2011
    Messages:
    36,290
    Likes Received:
    41,577
    Not quite hard enough, could've done with a bit more force to let him really know he was there.
     
    #325
  6. Left on the Shelf

    Left on the Shelf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 6, 2019
    Messages:
    7,733
    Likes Received:
    9,135
    Great news, Bri!
    At least changing light bulbs will be easier!
     
    #326
  7. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    Where there's a will(y), there's a way.

     
    #327
    The Changing Man and Dier Hard like this.
  8. littleDinosaurLuke

    littleDinosaurLuke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2011
    Messages:
    23,981
    Likes Received:
    26,051
    Football used to allow contact because it is a contact sport.

    Now contact has been outlawed in so many situations.

    Technology has allowed the slightly mistimed tackle to be punished when it wouldn’t have been in the past. A 50/50 ball, the defender makes contact with the opponent a fraction before getting the ball and he is penalised.

    As you say, the game is played at speed. What are the odds on a 50/50 tackle being clean? No better than 50/50. So these issues arise time and time again. Slo-mo replays don’t help because they create a false impression that the defender has time.

    The same kind of problems apply to handball and marginal offside decisions.

    So many games are being decided to some greater or lesser degree by how officials interpret these margins and that is always going to be unsatisfactory.
     
    #328
    PowerSpurs likes this.
  9. bigsmithy9

    bigsmithy9 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2011
    Messages:
    10,127
    Likes Received:
    3,323
    Can you imagine Chopper Harris,Nobby Stiles and Tommy Smith (to mention just three) playing today????
     
    #329
  10. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    Those who make the rules and apply them have lost track of what the laws of the game are for. They're there to stop cheating and dangerous play. If they're not applied to give effect to those principles, the meaning is lost and decision making has no proper basis...and there's your problem.

    We're getting the wrong results because those in charge of making and applying the rules, are asking the wrong questions.
     
    #330
    The Changing Man likes this.

  11. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    No, but I played 5-a-side against 'Chopper' back in the mid-80's. .
     
    #331
  12. O.Spurcat

    O.Spurcat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2012
    Messages:
    7,372
    Likes Received:
    4,069
    I saw Chopper Harris on the beach at Swanage a few years ago. He’s an ugly man.
     
    #332
  13. bigsmithy9

    bigsmithy9 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2011
    Messages:
    10,127
    Likes Received:
    3,323
    ....and you lived to tell about it,Brian. Your my new hero!!!!!!?
     
    #333
  14. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    Thanks, Smithy...and I can report that we won...that match and the league, that year.

    To be fair, I was 23 or so and very fit then...and he would have been nearly 20 years older and suffering the effects of being a pro for most of his adult life, so catching me would have been the issue. I can't say I wasn't a bit worried before kick off, though.
     
    #334
  15. Alfie Conn

    Alfie Conn Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2011
    Messages:
    8,626
    Likes Received:
    11,627
    P.s. Operation went fine...but I've got to spend the next 10 days with my arm up in the air...like I'm constantly asking for permission to go to the toilet.[/QUOTE]
    Glad to hear the op went well, hope you were discharged with a big bottle of pills from the "locked cabinet "
     
    #335
  16. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2015
    Messages:
    16,659
    Likes Received:
    22,037
    I got some...but no Tramadol. That's the real ****.
     
    #336
  17. Alfie Conn

    Alfie Conn Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2011
    Messages:
    8,626
    Likes Received:
    11,627
    My mates son played against a young lad who was on Watfords books at the time , Warroll Sterling , this was an under 13 5 aside tournament , Sterling was about 5"5' with a full beard , don't think he grew much taller but he had a kick like a mule , he shot at goal and luckily my mates son who was in goal never got near it as it hit the bar and nearly flipped the goal over backwards
     
    #337
    The Changing Man likes this.
  18. Lovearsenalcock

    Lovearsenalcock Homeboy
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2011
    Messages:
    72,219
    Likes Received:
    84,795
    Yup...what a bummer that I won’t watch that goal again
     
    #338
  19. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    23,176
    Likes Received:
    13,470
    In Hojbjerg's defence I think poor decision making is a classic manifestation of tiredness and his game is all about positioning. His passing which was a feature of his game when he first joined us has also gone to pot. He just needs a rest and it's another poor decision from Jose who has taken advantage of his willingness to play every minute to the point of exhaustion.
     
    #339
  20. gooner4ever

    gooner4ever once a Gooner always a Gooner
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2013
    Messages:
    11,597
    Likes Received:
    6,922
    Bale was poor as I was expecting so much more from him but he didn’t seem to be up for the game, nor did many others tbf.
    I wasn’t saying Red for Kane but defo a yellow and he needs to stop stupid fouls like this and the one where he waits for a player to jump and then makes contact coz besides being very dangerous, I think come the Euros I can see a sending off.
     
    #340
    Left on the Shelf likes this.

Share This Page