..season so far.
Another disappointing draw for Spurs, saw them drop to fifth in the league when they could have been top but amazingly are just one point away from there.
For the second week running Spurs blew the chance to take advantage of the slip ups of others, Man Citeh mainly, as they struggled away against Bournemouth, in a pretty woeful display.
Eddie Howe set his team up to do a number on Spurs while Pochettino set his up to fall into Howe’s trap. Expecting the nice passing game Poch got a taste of his own medicine with the heavy press.
Spurs were knocked off their stride and with the team Poch put out they couldn’t keep hold of the ball, especially in the Bournemouth half. It just kept coming straight back.
It was screaming out for Janssen, someone with a bit of strength to hold the ball while others made the runs off him. It was desperately needed at half time, a change, but Pochettino was playing it by the numbers. He doesn’t do half time changes, there’s been one this season. If it’s not an injury sub it’s rare for it to come before the hour. One on 60, one on 70 and the third either on 80 or the dying seconds. By the numbers.
And that’s when the change came, on the hour. Now there was a number of candidates to take off. The front lot had been pretty woeful throughout. But Lamela had a yellow hanging over him with what looked like a final warning from the ref. That was before the first half finished. It worked out for Poch in that the second yellow didn’t come but that was more luck than judgement.
It was Son that exited, as said it could have been any of them in front of Dembele and Wanyama. Eriksen was non-existent again. Yet another disappearing act from the Dane. Alli was all tricks and losing possession, while Son ran and lost possession.
Lamela was much the same, he did hit the join of the crossbar and post in the first half with a shot that had Boruc standing watching. So any could have gone but it was still a head scratcher that it was Son. Again another strange change when Sissoko replaced Alli. The former lucky he didn’t get a red card for an elbow. Probably helped by the Bournemouth player one minute being poleaxed the next up and running about moaning. Though he’s now been charged.
And yet again it was down to Hugo to save the day. With a lack of goals being scored Lloris is becoming even more important to keep this unbeaten league run going.
Yes somehow still unbeaten, somehow still just a point off the league leaders. Yet with nearly half the goals scored as those four above Spurs in the league. Take out the only real decent performance so far, against Citeh and the drubbing of Stoke – that doesn’t really count as everyone was doing them at the time – oh and the EFL game, Spurs have only scored more than once in one game. The 2-1 against Middlesbrough.
Without Hugo’s saves, Wanyama’s covering, Toby and Jan, things could have been a lot worse. Without Toby in this game again Vertonghen stood up. He’s looked a lot better recently, more interested and more on the ball but then he picked up a yellow card and is now just one away from a match suspension.
After the Citeh result you thought they’d kick on but it’s four points dropped since then to well “lesser” teams and is that the problem. The team lift themselves for the “big games” but can’t be arsed to do it properly against the “little teams”.
Poch seemed to be blaming tiredness, well they’re just a few games in and if they’re knackered now there’s no hope for them. Thinking he needs a closer look at himself, lack of a plan B and his reluctance to make changes to change the game instead of just putting someone on when the hour comes up.
Yes the players were poor but I’m lumping a lot of this on Poch, he’s got to turn it around, can’t just hang onto Harry will be back soon.
Another thing Poch was wearing the tracksuit, he needs to get that raincoat on again, things only get sexy when he’s rocking the AVB coat…