much.
Spurs indulged in a bit too much touching to draw with lowly Southampton that put a dampener on a very damp afternoon.
A lifeless display by Spurs in what really should have been a three pointer was summed up by the fact that Sissoko played the full 90 minutes, while Wanyama sat on the bench for 85 of them.
If Lamela and Wayama are fit enough for the bench their fit enough to play ahead of Sissoko and the way Spurs played it looked like with his selection of the Frenchman in the starting XI he gave the players to option to not bother, I mean if Poch isn’t going to with that choice, then why should they?
The only life we saw from them came in the few minutes after Southampton scored the opener and Harry Kane’s equaliser and then the last five minutes, plus added time, when Wanyama gave them some go forward.
I know you look at this game, what with Southampton on a double figure run of games without a victory and think you don’t really need both Dier and Wanyama in the middle, nah, not two holding, defensive players, against this lot. But Victor being an ex-Southampton player might just be up for this one and well, he’s been up for the others and added something when he’s come on. Even if you don’t start him, waiting so long when it’s obviously not working and lifeless out there is a major failing on Pochettino’s part.
Remember the days when Poch waited until bang on the 60th minute to make a change… the good old days. There was 70 minutes on the clock when Lamela finally came on, too boos of the choice of replacing Son. Now Son hadn’t been in the game, especially not compared to recent games, he’d been poor when on the ball but Son can get you something from nothing, Sissoko can get you less than nothing from something.
Pochettino and his backroom staff seem the only ones oblivious to the fact that if anyone needed to come off it was the ex Newcastle player.
His inept passing, inept runs that lead to nothing, his inept attempt on goal when, yes the ball came quickly to him in the box, but he’d watched it all the way, knew what was happening and still missed by miles.
Facts need to be face, Sissoko won’t be sold this January, nobody wants him, especially not at the stupid price tag Spurs paid for him, or anywhere close, so stop putting him in the shop window, it’s not going to work as every minute on the pitch gives you another piece of the lowlight reel to put off anyone stupid enough to consider a bid.
His best moment on the field was for Southampton’s goal. Leaving Aurier isolated on the right, as he did all game, as Southampton attacked that wing he meandered over, halfheartedly, pointed to someone or something, did noting then raised his arms as Sanchez inadvertently put the ball in his own net.
I mean, it’s not as if he’s even really the team player Poch likes. Poch can blame the pitch, it wasn’t great, but the pitch didn’t make him pick Sissoko once Eriksen went down with the lurgy.
Sanchez wasn’t at fault for the goal, he had to do something, it just went wrong, by millimetres really, as the ball hit the inside of the post to spin in. Kane’s equaliser, his 99th goal in the league, was a cracker but at the same time highlighted mistakes previously and after. Why the long corner. Kane’s goal came from the first corner that was played into the middle of the goal area, without too much height. Kane powered in the header, wanting it more than anyone. Before and after the corners were loopers way beyond the back post, why?
You did expect Kane to score the winner with that last shot of his, he does it so often from such positions it’s a shock when he misses.
But on a day when everyone else was missing why not Harry as well. Far too many touches were taken throughout the match, too much dithering, losing the ball far too easily and giving it away with abandon. A poor, poor performance.