a point but…
In another uninspiring performance Spurs came away from their Champions League game in Monaco with a lucky point thanks to Guglielmo Vicario.
Yeah, it was another nothing game with no real attack, Spurs needed their Italian goalkeeper to be at his best, in making 8 saves, to maintain Spurs’ unbeaten Champions League record.
Vicario had come in for some stick this season, for a few flappy performances but here he was pulling out save after save. Some from distance, some from point blank. Meanwhile the Monaco keeper, was pretty much unemployed.
Most English teams haven’t left the Principality with much over the last few years, so a point is nothing to be sniffed at but the performance was so bad. It starts with the starting XI, changes were made but some things stayed the same. Nice to see Archie Gray get a run out, back at left back again with Udogie missing again, and Bergvall back in the starting lineup.
But there’s that midfield… “double pivot”… of sideways.
The problems start with the complete lack of link up play between the back lot and the front lot. What we had was Spurs fannying about at the back, which caused so many of their players dropping deep, that when the panic set in and the ball was hoofed up the pitch there either wasn’t any Spurs player there. Or there was the front three, with a massive gap between them and the midfield – it looked like a 7-0-3 formation, and a gap between the front three, with Kudus and Odobert staying wide, that Richy either nodded it down to nobody or if he managed to take the ball, he was crowded out and lost it. And when they did get in good positions there just wasn’t enough players in and around the opposition box to do anything.
Though even when players were there the delivery was worse than useless. Porro had a particularly awful night with his crosses. Kudus was in his dithering, I’ve beat him once, I’ve got to turn and beat him again, then turn and beat him again, then turn and beat him aga… of I’ve lost the ball, mode. Odobert was Odobert. Which he has been every time, yet Frank keeps picking him.
Glenn Hoddle was of the opinion that Bergvall should be covering all the areas. He should have been dropping in to help in midfield defence, while also being in the box to help there.
Frank sees this not working and decided to keep going with it after the break and when he made changes they were again head-scratchers. Bentancur coming off, yeah right, but Bergvall coming off. Why? Remember when Sarr and Bergvall were looking like the future? It was fun times.
Odobert had to be removed but not for Johnson. Then when Richy was taken off for Muani, he was not happy and you can’t blame him. No service all night, he should have been left on, moved to the left with Muani’s introduction.
But then Spurs could have gone back three to start with and match up with Monaco – remember how well it worked against PSG. But with Romero injured there’s no one left to fill a third spots really. With Romero and van de Ven being injury prone over the last two seasons, you’d think it was a priority to have cover for both, not just the one with Danso. Of course Vuskovic finally joined the club but was immediately sent out on loan.
So we end up with a nothing performance with no real attack and Vicario having to save the day… on numerous occasions. Frank is happy with the point but the performances are showing a disturbing trend. A trend he has to turn around. Maybe that formation from PSG… maybe the energy and pressing from that PSG game, maybe not picking the players that aren’t working. Maybe… and this is the most important… stop them fannying about in possession, whether at the back or when they have the ball… if you’ve beaten your defender you don’t have to try and prove yourself by turning back into him to try and do it again…