Another one to forget
Credit to Brighton. They congested the f**k out of the game. Limp, slippy and uninspired football from us. No idea what to expect on Saturday now. There's no momentum going into the game. Either we lose 1-0 or win 4-0. Hard to know if their minds are on that game. I bloody well hope so after the past two performances.
Last night, my reaction to the result was part boredom and part disappointment. I'm still a little raw from it but again it's a measure of how far we've come and how far we've got to go. Considering the context of the league table (nothing is yet guaranteed) and the fact we do have a semi-final this weekend, you can almost accept why there's been a flux of form. What with the obvious anticipation eating away at the time before we kick off at Wembley.
Brighton away was a bit of a nothing game but still bread and butter towards consolidating Champions League. We'll have to wait a couple of more games to see it through. Ho hum. This feeling is a modern day Tottenham low ebb. I guess we're blessed.
I won't dive deep into analysis for the game. You've all already done that in the previous blog's comment section. No point preaching to the converted. However:
You know you're in for a dodgy day at the office when Christian Eriksen struggles to touch, control and pass.
Moussa Sissoko doesn't work. There's no point discussing this anymore.
I agree with Poch that we have the squad to rotate and deal with sides like this but I'd be interested to know whether he's just protecting the team rather than perhaps revealing the truth (which might be instructing them to 'take it a little easy out there'). I know that doesn't fit into the usual rhetoric of Spurs always playing to win, but I guess it's out of character so I'm naturally suspect. Of course, we might have just played poorly because it happens. We've had dips before. Let's not blame the book this time yeah.
Where Son should have started at home to City, I'm not sure Kane should have started away to Brighton. Doesn't look fully fit but seems more on it in the second half thanks to a slight change in occupied space when attacking. Regardless of the switch in positions, it was still more Gaza Strip then Gazza in a Spurs strip. There was a lack of instinctive confidence, not just from him.
We lacked acute, intelligent invention in and around the box. Yes, I know they had everyone back, as stated, congesting the pen box. Felt we were too slow sometimes, too much possession not enough smack it and see.
Nice to see Lucas start. Wasn't super effective but mostly because we weren't as a collective. Everyone was fairly wasteful in possession. It's fine having plenty of the ball but if you do nothing with it...
Oh Christ, I said I wouldn't dive too deep.
1-0 up was a great start to the second half. Hairdryer treatment perhaps? If so, it worked and my conspiracy theory that Spurs were taking it easy might be silly judging by the increased tempo. It didn't last long. It was immediately wiped out by a clumsy error from Serge. He has a habit of doing this. I won't scapegoat though. The result wasn't his fault, the blame can be shared by all. Maybe if Serge played more often? Walker was prone once upon a time. Still is, but he's just won a title.
I will say this, in the long term - these types of results are costly over the course of a season if in that season we're actually competing for the title. Obvious footnote there for you.
Toby was in the first eleven. His social media manager also tweeted/instagramed fairly quickly after the game too. Is it safe to say he'll now start all remaining games? I hope so. Not sure about Hugo v Vorm for the semi. It's unnerving that I find the choice unnerving.
Other than that, wtf was going on with the constant slipping over? Was it just us falling over all of the time? Stud malfunction? The only slips I want to see on Saturday is a diagonal slide of the ball splitting the defence and leading to a Spurs goal.
There's more I can talk about but you're in luck, I won't talk anymore. Too deep, said I wouldn't.
Spurs were slugglish. Hope Saturday ain't this rubbish.
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