My Take on the game

[SerbKnight]

Playing wise we did really well against a top 4 side. Had to ride the wave at the start of the game, but that's to be expected with a whole new team that we done. Our defence is shaky at best. Chambers was lucky we didn't go 2-0 down in the first 30 mins thanks to him. LML has been way better and more composed than him the first 2 games.

Fabri: Every time he goes for a high ball it looks to be a disaster. Missed that punch which landed at the feet of Ali who really should have scored. Same thing for the other high ball that he fumbled. The rest made saves that EVERY keep at this level should make. Lucas one was good due to the terrible touch by the player. 4/10

Chambers: very very shaky at the back with that misplaced pass. Defending isn't the greatest and should have done better with that Kane goal. Some of his clearance work need to really improve as he continually clears them into dangerous areas or not long enough. 5/10

Marchand: thought he was solid throughout the whole game and covered well for Bryan. Has good position and reads the play very well. Been quiet surprised by him. 7/10

Fosu-Mensah: Really like the look of this kid. Big and strong and has some pace also. First game and really liked what I saw. 6/10

Bryan: They were attacking down his side for the first half. Didn't get beat which was good and put in a decent shift. Needs to learn how to cross the ball better as he had a couple of opportunities to do. 6/10

Ak47: Though his injection of pace and the way he runs at defenders is the skill that we are lacking big time. Few passes at the start and throughout the game need to hit their mark but a positive display. Will only get better. 7/10

Sess: The assist was the only thing he had. Needs to run at defenders such as AK47 does. I think out of all our players he has looked out of his depth the most. I would actually start Schurrle instead of him and bring him in around the 65th min mark. Also needed to do better with that 1v1 he had. 6/10

Mitrovic: Started off looking rather lazy and flipping his arms around when things didn't go his way in the first half. Credit to him to change in the second and get that goal. Unlucky with that post as well. Didn't get any help from the ref that's for sure. 8/10

Joka: Needs to make some substitutions around the 65th min mark when Dembele came on. We looked run off our feet and concede 2 goals in 4 minutes. After that attacking spell we had at the start of the second half we should have bought in McDonald, Schurrle and Johanson to really give us that energy that we lacked. 5/10

Seri/Aguissa/Cairney: Them 3 will put teams to the sword one they got cohesion and game time together. Saw the potential when we can have possession and the way they moved was really good to see. Need them 3 to stay fit and healthy. Aguissa will be one he'll of a player. Has got great touch feet and awareness! 7/10

Anyways that's how I saw the game here from Australia. I'm not worried in the slightest yet about surviving until we play teams that finished 10th or lower and see how we go against them. I just think we will need to take our chances as they will be few and far between.

[VancouverWhite]

Mostly agree other then with your assessment of Bryan. I thought he more then held his own and was one of the best along with Marchand, Anguissa (first half), Mitro and Cairney in the second half. 

I thought Fabri had a better game then you think, but I agree with more then majority of your points.

Onwards and upwards!

[Robbie]

Agree with much of this. But Spurs did score three very good goals, the first two were unstoppable.

Sess worries me more than any.  Looks like he is lacking confidence and motivation.

[JoelH5]

I dont think he's lacking motivation but does look out his depth. As said above, I hope he comes on around the 65th. Shürrle looked good when he came on.

[MrD1879]

Agree with alot of what you said but AK yes he has pace and power buy lacks the quality needed for this league also he's incredibly poor at helping Bryan out time after time he should have gone out to Trippier and had no awareness.
If trippier could have beaten the first man on the two hundred times he got in to good positions we would have been embarrassed.

So many positives from yesterday thought for 20 mins in the second half we more then matched them play like that and we 'll be fine

[Fernhurst]

Baby steps in the big boys league.
All three Tottenham goals were superb and quite unstoppable.

Proud of the boys efforts especially around the time of the equaliser (counted 47 touches of the ball in the build up)
How can Slav stretch the period after halftime to the whole match. Firstly the whole squad needs to be much much fitter. Palace and Spurs have shown they can perform when it matters without blowing or trauma.

Ability and pretty passing are fine but being strong and solid is just as important. Our next opponents will also be super fit but like Palace we do have enough to beat them given greater cohesion and understanding. My worry is a poor result next time out will begin to affect confidence.

Our job... stay behind the lads don't leave early and COYW

[Vinnieffc]

Good analysis by the OP  and constructive replies.  Agree with most points generally.  Most important to keep backing the lads whilst we find our feet.  COYW

[bog]

I had to make do with the wireless 5 commentary and the MOTD highlights. I just wonder what would have happened if Mitro had have put that chance away at 1-1 when we looked to be on top. We were playing one of the big boys full of World Cup players. Onwards and upwards!   



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[Twig]

Not sure it is fair to give SJ the second lowest rating just because you didn't agree with the timing and nature of his substitutions.  After all. his talk during half time clearly galvanised the team.  Otherwise, some comments I could agree with.

[ffc73]

Johanson was on the touch line for a while waiting to come on. The break in play that allowed the change was the free kick Trippier scored from. Timing is everything.

My thought was that Joka did respond and Johanson was coming on to play more advanced & pressure Dembele as Moussa had the freedom of the park when he sat at the bottom of the diamond. Unfortunately 2 goals conceded in 3/4 minutes put paid to any tactical switch by Joka

[F.luke]

I agree with most. But Bad day at the office for Slav

Thought Chistie should of started. Didn't think much of Mensa. Completely knackered and careless in the end

Slav too slow to freshen it up when 1-1 after our good spell and we went deep again  should have brought on 2 or maybe even 3. Chistie kmac and Jo

[Mince n Tatties]

I had to make do with the wireless 5 commentary and the MOTD highlights. I just wonder what would have happened if Mitro had have put that chance away at 1-1 when we looked to be on top. We were playing one of the big boys full of World Cup players. Onwards and upwards!   



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Yes bad miss by Mitro.

[Milo]

Good post, and interesting quite a few agree Jokanovic "pressed the button" too late.

[Mince n Tatties]

Fabri 4/10...More like 7 and Mitro didn't deserve your 8,should have put us 2-1 up.

[grandad]

I loved the way we played last season but it is not always going to work in the PL. Teams that press us high up as Spurs did restrict us playing out from the back. Many PL teams play 3-5-2 at some stages of the game & I feel that Slavisa should change his tactics more often to give our opponents something to think about. We are too predictable & easy for experienced Managers & teams to suss out.
We will just have to hang on until our full squad are fit before changes in system can be thought of.

[Statto]

Cannot understand the criticism of Sessegnon.

We've scored one bloody goal this season and quelle surprise he was involved, just as he always is.

On the commentary I watched they said his pass was to mitro was a Mis-hit shot. Bloody idiots who didn't watch him last season, obviously. The lad has the quickest brain and best first touch on our team . No he doesn't "run at defenders such as AK does" (never has, never will, how has this not been noticed!?) but I can tell you now, if that ball he knocked back to Mitro had fallen to AK instead of sess it would gone straight into row Z because for first touch and intelligence Ak, with all respect to him, is at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The thing that comforts me from the two games so far is our manager shares my view and won't drop him, and clearly, he's going to continue to get goals and assists at this level. But no doubt every week or so they'll be some pundit saying he should run at people.

[b+w geezer]

Cannot understand the criticism of Sessegnon.

It's understandable given how little he saw of the ball. (20 touches, according to the stats, less than half the amount even of AK).

We've scored one bloody goal this season and quelle surprise he was involved, just as he always is.

Quite so. He was also involved in most of the other dangerous moments we had, notably the perfectly timed run for Seri to brilliantly find him, following which he did not (as I'd supposed from the far end of the stadium) mess up, but actually took a fine first touch which was followed within less than a second by the keeper collecting.

On the commentary I watched they said his pass was to mitro was a Mis-hit shot. Bloody idiots who didn't watch him last season, obviously. The lad has the quickest brain and best first touch on our team.

Agree it wasn't a shot and also on quickest brain. Not so much first touch as quickest readjustment of body. And above all a sense of where to be.

He's going to continue to get goals and assists at this level. But no doubt every week or so they'll be some pundit saying he should run at people.

This is the nub of it. Will he or won't he? I also say yes he will, but would prefer to be doing so with total confidence.  The issue will be key both to his immediate future and our season.

[Milo]

Cannot understand the criticism of Sessegnon.

We've scored one bloody goal this season and quelle surprise he was involved, just as he always is.

On the commentary I watched they said his pass was to mitro was a Mis-hit shot. Bloody idiots who didn't watch him last season, obviously. The lad has the quickest brain and best first touch on our team . No he doesn't "run at defenders such as AK does" (never has, never will, how has this not been noticed!?) but I can tell you now, if that ball he knocked back to Mitro had fallen to AK instead of sess it would gone straight into row Z because for first touch and intelligence Ak, with all respect to him, is at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The thing that comforts me from the two games so far is our manager shares my view and won't drop him, and clearly, he's going to continue to get goals and assists at this level. But no doubt every week or so they'll be some pundit saying he should run at people.

I think AK's touch, pass, and decision making improved a great deal suddenly at the end of last season! Looked a completely different player. I think he will surprise you this season!

[FFCFOREVER]

Cannot understand the criticism of Sessegnon.

We've scored one bloody goal this season and quelle surprise he was involved, just as he always is.

On the commentary I watched they said his pass was to mitro was a Mis-hit shot. Bloody idiots who didn't watch him last season, obviously. The lad has the quickest brain and best first touch on our team . No he doesn't "run at defenders such as AK does" (never has, never will, how has this not been noticed!?) but I can tell you now, if that ball he knocked back to Mitro had fallen to AK instead of sess it would gone straight into row Z because for first touch and intelligence Ak, with all respect to him, is at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The thing that comforts me from the two games so far is our manager shares my view and won't drop him, and clearly, he's going to continue to get goals and assists at this level. But no doubt every week or so they'll be some pundit saying he should run at people.

:plus one:  This exactly how I saw it .

[Woolly Mammoth]

Sometimes you learn more from defeats of this nature, it was a very good outfit we were playing on their borrowed patch.
Lots of good things to take away as well as some not so good things.
But the general feeling in the week was that if we caught Spurs on one of their good days, we could cop it.
I was impressed by some of the new players, as this was the sort of match that would separate the men from the boys.
But we cannot be too harsh as we could have played Newcastle, got a result and thought differently.
This game v Spurs showed our shortcomings and weaknesses etc.
So sometimes every cloud has a silver lining.
I am quietly confident that we can get this right eventually. how long it takes remains to be seen.
One particular detail I will emphasise, is that Jok should identify a little more quickly when to make his subs, because there were so many tired players out there in the second half, who desperately needed to be helped with fresh legs much much sooner.