Mole_Toonfan

Don't see him offering anything Perez doesn't tbh, he'll work hard and link up play but in the end of the day like Perez not do enough quality wise. The only thing you could argue is he's more of a presence but i'm not sure that's enough. Been saying this but there isn't really any alternatives with the current group, we just need to hope Rafa can get enough from them (i believe he can) and if by some stroke of magic Ashley sells the club.

It's almost like we need depth on the wings and he's a young kid who always was going to need time to develop. It's fine, not everyone can be young and impact games straight away like Merino.

Based on what i have seen i'd argue you don't need much firepower to punish them tbf, a few corners should do it.

Aye as much as i'd like a partner for Merino who as half as good as him the need for quality players in front of the CMs far out weighs getting better than Hayden or Shelvey.

I don't think Kane is looking to create chances any more than Morata or Aguero are tbh. Also Redknapp seems to be confusing the difference between creating chances and linking play.

The Lukaku and Kane part is fucking hilarious.

Not the answer I fear. I keep saying this but there is no answer, people are frantically looking for solutions to the impossible. Rafa is doing what he can but the fact is we have some gaping holes in the squad which no amount of positional or formation changes is going to fix.

You'd think we have lost every game this season then.

Mitro has scored 2 in 2, he's still our joint top scorer despite playing about 20 mins of PL football this season. I agree none of our options are really up to it but not sure why you persist with the worst of the three, especially when we only play one up front that front man needs to be taking the chances that fall to him, his last four chances haven't been half chances they've been clear cut ones, not to take any of them will cost your team games. He has 1 league goal, which came in already won game so I don't think that's an indication of anything. We know what Mitrovic provides and what he does not, I don't particularly see that as a better alternative.

My issue is i don't think we have anyone that can, all 3 are not good enough.

That's a ludicrous statement imo. Considering that they got in behind West Ham on multiple occasions and failed to score it's not really, that's the problem with Spurs as good as they are they lack speed to kill teams compared to the other top teams. Didn't both of Kane's goals yesterday happen when Alli got behind the West Ham defence? Yes, i didn't say they were snails or anything But they would have scored 7 or 8 if they had someone like Salah. They get in behind all the time but don't really enough pace to exploit it consistently.

Easier to stop slower players doing that than players who just need a yard though, i'm not as confident as you seem to be.

That's a ludicrous statement imo. Considering that they got in behind West Ham on multiple occasions and failed to score it's not really, that's the problem with Spurs as good as they are they lack speed to kill teams compared to the other top teams.

People keep saying this but there was no sign of chemistry or cohesion between them today. Could have just been the circumstances of course. I think the thinking is simply 'Shelvey's better than Hayden' without taking into account the job Hayden does that Shelvey never does. Not only that. We pretty much had all the possession once Shelvey came on as Brighton let us have the ball knowing we were no real threat. Shelvey and Merino when we don't have the ball will not be pretty. The answer is probably to play a 4-3-3 with Hayden, Shelvey and Merino but Rafa won't do that. Probably because like any alternative this place tries to think of it's not the answer in the slightest. Rafa is doing what he can but we have personnel holes we can't fix through any system change.

Liverpool have more pace than Spurs so i don't see how the two are comparable, if Spurs get in behind us the likelihood is they won't score. If Firmino or Salah gets in behind us it's a goal.

I could see an argument for Shelvey and Merino in games like today tbh, but i definitely wouldn't start them against Liverpool for example.

Agree with that, although i'm not sure Mitrovic is a better finisher tbh. Both are bad regardless.

He was shite today nobody denies that, i just think people really have forgotten how bad Gayle is at anything outside the box and Mitrovic isn't any better than Joselu anyway. Basically none of them are good enough and none of them are the answer, might as well stick with the guy who actually contributed to wins this season.

Neither does the alternatives, when Gayle starts the same discussion will happen as it will with Mitrovic. I'd rather stick with him because we know he moves better off the ball than Mitrovic does and links play better than Gayle does, Gayle's ability to finish is completely irrelevant as we don't create enough at this level. I do wonder when the penny will drop that none of them are actually good enough and even if they were we simply don't create chances anyway so it doesn't matter.

Benitez has nothing to do with it, we just have fuck all to offer going forward it's all work rate and nothing else.

Pretty much. Cost us the game today certainly. Like fuck did he, what cost us the game is not being able to create anything. As it has nearly every loss since Cabaye and Ben Arfa left. Don't get me wrong he wasn't very good but neither would any other striker, i hope people don't expect Gayle to change anything.

Yep, we can't break teams down at all. Playing on the counter is how we will get points, people better get used this because we will get points against so called better sides and struggle in the games we should win all season. It's just how this team is built until we get some better quality in forward areas.

I expected that tbh, we struggle to break teams down and i don't find it a coincidence that the worst two performances this season have came against teams who also got promoted. Not particularly concerned though as i feel this scenario won't come up all too much.

Kyle Martino is ludicrously good at this. I might watch our games on NBC for now on just to see if he's doing the game. It's refreshing to see someone not talk utter nonsense.

I think Atsu has made some silly decisions but poor? nah, as for Hayden i don't think he's done anything wrong tbh.