Tottenham Hotspur 5 - 1 Newcastle United (03/04/2022)

[Conjo]

3 hours ago, robbo_11 said:

They need to review the game and focus on Wolves as the season still has some twists left.

 

This. Wolves play and set up very similar to how Tottenham does. If no lessons are learnt it will end, probably not as bad, but similar to the game today.

[Consortium of one]

Up a goal, I have to say I felt pretty damn good.

 

Then Spurs levelled and it was like the players lost all composure.

 

 

[Optimistic Nut]

Have Spurs got an agreement in place to sign Kulusevski or just a loan? He’s brilliant.

[Dokko]

Think the team need to feel the love of the home crowd, it’s been a long away trip with a international break stringing it out. Today was an off day. Shit happens. If we don’t pick up 4pts from the next 4 then you can begin to worry. 

[Pokerprince2004]

Just when I thought we were safe as houses we lose 3 on the trot to keep those niggling doubts going. Think Howe needs to be playing Bruno every game now, enough of pandering to Willock and Shelvey. He is obviously our best midfielder and shouldn't be benched. Regarding Wood I hope he's not leading the line next season. He looks so slow its painful. Would legit prefer Gayle at this point 

[Happinesstan]

1 hour ago, Robster said:

YouTube - Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United - September 7th 1985

@leffe186

 

 

 

 

I must be thinking about the 0-4 in 13-14.

[TRon]

1 hour ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Could see these finishing 4th now as well. Defence isn’t the best but I like Romero, and Bentancur & Hoijberg behind that front three is as good as anything outside the top 2.

 

This is what pisses me off most tbh, Conte's a brilliant manager, but he's wasted at Spurs. There's no way Levy will ever match his ambitions.

[Optimistic Nut]

7 minutes ago, TRon said:

 

This is what pisses me off most tbh, Conte's a brilliant manager, but he's wasted at Spurs. There's no way Levy will ever match his ambitions.

If he keeps those 6 and brings in 3-4 in the summer they’re looking top 3 contenders again. 

[Billy Warthog]

Just got back in. I think Howe got it right in the post-match interview, although I don't think we were that good in the 1st half as what he made out. We got the goal and celebrated for 3 minutes or so. Still, I thought we'd put up more of a fight in the 2nd half than we did - total collapse to be honest. 

 

Well, let's see if our home games can bring some rewards. Can't rest on 31 points. 

[Thiago]

58 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Have Spurs got an agreement in place to sign Kulusevski or just a loan? He’s brilliant.

Conditional purchase option for €35m. He seems tailor made for a Conte system as part of the midfield or front three. 

[Aiston]

Swift reminder most of the squad needs replaced.

 

 

[ElDiablo]

Good reminder that we're still a bit crap. Going toe to toe with Spurs with our team/squad is incredibly naive.

 

Keep things nice and tight for the rest of the season please. 

[GreenAndWhiteArmy]

8 hours ago, Dr Jinx said:

I’m not sure the players carried out the managers tactics at any point today.

Hi, Spurs fan, was at the game. From my position high up in the stand, I was actually reasonably impressed by the way your team started.

 

It seemed to me that for the first half, you looked organised, putting in a shift individually and working hard collectively towards a clear, tactical plan by Howe.

 

The problem was that it was exactly the same tactical plan/formation as Spurs were trying and (no disrespect) we were simply better at it.. In particular, trying to maintain a high defensive line and compress the play made you vulnerable to our preferred counter-attacking style, all the more so when you went 2-1 down and so had to chase the game.

 

By contrast, the clubs who've caused us problems this season, incl under Conte, have been those which have defended deep and in numbers, forcing us to try to work our way through a sea of bodies in/around the penalty area and making us vulnerable on the break ourselves.

 

I'm not sure why Howe hadn't spotted that from analysing our recent performances, both good and bad.

8 hours ago, Dr Jinx said:

To a man they have just been second best in every single position.

 

It’s been a sobering result.. we’re light years off them

I'd agree with that analysis, but I've also been to a few Brentford games this season (live within walking distance of the new ground), so have seen a few of the teams beneath you.

 

I think you'll be safe enough, if only because you've got that cushion from that good run you had and I can't see any 3 of the bottom 4 putting in a good enough run to make it up. In particular, the Everton team who lost 5-0 at the Lane a month back were really crap, FAR worse than NUFC appeared today, believe it or not!

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by GreenAndWhiteArmy

[Thiago]

55 minutes ago, GreenAndWhiteArmy said:

Hi, Spurs fan, was at the game. From my position high up in the stand, I was actually reasonably impressed by the way your team started.

 

It seemed to me that for the first half, you looked organised, putting in a shift individually and working hard collectively towards a clear, tactical plan by Howe.

 

The problem was that it was exactly the same tactical plan/formation as Spurs were trying and (no disrespect) we were simply better at it.. In particular, trying to maintain a high defensive line and compress the play made you vulnerable to our preferred counter-attacking style, all the more so when you went 2-1 down and so had to chase the game.

 

By contrast, the clubs who've caused us problems this season, incl under Conte, have been those which have defended deep and in numbers, forcing us to try to work our way through a sea of bodies in/around the penalty area and making us vulnerable on the break ourselves.

 

I'm not sure why Howe hadn't spotted that from analysing our recent performances, both good and bad.

I'd agree with that analysis, but I've also been to a few Brentford games this season (live within walking distance of the new ground), so have seen a few of the teams beneath you.

 

I think you'll be safe enough, if only because you've got that cushion from that good run you had and I can't see any 3 of the bottom 4 putting in a good enough run to make it up. In particular, the Everton team who lost 5-0 at the Lane a month back were really crap, FAR worse than NUFC appeared today, believe it or not!

 

 

 

Welcome and really interesting post. 

 

I think you sum it up well. We came in with an approach that at best felt optimistic at worst felt naive. Howe has shown in the past a willingness to go toe to toe with top teams (he famously beat Conte's Chelsea this way). The more time I have to digest the game the more I wonder if there's a part of Howe viewing this as an audition for next season. Where are the problem areas? Who could be part of the squad? We're not going to verhaul entirely, so some have to stay, and what do their roles look like.

[Hanshithispantz]

It happened pretty much as everyone was saying pre match like. If we play a low block Spurs will struggle to break us down, if we push up they will massacre us on the counter 

 

Doesn't really matter now like, but we just need to accept that we're diabolical in the final third and no change in approach will sort it out. Stick to frustrating teams until the summer.

[Lush Vlad]

My main concern with yesterday was how quickly we fell apart.  It's hard to single out individuals too much, as to a man, we were wank and the gameplan fell apart once we were behind and they were always going to rinse us on the counter if given the chance.  But they just constantly had space in behind, down the flanks, whilst also bossing the midfield and having space to drive a Panzer through the middle of the defence.  Just complete domination on the pitch.  

 

I appreciate they are a lot better than us, they are masters of dropping off into space, just a quick give and go and then they're off on another attack in a split second.  But fucking hell, the defending for those goals in the second half was offensively shite.  It wasn't even like we were sacrificing one area to protect another.  They were just taking the piss across the park.  I'm not sure the gulf in class has been that obvious since Howe came in.  Even City and Leicester didn't feel this bad for getting raped.  They should have had a few more, if we're being honest.     

 

You'd almost be more accepting of the result if we were 2 down after 20 minutes and then they just dominated.  But the fact we scored just before HT and hadn't been massively troubled up to that point, despite all of their possession.  Just makes the capitulation harder to take.  

 

Pretty awful day out, really.  As I went with a couple of Spurs mates.  Great stadium, but shite design in the away end.  You couldn't even get a beer or food at half time, despite going in a good bit before the whistle.  Tiny bar with not many serving and the floor was like an ice rink.  Saw two old boys stack it and bust their heads open.  Lovely polished concrete finish, not sure HSE would approve, mind.  You could have had a nice game of curling on it. 

 

Need to right some wrongs pretty sharp'ish on Friday and I wouldn't be against a few changes.  As that great run of form has suddenly turned a little bit concerning the last 2-3 games.  

[The Prophet]

The problem is that when you play the way Howe wants to, ten yards further up the pitch with a high press but you have limited players,  you are going to take the odd hiding. 

 

Pacey, counter attacking sides that set up like Leicester and Spurs can tear you apart if you're not on it.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by The Prophet

[Scoot]

A proper reality check yesterday as to where a lot of our players are in terms of quality. Big summer ahead in terms of recruitment. 

[NUFCDoog]

Could end up being a good thing in a weird way this result.

 

Not that our owners are stupid but as above its a reality check as to the limitations of this squad, and it'll show them how far off we are and that we need big recruitment in the summer. As great as it was the longer Howe made these players look like world beaters and was picking up great results, the more it possible made the owners think we might not need as much of an overhaul in the summer as we do.

 

Days like yesterday won't be happening to us much over the next few years, the good times are coming and the majority of this squad won't be a part of it.

[ponsaelius]

First away game since Rochdale pre-Covid for me and overall was a largely dispiriting experience.

 

The match very much felt like a peak Mike Ashley era matchday, which I guess it to be expected when the team and club is basically still that right now. Never really offered much at all in the game and were comprehensively taken apart by a team on a whole other level.

 

Atmosphere in the away end was really poor. As with many bowl-like grounds the noise seems to just disappear into the air and therefore it's hard to get noise going - but even so other than briefly after the goal there was barely a single time in the game where the whole away end was chanting the same song. 

 

Finally - there is definitely an ever increasing percentage of our away support who don't seem to know how to tactfully tread the line between acceptable away day fun and outright antisocial behaviour. I don't really understand how so many are able to fund coke fuelled days out in the current economic climate. 

 

I've really struggled to get the buzz back since the takeover and very little about yesterday helped with that. The entire club still needs a complete re-set from top to bottom. Wish we could just fast forward to the summer at this point.

[Ikon]

21 hours ago, 54 said:

Swear people are just looking for Wood to be bad so they can slag him off  Thought he did fine with the little he's had go towards him, won his headers and brought Fraser into play a couple of times.

 

 

Not really. At least not me! 

[HaydnNUFC]

32 minutes ago, ponsaelius said:

Atmosphere in the away end was really poor. As with many bowl-like grounds the noise seems to just disappear into the air and therefore it's hard to get noise going - but even so other than briefly after the goal there was barely a single time in the game where the whole away end was chanting the same song. 

 

Finally - there is definitely an ever increasing percentage of our away support who don't seem to know how to tactfully tread the line between acceptable away day fun and outright antisocial behaviour. I don't really understand how so many are able to fund coke fuelled days out in the current economic climate. 

 

Seem quite a few who were there say this but the bold probably underlines how many of those with a high amount of loyalty points who are buying tickets for the point and selling them on. No way a sizeable percentage of those with over 50 points, which is what the game sold out at, is a Stone Island clad coke sniffing pint thrower that you've just described there. 

[STM]

Seen a few people talk about there being a "reality check", who exactly needed one? I haven't seen anyone who thinks we are anything other than a lower-midtable PL side.

 

I think we need to bare in mind that Spurs attacking 3 are playing as well as City and Liverpool at the moment. If Conte and Spurs get their recruitment right they could easily become the 3rd best side in the country.

 

They tore us apart but we aren't the first and won't be the last. We need to forget it and look at the bigger picture.

[GreenAndWhiteArmy]

11 hours ago, Thiago said:

 

We came in with an approach that at best felt optimistic at worst felt naive. Howe has shown in the past a willingness to go toe to toe with top teams (he famously beat Conte's Chelsea this way). The more time I have to digest the game the more I wonder if there's a part of Howe viewing this as an audition for next season. Where are the problem areas? Who could be part of the squad? We're not going to verhaul entirely, so some have to stay, and what do their roles look like.

Maybe Howe was "audtioning"  his players for next season, but I think he'd have been better trying out alternative tactics (Plan B, if you like), for 2022/23.

 

For even with a few big attacking signings in the summer, and further refinement of Howe's Plan A, if NUFC are really going to make a mark in the PL, you have to be versatile enough to have more than one game plan (if only eg to see out the last half hour of a game where you're already a goal or two ahead).

 

I guess as Spurs are currently finding out post-Pochettino, it really does take time as well as money to build a genuinely top class team like Liverpool's or Man City's.

 

And while Spurs may be a step or three ahead of NUFC right now, both teams have still got a helluva way to go. Thank Christ we've got Conte, though if we lose him in the summer ("Give him some serious money, Levy!"), then we'll be right back to Square One again ourselves.

 

Oh well, at least we're neither of us bloody Chelsea fans!

[Guest HTT II]

I do like the way Conte tries to play, he’s a toxic kind of manager, but with the right recruitment, he’s a winner.