Clarets v Spurs Match Thread

[JimmyRobbo]

Maybe Spurs are just better at this style of football.

Do we want to go back to Dycheball?

This is exactly the issue. We were sick of the overachieving defensive setup under Dyche. Our current style means we will have to "out football" the opposition. That is very difficult and is more likely to lead to defeats than under Dyche but we are also more likely to enjoy some attacking flair.

Survival will be based on a very different set of criteria.

I'm quite happy to go with the VK project. In the long-term, it may payoff. It paid off last season. We weren't great until November and that was a league below.

[Newcastleclaret93]

It's simple - we won't dominate play like we did last season and so he won't get the same time to orchestrate play in any where near the same way.

I know but I’m talking about the Simple things in football. Athletically he’s looked a level below the opposition, there two midfielders today absolutely dominated him

[taio]

Last season the team had perfect balance with every player knowing their roles. This season has started in just the opposite manner. It needs fixing quickly.

Totally agree. Our imbalance is too obvious. No need to chuck the baby out with the bath water but need to bring Taylor and Brownhill in. The latter I'm sure will happen but the former won't.

[Elbarad]

Pace needs search no further then members of this board for the next manager when he sacks VK over the international break

[bf2k]

This is exactly the issue. We were sick of the overachieving defensive setup under Dyche. Our current style means we will have to "out football" the opposition. That is very difficult and is more likely to lead to defeats than under Dyche but we are also more likely to enjoy some attacking flair.

Survival will be based on a very different set of criteria.

I'm quite happy to go with the VK project. In the long-term, it may payoff. It paid off last season. We weren't great until November and that was a league below.

We’ve played 3 of the top 6. Yes we need to tighten up against these sides but judge against the next opposition.

[LaLigaClaret]

Recruitment last season was largely inexperience wasnt it?

We were very slow to start last season, defeat at Watford, all those 1-1 draws… I’m just thinking this time the learning has been done at the hands of three top 7 teams in the league and we’ve been punished massively.

Squad last season was in the Championship where the standard below us was quite poor and amongst the weakest it has been for quite a while. We also had THB, Maatsen and Tella in the squad. Now we are in the PL and if you remember Norwich and Fulham in previous years played very open football, looked good going forward but regularly got stuffed. There are too many inexperienced and young players for the PL in our team and defensively our current squad are weaker than last year and that cannot be disputed. Taylor may not be ideal but is better than what we are currently trying and you cannot get away with players who are playing out of position, not fit enough or carrying an injury. Having no other recognised LB is going to be a huge mistake.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Starting eleven - To Young

Defence - To inexperienced

Muric - Should not of been dropped

Not bringing in a LB - criminal

Leaving Taylor out completely - Ridiculous

Filling the team with 90% attacker's In this transfer window - Clueless

Trafford - not ready he gives the ball away to much, he can't pick a pass like Muric

Brownhill, Taylor and Muric need to play next

[Volvoclaret]

Oo we got a 2nd

- bit late I know but I've just got out of the shower

Happy birthday Tarky

[Pickles]

Another really poor performance. The easiest thing to come back with is "but it's Spurs, they're very good" but we aren't giving ourselves a chance. We look very unfit, we're second to every ball and after feeling positive pre-season I'm shocked at how lacklustre, weak and naive we've been.

[Carwin261]

Roberts has been fine.

Unfortunately when Roberts plays on the left he’s having to check back when he receives the ball which means he’s soon closed down

[NewClaret]

Starting eleven - To Young

Defence - To inexperienced

Muric - Should not of been dropped

Not bringing in a LB - criminal

Leaving Taylor out completely - Ridiculous

Filling the team with 90% attacker's In this transfer window - Clueless

Trafford - not ready he gives the ball away to much, he can't pick a pass like Muric

Brownhill, Taylor and Muric need to play next

Can’t argue with any of that. Love VK but really do think he has to look inwardly here and make changes, which I’m sure he will.

[123EasyasBFC]

Nobody can convince me that the role roberts played today is a better option than Taylor.
Also the back 4 don’t trust Trafford, muric has to come in.
Al-dakhil isn’t a right back
Why do we continue to play 2 in the middle
Foster the only player with any credibility today

[Goody1975]

Pitch is big when we attack, ridiculously it remains big when we are defending. The pressure on the midfield two to cover the ground is enormous and unfortunately they don't have the physical attributes to do it.

Today we pressed their back line like school kids chasing the ball, no set plan, just chasing the ball. Good teams will counter this and Spurs did time and again

I posted last week that teams need a defensive platform to allow their flair players to flourish, we don't have anything like a Rodri or Kante and won't use our possession as a way to avoid this like last season, we just aren't good enough for that to happen.

There's enough in this squad to stay up but a rethink on how we achieve this is needed and quickly.

[123EasyasBFC]

How anyone thinks Charlie Taylor doesn’t suit the system today is crazy.

Don’t understand why Kompany went to 3 at the back at half time

[Hedontplayforyou]

VK is going to have to sacrifice an attacking player to bring bronwhill in. Al-Dakhils pressing against benfica from right back was superb and I could see why we would use this but we don’t have the men in midfield to do it. The lack of solidity today and aggression really cost us

[BigGaz]

All I’ve got to say really is that unless Mike Tresor is the second coming of Maradona then we are in serious bother if this is how we’re setting up our team for the rest of the season.

I get we’re only 3 games in, but some themes are emerging already and they’re ones that are system-agnostic. Chief among them is that we have a lot of nice guys that don’t look like they’re up for a physical battle.

That’s 11 goals conceded in 3 games. Something needs changing, quickly.

[willsclarets]

You can play with 2 in the middle if both are pivots. Berge for me should be competing for the ACM spot or Amdouni. Massengo is the only ball winning cm we have and to a lesser extent brownhill.

DCM
Cullen
Massengo

ACM
Berge/Brownhill

LW/RW
Koleosho
Tresor

FWD
Foster or Amdouni

[Ric_C]

1st goal, chipped through ball into space and we are 2 v 2 at the back. Lessons not learnt from Villa.

2nd goal, into injury time and Berge goes on a mad dribble and loses the ball resulting in the corner that led to the goal. Total naivity.

How have we ended up with only two strikers in the squad, 9 players vying for three positions across the front three, three number 8's for one position. Only three holding midfielders for two positions, no actual left back who can play this system and only one right back?

The squad is imbalanced massively, but we all knew this deep down didn't we?

[Hedontplayforyou]

Having said all this , we will best Forest after the break

[123EasyasBFC]

Not hard to understand play players in their correct positions at the back and play 3 in midfield

[Rick_Muller]

Offensively we were superb in the first half, and I felt on balance we were unlucky to go in 2-1 down (still to see their second again and the VAR check)

I think Vinny buggered it at half time, unless for reasons we don’t know but he should have at most changed Berge for Brownhill. It was working!

At the back it is square pegs in round holes though and I fear we’ll suffer from that for some time.

[JimmyRobbo]

We’ve played 3 of the top 6. Yes we need to tighten up against these sides but judge against the next opposition.

I'm not a knee jerker. I'm quite happy to give him time. I said the same thing at this stage last season when others were concerned. I repeat the stance this season. If it fails and we are relegated, I wouldn't mind as long as there is progress and a plan.

It is just possible that the plan's primary objective is not for this season. I don't know but I trust the powers that be.