Nothing But Positives Tonight

[Rowls]

That was the best we've played all season.

Only performance that comes close was vs Sheffield United but that was against a side who were falling apart.

The defending tonight was the best of the season by a wide margin. Fight, commitment but also tracking markers, marking men, working as a team, communicating well and all topped off with a steeliness that has been lacking all season.

If we play that well for the rest of the season I'd back us to actually stop up.

[SGr]

We lost 1-2 starters to injury.

It’s all “if we do X” until another 2/10 home display against beatable opposition.

[Casper2]

Take it you aren’t doing dry January

[dougcollins]

Hard to evaluate, as Spurs were really poor.

[Goliath]

I think this is a bit over the top. We went through a spell in the first half where we were dreadful, as usual because they were targeting Vitinho and he couldnt handle it.
But really against a team with Royal and Davies at centre back we should have caused them more problems

[Boss Hogg]

Defended very well and more organised. Some good individual performances but we were toothless up front.

[CoolClaret]

Hard to evaluate, as Spurs were really poor.

They were poor because we ran them bloody ragged. Pressed them like mad and moved the ball exceptionally quickly.

That is exactly how I thought we’d play from the off in the PL.

Bit Kamikaze, playing on the edge a bit but having a go and being relentless. Proud Claret tonight.

[Rowls]

Hard to evaluate, as Spurs were really poor.

They were but I think we made them look poor. We dictated the game tonight - for the first time this season. We scuppered their tactics and frustrated them. They needed a bluddy wonder goal to win it.

[ISpeds00]

Spurs put their strongest side out - but were shite
We played how we usually play - no end product
So frustrating to watch

[ksrclaret]

It was great to see a more organised backline tonight - defenders tracking runners and going with them to close down angles.

[bf2k]

Hard to evaluate, as Spurs were really poor.

Or we made them look crap. You know glass half full

[Burnley1989]

Did play well to be fair, I’d stay off the match thread though if I was you. They will be on this thread soon
Be nice to just discuss the positives on a thread for a change

[Goliath]

They were but I think we made them look poor. We dictated the game tonight - for the first time this season. We scuppered their tactics and frustrated them. They needed a bluddy wonder goal to win it.

We definitely did not dictate the game

[Kilson810]

Can't score goals yet again. There's a negative.

[Rowls]

We definitely did not dictate the game

Not in the sense of controlling the game, that's different. But we dictated exactly how that game planned out.

Spurs wanted it to be a open, gung-ho affair like at Turf Moor and we held tight and turned it into a tight and tactical match of narrow margins. We dictated that precisely with, for the first time this season, an organised defence.

[fatboy47]

Good post Rowls...the reality is that the wet fannies and entitled know-nowts that are starting to monopolise this board bear little or no resemblance to the 20k rank and file fans who present themselves regularly at the Turf Moor turnstiles.
Damn good performance....we're starting to take shape.

[bumba]

Not in the sense of controlling the game, that's different. But we dictated exactly how that game planned out.

Spurs wanted it to be a open, gung-ho affair like at Turf Moor and we held tight and turned it into a tight and tactical match of narrow margins. We dictated that precisely with, for the first time this season, an organised defence.

An organised defence relies on a commanding goalkeeper, tonight we had one

[warksclaret]

For me what stood out tonight, despite our forwards having a poor game, was evidence that the coaching is addressing a number of our issues , and apart from some minor cock-ups we distinctly looked organised

[AGENT_CLARET]

That was the best we've played all season.

Only performance that comes close was vs Sheffield United but that was against a side who were falling apart.

The defending tonight was the best of the season by a wide margin. Fight, commitment but also tracking markers, marking men, working as a team, communicating well and all topped off with a steeliness that has been lacking all season.

If we play that well for the rest of the season I'd back us to actually stop up.

Who we catching ????

[Rowls]

Good post Rowls...the reality is that the wet fannies and entitled know-nowts that are starting to monopolise this board bear little or no resemblance to the 20k rank and file fans who present themselves regularly at the Turf Moor turnstiles.
Damn good performance....we're starting to take shape.

Yes, it's been a shocking season so far so it's not a surprise to see those of a specific mentality come to the fore.

But tonight was a good performance. No it wasn't perfect but that's not the point.

Let the negative nellies show themselves up.

[Cubanforever]

We looked far from second bottom tonight against a side who thrashed us earlier this season on our own patch and tonight we were on theirs...we are getting better. The speed of passing often 1 or 2 touch was fantastic tonight...yes a few errors but playing these teams in your first season up with a number of players draughted in who haven't been in the first 11 recently was great to see...I thought so anyway

[warksclaret]

Another positive is we lost no points tonight

[Rowls]

Who we catching ????

That's not how it works. You don't nominate a team and "catch" them. You play well, give yourself the best chance of winning games and pick up points. You catch the teams you manage to outstrip.

If we play as well as we did tonight for the rest of the season (unlikely but not out of question) then we'll pick up a LOT more points than we currently have.

[boatshed bill]

Can't score goals yet again. There's a negative.

PL goalscorers cost so much. Probably over our budget.

[Casper2]

Taylor injured hardly a positive

[boatshed bill]

Who we catching ????

Any teams that under-perform in the second half of the season?

[Andreshotboots]

I didn't see anything tonight that I've not seen all season. Decent for the majority of the game, but crazy moments at the back costing us goals, and a real lack of quality/ killer instinct at the other end.

[Andreshotboots]

Another positive is thats.the most threatening we've been from a corner all season when Muric went up.

[Rowls]

Can't score goals yet again. There's a negative.

Yes, but you've missed the point of this thread.

No, we weren't perfect but we so many light years ahead of the shambles that we were at the start of the season that I can only see the positives.

[boatshed bill]

I thought we were excellent tonight.
Some of our passing patterns were brilliant.
OK, so we lacked finish, but we are really good on the eye... and will improve.

[AGENT_CLARET]

That's not how it works. You don't nominate a team and "catch" them. You play well, give yourself the best chance of winning games and pick up points. You catch the teams you manage to outstrip.

If we play as well as we did tonight for the rest of the season (unlikely but not out of question) then we'll pick up a LOT more points than we currently have.

Well picking up more points than we currently have if we play better is obviously what will happen like water is wet but that's not what I asked, I asked who we catching, name one team out of the bottom three we are catching, I personally think we have improved massively over the past few week's but we aren't getting out of the drop zone

[Goliath]

Not in the sense of controlling the game, that's different. But we dictated exactly how that game planned out.

Spurs wanted it to be a open, gung-ho affair like at Turf Moor and we held tight and turned it into a tight and tactical match of narrow margins. We dictated that precisely with, for the first time this season, an organised defence.

Ok makes more sense although I think it was as much Tottenhams poor play especially first half. They were getting acres of space on the left, and getting loads of joy out of Vitinho but then wasted the end product.

I dont like targetting a Burnley player as much as I am doing with Vitinho but if we want to play this way with a compact, solid and deepish block then he can't play, its going to cost us regularly.

[Kilson810]

Yes, but you've missed the point of this thread.

No, we weren't perfect but we so many light years ahead of the shambles that we were at the start of the season that I can only see the positives.

I agree we are better than the start of the season but that is a really really low bar to measure a team against. We couldn't have got much worse than the shambles of the first few games.

[Kilson810]

PL goalscorers cost so much. Probably over our budget.

Luton have spent less and scored 3 more PL goals than us this season.

[Vegas Claret]

we are improving nearly every game and that's the biggest thing, now we just need to not sign 15 players every summer and find the consistency going forward

[Newcastleclaret93]

we are improving nearly every game and that's the biggest thing, now we just need to not sign 15 players every summer and find the consistency going forward

Pretty sure that level of turnover is the model though Vegas

[boatshed bill]

Luton have spent less and scored 3 more PL goals than us this season.

What, on strikers?


And we will comfortably finish above them because they are crap.

[Steddyman]

That was the best we've played all season.

Only performance that comes close was vs Sheffield United but that was against a side who were falling apart.

The defending tonight was the best of the season by a wide margin. Fight, commitment but also tracking markers, marking men, working as a team, communicating well and all topped off with a steeliness that has been lacking all season.

If we play that well for the rest of the season I'd back us to actually stop up.

And what was the key difference from other performances? The calmness of Muric in goal. Yes he was partly at fault for the goal, but he is so calm and has great distribution.

[Rowls]

And what was the key difference from other performances? The calmness of Muric in goal. Yes he was partly at fault for the goal, but he is so calm and has great distribution.

I'm a fan of Trafford but I have to concede that Muric was a factor.

The big difference was our marking and tracking runners. We didn't let Spuds simply pass around us as we have done for every team in every other game this season.

[dermotdermot]

The substitutions were, on the whole, not good.

[boatshed bill]

And what was the key difference from other performances? The calmness of Muric in goal. Yes he was partly at fault for the goal, but he is so calm and has great distribution.

I don't think he was at fault for the goal, TBH.
And he nearly set up an equaliser.
I think I'm in the same camp... people who find him very entertaining.
I won't go into the Muric vs Trafford thing

[MT03ALG]

Three negatives in a very good performance;
1. Missed chances
2. Failure to shoot on target
3. We gave them a goal, very similar to the goal gifted to Newcastle where a player needs to protect the ball but is unable to do so. Basic mistake.

[MT03ALG]

You could actually see the Man City style of play tonight.
Pressing from the front, if then the ball was not won within a few seconds, then back defending in numbers.
Promising !!

[Wile E Coyote]

I thought we were excellent tonight.
Some of our passing patterns were brilliant.
OK, so we lacked finish, but we are really good on the eye... and will improve.

agree with this boatshed, clear signs of improvement .
that's why VK has the job. He is proving he does know what is required within the squad, and though its a painful process to watch at times, the scorelines are less cricket scores, and more evenly matched of late.
I reckon its a tall order for any coach to try and implement survival tactics within an inexperienced team.
He is doing what he said he would do, and for that he deserves our patience. We are doing okay.

[AlargeClaret]

Masterclass from Muric and some very keen defending , other than that we never laid a glove on them .

[Swizzlestick]

Masterclass from Muric and some very keen defending , other than that we never laid a glove on them .

Apart from the two huge chances at the end for Delcroix and Amdouni? And Amdouni’s chance from the Zaroury assist in the first half? Seemed like more than a glove.

[boatshed bill]

Apart from the two huge chances at the end for Delcroix and Amdouni? And Amdouni’s chance from the Zaroury assist in the first half? Seemed like more than a glove.

To be fair they hardly laid a glove on us...
until the goal.

[Kilson810]

What, on strikers?


And we will comfortably finish above them because they are crap.

Hopefully although we will find out next week if that's likely or not.

[alboclaret]

Let's is fair.
Amdouni is pants.

That's not a positive.

Looks like we've a couple of injuries.
That's not positive.

We give ball away so easy and continue the same patterns one after another, for whatever reason.
That's not a positive

Spurs we really **** and we still can't hit target.

I'm a bit ****** off with it to be honest.
Good pint of Stella in hotel mind.
That's the only positive

[AlargeClaret]

Apart from the two huge chances at the end for Delcroix and Amdouni? And Amdouni’s chance from the Zaroury assist in the first half? Seemed like more than a glove.

I barely remember their keeper being forced into a save , Muric was very busy . Our crossing and final balls were dreadful , yes Amdouni blew a very good chance , but apart from a few very tidy passing moves and some brave defending it was a case of desperately hanging in there and little else .Spurs were miles off trot best as well .