Analysis of the goal conceded against Wigan (3/11)
Ben Watson’s goal – A Wigan corner is drifted into the six yard box. Friedel attempts to punch it away, but can only push it into the path of Watson, who sends it back first time.
As Maloney’s corner is played in, Spurs are totally disorganised. Gallas is unaware of what is going on around him – instead, trying to communicate with a team mate. He hasn’t noticed his man, Watson, making a break in behind him.
Gallas suddenly realises that Watson is on the move, and tries to get back at him. Walker is marking Kone in front of Friedel, but is presumably aware that he is getting in Friedel’s way, given the lack of attention he pays to the Wigan man.
The ball drops right into Friedel’s path, but instead of either claiming it, or safely pushing it over the bar…
…he limply flaps at the ball, and pushes it back out into the six-yard box.
It drops perfectly for the man that Gallas should be marking, Watson, and he sends it back into an unguarded net.
Friedel is well over the line when he attempts to save the ball.
A terrible performance from Spurs today, who were lacking in virtually every area. I didn’t agree with Villas-Boas’ team selection, and it was clear that Wigan had the upper hand from quite early on – Kone and Maloney having excellent early chances. Sandro had been our best player until his early departure, and the decision by Villas-Boas to send on Sigurdsson in his place was a poor one. Sigurdsson was sloppy with his passing, laboured in his pressing and attempts to push forward, and looks short in confidence.
Jermain Defoe had another poor game, once again failing to even try to drop deep to link play. It has often been said (and often by me!) that when he doesn’t score, he achieves very little, and this was typical of a JD non-scoring performance – he only had element touches of the ball, and passed the ball just eight times. We have an issue with our number ten/support striker role too – both Dempsey and Sigurdsson are goal-scorers who tend to play on the periphery of games, meaning that our two forwards are both largely disinterested in getting involved in build-up play. In my opinion, Adebayor simply has to come into the team.
Finally, once again Friedel and Gallas were responsible for a goal conceded – both have been weak links throughout the season in my opinion, and I would hope that Lloris will become first choice before too long. With Naughton fit again, I would bring Vertonghen back into the centre of our defence at the expense of Gallas, and play Naughton on the left until Assou-Ekotto is back.
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BUT, the annoying thing is what's happening here is what happened under Harry. Friedel's 40-something, why isn't Lloris getting more time (even if not every game, home to Wigan seems a good one). Why is Defoe still playing alone up front!? Dempsey/Sigg are good players (maybe not great, but they're good), but aren't working in this system.
And as you say, Vert wants to play CB, he's good on the ball and we want him to be our future. Gallas does bring experience and organisation to our back line (I say this from watching him, not just cos he's old), but he has had a few shockers already this season. Fix our left-back problem from our squad and get those CB partnerships working this season - Vert/Caulker and Kaboul when he's back.
It's almost like AVB is no being _too_ cautious after his problems at Chelsea.
On the plus side, Huddlestone's starting to get his fitness back and looked one of the better players today.
Agree that Adebayor and LLoris should be starting. Also would like to comment for all the boo boys out there. Disgraceful, whilst its right to critique at the end of the day the support today was fairly dire. Defoe had been quieter than Dempsey which is why AVB brought him off. Whilst id have kept defoe on and taken dempsey off, i can understand the substitution.
Overall bad day at the office, but we need to get behind the team with 3 very important games coming up. COYS
But i can see Huddlestone soon are back as one of the best passers there is.
But today it was no movment in the team making it hard to play the ball forward.
So the ball was just passed back or across.
i feel sigur. and dempsey still are not doing a good enough jobb as a ACM. hope dembele can play there soon.
But i agree with Moutinho.
I blamed Livermore/Huddlestone (not just talking about today's game) for always ruining our game when they comes on but - I think they are only but a victim of AVB's poor defensive tactics. When we have a lead, AVB lets the team fall back and invites the opposition to attack. He uses Livermore's introduction to signal this change in strategy which opposition managers usually seize upon - making poor Livermore seem like the catalyst for the poor performance. He wasn't this 'hopeless' last season. AVB is a joke.
Re paragraph two - this waa happening under Redknapp too, I'm fairly certain it's a confidence issue.
It was an intelligent game plan from Martinez, who recognized that there was no need to get tight to Thud - simply mark his receivers and the quarterback has nothing to do but dump it short. Nobody in the middle had the ability to drive past his man and commit defenders to him; couple that with largely static forward play and you've got another toothless showing. I appreciate the absence of a few options for Villas-Boas, but the fact is he got out-managed today.
Trying to find a silver lining, maybe this is the shocker result that galvanizes the manager into making some overdue changes to the team.
We are down to the bare bones in the centre & suffering because of it
I see someone who is comfortable on the ball and can play awesome passes to spread the play, others see someone who's slow and can only pass sideways.
Personally I blame the sideways passing on the lack of movement from the rest of the team. If you're not someone who runs with the ball, then you are reliant on the rest of the team being able to also pass and move.
Arsenal/Wigan/Swansea/etc set up to play short passes and move to receive the ball, play triangles, etc. We get the ball, pass and then run away trying to rush up the field, which (IMO) leaves the guy on the ball with very few options if he's not able to also run with the ball up field.
When we weren't very good, it was great being a counter attacking team. But now everyone agrees we're pretty good, and they aren't going to play high lines against us. Wigan today sat back and didn't even bother closing down Friedel or Gallas when they had the ball. As soon as it went to Huddlestone, they closed him down. They're not stupid, they know which players have the ability to cause them damage.
Now imagine our back line is 2 of Kaboul Vert and Caulker - players who are comfortable on the ball or good at driving forward (or both perhaps in Vert's case), plus Lloris in goal and Ade up front. Suddenly they have to close down otherwise these guys are going to be able to take the ball forward or pass around them or spot a great pass down field. Plus with Ade there they know a long ball has a much higher chance of being controlled.
Essential that we have a creative player in the team now, and I am personally advocating Mason or Falque for the role.
If this is going to be a transitional season despite our flattering position and I have said all along it will be then lets get sorted.
Vertonghen to centre back, Lloris in goal, Adebayor first choice now that he is fit, or over his strop, Naughton Carroll Falque and Townsend more pitch time. Walker is a waste of pace at the moment but we have let Adam Smith go on loan so we don't have too many options until Benny and Kaboul return.
I think that AVB has been dealt a poor hand by Levy and injuries but he is not playing it too cleverly.
In all honesty we could have lost 3-0 yesterday
Agree with all of your comments - but Friedel and Gallas, for me, are making game-changing mistakes on a consistent basis, and both need to be eased out now.
Please comment : is caulker doing 100 things right where will Gallas is only doing 85 ?
Or is WG doing 90 right things in 100 whilst Caulker is say doing 47 right in 50 coz WG as a leader and senior player is doing more in each game ??
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Get off AVB's back FFS. He joined us three weeks before a season started and is yet to sign any players he actually wanted, just deals Levy have in offering. We have a large number of injuries to content with as well as losing the quality of King and Modric in our squad. Stop listening to the fucking twats in the media and get a grip.
Gallas failed in the task of marking.
Friedel failed to grab or punch away a ball while being challenged.
Which is worse? For me it is the failure of the very easy task of marking -> Gallas should have prevented the goal.
At the moment it seems like some players do not understand what is the most important when pressing: If you're 5 meters away from the guy you're supposed to be covering then you're not actually taking part in the pressing. The opposition has a easy pass to make AND you've also let down your team-mates since they've spent energy in actually pressing.
It often looks like Spurs central midfielders are defending too deep and thus invites pressure. When it happens then it is the responsibility of the central defenders to take charge and tell the central midfielders to push UP and press. Two central defenders can defend against one striker but one central midfielder can not defend against two central midfielders.