Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Thanks! The suffering is all Spurs related, I'm well in the mend. Dr has prescribed a Man City win tonight, guaranteed cure.
Spurs 2023/24
- Thread starter Cerberus
- Start date
ska invita
back on the other side
Football is not just about winning, its also about losing and drawing
Jimmy Don't
Well-Known Member
The idea that VdV is anywhere near Saliba now is laughable. But both haven't played so much yet, so it remains to be seen how they end up. Similar to Scouse fans who thinks Van Dyk's decent 18 months put him near Rio, Tony Adams, john Terry, Ramos.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
That's kind of my point. I'm not putting them as legends now, I'm thinking they're the next big thing.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Chelsea vs Man Utd was fun! 9 points up on Utd, same number of games; we play Nottingham Forest at home, they play Liverpool. Villa are at home vs Brentford, playing before us.
Win our game as we should and a top 5 finish is done - not mathematically, but practically.
Win our game as we should and a top 5 finish is done - not mathematically, but practically.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
West Ham and Newcastle win - not great for those amongst us still looking down, although every passing game brings the end of the season closer and they're both (with potentially Chelsea after games in hand) a long way back.
But looking up; huge favour from Brentford, again. Them at Villa Park was not one I had down as dropped points for Villa.
Odd kick off time to note - because of tube strikes and other assorted travel issues, what would have been a Monday fixture is 6pm on Sunday. 3 points a must, doesn't matter how, but I'd be grateful for one of our free-flowing, creative and quick performances to boot. COYS!!!
But looking up; huge favour from Brentford, again. Them at Villa Park was not one I had down as dropped points for Villa.
Odd kick off time to note - because of tube strikes and other assorted travel issues, what would have been a Monday fixture is 6pm on Sunday. 3 points a must, doesn't matter how, but I'd be grateful for one of our free-flowing, creative and quick performances to boot. COYS!!!
Silas Loom
Hated by both sides
Nice interview with M vdeV covering inter alia the excesses of Dutch reality TV: Spurs’ Micky van de Ven: ‘I know it’s going to be chaos. But do your job’
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Yet more evidence that the personality scouting was bang on just as much as it was for the more traditional playing attributes. A calm head among chaos is vdV's role described to a tee.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
The turd that won't flush is almost at the u-bend... Man Utd get a 2-2 draw with Liverpool, actually not a bad result given just how poor and mentally weak they've looked recently but it does nothing for them if we take 3 points.
Forest team plays a 4-2-3-1 where all their quality is in the 3. No Richarlison for us so Scarlett is on the bench, but otherwise it's a first choice team with the rapid 3 up top. COYS!!!
Forest team plays a 4-2-3-1 where all their quality is in the 3. No Richarlison for us so Scarlett is on the bench, but otherwise it's a first choice team with the rapid 3 up top. COYS!!!
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Top 5 getting close. If Man Utd suddenly find some form, they might get 14-16 points from their last 7 games; 11 behind.
MvdV has got cult status already. A full speed sprint in the first half nearly brought the roof off, and his goal was a thing of beauty. Love that guy!
In 2 minds as to whether we should be pissed off that we let Forest back into it, or pleased that we found some composure and went again. Oh well, 3 points will do.
MvdV has got cult status already. A full speed sprint in the first half nearly brought the roof off, and his goal was a thing of beauty. Love that guy!
In 2 minds as to whether we should be pissed off that we let Forest back into it, or pleased that we found some composure and went again. Oh well, 3 points will do.
Just in from the game - and yes, the roof almost came off after that sprint and recovery from VDV. Great game capped off with a booming, net busting finish.
Started well enough but was sitting there thinking, “right, we need 2-0 now”. As if on script, Forest break and score a goal I think I’ve seen hundreds of times against us this season. Then the game drifted for Spurs. Forest could’ve gone in 2-1 up.
The subs galvanised us. Sarr and Bissouma had been pretty ordinary and PEH (in particular) came out with a front foot attitude and bold forwards passes (obvs he regressed to his usual standards later on and almost gave away a goal
).
Still would’ve liked us to go after 4 and/or 5 goals. Son is a minor worry at the moment.
Aside from that results go our way ahead of a very tough schedule.
COYS
Started well enough but was sitting there thinking, “right, we need 2-0 now”. As if on script, Forest break and score a goal I think I’ve seen hundreds of times against us this season. Then the game drifted for Spurs. Forest could’ve gone in 2-1 up.
The subs galvanised us. Sarr and Bissouma had been pretty ordinary and PEH (in particular) came out with a front foot attitude and bold forwards passes (obvs he regressed to his usual standards later on and almost gave away a goal
). Still would’ve liked us to go after 4 and/or 5 goals. Son is a minor worry at the moment.
Aside from that results go our way ahead of a very tough schedule.
COYS
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Progress. We've matched last season's points tally with 7 games to spare, which seems pretty decent given that we sold a guaranteed 20+ goal centre forward and looked a complete shambles last summer.
Newcastle away next up, Saturday lunchtime kickoff. They're good but down to bare bones, we're up and down but fully fit.
31 matches played; teams in red played a game more, Chelsea one fewer.
71 - Arsenal (51), Liverpool (42)
70 - Man City (40)
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60 - Spurs (20), Villa (17)
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49 - Man Utd (-1)
48 - West Ham (-4)
47 - Newcastle (13)
46
45
44 - Chelsea (3)
42 - Brighton (2)
41 - Wolves (-5)
40 - Bournemouth (-10)
39 - Fulham (-4)
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31
30 - Crystal Palace (-18)
29 - Everton (-10), Brentford (-13)
28
27
26
25 - Nottingham Forest (-16), Luton (-20)
24
23
22
21
20
19 - Burnley (-35)
18
17
16 - Sheff Utd (-52)
Newcastle away next up, Saturday lunchtime kickoff. They're good but down to bare bones, we're up and down but fully fit.
31 matches played; teams in red played a game more, Chelsea one fewer.
71 - Arsenal (51), Liverpool (42)
70 - Man City (40)
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60 - Spurs (20), Villa (17)
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49 - Man Utd (-1)
48 - West Ham (-4)
47 - Newcastle (13)
46
45
44 - Chelsea (3)
42 - Brighton (2)
41 - Wolves (-5)
40 - Bournemouth (-10)
39 - Fulham (-4)
38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31
30 - Crystal Palace (-18)
29 - Everton (-10), Brentford (-13)
28
27
26
25 - Nottingham Forest (-16), Luton (-20)
24
23
22
21
20
19 - Burnley (-35)
18
17
16 - Sheff Utd (-52)
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Saw that. Might have been expressed in a cack-handed Troy Deeney fashion, but he kind of has a point - only Son might be thinking about his footballing pension (31 is soooo old), the rest are early to mid 20s. Fun, identifiable style under an increasingly popular manager, feels like the start of a cycle - what's not to like? Players will want to play for us.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Newcastle away anyone? Saturday lunchtime, bring it.
I can't work out if Newcastle have even got a back 4 to pick. Fabian Schaar and Big Dan Burn are there, but after that - no Lascelles, Botman, Tripper, and both Livramento (excellent player) and Lewis Hall (I like him but Howe has barely trusted him at all) are unlikely to play (or will be at half speed if they do). Emile Krafth maybe at right back, Paul Dummett on the left?
No Richarlison for us again, so it's the 3 speedsters up front. Got to fancy their chances, especially against those fullbacks.
All Newcastle's quality is further forward - Barnes and Gordon with Isak up front, plus Bruno Guimares. If we win the midfield battle and can pass through them, there's 3 points to be had from a very difficult fixture.
I can't work out if Newcastle have even got a back 4 to pick. Fabian Schaar and Big Dan Burn are there, but after that - no Lascelles, Botman, Tripper, and both Livramento (excellent player) and Lewis Hall (I like him but Howe has barely trusted him at all) are unlikely to play (or will be at half speed if they do). Emile Krafth maybe at right back, Paul Dummett on the left?
No Richarlison for us again, so it's the 3 speedsters up front. Got to fancy their chances, especially against those fullbacks.
All Newcastle's quality is further forward - Barnes and Gordon with Isak up front, plus Bruno Guimares. If we win the midfield battle and can pass through them, there's 3 points to be had from a very difficult fixture.
Silas Loom
Hated by both sides
I would never believed last autumn that I would say this, but “midfield battles” call for PEH these days.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Wish not granted, Bissouma and Bentancur get the nod.
Absolute commitment to our style of play. Of our current selection, if my life depended on a defensive action like a tackle or tracking back an oppo midfield run, I'd pick Hojbjerg. If my life depended on taking the ball under pressure, turning out of trouble and passing to a more advanced player, I wouldn't pick Hojbjerg.
Burn at left back against Johnson, Krafth (a crap full back) in the middle, Jacob Murphy (a decent wide midfielder) at right back. Newcastle's defence is carnage.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Our equivalent back 4 would be Kulusevski, Emerson, Romero, Davies.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Well, we've shat the bed today.
No poor refereeing, bad luck or anything - has to be said, a masterclass from Eddie Howe and Co, they've been fabulous. Stopped us playing out from the back and organised enough that we've not been able to play through into midfield. Sat really deep at the back and not let us have any space in behind. Really, really impressed by them.
We need to be much better at defending set pieces, and we have to have a way of getting the midfield on the ball if we can't build it with our usual style from the centre backs.
Pile of toss today. Move on, next game (which isn't for ages).
No poor refereeing, bad luck or anything - has to be said, a masterclass from Eddie Howe and Co, they've been fabulous. Stopped us playing out from the back and organised enough that we've not been able to play through into midfield. Sat really deep at the back and not let us have any space in behind. Really, really impressed by them.
We need to be much better at defending set pieces, and we have to have a way of getting the midfield on the ball if we can't build it with our usual style from the centre backs.
Pile of toss today. Move on, next game (which isn't for ages).
Silas Loom
Hated by both sides
Isn’t that what everyone does against us now?
Can’t help feeling that the breath-of-fresh-air avatar of matehood (who looks more like a lugubrious undertaker on the touchline, these days) has simply been found out, even if the pre-Chelsea spirit does return for ten minutes here and there.
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
"I'll just sit here Anthony, get a good look of it going in."
27% possession, 4 goals, 18 shots, 16 corners.
73% possession, 0 goals, 11 shots, 3 corners.
27% possession, 4 goals, 18 shots, 16 corners.
73% possession, 0 goals, 11 shots, 3 corners.
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Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
A really deep defensive line usually means we're able to set possession among our defenders, we play around the forwards and attacking midfield and are into the space left in between the deep defence and their midfield. Newcastle managed to do what most can't, which is hold that defensive line and simultaneously press ferociously up front, Romero and VDV didn't get a second to play the ball between themselves (which might look frustratingly slow at times but is a HUGE part of how we draw opponents out onto us on our terms). Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes were impressive on the ball, but their real value today was the workmate defending from the front - first time this season their best front 3 has started together, had there been more no doubt they'd be right up with us and Villa.
We need a centre forward in the summer - I'm fully on board with getting Ivan Toney, but if there were even the slightest indication that Isak would come south (not going to happen, but still) then however much money it would cost would be worth it. He's a star.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
That aged well
Predicted a 1-3 loss beforehand, so maybe I was too optimistic!
As for the manager..,
He’s just gonna double down on Plan A isn’t he? Ange has demonstrated and publicly said, it’s his way or no way at all.
Completely naive. From Wolves away (1-0 up after 90mins) this pig headedness has cost us points. I don’t expect him to publicly state that Spurs have tweaked the style but I expect to see it on the pitch.
Don’t we have analysts and assistant coaches? Cos it’s blatantly obvious that opposition coaches/managers are working us out, setting out a game plan and then executing that plan to their advantage - see Fulham, West Ham and Newcastle as recent examples (all done slightly differently and all exploiting slightly different areas of weakness).
Feel good factor largely evaporated on a match day, we all gather in the bars beforehand wondering how we’ll concede today (not if we will concede). Favourite - the ball in behind the vacant left back position.
As for the manager..,
He’s just gonna double down on Plan A isn’t he? Ange has demonstrated and publicly said, it’s his way or no way at all.
Completely naive. From Wolves away (1-0 up after 90mins) this pig headedness has cost us points. I don’t expect him to publicly state that Spurs have tweaked the style but I expect to see it on the pitch.
Don’t we have analysts and assistant coaches? Cos it’s blatantly obvious that opposition coaches/managers are working us out, setting out a game plan and then executing that plan to their advantage - see Fulham, West Ham and Newcastle as recent examples (all done slightly differently and all exploiting slightly different areas of weakness).
Feel good factor largely evaporated on a match day, we all gather in the bars beforehand wondering how we’ll concede today (not if we will concede). Favourite - the ball in behind the vacant left back position.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
Disastrous night in the CL for the Premier league euro coefficient. Germany have got 2 semi-finalists, England have none.
With Leverkeusen set to knock West Ham out of the Europa and Atalanta heavy favourites vs Liverpool, it's 4th or bust for us. Italy and Germany are going to get the extra CL places.
With Leverkeusen set to knock West Ham out of the Europa and Atalanta heavy favourites vs Liverpool, it's 4th or bust for us. Italy and Germany are going to get the extra CL places.
Zapp Brannigan
Built like a steakhouse, handles like a bistro
This Spurs side are where we deserve to be, 4th or 5th. Not consistent enough to live with the 3 challengers, but on our day so much better than the dross that the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea have thrown up. Newcastle are the anomaly to me, injuries have ruined them - should be up around us and Villa.
With a good summer though, we could be a very good side again. Maybe we would get hammered in the CL up against the likes of Real, but there are plenty of teams much worse than us who are in it every year.
Doesn't look good for us to finish 4th as things stand, but stranger things have happened.
With a good summer though, we could be a very good side again. Maybe we would get hammered in the CL up against the likes of Real, but there are plenty of teams much worse than us who are in it every year.
Doesn't look good for us to finish 4th as things stand, but stranger things have happened.
Silas Loom
Hated by both sides
I’d take that and a disastrous night for Woolwich every time.
