Spurs 2024-25

[Silas Loom]

Morning.

Ipswich - 0 wins this season. Paging Dr Tottenham…

This sodding club.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

I'd be happier if we were just shit. No expectations, never disappointed, and pleasantly surprised when it goes right.

Instead we get this rollercoaster ride, world beating one week and absolute dross another. I'm fucking furious with today's performance and result, with 3 points we'd be in third - instead we're right in the middle of a big log-jam of teams, and our next match is Man City away. But not before they've had a chance to regroup for their own problems, get a few people fit and bounce back in style after the international break.

 

[Cerberus]

Although I made money with the help of Dr Tottenham, I’m lost for words (or maybe I’ve just had enough)

 

[Cerberus]

Still not over it

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Still not over it

Nor should you be, and neither should the players.

It's one of those occasions where I wish there was a game 3 days later to put things right, instead of chewing over a pretty bitter atmosphere through the international break.

The whole feel of the place has changed - a simple, routine 3 home points and we'd all be flying.

 

[Silas Loom]

Calm down chaps, there’s good news this morning.



Not that a “digital privacy partner” is a weird thing for a business addicted to TV rights revenue to have, or anything. Still, we said we needed some ambitious signings and here we are.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Calm down chaps, there’s good news this morning.



Not that a “digital privacy partner” is a weird thing for a business addicted to TV rights revenue to have, or anything. Still, we said we needed some ambitious signings and here we are.

I love a good VPN. Just remember though chaps and chapesses, it would be wrong to use one to get round UK-IP blocking to watch those Saturday 3pm games on a foreign feed, so don't do it.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Bentancur banned for 7 matches for racially insensitive comments about Son. Personally I think he said something ignorant rather than malicious - it's right that he faces punishment for it, and his remorse appears genuine (as does Son's forgiveness) so if it goes down as a learning experience for Bentancur and others then at least there's a faint positive to come out of it.

My gripe isn't with Bentancur's ban, it's the unequal treatment in comparison with others. John Terry racially abusing Anton Ferdinand - 4 games. Luis Suarez racially abusing Patrice Evra - 8 games. Enzo Fernandez singing racist songs in a live stream - no ban (outside FA jurisdiction). Bentancur's ban is deserved, all 3 of the above should have been looking at orders of magnitude more severe because of the malice involved.

Bissouma to have a starring role in centre mid for a while, and we might get to see Archie Gray in his preferred position.

 

[Boo Radley75]

Bentancur banned for 7 matches for racially insensitive comments about Son. Personally I think he said something ignorant rather than malicious - it's right that he faces punishment for it, and his remorse appears genuine (as does Son's forgiveness) so if it goes down as a learning experience for Bentancur and others then at least there's a faint positive to come out of it.

My gripe isn't with Bentancur's ban, it's the unequal treatment in comparison with others. John Terry racially abusing Anton Ferdinand - 4 games. Luis Suarez racially abusing Patrice Evra - 8 games. Enzo Fernandez singing racist songs in a live stream - no ban (outside FA jurisdiction). Bentancur's ban is deserved, all 3 of the above should have been looking at orders of magnitude more severe because of the malice involved.

Bissouma to have a starring role in centre mid for a while, and we might get to see Archie Gray in his preferred position.

Muhammed Kudus for West Ham tried to kill two or three Spurs players at the same time and only got a 5 match ban.

 

[ska invita]

terrible read .... asian racism still so normalised
always bizzare to me that there are no east asian people on TV other than in some comical role

Bentancur & Son: Racism against East and South East asian players is on the rise

BBC Sport looks at the rise in racism towards East and South East Asian players and fans in football.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

terrible read .... asian racism still so normalised
always bizzare to me that there are no east asian people on TV other than in some comical role

Bentancur & Son: Racism against East and South East asian players is on the rise

BBC Sport looks at the rise in racism towards East and South East Asian players and fans in football.

www.bbc.co.uk

It's not even 15 years or so since his own supporters would sing about Park Ji Sung eating dogs. There's a lot of work to do to take Asian racism out of football.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Calling it now:

 

[Silas Loom]

They’re on a losing streak, though. Our counter-intuitively excellent record against Citeh versus the Dr Tottenham curse. No idea which will prevail.

 

[Cerberus]

They’re on a losing streak, though. Our counter-intuitively excellent record against Citeh versus the Dr Tottenham curse. No idea which will prevail.

Dr Tottenham trumps anything else. He’ll rush straight from the Manchester Royal Infirmary to Eastlands in time to administer a miracle cure.

I thought I was missing football last weekend. Now Saturday has loomed upon us, I’m not quite so enthusiastic

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Just wow, what a first half. James Maddison has been utterly brilliant, and the whole team have worked their socks off. Ben Davies has been last ditch a few times but so effective, a proper defender.

What a performance so far, but it's a million miles from over.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Well, we'll have worse results.

 

[The39thStep]

Well done

 

[Silas Loom]

Finally starting a game with our two first choice CBs is what made the difference, I think.

 

[ska invita]

Game aside the table today is a pleasant sight...if we'd beaten Ipswich we'd be third!
Maybe the new squad is starting to gel? Really looked like a team today

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Dr Tottenham went full Shipman on Man City.

A few details of the performance to pick out:

Kulusevski has been brilliant in a central role, but it turns out it's not the position but the player - strong, determined, skillful, composed and above all supremely intelligent on the pitch. Right wing or in the middle, doesn't matter.

Dragusin is a right sided stopper of a defender - he might not quite be Romero, but he's bloody good at that role.

Ben Davies would lose a 60 metres race with van de Ven by almost 60 metres, but he knows how to compensate for it and play to his strengths. Mentally he's up there with the best, and i think there's a really good future coach in our ranks.

Bissouma - I really feared for him with his 1st minute yellow card, but ultimately composed and one of his best performances for us. His chest control under a high ball and ability to turn out of tight spaces is a real asset, reminiscent of one M. Dembele, formerly of this parish. Sometimes i think he struggles with the position - as the deepest midfielder it's supposed to be a defensive role, but in our style it's also the key to starting attacks by drawing opponents out and leaving them beyond the ball. Often Bissouma gets either one of the 2 parts right, rarely both - today was just about the first time I've seen him perform both defensively and creatively in equally imperious fashion.

Solanke - come the end of the season, there might be some noise around his goal numbers and whether he was worth the money. I don't want to hear a word of it - he's brilliant at what he does.

And finally, Timo Werner - we've found a role for him. If we've got a lead but want to put the game to bed against opposition chasing the game (committing players forward and leaving space), bring him on. That was Kyle Walker he burned - between Adama Traore a few weeks ago and Werner yesterday, I think we just saw his career accelerated towards the finish line.

2 home games to come - Roma and Fulham. Traore vs van de Ven in a foot race? I'd pay to see that.

 

[Silas Loom]

Maddison and Sarr deserve huge praise as well. And that’s still ignoring two goalscorers!

 

[Steel Icarus]

Well done, and thanks

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Maddison and Sarr deserve huge praise as well. And that’s still ignoring two goalscorers!

Could easily have done 14 or 15 different player profiles, to a man they were all brilliant.

 

[Ted Striker]

Dr Tottenham went full Shipman on Man City.

 

[rubbershoes]

I'm going to complain to the BBC. Showing highlights from the Etihad and not a single shot of Noel Gallagher looking grumpy

 

[marshall]

Ever since the Gallaghers announced their comeback tour, Citeh have been pants

 

[Lotte]

Maddison deserves all the birthday cake.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

In my disgust at the Ipswich performance and result, I forgot to update the visual table. Oops. This version makes more pleasant reading anyway (for us but especially for Liverpool fans), so no harm done!

My baseline for a good season is 2pts/game, 76 points will always (a) be a bloody good season, and (b) will get CL football. Interestingly, at this stage only Liverpool are on course to break that. Tighter than a tight thing from 2nd all the way down to lower mid table.

31 - Liverpool (15)
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23 - Man City (5)
22 - Chelsea (9), Arsenal (9), Brighton (5)
21
20
19 - Spurs (14), Forest (2), Villa (0)
18 - Fulham (0), Newcastle (0),
17 - Brentford (0)
16 - Man Utd (0)
15 - Bournemouth (-1), West Ham (-4)
14
13
12
11 - Everton (-7)
10 - Leicester (-8)
09 - Wolves (-8), Ipswich (-10)
08 - Crystal Palace (-7)
07
06
05
04 - Southampton (-15)

 

[ska invita]

Dr Tottenham went full Shipman on Man City.

A few details of the performance to pick out:

Kulusevski has been brilliant in a central role, but it turns out it's not the position but the player - strong, determined, skillful, composed and above all supremely intelligent on the pitch. Right wing or in the middle, doesn't matter.

Dragusin is a right sided stopper of a defender - he might not quite be Romero, but he's bloody good at that role.

Ben Davies would lose a 60 metres race with van de Ven by almost 60 metres, but he knows how to compensate for it and play to his strengths. Mentally he's up there with the best, and i think there's a really good future coach in our ranks.

Bissouma - I really feared for him with his 1st minute yellow card, but ultimately composed and one of his best performances for us. His chest control under a high ball and ability to turn out of tight spaces is a real asset, reminiscent of one M. Dembele, formerly of this parish. Sometimes i think he struggles with the position - as the deepest midfielder it's supposed to be a defensive role, but in our style it's also the key to starting attacks by drawing opponents out and leaving them beyond the ball. Often Bissouma gets either one of the 2 parts right, rarely both - today was just about the first time I've seen him perform both defensively and creatively in equally imperious fashion.

Solanke - come the end of the season, there might be some noise around his goal numbers and whether he was worth the money. I don't want to hear a word of it - he's brilliant at what he does.

And finally, Timo Werner - we've found a role for him. If we've got a lead but want to put the game to bed against opposition chasing the game (committing players forward and leaving space), bring him on. That was Kyle Walker he burned - between Adama Traore a few weeks ago and Werner yesterday, I think we just saw his career accelerated towards the finish line.

And no Richarlison is good too

 

[Silas Loom]

And no Richarlison is good too

Nothing wrong with having back-up for Solanke while Lankshear is eased in. I agree there’s no reason to play Richie on a left wing where we seem rather over-stocked, especially with Yang coming in.