Poise Under Pressure

Article by Brent Weber

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It was obvious in the first few minutes of the NLD that Pochetinno’s plan was to sit back, absorb pressure, and counter attack. This was a very different game plan compared to the first five matches and it put tremendous pressure on the back line. I was amazed how well the back 4 played yesterday. I was more amazed at how composed, calm, and poised they were as a unit under constant pressure.

Rose had been very good through the first 5 matches. However, with Eriksen’s move to left midfield, it put even more pressure on him to be solid in defence. I thought he played very well. He made a few silly fouls early in the match in dangerous areas, which seems to be the norm for him, but once he settled down he played strong and made some really important defensive plays. Hopefully his injury is not major because he has really improved.

Other than one misplayed ball in the first half that put us on our heels, Vertonghen was extremely good on Saturday. He has played well in every match this season and looks to be returning to form of a few seasons ago. He cleared several crosses and for the most part was always in the right position. Late in the match, he made a great steal, drove the ball forward and nearly set us up to win the match. It was almost amazing, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. He definitely proved to Pochetinno that he should be one of the starting CB in every EPL match.

For all the criticism Kyle Naughton has received over the last few seasons, I thought he was solid yesterday. In addition, he provided an attacking threat up the right side and put a few good balls into the box. Like Rose, he didn’t get much help defensively from Lamela, but he held his ground. When Rose went out, he was forced to the left side to help close out the match which showed us once again how valuable his versatility is to the squad.

Kaboul was my man of the match yesterday. He definitely showed his value as Captain. I thought he kept the team together, which is what a captain does. This was probably the best match he has played in the last several years. He was composed, always in position, and showed tremendous leadership from start to finish. He was resilient! Hopefully he will use the momentum from this match to continue playing well.

Going to the Emirates and getting a point was huge for Spurs and could be the catalyst for the season! The entire defensive unit including Lloris was tremendous yesterday under constant attack and pressure. Vertonghen and Kaboul showed us that they are a strong CB pairing and can be counted on in big matches. Saturday’s match was the first time this season I’ve seen the team play with passion, energy, and desire, and it all started from the back!

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