Wow, that was intense - I was sitting in my lounge sweating. Tottenham started the match with purpose, their mission was to eliminate time and space, disrupt rhythm and counter at speed. Mission accomplished!
Article by James Malcolm
The City back four at times looked like deer caught in the headlights of a hummer. Otamendi looked suspect, Kolarov was similar and Bravo had nothing to clap about after another suspect performance in the City goal. Pep will be getting his chequebook ready once again in January based on the performance of his back four. Saying that, I don’t want to diminish what we did. Spurs were good, really good. Every Spurs player had a job to do and executed it with ruthless efficiency. Son harassed the defence with his directness, Dele made a thousand well timed sprints into space with a flawless display and I'd go as far as to say it was his best of the season. Eriksen and Sissoko combined well on the right side cutting city open at will. Wanyama blocked and destroyed all in sight, the Belgians at the back were beyond solid and our full backs bossed their opposing flank, making their ageing opposition appear clueless and haggard.
Spurs had been flying under the radar, plodding along unspectacularly, until now. The pre-season cobwebs were swept away and last year’s mental scars healed. Pochettino’s famous double training sessions seem to have kicked in allowing Spurs to maintain a ferocious intensity, until the 80th minute when they sat back and shut up shop. This was the benchmark performance across the league. Liverpool have been unplayable at times this season, but that was the best all round performance of any EPL team. City were comprehensively out played in every position.
3 Takeaways
We are title contenders. No doubt about it. The big three have new managers and have finished their honeymoon periods. All of those teaams have been underwhelming in the last few weeks, they are in transition. We are solid and well drilled, with continuity and stability built on defence and a strong team spirit.
Pochettino and Toby are on the cusp of greatness. No defender in the league reads the game better than the Belgium - he has remarkable vision, technique and consistency. Poch is growing as a manager and can now take on the best. He has a squad which affords him tactical flexibility and is not reliant on any one player, possibly with the exception of Alderweireld. He is the best man manager and developer of players in England. It’s likely the super clubs will come knocking, before they do, lets collect some silverware.
Defence. We have the best back four in the Premier League. We did last year and we do now. We haven’t conceded a goal in open play in 7 games. Remarkable. Defence wins titles. When the attack is having an off day, not conceding gives you a chance of winning. Winning 1-0 wins titles.....ask Leicester City.
I’m disappointed that we have to wait two weeks to see our boys in action again, West Brom be scared. We’re coming for you.
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It's all well and good beating City but we need to keep this momentum going. West Brom are that kinda of team to rattle the momentum, just look at last year. I hope i'm wrong. COYS
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