That was through severely gritted teeth WW as a Spurs fan I’d be worried that Jose or the players or a combination there of decided that the bus needed to be parked against a mid table, under par (no great shakes) Arsenal team.
I was talking to my nephew before the game who is always pessimistic and he said but they’ve got Bale, Son and Kane upfront and my reply was yes but we have Saka, Ødegaard and Smith-Rowe. I was slightly concerned that the main Man Aubameyang wasn’t playing but as soon as I realised you where going to sit back and not press us high up the pitch I knew we could beat you.
Even though Lamela scored that goal Son was a big loss his is a name I always dread seeing on a team sheet and I’m surprised you’ve managed to keep hold of him so long, he is a top player I could see at Real or Barca.
I’ve no idea why Spurs sat back as Kane, Son and Bale have been great recently. Although we did a great job of containing the threat and solid performances all round. If we could manage that level of play consistently it’d be amazing but am sure it’ll come.
Overall I think we deserved a win but perhaps not die to that penalty. VAR strikes again!
To be honest, I don’t know much about the Championship, but I did see this recently which does not make me think either of those teams are even “decidedly average”:
I don’t think you’d see that in the Premier League or any other top-10, or even top-15, European division. Of course you also have the teams which have just been relegated, but would it be fair to say that the championship has quite a broad range of team quality?
I’m not sure about the penalty being the wrong decision Lacazette totally misses the ball would he have been able to get to the loose ball had Sanchez not wiped him out?
It’s every Championsip Team’s main goal to get into the PL hence the fierce competition and it’s every PL teams sole aim to stay there hence the more cagey style.
Leeds hell for leather style is good to watch and has paid off for them so far but there is a very good reason why it is the oddity you describe because it doesn’t work long term or win trophies teams built on solid defence do. The real cleverness of Bielsa is that he plays to his teams strengths and the players at his disposal abilities.
Also do not underestimate the fact that you’ve been promoted into the strangest top flight season ever Covid restrictions have played a huge part Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham have had seasons not even their biggest fans could have predicted and not many would have predicted Sheffield United’s terrible form you only have to look at the away wins ratio to see that this is not a normal season.
So do not be so quick to judge as I think you’ll find it a different league once supporters are allowed back .
The absence of crowds from grounds must have had an effect on every team and the officials but how that has impacted the league tables is anyone’s guess. I think all we can say is that, in general, ‘home’ form for teams seems to have suffered while ‘away’ form has improved.
I’d argue that Sheff Utd’s poor performance this season is less about Covid and more about second-season syndrome. The PL is ruthless is working out a team’s weaknesses. Successful tactics and systems of one season often get countered the next season. The Blades’ successful formula last season has been found out this season. Maybe the same can explain Liverpools’ very successful high-pressing game that won them the PL last season which hasn’t been so effective this season.
Yes I’d have to agree with all you say it’s perhaps a combination of the two, Liverpool have definitely been found out to some degree but are also missing their fans badly.
Second season syndrome is a real problem for the newly promoted remember Ipswich and Marcus Stewart and I think in part that is the reason for Sheffield United’s form though you can’t underestimate the part their fans played.
My main point was that the PL cannot be judged wholly on this current season and fingers fully crossed fans will be allowed back next season in some degree.
Yes - I agree - I think it also is more conducive to different styles of play. I’m not saying for a minute that the football is of better quality - but it IS more consistently entertaining, for the exact reasons you give. There is something in almost every game, and the stakes - whilst high - are not AS high as existentially high as they are in the PL.
I think Bielsa would say that attack is the best form of defence - keep the ball in the opposition half and they can’t hurt you. That’s what Leeds did last year and won the Championship (a trophy!) by 10 points over 46 games, 8 more than the Premier league play.
So I think it does work - and while they’ve been well beaten a few times (when it goes wrong, it tends to really go wrong) they’ve actually kept more clean sheets than any other team in any of the four divisions since the day Bielsa was appointed - 42 out of 104 games. That’s ANY team.
They need to add a bit more quality - the style won’t change - but I think the consistency will go up.
Well - did you see West Brom against Crystal Palace the other day?!?
I’m not saying that the teams are technically superior in the championship - I’m saying there is more variety and less negative football.
Yes - absolutely - and that makes for some very interesting games. Lots of local Derbys too (ooops - I said the word Derby - wash my mouth out!) - so for entertainment it wins.
Would I want to still be there? …absolutely not! …my comments were more on the stale and negative nature of much of the premier league, and how that’s clearly adversely impacting the brand globally, as demonstrated by the falling TV revenues.
I don’t think there’s an answer per se - too much money at stake - the likes of Leeds and Wolves will win lots of Friends I’m sure, but the status quo will be maintained.
Just like F1 - there’s a fair chance that Elite Football will gradually eat itself - and need to come up with increasingly desperate ways to appeal as audiences and engagement wanes.
That’s a very interesting stat Matt and of course if you keep the ball in the opposition half then they cannot score. Only time will tell of course if this strategy will prove to be a long term success.
I didn’t realise the extent that Bielsa has been bank rolled £100 million since Leeds gained promotion which is a large amount for a newly promoted side so that is a really positive sign from your owners as you would think that after such a successful first season that a similar sum would be invested I’d suggest a big chunk goes on central defenders.
In the end we do all watch football because it’s entertaining. If you support a lesser team, you might be happy with winning at any cost, but if all teams played like, say, Getafe no one will be left to watch it in time.
And that’s my point - audiences are dropping. The product isn’t as good as it was (say) 10 years ago.
Possibly. It’s certainly different. We had a similar team in England a good few years back - soak up the pressure, bypass the midfield - score. Ugly. Annoying. Effective. They were called Wimbledon - but others have tried it since, and there are similar teams in the premier league now.
Leeds are the opposite by the way - huge amounts of possession. Wave after wave of attack. Hats full of chances. Low conversion ratio to relative xG.
They are mid table have a goal difference of zero - which I’m told is PEAK Marcelo Bielsa!
Just to add my 2p, I’m watching Wolves v Liverpool, and what a snooze fest.
Sure, there’s been a couple of opportunities, but watching both teams play the ball backwards from their opponent’s penalty box, brings a whole new meaning to playing it out from the back.
The action is largely confined to across the midfield, and the half time pundits are trying their best to find points of interest to discuss.
Sorry, give me The Mighty Whites, seven days of the week, and all day long.
