Spineless and cowardly

[fleckneymike]

There’s something very Spursy about this group. 
 

We bottle it whenever there’s the slightest whiff of a struggle or pressure. From rolling over for Liverpool at home, to freezing against a Villa side featuring no strikers, to throwing away another chance in the FA Cup, this squad just don’t have the mentality needed. We’re serial bottlers. 
 

Everyone looks to someone else to dig the team out or take control. No in game management from the players; no one to put a marker down and drive them on; no one to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

The space we afforded one of the worst sides in the league was criminal, we let them walk into the area and shoot. The goal we did score was comical. Nacho fluffed the shot, the defender cleared an off target shot back into Vardy’s path to scramble in. 

 

We used the January window to bring in an oil tanker of a centre back with the distribution of yodel. Rather than kicking on we’ve slammed on the handbrake and started reversing at speed. 
 

And as for subbing an attacker at half time against one of the most inept defences...

[theessexfox]

I don’t think I’ve seen Spurs choke as much as we did last night. 

[Leicester_Loyal]

Can't rep you atm unfortunately mate. It's gone from a wonderful season to a potentially poor one with about 15 games and we've nobody to blame but ourselves.

[Suzie the Fox]

2 minutes ago, theessexfox said:

I don’t think I’ve seen Spurs choke as much as we did last night. 

3rd in a 2 horse race?

[theessexfox]

Just now, Suzie the Fox said:

3rd in a 2 horse race?

They had some poor results but they didn’t blow a 14 point lead and they never self destructed as much as we did in that moment. They came third just because they gave up on the last game of the season and got battered by Newcastle.

[jayfox26]

2 minutes ago, Suzie the Fox said:

3rd in a 2 horse race?

We could finish 7th when we were nailed on for 3rd/4th. Could be just as bad really. 

[AKCJ]

Spurs were always miles behind us. We won the league at a canter.

 

This is comfortably the biggest bottle job i've seen in football.

[Leicester_Loyal]

3 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

Spurs were always miles behind us. We won the league at a canter.

 

This is comfortably the biggest bottle job i've seen in football.

On par with Milan in Istanbul 2005 IMO.

[bfox]

This team had so many opportunities for redemption handed on a plate, one after the other. But they continued to throw it away. I'm just gobsmacked, It really does take a perfect cocktail of bad management, bad form, bad luck to get the job done. They get what they deserve - unfortunately it's us fans who stick around the club the longest.

[AKCJ]

Just now, Leicester_Loyal said:

On par with Milan in Istanbul 2005 IMO.

I had that in my mind but I think that result was because Liverpool were shite in the first half.

 

It wasn't like us where we were so good for the first half and then shat the bed.

[davieG]

26 minutes ago, fleckneymike said:

And as for subbing an attacker at half time against one of the most inept defences.

But we didn't fail for tactical reasons but you're right about the 'spirit' which Rodgers apparently can't see,well not until after the event.

 

City had controlled the first half, but said he felt the need to swap a striker for a midfielder to offer more defensive security.

It did not work, City conceding four in the second half in a meltdown that may define the season.

 

“(Iheanacho) wasn't having one of his better games,” said Rodgers in his post-match press conference. “The issue for us defensively was on the side of the pitch, because there was a lot of space for Wilf and Youri to cover.

“So we pushed Ayo on, he was playing well, and added an extra midfielder in to help cover.

“But the defeat wasn't tactical, it was about the spirit.”

He added: “I didn't see it coming. We didn't have personality in the second half.

[Ricey]

Rodgers raves about the spirit this group has but I don’t see it. We seriously lack mental resilience. Last night we crumbled against one of the worst Premier League teams I’ve witnessed in a long time.

[theessexfox]

I genuinely think I’ll struggle to get up for a football match again - we reached the summit in 2016 which was a freak, now this was our best ever chance to take us to the next level and build sustainable success, retain our best players and attract new players with the draw of CL football. I really don’t think we’ll get the chance again to be this close to Champions League football - Man United seem to have built a more balanced squad, Man City are exonerated and will keep their best players, and Chelsea are making decent moves in the transfer market. I really think we’ve blown our best chance of establishing ourselves as a club at the next tier, and it’ll take an extraordinary set of circumstances for us to be in with a chance of these heights again. That along with VAR, whiffs of corruption both in refereeing and with FFP, really is turning me off the sport. 

[That_Dude]

2 minutes ago, davieG said:

But we didn't fail for tactical reasons but you're right about the 'spirit' which Rodgers apparently can't see,well not until after the event.

 

City had controlled the first half, but said he felt the need to swap a striker for a midfielder to offer more defensive security.

It did not work, City conceding four in the second half in a meltdown that may define the season.

 

“(Iheanacho) wasn't having one of his better games,” said Rodgers in his post-match press conference. “The issue for us defensively was on the side of the pitch, because there was a lot of space for Wilf and Youri to cover.

“So we pushed Ayo on, he was playing well, and added an extra midfielder in to help cover.

“But the defeat wasn't tactical, it was about the spirit.”

He added: “I didn't see it coming. We didn't have personality in the second half.

The defeat is as much on him as on the players. HE went for the 1-0 although he perfectly knew that his side doesn't have the nerves for that. Furthermore there was absolutely no need to go more defensive when the opponent is in the ropes and just lost their best defenders.

 

Unfairly throwing a player under the bus to justifiy his poor decision doesn't do him any favor either.

[Lesta2014]

7 minutes ago, davieG said:

But we didn't fail for tactical reasons but you're right about the 'spirit' which Rodgers apparently can't see,well not until after the event.

 

City had controlled the first half, but said he felt the need to swap a striker for a midfielder to offer more defensive security.

It did not work, City conceding four in the second half in a meltdown that may define the season.

 

“(Iheanacho) wasn't having one of his better games,” said Rodgers in his post-match press conference. “The issue for us defensively was on the side of the pitch, because there was a lot of space for Wilf and Youri to cover.

“So we pushed Ayo on, he was playing well, and added an extra midfielder in to help cover.

“But the defeat wasn't tactical, it was about the spirit.”

He added: “I didn't see it coming. We didn't have personality in the second half.

I didn’t see an issue at the side? They had one shot first half from brooks! We had 10! That’s not an opposition causing us problems! He’s tactically inept! 

[davieG]

We had twenty touches and 10 shots in their penalty area in the 1st half to their one touch and nil shots in ours if i remember correctly. There was nothing happening that require a change at half-time which is usually done for injuries or if you're being completely outplayed.

[z-layrex]

8 minutes ago, theessexfox said:

I genuinely think I’ll struggle to get up for a football match again - we reached the summit in 2016 which was a freak, now this was our best ever chance to take us to the next level and build sustainable success, retain our best players and attract new players with the draw of CL football. I really don’t think we’ll get the chance again to be this close to Champions League football - Man United seem to have built a more balanced squad, Man City are exonerated and will keep their best players, and Chelsea are making decent moves in the transfer market. I really think we’ve blown our best chance of establishing ourselves as a club at the next tier, and it’ll take an extraordinary set of circumstances for us to be in with a chance of these heights again. That along with VAR, whiffs of corruption both in refereeing and with FFP, really is turning me off the sport. 

Think you summarised everything I'm feeling in one post. This and subs rule, I really think I'm done with football. It's obviously corrupt to it's core, so why bother with it? They just want to keep that middle east money flowing in.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

The defeat is as much on him as on the players. HE went for the 1-0 although he perfectly knew that his side doesn't have the nerves for that. Furthermore there was absolutely no need to go more defensive when the opponent is in the ropes and just lost their best defenders.

 

Unfairly throwing a player under the bus to justifiy his poor decision doesn't do him any favor either.

I completely agree.

 

Kasper messed up big time but we should never have been only 1-0 up at 66 minutes. Bournemouth were the worst team that I've ever seen in a prem match in that first half. We weren't playing well but we were much better and at ease. The manager should have been forcing us to go forward and attack. A second goal would have killed them off. The half time substitution was a crime. If anything we should have put on another attacker - we really didn't need the defence and neither N'Didi or YT were putting balls forward well. Then to take off an attacker for an attacker when we needed 2 goals to win the game - lunacy. bournemouth ended up with a team of attackers on the pitch and scored 4 goals against our defensive setup.

 

BR had the wrong mind set for the team from the kickoff and we got what we deserved. Embarrassing and humiliating yet BR is still going on about being the better team for 45 minutes each match.

 

I'm not saying sack him but he needs to re-assess himself and his coaching team. His tactics and subs are poor and I'm worried about his recruitment.

[Hammo]

Two adjectives that describe this team perfectly.

 

Worse still, I don’t think it bothers them to have those labels thrown at them.

 

With the exception perhaps of Schmeichel and Vardy, their lack of passion and appetite for the fight is a constant. A team can ‘carry’ one or two players who don’t have that mental fortitude, but when nine of the players plus the manager are weak-willed, then you have a massive problem.

[That_Dude]

7 minutes ago, FIF said:

I completely agree.

 

Kasper messed up big time but we should never have been only 1-0 up at 66 minutes. Bournemouth were the worst team that I've ever seen in a prem match in that first half. We weren't playing well but we were much better and at ease. The manager should have been forcing us to go forward and attack. A second goal would have killed them off. The half time substitution was a crime. If anything we should have put on another attacker - we really didn't need the defence and neither N'Didi or YT were putting balls forward well. Then to take off an attacker for an attacker when we needed 2 goals to win the game - lunacy. bournemouth ended up with a team of attackers on the pitch and scored 4 goals against our defensive setup.

 

BR had the wrong mind set for the team from the kickoff and we got what we deserved. Embarrassing and humiliating yet BR is still going on about being the better team for 45 minutes each match.

 

I'm not saying sack him but he needs to re-assess himself and his coaching team. His tactics and subs are poor and I'm worried about his recruitment.

Out of reps. I fully agree with you.

[Koke]

I was thinking this last night. 

 

Everytime this team + manager had a bit of pressure on them they ****ing fold like a stack of cards. 

 

Liverpool at home, these players get talked up as possible title challengers, the international media spot light is on them. What do they do? Zero shot on target and get battered 4-0 at home.

 

League Cup semi final against an atrocities Aston Villa side with no strikers and we somehow conspire to lose to them.

 

FA Cup v Chelsea, once again go out in the quarters against an inconsistent Chelsea side.

 

Watford, Brighton, Everton, CL ppst is on the line abd this team gets 2 points from 9.

 

Spurs never choked like this. They never threw away a 14 point lead. This is the biggest bottle job I've seen in a long time. Up there with Newcastle and Keegan but at least they were up against the reigning champions. We are up against a Chelsea team with a rookie coach and a United team managed by a Norwegian PE teacher.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

2 (or 3 if you count the FA Cup) instances of horrendous bottling this season, if this was Spurs we'd be laughing our heads off. 

[Webbo]

20 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

The defeat is as much on him as on the players. HE went for the 1-0 although he perfectly knew that his side doesn't have the nerves for that. Furthermore there was absolutely no need to go more defensive when the opponent is in the ropes and just lost their best defenders.

 

Unfairly throwing a player under the bus to justifiy his poor decision doesn't do him any favor either.

I don't know how anyone can read that statement and claim he's throwing Ihenacho under a bus. 

 

You'd think he'd said it was all nachos fault. He said WE didn't have the personality, I didn't see it coming. People are just inventing stuff now. 

[davieG]

7 minutes ago, FIF said:

I completely agree.

 

Kasper messed up big time but we should never have been only 1-0 up at 66 minutes. Bournemouth were the worst team that I've ever seen in a prem match in that first half. We weren't playing well but we were much better and at ease. The manager should have been forcing us to go forward and attack. A second goal would have killed them off. The half time substitution was a crime. If anything we should have put on another attacker - we really didn't need the defence and neither N'Didi or YT were putting balls forward well. Then to take off an attacker for an attacker when we needed 2 goals to win the game - lunacy. bournemouth ended up with a team of attackers on the pitch and scored 4 goals against our defensive setup.

 

BR had the wrong mind set for the team from the kickoff and we got what we deserved. Embarrassing and humiliating yet BR is still going on about being the better team for 45 minutes each match.

 

I'm not saying sack him but he needs to re-assess himself and his coaching team. His tactics and subs are poor and I'm worried about his recruitment.

What he's really saying is he doesn't have confidence in the team to beat a team like Bournemouth so we ended up with 7 defensive players -  defenders Justin, Evans, Soyuncu, Fuchs, Bennett and defensive midfielders Ndidi, Praet leaving just Perez, Tielemans and Vardy if that's not settling to defend a 1-0 lead against a team with Bournemouth's record I don't know what is.

The Bournemouth management and players must have thought it was Christmas.

[RonnieTodger]

There is a lot to be said about our weak mentality. 
 

We were absolutely coasting against the

most fragile team in the league (apart from Norwich who also ****ing beat us), and decided to sit in on a 0-1 when their only competent defender went off injured.

 

We absolutely collapsed, it was disgraceful. I’ve felt angry after Millwall and Newport defeats but never this concerned. 
 

The CAS verdict has finished our season but I wouldn’t be able to take us blowing 5th too. This is a colossal **** up. We were 14 points clear.

 

I don’t know how we recover from that. If we fold against anyone half decent, we could ship 7 or 8.