Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[ChicagoLion]

I really don't care what the media says about us. They have their favourites, they always have, so what?.

[pablo_picasso]

Edit - I see the point you were making in the responses while I was writing. Yes, they are two different situations, but when they were similar for us at the beginning of the season while we adjusted, there was no media clamour to say we only lost to Newcastle & Liverpool because we were 4 important first teamers down, especially that whole left hand side of the pitch, where we did most of our attacking last season. I stand by my squad management point though... 👍

I did make that point about squad management way back in this thread. Our new signings over the summer were able to step into the injured positions so we weren't starting the season having to play academy kids to make up a starting 11 or anything, but we were still down 4 players in the wider squad. So we did have to dig a little deeper when it came to rotating players. Those experiments yielded good and bad, but it did leave us in a place where Emery knows exactly what everyone is capable of.

Spurs lost their opening League Cup tie (fielding what some called a 2nd string side) and have only had league games to play since, and it appears for all of Ange's good qualities, he hasn't been developing the whole squad, and is possibly alienating some of them too.

I think what it really shows is the difference between someone with the experience and eye for detail of Emery, compared to the can do a job to a point manager like Ange. He's still done well to get them to this point, and they were probably going to lose several of their games in this run of fixtures anyway, so maybe the injuries/suspensions will prove a blessing for him in that respect.

Apologies, I missed your squad management comment.

I think Bailey is a perfect example of Emerys squad management.

Yes, he did cost a few bob, but the injury situation he had did look like it was going to ruin his Villa career.

But the way that Emery has not only blended him into the squad & got him back into form, he has managed to do it making Bailey happy with his position as someone who comes off the bench to contribute.

But obviously not only that, we have managed to get in Kamara on a free, Tielemans on a free, Ramsey free from academy, & managed to spread the cost around so much that our squad was able to take the hit of four key players missing for a third of the season & still managing to get into the top four...

That still blows my mind & I am trying not to get too excited about what we can do when we have Ramsey & Moreno racing down the left hand side of the pitch, to add to Watkins, Diaby, Bailey, etc...

[trinityoap]

Tottenham 1 Villa 2. What else do they need to know?

[AV84]

Apologies, I missed your squad management comment.

No worries, I didn't mean that to sound like I was pulling you up on it, just that I agreed with you.

[pablo_picasso]

Apologies, I missed your squad management comment.

No worries, I didn't mean that to sound like I was pulling you up on it, just that I agreed with you.

👍😁

[VillaTim]

Tottenham 1 Villa 2. What else do they need to know?

But it's not fair

[LeeB]

Watkins goal gets better every time I watch it, I think its my favourite of the season so far.

[pauliewalnuts]

Watkins goal gets better every time I watch it, I think its my favourite of the season so far.

The build up to it was marvellous, too.

Tielemans really starting to show what he can do now.

[Monty]

Watkins goal gets better every time I watch it, I think its my favourite of the season so far.

The build up to it was marvellous, too.

Tielemans really starting to show what he can do now.

I love how suddenly he changes direction, took them totally off-guard.

[Lastfootstamper]

He took it so early it still surprises me every time I watch it. Ace goal.

[andrew08]

Despite all the noise from the Spuds fan base and the media about injuries, suspensions and tackles, the main reason they lost is that they sold Harry Kane who would likely have bagged a couple yesterday and we have his current understudy who won the game with a proper Premier League strikers finish.

Despite all the tactics and coaching genius (maybe on both sides in fairness) it always comes down to the strikers.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Despite all the noise from the Spuds fan base and the media about injuries, suspensions and tackles, the main reason they lost is that they sold Harry Kane who would likely have bagged a couple yesterday and we have his current understudy who won the game with a proper Premier League strikers finish.

Despite all the tactics and coaching genius (maybe on both sides in fairness) it always comes down to the strikers.

He didn't get many against us last season, other than the Annual Refs Love Harry Kane At Villa Park Penalty Award, obviously!

[Jon Crofts]

Anyone else’s attending?

[PaulWinch again]

The Cash reaction is ludicrously overblown - it’s a poor tackle and a yellow card. It got the punishment it deserved, it’s unfortunate it’s resulted in injury, but that doesn’t mean it’s a red.

[VillaTim]

This time next week Spurs will be staring down the barrel of 4 straight defeats .