Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dave]

I thought DC was comfortably our best centre-half yesterday, particularly in the first half when we had all that defending to do.

[LeeB]

I thought DC was comfortably our best centre-half yesterday, particularly in the first half when we had all that defending to do.

Me too, looked like he was rock solid from my view in the away end.

[VillaTim]

We were guilty of not bothering to mark Gil in the 1st half, luckily despite the freedom of North London he did very little of note with the ball

[VILLA MOLE]

We were guilty of not bothering to mark Gil in the 1st half, luckily despite the freedom of North London he did very little of note with the ball

He is all fart , a proper Spurs player

[Bad English]

After a night's reflection, I propose that we all show solidarity with Spurs, whose tragic loss of players through suspension and injury, plus repeated stress due to regular offside decisions leading to disallowed goals, combined with unenviable profligacy in front of goal has led to the loss of another three points.

Perhaps a minute's silence for the Tottingham at all Premier League games next week would be in order.

[Toronto Villa]

We're just not expected to compete.
The evidence is there that certainly, in the case of Sky, Aston Villa are an afterthought.

We are a little like Leicester in that regard. Everyone expected them to fall away but they stuck around and won it all in the end. Man City are far different proposition to Spurs back in 2015/2016, AKA our relegation season. But it would be beyond fucking ace to just be in the conversation come May with a chance to win it.

[simon ward 50]

Let's just enjoy the PL table shall we?

[Risso]

I expect Man City will run away with it again. They've got a ridiculous squad and still De Bruyne to come back. We need to get to January still in the hunt for the top 4 then get a couple of new recruits in and see if we can last the pace.

[VillaTim]

Highlights on Sky at 1pm

[85kota]

The bigger problem for me is Cash at wide right and Konsa at right back. It just hasn't worked in any game I can recall, ie Liverpool, Wolves, Forest or now Spurs away. It takes away Cash's pace at right back, and we don't benefit from having him further forward because he's not very good there. Also Diego Carlos isnt as good next to Torres as Konsa is. Hopefully if Ramsey is properly fit soon Emery can consign this idea to the bin where it belongs.

Yes, totally agree. My son and I were raging all first half about the way Konsa was being exposed because Cash was on walkabout in midfield. For an ex-winger, he is seemingly unable to beat a man on the outside (perhaps why he moved to RB) and was a spare part yesterday. I don't really know why Emery changed the team from that which started last time - if it was to counter the inside runs from Udogie, why change the defensive structure when he could simply have deployed McGinn  to deal with it (and have Tielemans over on the left).

It was about Udogie but Cash just didn't know what to do. All that needed to happen was for Konsa to cut in tight and Cash to mark Gil but Cash kept following Udogie and getting caught doing nothing, leaving Gil with half the pitch to play in (but thankfully he's really shit so whilst it looked scary nothing much came from it. I suspect Cash was in there because he was worried that McGinn would do exactly what Cash did. Bailey worked because he just hugged that touchline and got back to press Gil, who disappeared so far into his pocket that they subbed him off to make room for Johnson in there.

On Cash he isn't particularly skilful running with the ball but he times his run as well as anyone, which is why he's so dangerous from fullback. Yesterday he was too high up the pitch so every pass was having to be into feet rather than in space in front of him, and that just forces him to come backwards and recycle possession.

Good analysis, Paul. Yes, it did look scary the space Gil had, but as you say it didn't amount to anything.

As others have pointed out, watching live it was pretty hairy but it you knew the score and watched the highlights it wasn't.

[85kota]

The bigger problem for me is Cash at wide right and Konsa at right back. It just hasn't worked in any game I can recall, ie Liverpool, Wolves, Forest or now Spurs away. It takes away Cash's pace at right back, and we don't benefit from having him further forward because he's not very good there. Also Diego Carlos isnt as good next to Torres as Konsa is. Hopefully if Ramsey is properly fit soon Emery can consign this idea to the bin where it belongs.

It would be something if Carlos had a big lump of a centre forward to man mark. But up against Son it made no sense. Konsa is rubbish at RB too and we badly miss his pace in the middle when he ain't there. Couldn't believe it when I saw the starting line up. Gave Spurs far too much respect and should have paid for it really in that first half.

I can't recall how quick he was before his injury but Carlos is truly glacial these days on the turn. It's not ideal when three of our four fit centre backs can't run. He did well at Burnley but I don't think he's impressed otherwise this season. Ben Davies definitely shouldn't be beating him in the air either. Think CB is a position we will look to strengthen, if not in Jan then definitely in the summer.

Yeah Carlos is a big worry for me. Don't feel confident with him in the line-up at all.

[Monty]

Konsa I think is a perfectly fine right-back option, it's just what moving him means right now weakens the team too much. If it were Torres and Mings inside then that would be a different prospect, but that's not available right now.

[Risso]

Konsa I think is a perfectly fine right-back option, it's just what moving him means right now weakens the team too much. If it were Torres and Mings inside then that would be a different prospect, but that's not available right now.

He's not as quick as Cash, and we miss him in the middle. And it's not like we gain anything positive from moving him. Let's just agree to never mention it again Unai!

[Monty]

I genuinely think it makes perfect sense with Mings in there. He's stronger in the tackle and off the ball than Cash, shuffles over into the three with infinitely more naturalness, and honestly has a more sound technique when passing into midfield. But as things stand, yeah, we completely need him in the middle.

[PaulWinch again]

I think DC is still settling in, understandably.