PL W FA Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur 0:1 Manchester United

Post-match discussion


Sun, 13 January 2019

They really weren't. We rode our luck today big time.
No we didn't, we scored, defended and won the game.One could also say Spurs were lucky not to concede 3 or 4 more but I guess some people will only ever be pessimistic.
 
De Gea saved our butts today. First half and the opening 10-15 minutes of the second half was really good. Could have scored more than once. Our defence was open throughout the whole of the game. Really lucky not to concede 3 or more. Really need to strengthen our defence in the summer.
Never saw the 1st half. Spurs had no shot on target first half, what did he do to save us?? Not being shitty, honestly curious.
 
I am quite surprised how many balls they blocked.Not a common Manutd characteristics.
 
First half was typical SAF big away game perfomance. I was very surprised with our counter attack threat and interchanging of our front three especially. And even second half first 15 minutes we looked the more likely to score, the full 90 minutes will come soon. There's so much to be positive about. Spurs away isn't easy. Even City had to hold on when they played earlier this season. We've got lots to improve but its very encouraging already. Liverpool, City, Spurs are all stable teams that have been playing together for a while in the same way under their managers. This is first time we've had settled XI! Let alone proactive style of play. Give us a bit more time. With 3/4 more signings we're going somewhere.
 
Great win.

Very good 1st half.

2nd half was really dire though(especially the last 30). Hopefully we'll improve on that aspect and not have teams pin us back as much. Luckily DDG was immense.
 
I think it was the O'Shea goal against Pool that was a bit like this. In that game we scored at the end unlike we scored here in the first half.
Was it Rojo who kept Kane quiet in some of the earlier games?
 
Ooof, where to start.

First of all, I haven't been this excited for a match in a long-long time - like a little kid waiting for Christmas presents. The excitement was quickly replaced with anxiety and nervousness as soon as the ball was kicked. The rollercoaster of emotions that led up to the game and I experienced during the game cannot be put in words. Something that I haven't felt during Mous' reign in, what seems now, forever.

The 1st half was everything I had hoped for and more. Even if we didn't convert our chances, I was still giddy and thrilled to see us have a go at one of the big 6. The forward passes, the counters, the free-flowing football. Good thing I was alone at home during the goal, because I'm pretty sure the screams and noises I was making, made my neighbours wanting to come over and check if someone was butchering an animal next door.

Second half - I was pretty much watching it through my hands (them being in front of my face :nervous:). Starting from the chances Pogba had, ending with Dave being the second coming of Christ inbetween those posts. Yeah, we surrendered the posession and weren't as attacking, but we saw the game through. My thoughts of Koulibaly being the ideal partner to Lindelof, got even stronger at this point. He's an absolute unit with his physical presence and also in the air. Jones, sadly, was a liability marking Kane. Of course Kane is the ideal all-round attacker, but jay-sus.

All in all, it's the perfect start to the week and a week long wait for the next game is... horrible. Ole well on track to give the board some thinking material. Showed today that not only has he made the players play beautiful football, he's also tactically aware. Oh, and if all the big games are going to be like this, at this rate, I'm going to have a heart attack before I reach 30.
 
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With regards to Ole’s tactics of playing Lingard central with Martial and Rashford wider, he was understandably coy about the reasoning saying he simply though it would be effective in this match.

What do you guys think motivated the switch from previous line ups with Rashford central?
Well, basically we went for a diamond with Lingard marking Winks in a false nine-ish role. That was the reason we were good in the first half. We basically man-marked ther diamond in midfield so none of their midfield players were allowed any room. The amount of times they punted it long from defence in the first half were higher than most games for them.

Rashford and Martial were wide so they could hit Spurs between fullback and the central defender. They are weak in that area in transition because their fullbacks often push high up in attack. The goal came from this.

In the second half Spurs moved Eriksen back and changed their formation so we no longer marked them man for man. This was the main reason they came back stronger in the second half. Their midfield had more time on the ball.
 
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Second half we were under immense pressure he made many wonderful saves.
I know, I saw the second half but not the 1st. Stats show Spurs never had a shot on target in the 1st half, so I'm curious as to why you say De Gea saved us in the 1st half. Edit, just realised it was not you that said it. ha
 
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They pushed us in the last 20 mins but we have the world’s best between the sticks. DDG’s performances don’t even surprise me anymore. I expect him to make world class saves when called upon.
 
My first United away and first time at Wembley!!!

Absolutely loved it all!! Something I will never forget.
Great to hear pal. The away support is always great and not a bad one at all for your first away day.
 
Surprise surprise nothing from @GlastonSpur and yet this is what he told me about him going missing when Spurs loose

A popular myth, but not true. It's much like the many invented things I'm supposed to have said but never did, or the frequent fanciful "translations" of what I've said.
 
Set up really well in the first half and we could’ve had 1-2 more goals if we had better finishing. Our counters were devastating and we were solid in defence. Lindelof was superb again.

Second half, when Poch switched his tactics, it felt like we didn’t really know how to respond. There was a vacuum in midfield that gave them way too much time and space to orchestrate their attacks. We didn’t really press them at all and on another day at least one of those shots goes in. But my word de Gea - where would we be without him.

All in all massive massive result.

Yes, indeed. I would have liked to see Mike Phelan more involved with Ole.

During the first half, Ole got tactics spot on to nullify Totenham’s diamond. But second half
They switched to 4-2-3-1 and we were being overrun un midfield over and over. As someone said, Fellaini would have been a good sub at that time. Ole’s subs were good, but the formation didn’t change in response to Totenham’s tactics. We just became more and more defensive toward the end.

It is telling that during the first half, we saw Poch’s assistant looking at a tablet and pointing out something to Poch in a tablet. During the second half, we saw the same with Ole in a discussion with his assistant, but with a small notebook on hand. Maybe instead of bringing in Poch we should try to hire his assistant to help out Ole.
 
In the first half, I enjoyed the amazing attack game, in the second half I enjoyed the phenomenal work effort the whole team made and DDG's phenomenal performance. Besides him, Raschford, Pogba, Herrera and Lindelof were fantastic today.
And, of course, Ole & Co did everything right this enjoyable evening.
 
Yes, indeed. I would have liked to see Mike Phelan more involved with Ole.

During the first half, Ole got tactics spot on to nullify Totenham’s diamond. But second half
They switched to 4-2-3-1 and we were being overrun un midfield over and over. As someone said, Fellaini would have been a good sub at that time. Ole’s subs were good, but the formation didn’t change in response to Totenham’s tactics. We just became more and more defensive toward the end.

It is telling that during the first half, we saw Poch’s assistant looking at a tablet and pointing out something to Poch in a tablet. During the second half, we saw the same with Ole in a discussion with his assistant, but with a small notebook on hand. Maybe instead of bringing in Poch we should try to hire his assistant to help out Ole.

Spurs are a well drille machine. Not many teams will go there and expect to dominate play for 90 mins. No one in actual fact. They are a very good team and we are a team in transition. We had limited options to change it up without taking away our counter attack threat which would be pointless at 1-0 up.
They were always going to have large spells of the game where they were on top.

The real win for me today was how we approached the first half. Thought it was great
 
Spurs are a well drille machine. Not many teams will go there and expect to dominate play for 90 mins. No one in actual fact. They are a very good team and we are a team in transition. We had limited options to change it up without taking away our counter attack threat which would be pointless at 1-0 up.
They were always going to have large spells of the game where they were on top.

The real win for me today was how we approached the first half. Thought it was great

We really rode our luck. DDG was great, but you could also argue Totenham were wasteful in front of goal, most of those shots were too close to DDG. On another day Kane & company put some of those chances away.

The second half we really didn’t have an answer to their change in tactics.
 
Skills and experience is overrated. Kane who is one of the best striker out there. Have scored over 20 goals last 4 season and Spurs players and manager have been in top 4 the last 4 season. Still they couldnt score and hit the net. And Rashford the young and unexperience one. Need only one chane to score, with only 2 touches.

In close matches like this. Close to equal skills and experience. Then the luck factor, dayform and things goes ours way factor are what part the teams from win, loose and draw. Dont underestimate the invisible factor luck. No matter how hard you try to score. The will, skills and experiences factors might be not enough to help you to win the matches.

And the last thing. I really dislike the word proven. I would pick a unproven striker over a striker at 27/28 and proven like someone is calling. Because the unproven young striker is a like a new brand fresh car with same quality as the car at 27/28. Full same max pontential. A brand new car that no one have driven it, contra a car that have been driven in 6-7 years more. At that point i will know which car will have more years left. So if i know and believe that the young fresh new car has the qualities that i need, same max pontential as the older car one with same brand and model. Then i think its logical most of peoples would pick a new fresh young one.

Yeah but i know we human use to take credit for everything. Because of me, my skills and experience and forget and hide the factor luck under the carpet. So we totally take all the credit. So it nice to see someone that is more than human skills, experience and will to achieve success. Keeps our feets on the ground.
 
First half I'll commend the team for getting the approach dead on

Second half I'll commend them for keeping their composure in high pressure and not going into their shell completely, and still attacked when the chances arose.
 
The media are running the line that United were lucky to hang on with DeGea saving 11 times.
They also had Spurs as being unlucky to go in a goal down, at half-time, despite them having 0 (zero) shots on target, to United's 8.

The last 30mins were poorly managed by us, but if you dominate for 2/3rds of a game, you owe more to the victory than luck.
 
What pleased me, was the team spirit. That is what I always, associate with a Man Utd team... 'Do they dig in, do they fight, keep going, make something happen even when things aren't going well, fight for each other..' You could see that today. I am not worried that Spurs came back at us, they are a superb attacking unit! But we embraced that challenge.

A terrific win, that will boost every member of that squad. And yes, those who did not start, know they have to work damn hard to make the first XI, and rightly so.

We will need non-Pogba plan B, (injury, suspension etc is bound to occur...) as he is conducting our play right now. He was awesome at times today.
 
Skills and experience is overrated. Kane who is one of the best striker out there. Have scored over 20 goals last 4 season and Spurs players and manager have been in top 4 the last 4 season. Still they couldnt score and hit the net. And Rashford the young and unexperience one. Need only one chane to score, with only 2 touches.

In close matches like this. Close to equal skills and experience. Then the luck factor, dayform and things goes ours way factor are what part the teams from win, loose and draw. Dont underestimate the invisible factor luck. No matter how hard you try to score. The will, skills and experiences factors might be not enough to help you to win the matches.

And the last thing. I really dislike the word proven. I would pick a unproven striker over a striker at 27/28 and proven like someone is calling. Because the unproven young striker is a like a new brand fresh car with same quality as the car at 27/28. Full same max pontential. A brand new car that no one have driven it, contra a car that have been driven in 6-7 years more. At that point i will know which car will have more years left. So if i know and believe that the young fresh new car has the qualities that i need, same max pontential as the older car one with same brand and model. Then i think its logical most of peoples would pick a new fresh young one.

Yeah but i know we human use to take credit for everything. Because of me, my skills and experience and forget and hide the factor luck under the carpet. So we totally take all the credit. So it nice to see someone that is more than human skills, experience and will to achieve success. Keeps our feets on the ground.

Is this written by a bot?
 
I was scared before this game, could the previous 4 league games be a fluke? 100% not. We were tactically great today, we had energy and some very good chances. Yes there is still so much to be done and our defence is shaky but as a whole they were 100% better than they have been this season. The clean sheet is so important and will give such confidence to the players. De Gea as usual proves why he is the best shot stopper in the world. There is no keeper even close to his level when saving with his feet. Lindeloff was an animal today and by far the best outfield player we had. Pogba showed moments of brilliance and moments of complacency which i think is slowly lessening in his game and for the great good because he can be exceptional and we need him to be. Rashford as usual worked his socks off and deserved his goal. Martial made some good runs but im glad he got subbed because he needed extra cover on that left flank when Spurs shifted gear. Bravo to Ole for noticing. Matic was decent but Ander was brilliant again. He is so important for us these days. Lingard was okay but his movement causes so many issues so its hard to even consider him not in the team. Lukaku was horrebdous, he does not fit this new system and happy to see him benched. Overall, i possibly had 4 heart attacks in that game but even if we had drew, i would of been so proud of where we are right now. The players have worked hard, they look happier and more confident and this is after only a month. Imagine with some more time with a positive manager, where we could be. My head keeps saying only get a new manager at the end of the season and this is still the right thing to do but my heart is swinging to giving Ole the job now. I really want this to work for him but the head knows he still has a lot more to prove if he is good enough. 6 games gone, 17 scored 3 conceded, 3 clean sheets and 6 wins. Level with arsenal having made up 8 points and 6 behind chelsea having made up 5 points and the best thing ever is Ole is targeting Spurs who are now only 7 points ahead!
 
It was an enjoyable, satisfying result, however... the second half felt painfully similar to what we endured the entire first half of the season. As the old saying goes, it's better to be lucky than good... but we better get the defence sorted before the luck inevitably runs out.

Mate we were playing against spurs and they are a fantastic attacking team spearheaded by the best CF in Europe , of course we are going to be under the cosh but the determination and team spirit we showed was superb , we don’t have the best defence in the world but they put there bodies on the line today and gave absolutely everything for the team .
I thought Herrera and Matic were immense and supported the defence unbelievably, Lindelof looks better with every game.Degea is once again showing that he is the worlds best we just need another CB and we are sorted
 
Further proof that our players are (and were) capable of playing attacking football against other good sides. We weren’t gung ho. Ole wasn’t naive, as so many people almost wanted him to be. We (quite rightly) looked to hit on the counter and it worked. The first half was a very good performance against a good side, away from home.

The second half was a bit of an onslaught from minute 60 onwards but Pogba had a couple of genuinely good chances to make it two prior to that. So any suggestion that this was some sort of smash and grab is unfair.

I do think it highlighted our need for a centre half that can head the ball. Lindelof and Jones struggled with crosses into the box and many of the Spurs chances came because we couldn’t clear our lines as Trippier whipped balls in. I expect Smalling to come back into the side when he’s fit to help with this.

Not perfect, but pretty good. Onwards and upwards.
 
Wish I could enjoy this win, Spurs should've gotten 10 goals. Overly reliant on De Gea it's ridiculous, we got absolutely destroyed in the second half. Ugh, I didn't expect us to play prime Fergie football but at least play on the same level as them.
If you can't enjoy that win, then I really wonder what the point of it all is? We just won our 6th game in a row, and moved level with Arsenal. This is the most positive run we've had since Fergie retired, and you wish you could enjoy it?:wenger:
 

Man of the Match

David de Gea image David de Gea 95% of 969 votes

Runners-up

Player Ratings

7.1 Total Average Rating

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Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 776 ratings.

Score Predictions

287,132,135
  • Man Utd win
  • Tottenham win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 22% Tottenham 1:2 Man Utd
  • 15% Tottenham 2:2 Man Utd
  • 9% Tottenham 2:3 Man Utd
  • 8% Tottenham 2:1 Man Utd
  • 8% Tottenham 1:1 Man Utd
  • 8% Tottenham 1:3 Man Utd
  • 7% Tottenham 3:1 Man Utd
  • 5% Tottenham 2:0 Man Utd
  • 3% Tottenham 0:2 Man Utd
  • 3% Tottenham 0:1 Man Utd
  • 2% Tottenham 3:2 Man Utd
  • 2% Tottenham 0:5 Man Utd
  • 2% Tottenham 3:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 0:3 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 2:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 0:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 3:3 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 3:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Tottenham 1:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 3:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 2:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 1:5 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 5:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 1:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Tottenham 4:2 Man Utd
Compiled from 554 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Tottenham
  2. Man Utd
Possession
61% 39%
Shots
21 13
Shots on Target
11 8
Corners
7 4
Fouls
8 8

Referee

Mike Dean