Promising start from Walker
Well as I wrote earlier the opportunity was there to win this game, that there was nothing for us to fear at Old Trafford and so it proved.
There was nothing to fear from Manchester United at all and our mistake once again cost us. For the first 20 minutes you would have thought we were the home side we dominated so much. A lovely lop ball from Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen should have finished it off. I have written many times about the need to be clinical as in tight games being clinical is what makes the difference.
The game was ours for the taking and take it we should have done. Had we gone 1-0 up we would then have control of the game instead of a mistake handing Manchester United the initiative. Without Nabil Bentaleb giving the ball away, not for the first time, we would not have gone behind. That mistake changed the game, suddenly United could keep it tight and not have to chase the game, we kept it tight and waiting for a piece of magic to level it but that never came.
The positive is that we looked so comfortable against them for most of the game and when the players are match fit, as opposed to training fit, we look as though we have a side that has improved, that is more solid and should concede less goals.
Not a disheartening loss at all but one that had plenty of positives to take from it. Kyle walker had an excellent game. There will be many no doubt claiming he was out of position but as Rio Ferdinand pointed out, 5 or 7 years ago yes, but today no, managers ask their full-backs to push to the halfway line, you can't play football expecting a mistake because you will never win any games that way. He did brilliantly to get back and nick the ball away, it's unfortunate it crawled into the net. He can't be blamed for the goal, the mistake was from Bentaleb, who didn't have a great game alongside Dier.
Toby Alderweireld made a decent debut alongside fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier was better than expected in his new role. Strangely enough the concerns weren't in defence for a side who conceded so many goals last season, but were the three attacking midfield players. If Eriksen doesn't create we struggle to create, there was one run from Dembele,
Chadli didn't know what to do when he got into the area in the second half. When the chips were down they couldn't come up with the goods and we have to use that harsh criteria. Making excuses will not improve us, none of the three had a bad game bit you wouldn't say they had a good game either.
To me the game was almost as if we were learning a system or more accurately trying out a system that has already been learnt. Almost as if we accepted the result but put in a bit of practice in match conditions to hold us in good stead for the rest of the season.
We take lessons from the game, look at the positives and move on.
Further Tottenham Reading
Where would you play Dembélé
The defensive area Ben Davies must work on
Friedel: Hugo Lloris leaving Spurs is not even worth talking about
For all your football gifts visit the Football-Shop.net where you will 297 Spurs products.
There was nothing to fear from Manchester United at all and our mistake once again cost us. For the first 20 minutes you would have thought we were the home side we dominated so much. A lovely lop ball from Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen should have finished it off. I have written many times about the need to be clinical as in tight games being clinical is what makes the difference.
The game was ours for the taking and take it we should have done. Had we gone 1-0 up we would then have control of the game instead of a mistake handing Manchester United the initiative. Without Nabil Bentaleb giving the ball away, not for the first time, we would not have gone behind. That mistake changed the game, suddenly United could keep it tight and not have to chase the game, we kept it tight and waiting for a piece of magic to level it but that never came.
The positive is that we looked so comfortable against them for most of the game and when the players are match fit, as opposed to training fit, we look as though we have a side that has improved, that is more solid and should concede less goals.
Not a disheartening loss at all but one that had plenty of positives to take from it. Kyle walker had an excellent game. There will be many no doubt claiming he was out of position but as Rio Ferdinand pointed out, 5 or 7 years ago yes, but today no, managers ask their full-backs to push to the halfway line, you can't play football expecting a mistake because you will never win any games that way. He did brilliantly to get back and nick the ball away, it's unfortunate it crawled into the net. He can't be blamed for the goal, the mistake was from Bentaleb, who didn't have a great game alongside Dier.
Toby Alderweireld made a decent debut alongside fellow Belgian Jan Vertonghen and Eric Dier was better than expected in his new role. Strangely enough the concerns weren't in defence for a side who conceded so many goals last season, but were the three attacking midfield players. If Eriksen doesn't create we struggle to create, there was one run from Dembele,
Chadli didn't know what to do when he got into the area in the second half. When the chips were down they couldn't come up with the goods and we have to use that harsh criteria. Making excuses will not improve us, none of the three had a bad game bit you wouldn't say they had a good game either.
To me the game was almost as if we were learning a system or more accurately trying out a system that has already been learnt. Almost as if we accepted the result but put in a bit of practice in match conditions to hold us in good stead for the rest of the season.
We take lessons from the game, look at the positives and move on.
Further Tottenham Reading
Where would you play Dembélé
The defensive area Ben Davies must work on
Friedel: Hugo Lloris leaving Spurs is not even worth talking about
For all your football gifts visit the Football-Shop.net where you will 297 Spurs products.
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