Not really because I think most understand we're a work in progress. He achieved what was expected of him last season and we're only four games in to this. It's too early for him to be under major pressure. Sometimes a manager needs some time before things start to come good. He still needs results this season but I don't think we're at the panic stage of his Spurs career.
The problem with Pep is he's created a style of football that works very, very well if you've got an elite collection of players who are the best in the world and perfectly coached in how to play it by one of the top coaches in the world. But it's a style of play that only works with those two specific requirements. Remove either of them and try to play that style with lesser players or with a lesser coach and it not only doesn't work it's also incredibly boring to watch too. And this is what is happening with football in general. So many managers are trying to play this style without the quality of players needed to make it work and without the proper understanding of how to coach it effectively. You're getting teams like Southampton knocking it around the back with players like Harwood-Bellis before inevitably giving it away and losing loads of games. Teams in The Championship trying it and looking ridiculous. I suppose it's not Pep's fault that it's been adopted as the system by so many managers and so many teams are trying and failing to emulate it despite it being blindingly obvious that it only works if you have very specific types of very talented players. But there's no doubt he's had a wider influence on football that's been more negative than positive.
Hard to take those grand statements seriously given how limp Spurs were in the cups last season. Perfect season to go a distance and went out in the 2nd round of the League Cup.
He needs to lower expectations. Nobody wants to go a season without winning but everyone goes through a rebuilding year. Just say the goal is to improve and keep building instead of setting yourself up for high expectations with a team that is not ready yet. Why was last year the perfect season? We lost Kane days before the season, had a brand new manager and a completely new style. If we were a finished product like Arsenal then it would have been a perfect season to go far in cups. Ange used the league cup match to look at fringe players and see who should be sold. Then sold all of them when he realized they sucked.
He achieved it with massively front loaded form though, you're on a downward trajectory atm. 1 win, 2 draws and a loss is a terrible start to the season. A work in progress is fine as long as you're actually making progress. Are you making progress? It's not showing up in the results if you are.
In some areas, yes. Obviously the form to start last year could not be kept going, nobody can. But the defense is much better this season. Last year we gave up chances to everyone and it seemed like every game was lopsided in the xG stat. This season, defense is improved but the attack is not scoring as often. A set piece goal to Arsenal, one chance allowed against Leicester and then a bad counter attack against Newcastle have cost us. Most teams allow at least one really good chance a game, unfortunately for Spurs the attack has not been there to offset it yet. Since the downward trajectory keeps coming up, a question. If Spurs started last season on “average form” like most clubs in year one of a rebuild and ended up finishing 5/6. Would anyone be having concerns or doubts right now? It seems like the incredible start last season put higher expectations and people expected more right away instead of showing patience to a new manager.
Pep’s style has evolved over time though. The way Man City play now is very different from how his old Barcelona side played. Much faster getting up the pitch, he’s even using a big number 9. That old ‘basketball’ stuff has gone. He’s adapted over time , probably why he’s still at the top. Russel Martin, for example, seems to be stuck in a particular era, slow, sideways, possession for its own sake. Not many others are doing that now. Who knows, with Arsenal going full circle today and looking more like a Latin version of the old George Graham sides, we might be seeing another evolution. If they win the league keeping it tight and nicking set-pieces you know that others will follow. Maybe the era of possession football is on the way out. Bring back Mick and Fat Sam
The idea of seeing two players like Shearer and Sutton on the pitch at the same time, on the same team, just blows my mind now. Different world.
Swansea under brendan Rodgers were pretty successful with a similar enough style It's mostly similar to his style at barca though. I mean most teams still park the bus against his city team so they have to play a similar style. Also peps barca had a good quick counter attack in them as well
Because you had no European commitments? lol. I'm sorry but you cannot blame losing Harry Kane for going out in the 2nd round of the League Cup. Granted you had City in the FA Cup loss but you were also drawn at home. A fixture you've had a decent record in previously. Playing a side who were playing their 34th game of the season, and that was Spurs' 24th. Well then, perhaps he should have taken the match seriously then? As I said, I would take a comment like that from Ange seriously had Spurs not been a total nonentity in the cup competitions last season. Comes across as defensive from him, similar to how ten Hag has been. At least ten Hag has actually achieved something in the cups though....
Cannot speak for Spurs fans but don't believe anybody is really thinking about the start of last season. I think the issue is rather the team have been pretty poor for a while now. 7 losses in the past 11 league games. Your form this calendar year in the league has been midtable. 31 points from 22 games. That's a 53 point season over 38.
My own sarcasm aside, I think we've made a lot of progress in the first two thirds of the pitch. I don't see us anywhere near as susceptible to a quick counter as well were last season, and we're knocking the ball about in a much more controlled manner. We are however still shite at set pieces at either end of the pitch, and we lack penetration in the final third. Son can no longer run off the shoulder (or at least he is no longer running off the shoulder), Solanke hasn't yet had an impact (but I am happy to give him some time to bed in), Maddison seems to have lost his freedom, and I don't think Ange knows what to do with Kulusevski. We've got 7 or 8 of our 11 pretty much where we need them to be but the top half of the pitch needs serious work.
I don't think the manager is (or should be) near sacking territory type of pressure. I would like to know what the expectation is this season though? I'd guess the aim is CL football which means 4th, 5th, or a EL win seals it. In reality 4th or 5th should be the minimum requirement given where Spurs finished. Obviously 5th leads you open to missing out again. But I think PL will get an extra spot this season.
For me, the requirement is a top four finish or a cup win... any cup will do. If we finish fifth and get CL football by virtue of the performance or lack thereof of other European teams in leagues beyond our control he'll no doubt keep his job, but ultimately it's not good enough.
