Really puzzling performance in the NLD yesterday. The headline for me is the incompetence and lack of adjustment on defending corners. Arsenal are the best if not one of on attacking corners, but it was the same shit doing Spurs in and that's infuriating. The first one demonstrated the frailty or lack of execution of the zonal marking setup, even acknowledging that it was a well-taken corner and PEH was doing his best to clear. The ball gets over the first defender, but then PEH is positioned badly (again, unclear to me if that's a systemic problem or execution) and he's on the wrong side of the attacker when he makes contact. In addition, Ben White prevents Vicario from getting over to the near post to get in position and maybe stop any hit towards goal. Ben10, Davies, and ROMERO are all behind the last Arsenal attacker by the time PEH makes contact, and thus aren't doing anything useful. The second goal was yet another example of an attacker blocking Vicario (legally) without any Spurs trying to help. Arsenal run the same play--start everyone on the back post and run towards the front--Spurs are in better defensive positioning, and Deki was in man coverage on Kai to start, but he gets picked off by another Spurs defender and loses him. On several rewatches, the thing that stands out the most to me is that the Spurs defenders are very static when Arsenal's attackers start making their runs. Arsenal really have done an excellent job running these set pieces, but Spurs are also exceptionally bad. They need to assign more defenders to the near post and corresponding danger areas if they're not going to help keep Vicario clean so he can get in position or attempt to intercept a near post ball. Kai executes well and it's 3-0. FFS.
I don't care to spend much time on Arsenal's second goal, as the play that tripped up Deki doesn't get called every time. Deki probably should go to ground there, but I understand the impulse to try and keep your feet. The trip on Madders looked too soft to call, and then Arsenal had a pretty nice break to get Saka in position and he did the rest. I didn't have much fault with any of the defending there, as that was just good attacking. Ben10 didn't look around as he was tracking back and probably could've run closer to Davies, recognizing that Saka is the main threat, but as a MF I want him pressuring the ball and the runners. So I guess my biggest fault there is with PEH and Ben10 for not getting sorted out quicker and running with Odegaard, because his presence in the box as a late runner is what kept VDV from fully committing to helping Davies on Saka. But again, I don't have too much issue with the defending there. That's just a lightning fast and well-run counter.
I didn't have much problem with the lineup--playing PEH over Biss in the pivot is a prioritization of attack over defense IMO and I'm OK with that. Biss is more athletic than PEH and maybe helps on the corners a bit, but PEH is 2 inches taller so who knows. But what did bother me was the halftime sub of Ben10 for Sarr when Madders clearly was off, as he has been for pretty much his entire time since returning from injury. There are reports out there that Madders is playing hurt and I have lots of respect for players who do that, but he was the obvious candidate to come off at half, not Ben10. When Deki slid into AMF at 65', I thought Spurs were much better and more fluid in attack. Son also had a real stinker and I don't know if Richy was healthy enough to play an hour, but he was much better thru the middle than Son. I hope Richy starts at CF against Chelsea.
So I loved that Spurs came back after HT and "won" the second half, that's about all you can ask for when you go down 3-0 at HT. But it's discouraging that there are holes in Spurs that Ange isn't fixing. I mean Spurs did dominate possession at take it to Arsenal which is lovely, but as Arsenal showed against City, they're OK playing that kind of game when necessary. When you have such a good record on corners and think you can win the match that way, it's a viable path. The bigger problem I see is that getting in better players or building depth in the squad doesn't fix the problems from yesterday. Maybe they create and finish better chances and they win 4-3, but that's where I stand today after the NLD.
The push for 4th will be very tight, as Spurs trail Villa by 7 points with 2 games in hand. Villa play @Brighton, Liverpool, and @Palace, while Spurs have
@Chelsea, @Liverpool, Burnley, MANC, @SHU. The team that finishes 4th will have earned it.