Brentford, Burnley, Sheffield United: for the third time in our last six games, we’ve contrived to drop two points against one of the Premier League’s worst teams with a 2-2 draw.
We’ve taken the lead five times in the course of those games, scoring first in each, but failing to hold a single one.
Even if we controlled the game and had chances, we didn’t have the capacity to be solid and be strong and not to concede goals.
That is the most painful situation.” “[We] struggle to compete in these types of games [against bottom sides].
[...] I’m not saying we’re not being respectful, but we need to think a little bit more.
Brentford, Burnley, Sheffield United: for the third time in our last six games, we’ve contrived to drop two points against one of the Premier League’s worst teams with a 2-2 draw. We’ve taken the lead five times in the course of those games, scoring first in each, but failing to hold a single one.
Especially evident last night was our tendency to switch off after scoring — a most maddening habit given our absolute inability to keep a clean sheet. That’s 13 in a row without one, averaging over two goals conceded during that time (27).
We claim to be ambitious and purposeful, with big dreams and bold intentions.
But we’re not serious enough for any of that at the moment.
The talent is there. The execution isn’t. The intentions are there. The mentality isn’t.
Is that coaching thing? A maturity thing?
It’s certainly a frustrating thing.
“Very frustrated because [we] should win the game in this moment. [But] the draw is a fair result if you analyse the game. Even if we controlled the game and had chances, we didn’t have the capacity to be solid and be strong and not to concede goals. That is the most painful situation.” “[We] struggle to compete in these types of games [against bottom sides]. The way we approached the game was fantastic. [We] scored, we were better, we were under control and then in a situation like this, we concede. That is about to be more competitive. And then we were so sloppy and started to not respect our opposition on the pitch. [...] I’m not saying we’re not being respectful, but we need to think a little bit more. As a coach, I need to think. If I’m a player, I need to think.”
Pochettino did try to think, but his decision to make a late double defensive substitution during a set piece backfired royally.
So that’s now seven matches in a row that we’ve conceded at least two goals. Earlier in the season, chance conversion was our biggest downfall. Now the problems chiefly lie at the other end.
Can we find a better balance? Seems unlikely in our current predicament.
“[In] the first part of the season we were a little bit more solid. We didn’t create too much or didn’t score. We were creating but we were not clinical. Now we are scoring but we are conceding more. It’s about finding the balance. “We tried adapting the system with different players also with different situations on the pitch. But the team is not showing in the last few months the capacity to be solid. Even if after Wolves we didn’t lose a game in the Premier League. We score goals but we are conceding. That is why we are being punished. [We] are trying to find solutions to be solid and to not concede too much as we have been.”
Whatever that solution may be, it may require some changes.
“We need to accept, working and trying to fix this type of problem. Always when the end of the season arrives, we need to analyse the squad and what we are missing and try to add people with the capacity to provide what we are seeing today, to improve in the next seasons.” “This is a project we understand we are living now. It takes time always to build a strong team with a strong quality, strong mentality, the right profile to compete in different opponent demands, different aspects in the game.” -Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London
This is indeed our reality now.
