I hope this embeds now, but this is a video of our general defensive game on Sunday. Something which was very impressive. Pressing, high up the pitch too I may add and general hunting the ball in packs.
Defending
Cheers for posting this mate. While most people can (and should) gush about Barcelona's elaborate passing game over the last few years, I think their pressing is what made them truly unplayable. They hunted as a unit, closed down passing lanes, and pressured the ball like no other. Midfielders never had time to look up and pick a pass.
Midfielders need to have a perfect series of touches to get around that. I think Tottenham felt that weight on Sunday, because of the way we pressed. They didn't get a moment on the ball to pick a pass. That's the kind of energy and nous we miss when Stevie is in the team. He offers his own strengths, but pressing like that won't be as consistent with him as one of the midfield three.
Silver lining for me was Johnson's performance. He's really dropped a level, unfortunately. Still decent in the final third, but with Raheem staying wide right we didn't need him to provide width. He gave the ball away multiple times in very threatening positions. I still rate him, but that's beginning to be based on remembered performances than ones he's put up recently.
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