Cast Iron Tactics

5 min read on new #whufc signing Vladimír Coufal: @Mase159/player-profile-vladim%C3%ADr-coufal-c42a34df41fe" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">medium.com/@Mase159/playe… -high risk, front foot player who gets too tight, struggles 1vs1, lacks awareness -very narrow defensive position -tidy enough passer -gets into the box -offers little in the final 3rd -long throw merchant

Games like this one, where we don't need to take the initiative, are the ones that suit the way we're setting up. How well we do today depends on how much Spurs are willing force the issue and how good they are at getting back into their defensive structure when they turn it over

I'd imagine it'll be the same team for us from the Leicester game: Benrahma wasn't registered in time, Dawson hasn't been involved with Watford at all this season, and there's no real need to change the side. Diop in for Balbuena might be a consideration but unlikely, I'd say.

Been feeling awful all weekend and don't have a proper #TOTWHU tactical preview in me, so here's a poorly arranged collection of thoughts about today's game instead: It's been clear since the start that Mourinho sees a narrow 3-4-3 as the way forward with this Spurs squad.

But rather than, you know, actually coach the players we've got, the solution is always another signing. There was a reason these guys were brought to the club in the first place. Help them develop. Work with them to sort out their deficiencies. The constant churn helps no-one.

You can see the same thing happening with Issa Diop - he struggled at times last season and, based on their very public pursuit of another expensive CB, the club seem to have given up on him a bit.

In isolation, I think Benrahma's a super player and I'm going to enjoy watching him do his stuff in claret and blue. But this signing is great example of something that really irritates me about football (and West Ham in particular).