We do have quick players Mitchell, Guehi and Olise but we really could do with a pacey centre forward. It was a shame we did not end up getting Saar from Watford who we were interested in. Eduoard and Mateta have their strengths but neither is out and out quick.

I was thinking recently we could do with a genuine hold up man who obviously must also have an eye for goal. Bright and Murray were both very adept at shielding the ball and scoring, as an example.

I think Son summed it up well he said they were told to be patient and not to panic and once the goal came they started getting more space and managed the game well. Essentially they were confident they were going to win and hence didn't push us too hard. I think what made the game frustrating was how easy we made it for them once they were in front. They'd only just played on Monday and looked like they were playing in second gear. Were JPM/Eduoard told not to press the centre-backs? Were the subs told to press more? It didn't feel like there were any clear instructions to push higher up the pitch. This was always the complaint levied against Hodgson in his previous reign, sometimes it felt like he would rather lose by a slim margin than take a few risks and possibly concede more. I'm not surprised we lost but I'm disappointed we conceded so meekly.

Well, yes, that's one way of looking at it but, once they were in front, they played as if to say: 'If you want to win the ball, come and get it', knowing (as we did) that if we pushed up and pressed them, we were open to the Spurs strong suit: hitting us on the break. I think that's why we were in such a difficult position.

Edited by Glazier#1 (30 Oct 2023 1.13pm)

doubts about Franca are far from stupid based on the evidence so far - what worried me most was when he tried some trick flipped up back heel while he was being pressed by their midfielders in front of our defence - gave the ball away in a really dangerous position with an experimental trick shot. Half a minute later he passed the ball to an imaginary player while stuck in the full back position - I hope it's just an abberation and we get to see the quality that has been recognised, but the lack of awareness of when to bring your skill to the game and when not to was troubling.

Couldn’t agree more. He was a calamity, maybe the occasion got to him. This is not to say he can’t play. Only that he needs educating to the self discipline which is paramount if he stands any chance at all. Whether people notice or not, we have had it with Eze, and Olize, not that they ever looked as ragged as Franca, did that night.
If he was a replacement for any of those gone including Wilf, then not yet he ain’t.
It must have shocked Hodgson how far off it the boy looked, and we know what came next.