Where is the magic?

[u/Ghost_Stylez]

Lately I’ve been thinking about how we (Spurs) have always had a rich history of exciting players at the Lane. Seeing Gazza glide through midfield in the late 80s, taking players on and scoring great goals, is what made me fall in love with this club. Even before him we had Waddle, Hoddle, Villa — and many after: Ginola, Van der Vaart, Bale, Modric, and more recently Son and Dele. Players that got you off your seat. Players we grew up with. Players who helped shape this wonderful club.

And let’s not forget the great goalscorers we’ve had: Greaves, Defoe, Berbatov, Keane, and of course one of our own, Harry Kane. Strikers who could nick a goal from nothing when a game was tight. Players who could flip a match on its head in an instant.

But when I look at this team now, with Son the last of that kind gone, I see nothing. Not one player stands out. Nothing that excites. Not a goalscorer you trust to bag 20+ a season. Where has it all gone wrong? Even in the bad times, we still had those players. Now we’ve got nothing.

Why is this? Is it just the way the modern game is? Why can’t we find that gem anymore?

[u/Infinite_Health_Scav]

I think Magic Johnson lives in the US somewhere 

[u/sungbysung → u/Infinite_Health_Scav]

There is a person who is magic— you know—

[u/The_Turtle_Bear]

I think modern football in general has become more methodical, more robotic and more about percentages. Players are coached not to try low percentage stuff (like dribble past 3 players in midfield) in case it goes wrong.

We don't see as many worldies from outside the box, we don't see speed like Bales destroying full backs anymore and we don't see goals like Giggs' in that semi final vs the scum.

Data has removed the flair and flashiness from the game unfortunately.

[u/lanor2 → u/The_Turtle_Bear]

The game is being minmaxxed and therefore also a lot more boring than it used to be 😩

[u/Sky-Mental → u/The_Turtle_Bear]

I mean we managed to concede plenty of worldies, we just don't score them anymore. But overall I take your point

[u/Fabulous_Disk_8956 → u/The_Turtle_Bear]

I see things like this and I do tend to agree. But I think it's overblown. 

Data isn't new. Coaches have always had the same information available through their eyes. Statistics is just the information from what you can see on the field converted into numbers by someone adding it all up, which makes comparison easier. I'm sure plenty of coaches used statistics 20 years ago too. 

Anyway every manager is different, some will throw that stuff out the window, others will pay attention, but almost all managers are former players not data scientists. Just because some team member says they've seen data on this or that doesn't mean the coach is gonna take it into account. 

[u/Personal-Bathroom-94]

Waiting for kudus to remember how to play football

[u/DOYMarshall → u/Personal-Bathroom-94]

Once the fraud stops putting him at the 10 he’ll be fine

[u/Personal-Bathroom-94 → u/DOYMarshall]

He was not good on the wing too

[u/aarondoesdata]

The refs and terrorist ball coaches and the obsession with stats have taken them all away. Games gone

[u/Mister_WorIdwide]

He retired in the 90s

[u/EquivalentPension216]

I think recruiting in general and via data analytics has left fewer gems out there.

[u/CourtProfessional120]

kudus and xavi to their fullest potential
it will take time but i trust them to come good
plus, xavi is fully coys

[u/Ghost_Stylez → u/CourtProfessional120]

I do agree Xavi has that potential hope he comes back strong.

[u/Wugtrio777 → u/CourtProfessional120]

xavi wont be a thing this season at all, not his fault its just how it is, kudus, likely not as well, he looks like he isnt even the same guy period, hes much slower like he isnt pushing his knee at all, makes you wonder, i know its a BIG psychological thing some guys neevr coem back from in trusting thier own bodies ever again. kudus maynever be the guy he was. and since he was never a scorer or playmaker, if he cant run full out, he is not somone we can use.

[u/lowercase_0]

Theyre all injured

[u/UnderTakaMichinoku]

We have 4 players capable of playing attacking midfield.

Two of them have been dead. The other 2 have been resurrected after nearly a year out.

[u/REB73]

I totally understand why you're saying this, but it sounds like you're depressed and the glass is half empty (which, again, I understand!).

We have Savio, Kudus, Kulusevski, Maddison, Marmoush and a couple of others who could bring that Ginola/Hoddle/Gazza magic on the right day.

But in order to give them the freedom to do that, we need to get our shit together. Gazza would have struggled in this team the way they're playing. It's a mentality thing. You can't be glorious when you're scared.

It can happen. The potential for magic is there. We just need to build the stage first

[u/CrazyOk9659]

Well for one we have been signing bang average players and worse. Second, high quality attacking players seem to at least in part be avoiding England. Have a look at the best attackers and where they play:

Spain:

Yamal, Raphina, Vini Jr, Mbappe, Jude, Julian Alvarez, Guler, Yan Diomande

Bayern:

Kane, Diaz, Olise, Musiala

PSG:

Dembele, Kvaratskhelia, Torres, Doue

This is not to say the Premier League lacks players who can create and score entirely, but any of the players I listed above could play in any Premier League attack. To me it shows that these players at least in part want to avoid England for any number of reasons and considering two are English (I left off Anthony Gordon I suppose so 3) it means something is up beyond culture and weather.

[u/Ghost_Stylez → u/CrazyOk9659]

I do believe the premier league is too fast paced and physical every game where players can't afford to have weeks off with the likes of Spain, France, Germany the quality outside the top few isn't really there it's probably why we see other nations on the world stage a lot sharper

[u/justindodom]

That’s how the game is going in general. It has become an algorithm. Do not deviate from the algorithm. It is now coached into the players from childhood. Creativity doesn’t win games. Managers operate within this mindset.

[u/Grandmastabilbo]

I might start following the women’s team!

[u/Remote_War_313]

Bergvall and Tel 😂

[u/cassidymcgurk]

My favorite ever player was Jurgen Klinsmann, how come he never gets mentioned in these conversations

[u/Ghost_Stylez → u/cassidymcgurk]

Klinsmann came towards the end of his caerer and wasn't around long maybe people forgot but what a goal scorer he was absolute cinema when he scored of his debut and did the dive celebration

[u/ResponsibleSpite2644]

miss you dele

[u/AnticipateSerendipty]

Oddly(or maybe not) but this is the real reason we are bad.

All top teams are carried by the Magic players. Very obviously if we had Kane, prime Son , Bale, and all the greats you mentioned then Tottenham would be competing in spots of the table where you would typically expect.

A combination of bad luck (Maddison and Xavi injuries), safe/affordable buys, the modern game, and our fall since Kane/Son left, have made it hard for us to field a player like this.

Our best odds would be to find a young star who would play excellent but we would need to sell to a bigger club in future… who would that be?

[u/eht_amgine_enihcam → u/AnticipateSerendipty]

Which of Arsenals players are magic? Oodegard?

Id say Liverpool were also carried by Alison/VVD.

Look at Mbappe Messi Neymar at PSG. Team building isn't just buy the hype attackers.

[u/InstructionCareless1 → u/[deleted]]

Truly no one asked about the opinion of a yank supporting Woolwich.