Saka on Ljungberg: "He helps so much. Sometimes when I don’t understand what the coach [Emery] is trying to communicate with me, I have a better communication with Freddie. He speaks better English"

Soc, has one of the most discerning, critical eye (and its NOT meant as criticism) regarding The Arsenal so when he is that impressed, it says something.

I don't know if we are a different side in Europe. There is compelling evidence to suggest that since we went all the way to the final, showed some character up to the final (we won't talk about the collapse against Chelsea) while at the same not playing well in the league. Perhaps we would have won had it been a non PL side in the final, even of the same quality.

I don't know if we are a different side. It could be the PL is such a tough league, the competition in the Europa Cup pales to some extent in comparison. The only two PL sides in the competition met each other in the final. Also, the top 4 clubs in the CL made it far enough where they no longer could drop to the Europa cup. In fact, all the PL sides made it into the quarter finals.

So, it could be the league is the toughest in the world. And the Europa is a much easier competition in comparison. The Frankfurt win is huge though, as they were semi finalists last season and could have faced us in the final.

Now that we have offloaded some of the expensive deadwood it’s great to see so many young players getting games. Do you reckon Mhikitaryan would have scored 1 and got 2 assists last night ?

That was an incredible cameo by Saka. Wonder if he will start seeing more game time.

I’m starting to have my doubts about emery but yesterday’s team selection was bold.

For the first time in years we have decent players coming through and isn’t it brilliant to watch Willock, Saka and Nelson get games rather than El nenny and that united cast off

But how does Freddie know what Unai is saying so that he can pass it on? Or does Freddie speak Spanish?

Or - heresy - is Freddie providing his own direction?

Or, in other words, I'm a miserable git who is always moaning

Spurs have released a book about their champions league run called ‘one step from glory’

Tierney and Bellerin played 62 minutes for the U23 tonight

Saka on Ljungberg: "He helps so much. Sometimes when I don’t understand what the coach [Emery] is trying to communicate with me, I have a better communication with Freddie. He speaks better English"

Apparently the club employs 3 ex secret service lip readers as part of the coaching staff who listen to Emery’s instructions then using a rare technique of understanding speech by visually interpreting the movements of the lips, face and tongue when normal sound is not available translate it to the players and staff so they know what they are doing.

In which case I wish that Sky would hack into that for the tv interviews.

He basically needs that thing Stephen Hawking used. Sorted

How many of our regular first team have English as their first language? Tierney, AMN (although he won’t be when Bellerin is fit), probably Holding. Chambers is part of the squad, and Willock will play plenty of games (my guess is more than Nelson). I think Saka, despite his excellent second half in Frankfurt, is still quite some way from being a regular first team player, and Smith Rowe is even further away.

Out of that lot, when everyone is 100% fit, I’d say Tierney is the only guaranteed starter for a vital game, although Holding has a very good chance. Is the coach being fluent in English as important as it once was, even if it’s frustrating for fans listening to interviews?

Yes it’s absolutely essential

He needs to communicate on a level the fans and media can see he’s a solid decision maker, in control and be assured in his ability to do his job. If he can’t do that then all I’ll say is that football is an unforgiving business.

To be honest if he can’t get to that level I don’t think he will be around long and his placid interviews after games contribute to the overall thinking of many people who aren’t convinced by him

:20hospitals:
Didn’t seem to do Pochettino’s reputation much harm when it took him ages to give an interview in English. I’d say Emery has made a bigger effort to learn the language more quickly than he did.

Has Tottenham peaked?

Pochettino got some decent results. His English is now excellent and had to deal with a fan base with minimal expectations and intelligence

Has Tottenham peaked?

You have to (or not) have to feel sorry for Liverpool. They have put together a side that would have ran away with the title, and pretty much brought back the glory days and City happens.

Please could someone who is on his wavelength .....l

City 5 nil up after 25 minutes againest Watford

That’s the gap Emery has to address

Has Tottenham peaked?

1961

Decaf beat you to the punch with that one.

City 5 nil up after 25 minutes againest Watford That’s the gap Emery has to address

... I’m quite sure if results go well fans will miraculously become more tolerant of Emery’s broken English...

1961

Decaf beat you to the punch with that one.

Let's be honest B, it is devastated English. Like Humpty Dumpty it is unlikely ever to be put together in a form of the language we recognise. If it is that really would be a miracle. But, as you say, if he wins a cup, who gives a *%^@?