Wednesday, September 15, 2010
We've Moved!
Cartilage Free Captain now has it's own dedicated domain with a spiffy logo. Check us out over at http://www.cartilagefreecaptain.com
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Review: Tottenham 2-2 Werder Bremen
Obviously, if you would have told me the match was going to be a 2-2 draw before it started, I would have taken it. In fact, that's exactly what I predicted a mere 20 minutes before the match. Werder and Spurs are pretty evenly matched teams, but that's not what it looked like in the first 30 minutes of the game.
No, in the first 30 minutes, Spurs absolutely dominated. The first goal, an own goal, came as a result of the brilliant work of Gareth Bale and would have been finished easily by Peter Crouch if it wasn't tapped into the back of the net by Petri Pasanen. The second goal came just six minutes later off of a brilliant header by Peter Crouch. Spurs continued to create opportunities, but would fail to score again. Of course, they would come to regret this.
Despite struggling to create opportunities while Spurs dominated in the first half, Werder were able to find their breakthrough in the 43rd minute. In a move that was completely against the run of play. Hugo Almeida headed home a perfectly placed cross that dropped just between Ledley King and Benoit Assou-Ekotto and was too far out for Carlo Cudicini to reach. It was that goal that gave Werder the motivation to press on and take over the game.
Only two minutes into the second half, Marko Marin equalized with a brilliant strike from 25 yards away. Only two minutes later, Rafael van der Vaart was subbed off because of fitness issues. That substitution would allow Werder Bremen to dominate the midfield for the rest of the game.
Both teams created a fair number of chances with Werder dominating the play in the second half, but the match would end 2-2. It was a fair result, as both teams had played well enough to earn a point and neither had played poorly enough to lose.
While the substitution of van der Vaart was obviously motivated by fitness, not tactics, and had to be made, the decision to bring on Robbie Keane was a curious one. Actually, I'm being generous. The decision to bring on Robbie Keane was a poor one. Unsurprisingly, it took all of five minutes for Robbie Keane to singlehandedly kill three separate attacking moves with his atrocious passing. For the better part of 45 minutes, Keane was absolutely useless. Every time I heard the color commentator use the words "positive" or "skill" in reference to Robbie Keane, I felt as if I needed an antacid. The only appropriate sentence using those three terms would be "I am positive that Robbie Keane lacks the skill to play at this level."
Say what you will about the deficiencies of Peter Crouch, but he worked his tail off today. This is more than can be said about Roman Pavlyuchenko on most days. In the departments of technical ability, tactical acumen, and pace, Pav is superior to Crouch by a fair margin. When it comes to work ethic, Pavlyuchenko's ability is...sporadic? In the games where he runs and fights as hard as he can for every ball, Pavlyuchenko is Tottenham's best striker. This happens about once every four appearances. Today, Crouch's work ethic was a massive contribution to Spurs' great first half and it was encouraging to see that they are able to play with him as a lone striker.
As good as we were in the first half, I think we have to consider what might have been if Thomas Schaaf had the [balls/brains?] to start all three of Marko Marin, Wesley, and Aaron Hunt. It was obvious that the game began to change when Hunt was brought on for Bargfrede, but it really changed in the second half. Having all three of those players on the pitch was just too much of a demand on Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone, making the Keane for van der Vaart substitution even more puzzling. It's not like Aaron Hunt entered the game after Keane did, he was brought on in the 37th minute. Harry saw how much Hunt changed the game and brought Keane on for VdV? Mind-boggling. The fact that we got straight-up creamed once Werder had their best team on the pitch is not encouraging.
Negatives aside, a point is a point. Getting a point on the road against Werder is a great result. The 2-2 draw between Twente and Inter Milan was a good result for us as well. Nothing that happened today changed the qualification prospects of any of the four teams in Group A. All four teams have reasons for concern and reasons to be optimistic.
Hopefully, Spurs forget about all of the things they screwed up today and take the momentum from their play in the first half into this weekend. A home match against Wolves should be three points, but based on what we've seen this season, it's nowhere near a lock, especially if Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher are both 90 minutes fit.
No, in the first 30 minutes, Spurs absolutely dominated. The first goal, an own goal, came as a result of the brilliant work of Gareth Bale and would have been finished easily by Peter Crouch if it wasn't tapped into the back of the net by Petri Pasanen. The second goal came just six minutes later off of a brilliant header by Peter Crouch. Spurs continued to create opportunities, but would fail to score again. Of course, they would come to regret this.
Despite struggling to create opportunities while Spurs dominated in the first half, Werder were able to find their breakthrough in the 43rd minute. In a move that was completely against the run of play. Hugo Almeida headed home a perfectly placed cross that dropped just between Ledley King and Benoit Assou-Ekotto and was too far out for Carlo Cudicini to reach. It was that goal that gave Werder the motivation to press on and take over the game.
Only two minutes into the second half, Marko Marin equalized with a brilliant strike from 25 yards away. Only two minutes later, Rafael van der Vaart was subbed off because of fitness issues. That substitution would allow Werder Bremen to dominate the midfield for the rest of the game.
Both teams created a fair number of chances with Werder dominating the play in the second half, but the match would end 2-2. It was a fair result, as both teams had played well enough to earn a point and neither had played poorly enough to lose.
While the substitution of van der Vaart was obviously motivated by fitness, not tactics, and had to be made, the decision to bring on Robbie Keane was a curious one. Actually, I'm being generous. The decision to bring on Robbie Keane was a poor one. Unsurprisingly, it took all of five minutes for Robbie Keane to singlehandedly kill three separate attacking moves with his atrocious passing. For the better part of 45 minutes, Keane was absolutely useless. Every time I heard the color commentator use the words "positive" or "skill" in reference to Robbie Keane, I felt as if I needed an antacid. The only appropriate sentence using those three terms would be "I am positive that Robbie Keane lacks the skill to play at this level."
Say what you will about the deficiencies of Peter Crouch, but he worked his tail off today. This is more than can be said about Roman Pavlyuchenko on most days. In the departments of technical ability, tactical acumen, and pace, Pav is superior to Crouch by a fair margin. When it comes to work ethic, Pavlyuchenko's ability is...sporadic? In the games where he runs and fights as hard as he can for every ball, Pavlyuchenko is Tottenham's best striker. This happens about once every four appearances. Today, Crouch's work ethic was a massive contribution to Spurs' great first half and it was encouraging to see that they are able to play with him as a lone striker.
As good as we were in the first half, I think we have to consider what might have been if Thomas Schaaf had the [balls/brains?] to start all three of Marko Marin, Wesley, and Aaron Hunt. It was obvious that the game began to change when Hunt was brought on for Bargfrede, but it really changed in the second half. Having all three of those players on the pitch was just too much of a demand on Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone, making the Keane for van der Vaart substitution even more puzzling. It's not like Aaron Hunt entered the game after Keane did, he was brought on in the 37th minute. Harry saw how much Hunt changed the game and brought Keane on for VdV? Mind-boggling. The fact that we got straight-up creamed once Werder had their best team on the pitch is not encouraging.
Negatives aside, a point is a point. Getting a point on the road against Werder is a great result. The 2-2 draw between Twente and Inter Milan was a good result for us as well. Nothing that happened today changed the qualification prospects of any of the four teams in Group A. All four teams have reasons for concern and reasons to be optimistic.
Hopefully, Spurs forget about all of the things they screwed up today and take the momentum from their play in the first half into this weekend. A home match against Wolves should be three points, but based on what we've seen this season, it's nowhere near a lock, especially if Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher are both 90 minutes fit.
Spurs vs. Werder Bremen Preview
Today, Tottenham Hotspur kick off their first UEFA Champions League group stage campaign with a difficult fixture in Bremen. Werder may have sold Mesut Özil and lost Claudio Pizzaro and Per Mertesacker to injury, but they will still provide a stiff test for Spurs. The Weserstadion is always a difficult place to play.
Whoever Harry Redknapp chooses in his holding midfield and fullback positions will have their hands full with Wesley, Marko Marin, and Aaron Hunt. Werder does not have a direct replacement for Özil, but those two players, along with the way Philipp Bargfrede makes runs from a deeper midfield position, will cause some problems for Spurs. Hunt has not been given the start, but he's likely to get plenty of time to make an impact as a substitute. Young target man Marko Arnautovic could be a bit of an x-factor. Surprisingly, he starts alongside Hugo Almeida. Werder has frequently played 4-4-2 variations, but many expected them to go 4-3-2-1 with Pizzaro out of the lineup and both Hunt and Marin behind Almeida.
Of course, as good as Werder is, they do have their deficiencies. Torsten Frings is now 33 years old. While still a quality player, he's beginning to show his age and can't quite cover as much ground as he used to. That combined with Per Mertesacker's injury and Bargfrede's tendency to get forward means that Werder is possibly susceptible on the counter attack, as evidenced by a good chunk of their qualifying tie against Sampdoria and their week one loss to Hoffenheim.
The question looms for both teams: Which Werder/Spurs side will we see? Both of these teams have immense talent and immense collapse potential. It wouldn't be that surprising to see a 0-0 draw, a 2-2 draw, or for either team to win 3-0. These are two of Europe's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde teams. When they're on, they're on. When they're off, they suck.
Werder's backline, in particular, is very guilty of this. They played brilliantly against Bayern Munich on the weekend, but have every capability of committing numerous mental errors and allowing Spurs to score in buckets.
Despite saying last season that tactics are only about 10% of the game with the other 90% being just how players perform on the day, Harry Redknapp has now made comments that he doesn't think 4-4-2 is a viable option on the road in Europe for Spurs. Unfortunately for him, there are concerns about the fitness of Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric. Both are able to play and traveled with the team, but neither is expected to be 90 minutes fit.
Rafael van der Vaart is in the starting lineup, but I don't expect him to go the full 90. Both Modric and Krancjar are available off the bench and one, if not both of them should enter the match at some point. Jermaine Jenas has been handed a start due to concerns about the fitness of Modric and the form of Palacios. Jenas has had a wildly inconsistent career, but he's a superb athlete who produces occasional flashes of brilliance, so he could make Harry look like a genius or a donkey.
Tactically, this match could get interesting, but I think that both teams will play similar styles that cancel each other out, leaving this one up to individual performances. Based on Spurs' recent form and the way Marin played against Bayern, I'm not sure if that benefits us. The good news is that Ekotto is starting, meaning Bale has been moved up to left midfield and will have more freedom to bomb forward with reckless abandon.
Mental errors should make more of a difference in this game than most. Both of these teams are very prone to awful mental mistakes, but both teams also occasionally put in spectacular, flawless performances. I've got a hard time believing both teams will keep complete focus. It could get sloppy.
Tottenham Hotspur lineup (4-4-1-1, left to right): Cudicini/Ekotto, King, Kaboul, Corluka/Bale, Jenas, Huddlestone, Lennon/van der Vaart/Crouch
Werder Bremen lineup (4-4-2, left to right): Weise/Pasanen, Silvestre, Proedl, Fritz/Wesley, Frings, Bargfrede, Marin/Arnautovic, Almeida
Prediction: Werder Bremen 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Whoever Harry Redknapp chooses in his holding midfield and fullback positions will have their hands full with Wesley, Marko Marin, and Aaron Hunt. Werder does not have a direct replacement for Özil, but those two players, along with the way Philipp Bargfrede makes runs from a deeper midfield position, will cause some problems for Spurs. Hunt has not been given the start, but he's likely to get plenty of time to make an impact as a substitute. Young target man Marko Arnautovic could be a bit of an x-factor. Surprisingly, he starts alongside Hugo Almeida. Werder has frequently played 4-4-2 variations, but many expected them to go 4-3-2-1 with Pizzaro out of the lineup and both Hunt and Marin behind Almeida.
Of course, as good as Werder is, they do have their deficiencies. Torsten Frings is now 33 years old. While still a quality player, he's beginning to show his age and can't quite cover as much ground as he used to. That combined with Per Mertesacker's injury and Bargfrede's tendency to get forward means that Werder is possibly susceptible on the counter attack, as evidenced by a good chunk of their qualifying tie against Sampdoria and their week one loss to Hoffenheim.
The question looms for both teams: Which Werder/Spurs side will we see? Both of these teams have immense talent and immense collapse potential. It wouldn't be that surprising to see a 0-0 draw, a 2-2 draw, or for either team to win 3-0. These are two of Europe's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde teams. When they're on, they're on. When they're off, they suck.
Werder's backline, in particular, is very guilty of this. They played brilliantly against Bayern Munich on the weekend, but have every capability of committing numerous mental errors and allowing Spurs to score in buckets.
Despite saying last season that tactics are only about 10% of the game with the other 90% being just how players perform on the day, Harry Redknapp has now made comments that he doesn't think 4-4-2 is a viable option on the road in Europe for Spurs. Unfortunately for him, there are concerns about the fitness of Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric. Both are able to play and traveled with the team, but neither is expected to be 90 minutes fit.
Rafael van der Vaart is in the starting lineup, but I don't expect him to go the full 90. Both Modric and Krancjar are available off the bench and one, if not both of them should enter the match at some point. Jermaine Jenas has been handed a start due to concerns about the fitness of Modric and the form of Palacios. Jenas has had a wildly inconsistent career, but he's a superb athlete who produces occasional flashes of brilliance, so he could make Harry look like a genius or a donkey.
Tactically, this match could get interesting, but I think that both teams will play similar styles that cancel each other out, leaving this one up to individual performances. Based on Spurs' recent form and the way Marin played against Bayern, I'm not sure if that benefits us. The good news is that Ekotto is starting, meaning Bale has been moved up to left midfield and will have more freedom to bomb forward with reckless abandon.
Mental errors should make more of a difference in this game than most. Both of these teams are very prone to awful mental mistakes, but both teams also occasionally put in spectacular, flawless performances. I've got a hard time believing both teams will keep complete focus. It could get sloppy.
Tottenham Hotspur lineup (4-4-1-1, left to right): Cudicini/Ekotto, King, Kaboul, Corluka/Bale, Jenas, Huddlestone, Lennon/van der Vaart/Crouch
Werder Bremen lineup (4-4-2, left to right): Weise/Pasanen, Silvestre, Proedl, Fritz/Wesley, Frings, Bargfrede, Marin/Arnautovic, Almeida
Prediction: Werder Bremen 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday Links (09/13/10)
Contrary to popular belief, Spurs have been to Europe before - The Guardian
Bremen will be without Claudio Pizzaro vs. Spurs - SuperSport
Somehow, Luka Modric does not have a broken leg and will travel to Germany - ESPN Soccernet
Redknapp ready to play it safe - UK Press Association
Kyle Walker joins QPR on a one month loan - The Guardian
Rafael van der Vaart was pleased with his debut - Sky Sports
More news and speculation about Spurs' planned new stadium - Goal.com
Bremen will be without Claudio Pizzaro vs. Spurs - SuperSport
Somehow, Luka Modric does not have a broken leg and will travel to Germany - ESPN Soccernet
Redknapp ready to play it safe - UK Press Association
Kyle Walker joins QPR on a one month loan - The Guardian
Rafael van der Vaart was pleased with his debut - Sky Sports
More news and speculation about Spurs' planned new stadium - Goal.com
Spurs vs. West Brom Review -or- Is This Real Life?
Really. Really. Really? REALLY?
Yeah, that happened.
For the second time this season, Spurs have dropped points against a relegation candidate. It was the third performance in all competitions that could fairly be classified as embarrassing. Spurs drew West Brom 1-1 after such a mediocre performance, I had to stop myself from saying that we lost.
What really hurts is that West Brom weren't particularly inspiring. Against Wigan, as much as that loss hurt, at least they looked good for periods of the game. Wigan played some fantastic football in the 10 minutes leading up to their winner. West Brom did nothing.
Harry Redknapp's tactical decisions weren't the best, but I don't think it would be fair to fault him for his initial lineup. Harry attempted to get his best players on the field together, and with Defoe injured, the lineup he chose was a perfectly reasonable one. However, it seemed apparent very quickly that Gareth Bale wasn't having the best time at left back. He wasn't nearly the threat that he usually is on the left hand side and he looked like a defensive liability. When Luka Modric was injured in the first half, I was sure that Redknapp's decision would be to put on Ekotto and move Bale farther up the pitch. Instead, the change was a like for like with Niko Kranjcar replacing Modric. Unsurprisingly, Bale's defensive deficiencies were partially (if not mostly) at fault for West Brom's equalizer.
The later substitutions, Keane for Pavlyuchenko and Crouch for Lennon were even more puzzling. I can't begin to dissect what Harry was trying to accomplish with those substitutions. Unsurprisingly, once Pavlyuchenko came off, the team looked aimless and disjointed. It never really felt like the equalizer was coming.
Rafael van der Vaart had a solid debut, as did William Gallas. They can hardly be faulted for the draw (I almost wrote loss again). The team as a whole just had no direction after Modric went down. Pavlyuchenko didn't appear to be working that hard, Gareth Bale looked confused at left back, Niko Kranjcar didn't exactly offer anything positive or negative, and Wilson Palacios gave the ball away frequently. When the players who have been with the side and who know each other aren't clicking, it's hard to blame van der Vaart for the result.
Some good news did come out of the match, though. Luka Modric did not break his leg as first feared and will travel with the team to Germany to face Werder Bremen in Champions League. Based on the way the team looked after Modric went out, they might need him.
Spurs have now scored only three goals in their first three games without facing any of the big three. It appears that without Defoe, Spurs are a team that needs their superstars to take over games by themselves to win.
I waited a while to write this because I thought I would be in a better state of mind than I was Saturday, but I'm not. I don't know what to make of this draw or this team. Right now, I'm not optimistic at all, and I'm extremely frustrated with Harry Redknapp.
The team doesn't have a whole lot of time to get their heads right before the matchup with Werder, a team that has the ability to beat anyone 4-0 and lose to anyone 4-0. They were conservative against Bayern at the weekend, but Almeida was rested and Marin showed some fantastic skill. They will provide a stern test, for sure. I'll preview that match tomorrow.
Yeah, that happened.
For the second time this season, Spurs have dropped points against a relegation candidate. It was the third performance in all competitions that could fairly be classified as embarrassing. Spurs drew West Brom 1-1 after such a mediocre performance, I had to stop myself from saying that we lost.
What really hurts is that West Brom weren't particularly inspiring. Against Wigan, as much as that loss hurt, at least they looked good for periods of the game. Wigan played some fantastic football in the 10 minutes leading up to their winner. West Brom did nothing.
Harry Redknapp's tactical decisions weren't the best, but I don't think it would be fair to fault him for his initial lineup. Harry attempted to get his best players on the field together, and with Defoe injured, the lineup he chose was a perfectly reasonable one. However, it seemed apparent very quickly that Gareth Bale wasn't having the best time at left back. He wasn't nearly the threat that he usually is on the left hand side and he looked like a defensive liability. When Luka Modric was injured in the first half, I was sure that Redknapp's decision would be to put on Ekotto and move Bale farther up the pitch. Instead, the change was a like for like with Niko Kranjcar replacing Modric. Unsurprisingly, Bale's defensive deficiencies were partially (if not mostly) at fault for West Brom's equalizer.
The later substitutions, Keane for Pavlyuchenko and Crouch for Lennon were even more puzzling. I can't begin to dissect what Harry was trying to accomplish with those substitutions. Unsurprisingly, once Pavlyuchenko came off, the team looked aimless and disjointed. It never really felt like the equalizer was coming.
Rafael van der Vaart had a solid debut, as did William Gallas. They can hardly be faulted for the draw (I almost wrote loss again). The team as a whole just had no direction after Modric went down. Pavlyuchenko didn't appear to be working that hard, Gareth Bale looked confused at left back, Niko Kranjcar didn't exactly offer anything positive or negative, and Wilson Palacios gave the ball away frequently. When the players who have been with the side and who know each other aren't clicking, it's hard to blame van der Vaart for the result.
Some good news did come out of the match, though. Luka Modric did not break his leg as first feared and will travel with the team to Germany to face Werder Bremen in Champions League. Based on the way the team looked after Modric went out, they might need him.
Spurs have now scored only three goals in their first three games without facing any of the big three. It appears that without Defoe, Spurs are a team that needs their superstars to take over games by themselves to win.
I waited a while to write this because I thought I would be in a better state of mind than I was Saturday, but I'm not. I don't know what to make of this draw or this team. Right now, I'm not optimistic at all, and I'm extremely frustrated with Harry Redknapp.
The team doesn't have a whole lot of time to get their heads right before the matchup with Werder, a team that has the ability to beat anyone 4-0 and lose to anyone 4-0. They were conservative against Bayern at the weekend, but Almeida was rested and Marin showed some fantastic skill. They will provide a stern test, for sure. I'll preview that match tomorrow.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Spurs vs. West Brom -or- Dear God We Can't Possibly F**k This Up...Again
Remember the last time I titled a post like this? It was before the Wigan game, a game I thought we couldn't possibly lose. I made jokes that Spurs screw up stuff like this all the time, but I never really entertained the possibility that Spurs might actually lose at home to Wigan.
You would assume that because of that match, I am entertaining the possibility that Spurs might lose to West Brom. Well SCREW THAT. No, I am going to be a blind fanboy for once. I am always the "realistic" fan, the guy who asks "what if?" Not today. We are going to beat the living piss out of West Brom, goddamn it, and I don't care what you say.
Yes, I know that Peter Odemwingie is really good. I did a daily podcast during the last African Cup of Nations, I'm a big fan of his. But he will NOT score on Ledley King and William Gallas. No no no no no no no. I won't give them credit. I don't wanna. We are awesome.
Okay, I'm sorry. I'm done acting like a two year old. Let's talk about what Spurs are going to do in this match. Jermain Defoe is unavailable, so Harry has to make some adjustments. If he's intent on staying with his English 4-4-2 with Peter Crouch up top, his logical partners are Robbie Keane, who is in awful form, or Giovani Dos Santos, who is also not in very good form. Harry could play Pav and Crouch together, but that never works and gives us a dangerous lack of speed. We could throw VdV into this setup with Crouch, but I'm not a big fan of him playing a more advanced role with Crouch as the center forward, it just doesn't feel like they would work well together.
So, what to do? Harry Redknapp has actually played five in the midfield this season, so it wouldn't shock me to see Huddlestone, Modric, and VdV all in the midfield with Pav as a lone striker. For me, this is the best option.
But really, it shouldn't matter. We should be able to put 11 random players on the field and beat West Brom. West Brom sucks. COYS.
You would assume that because of that match, I am entertaining the possibility that Spurs might lose to West Brom. Well SCREW THAT. No, I am going to be a blind fanboy for once. I am always the "realistic" fan, the guy who asks "what if?" Not today. We are going to beat the living piss out of West Brom, goddamn it, and I don't care what you say.
Yes, I know that Peter Odemwingie is really good. I did a daily podcast during the last African Cup of Nations, I'm a big fan of his. But he will NOT score on Ledley King and William Gallas. No no no no no no no. I won't give them credit. I don't wanna. We are awesome.
Okay, I'm sorry. I'm done acting like a two year old. Let's talk about what Spurs are going to do in this match. Jermain Defoe is unavailable, so Harry has to make some adjustments. If he's intent on staying with his English 4-4-2 with Peter Crouch up top, his logical partners are Robbie Keane, who is in awful form, or Giovani Dos Santos, who is also not in very good form. Harry could play Pav and Crouch together, but that never works and gives us a dangerous lack of speed. We could throw VdV into this setup with Crouch, but I'm not a big fan of him playing a more advanced role with Crouch as the center forward, it just doesn't feel like they would work well together.
So, what to do? Harry Redknapp has actually played five in the midfield this season, so it wouldn't shock me to see Huddlestone, Modric, and VdV all in the midfield with Pav as a lone striker. For me, this is the best option.
But really, it shouldn't matter. We should be able to put 11 random players on the field and beat West Brom. West Brom sucks. COYS.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thursday Links - 08/09/10
Redknapp backs Gallas for timely debut - The Independent
Hutton wants first team football - ESPN Soccernet
Defoe out for six weeks (I guess the initial reports were BS, sigh) - Sky Sports
Portsmouth can't sign a player after the deadline because "we're not Spurs." (I think they have every right to be pissed at the FA about this) - Yahoo! Eurosport
Bristol City sign Tottenham's Danny Rose on loan - BBC Sport
Wild rumor time! Tottenham willing to shell out £22m for Ashley Young - Goal.com
Bremen without Mertesacker vs. Spurs - AFP
Game preview tomorrow kiddies, glad I could get you caught up on all the latest Spurs news and rumors.
Hutton wants first team football - ESPN Soccernet
Defoe out for six weeks (I guess the initial reports were BS, sigh) - Sky Sports
Portsmouth can't sign a player after the deadline because "we're not Spurs." (I think they have every right to be pissed at the FA about this) - Yahoo! Eurosport
Bristol City sign Tottenham's Danny Rose on loan - BBC Sport
Wild rumor time! Tottenham willing to shell out £22m for Ashley Young - Goal.com
Bremen without Mertesacker vs. Spurs - AFP
Game preview tomorrow kiddies, glad I could get you caught up on all the latest Spurs news and rumors.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The International Break is Over...as is Michael Dawson's Month
Yep. Michael Dawson is set to miss at least six weeks after sustaining both cartilage and ligament damage. It's a good thing we just signed William Gallas, but that doesn't stop me from being pissed that one of our players got injured on international duty.
This anger isn't directed at anyone in particular. Capello did nothing wrong and I'm not about to go on a crusade about international dates, ripping into Platini and Blatter. It would be pointless. I'm just frustrated that a player was injured in a match that had little to nothing to do with the well-being of Spurs.
There is some good news, though. Jermain Defoe appeared to completely mess up his ankle in the following match against Switzerland, but despite being both stretchered and substituted off, it appears that Jermain is just fine. I doubt he'll start this weekend against West Brom, but it's very possible that he could be on the bench. Bullet dodged.
After a week off, I'm excited to get back to club football. Even though I'm a passionate supporter of the United States national teams, I don't care much for international football. I'd rather watch two teams at the bottom of La Liga or Serie A than an England match. Other than the Spurs match this weekend, I highly recommend watching Athletic Bilbao-Atletico Madrid, Juventus-Sampdoria, Hoffenheim-Schalke, and Borussia Dortmund-Wolfsburg.
We're back on our regular schedule here at CFC after the international break and Labor Day weekend. Expect your regular Thursday links tomorrow and a match preview on Friday. I'll be less arrogant than I was before the Wigan match, I promise.
This anger isn't directed at anyone in particular. Capello did nothing wrong and I'm not about to go on a crusade about international dates, ripping into Platini and Blatter. It would be pointless. I'm just frustrated that a player was injured in a match that had little to nothing to do with the well-being of Spurs.
There is some good news, though. Jermain Defoe appeared to completely mess up his ankle in the following match against Switzerland, but despite being both stretchered and substituted off, it appears that Jermain is just fine. I doubt he'll start this weekend against West Brom, but it's very possible that he could be on the bench. Bullet dodged.
After a week off, I'm excited to get back to club football. Even though I'm a passionate supporter of the United States national teams, I don't care much for international football. I'd rather watch two teams at the bottom of La Liga or Serie A than an England match. Other than the Spurs match this weekend, I highly recommend watching Athletic Bilbao-Atletico Madrid, Juventus-Sampdoria, Hoffenheim-Schalke, and Borussia Dortmund-Wolfsburg.
We're back on our regular schedule here at CFC after the international break and Labor Day weekend. Expect your regular Thursday links tomorrow and a match preview on Friday. I'll be less arrogant than I was before the Wigan match, I promise.
Friday, September 3, 2010
A Little Time Off
With the international break and Labor Day weekend, I'll be taking a little hiatus from CFC until Tuesday. We'll return then with some content for everyone. Hopefully this site will be moving over to SBNation within the next couple of weeks.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Rafael Van der Vaart Signs with Spurs
Well, that came out of left field.
Real Madrid were apparently so desperate to get rid of Van der Vaart that they were willing to take £8m for him, or roughly 2/3 of what they paid for him in the first place. Supposedly, an £18m transfer for Bayern Munich had fallen through the day before deadline day, and as a result, VdV was available for a discount price. Despite not needing him, Harry Redknapp couldn't resist getting a player of his quality for such a cheap price.
And really, Van der Vaart was cheap by just about anyone's standards. He played 26 games for Real Madrid last season, scoring 6 goals and tallying 7 assists. He started in the World Cup and made 5 total appearances for the tournament runners-up. The midfielder has 16 goals in 83 international appearances and 92 goals in 249 top flight league appearances for Ajax, Hamburg SV, and Real Madrid.
So, Spurs fans might be wondering how Van der Vaart fits into Spurs' regular setup. Truth be told...he doesn't. Van der Vaart is used to playing higher up the pitch than Spurs' central midfielders ever do. While he's competent as a winger, he's not good enough in that role to displace Bale or Lennon.
There are a few possibilities for fitting Rafael Van der Vaart into a Spurs' starting lineup. Let's give them a look:
1. He comes in for Ekotto. Bale shifts to left back and either Van der Vaart or Modric plays on the left with the other playing in the center. Against better teams with lots of attacking threats through the middle, VdV could play on the left with two of Sandro, Huddlestone, and Palacios in the middle.
2. We play only one of Huddlestone, Palacios, and Sandro, let VdV play the way he likes to play, and ask the defensive midfielder to do a lot of work. This is a role that does not suit the talented and intelligent, yet large and lead-footed Tom Huddlestone at all. The best man for this role is Palacios. Playing this way would be a really bad idea in Champions League. It could potentially be super effective against teams like Blackburn, Sunderland, Birmingham, and Stoke who do not have central midfielders who can pass or dribble worth a damn (slight exception for Riveros, there).
3. We *gasp* experiment with different tactics. We know it's not Harry's thing, but with Pavlyuchenko, Van der Vaart, and Sandro, we now have three players that are absolutely tailor made for the 4-2-3-1 setup that everyone and their mom is using these days. This setup is unlikely to have massive effects, positive or negative, on Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale, Giovani dos Santos, Niko Kranjcar, Tom Huddlestone, or Wilson Palacios. Obviously, this formation renders Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe irrelevant or ineffective, most likely. Luka Modric is a bit of a wild card, as he could play as an attacking central midfielder, central midfielder, or on the left wing. His role would likely either be as a player who is thrown into one of those roles due to a specific matchup against an opponent or as a super sub.
So, if you were thinking that Rafael Van der Vaart was going to be plug and play somewhere, you were mistaken. How Redknapp uses VdV might reveal a lot about him as a manager. If he can't make slight tactical adjustments to find room for a player of VdV's quality, he truly is a rockhead. If he throws VdV into Spurs' current setup with no adjustments and hopes it just works, he's an even bigger rockhead. How VdV is utilized will go a long way towards whether or not Spurs reach their ambitions. Let's just hope that he is used properly.
Real Madrid were apparently so desperate to get rid of Van der Vaart that they were willing to take £8m for him, or roughly 2/3 of what they paid for him in the first place. Supposedly, an £18m transfer for Bayern Munich had fallen through the day before deadline day, and as a result, VdV was available for a discount price. Despite not needing him, Harry Redknapp couldn't resist getting a player of his quality for such a cheap price.
And really, Van der Vaart was cheap by just about anyone's standards. He played 26 games for Real Madrid last season, scoring 6 goals and tallying 7 assists. He started in the World Cup and made 5 total appearances for the tournament runners-up. The midfielder has 16 goals in 83 international appearances and 92 goals in 249 top flight league appearances for Ajax, Hamburg SV, and Real Madrid.
So, Spurs fans might be wondering how Van der Vaart fits into Spurs' regular setup. Truth be told...he doesn't. Van der Vaart is used to playing higher up the pitch than Spurs' central midfielders ever do. While he's competent as a winger, he's not good enough in that role to displace Bale or Lennon.
There are a few possibilities for fitting Rafael Van der Vaart into a Spurs' starting lineup. Let's give them a look:
1. He comes in for Ekotto. Bale shifts to left back and either Van der Vaart or Modric plays on the left with the other playing in the center. Against better teams with lots of attacking threats through the middle, VdV could play on the left with two of Sandro, Huddlestone, and Palacios in the middle.
2. We play only one of Huddlestone, Palacios, and Sandro, let VdV play the way he likes to play, and ask the defensive midfielder to do a lot of work. This is a role that does not suit the talented and intelligent, yet large and lead-footed Tom Huddlestone at all. The best man for this role is Palacios. Playing this way would be a really bad idea in Champions League. It could potentially be super effective against teams like Blackburn, Sunderland, Birmingham, and Stoke who do not have central midfielders who can pass or dribble worth a damn (slight exception for Riveros, there).
3. We *gasp* experiment with different tactics. We know it's not Harry's thing, but with Pavlyuchenko, Van der Vaart, and Sandro, we now have three players that are absolutely tailor made for the 4-2-3-1 setup that everyone and their mom is using these days. This setup is unlikely to have massive effects, positive or negative, on Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale, Giovani dos Santos, Niko Kranjcar, Tom Huddlestone, or Wilson Palacios. Obviously, this formation renders Peter Crouch and Jermaine Defoe irrelevant or ineffective, most likely. Luka Modric is a bit of a wild card, as he could play as an attacking central midfielder, central midfielder, or on the left wing. His role would likely either be as a player who is thrown into one of those roles due to a specific matchup against an opponent or as a super sub.
So, if you were thinking that Rafael Van der Vaart was going to be plug and play somewhere, you were mistaken. How Redknapp uses VdV might reveal a lot about him as a manager. If he can't make slight tactical adjustments to find room for a player of VdV's quality, he truly is a rockhead. If he throws VdV into Spurs' current setup with no adjustments and hopes it just works, he's an even bigger rockhead. How VdV is utilized will go a long way towards whether or not Spurs reach their ambitions. Let's just hope that he is used properly.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Spurs vs. Wigan Review -or- A Rant About Harry Redknapp
I thought if I waited until Monday morning to post this that I would feel a little better. I thought that I would calm down and be a little more rational. I thought that I might start to view this game as a fluke and that it wasn't a big deal. Sorry, but this didn't happen. I still want to club baby seals to get out my frustration at Spurs.
Obviously, Harry Redknapp wasn't too happy after the loss. He was so unhappy, in fact, that he told a Sky Sports reporter to "f--k off" and that he was a "f--king football manager." That NSFW gem can be seen here. Frankly, Harry, I have to disagree.
Harry's made comments that football is only about 10% what a manager do and around 90% how players perform. I've discussed this on this site before. I don't disagree with Harry, though I would call it more like 80-20, but the point stands that managers often take a lot of heat for their tactics when in reality, their players were never going to win. Saturday, one of those games happened. Spurs' players were very poor and there probably wasn't a tactic in the world that would have changed that. However, that doesn't mean that Harry shouldn't have tried.
Harry Redknapp selected the team that he always selects. He put them in the formation he always puts them in. All of his substitutions were pretty close to like for like and didn't change the way we played at all. Based on the way the team played today, Harry didn't do the best job of mentally preparing them for this game. Based on the way they've played in previous games, I'm forced to assume that Harry could have done a better job of mentally preparing the team for the first leg against Young Boys and the second halves of the games against Manchester City and Stoke. Therefore...what does Harry Redknapp do, exactly?
It seems that if Redknapp is going to select the same team every week, play the same tactics, make no adjustments throughout the game, and fail to properly motivate his players, he doesn't need to have a job. If the game really is 90% down to the performances of players beyond what a manager can affect, why the hell are we cutting Harry Redknapp a big paycheck. It seems to me that a computer program could run Spurs in the exact same fashion as Harry Redknapp. He's not an atrocious manager, obviously. Spurs did get fourth place last year and did get to the group stages of the Champions League. But Harry's management style is such that he can be easily replaced by someone with basically no experience in football. I am forced to assume that a computer program would do the exact same job as Redknapp, if not better.
Oh, and a computer program wouldn't tell a Sky reporter to f--k off.
Obviously, Harry Redknapp wasn't too happy after the loss. He was so unhappy, in fact, that he told a Sky Sports reporter to "f--k off" and that he was a "f--king football manager." That NSFW gem can be seen here. Frankly, Harry, I have to disagree.
Harry's made comments that football is only about 10% what a manager do and around 90% how players perform. I've discussed this on this site before. I don't disagree with Harry, though I would call it more like 80-20, but the point stands that managers often take a lot of heat for their tactics when in reality, their players were never going to win. Saturday, one of those games happened. Spurs' players were very poor and there probably wasn't a tactic in the world that would have changed that. However, that doesn't mean that Harry shouldn't have tried.
Harry Redknapp selected the team that he always selects. He put them in the formation he always puts them in. All of his substitutions were pretty close to like for like and didn't change the way we played at all. Based on the way the team played today, Harry didn't do the best job of mentally preparing them for this game. Based on the way they've played in previous games, I'm forced to assume that Harry could have done a better job of mentally preparing the team for the first leg against Young Boys and the second halves of the games against Manchester City and Stoke. Therefore...what does Harry Redknapp do, exactly?
It seems that if Redknapp is going to select the same team every week, play the same tactics, make no adjustments throughout the game, and fail to properly motivate his players, he doesn't need to have a job. If the game really is 90% down to the performances of players beyond what a manager can affect, why the hell are we cutting Harry Redknapp a big paycheck. It seems to me that a computer program could run Spurs in the exact same fashion as Harry Redknapp. He's not an atrocious manager, obviously. Spurs did get fourth place last year and did get to the group stages of the Champions League. But Harry's management style is such that he can be easily replaced by someone with basically no experience in football. I am forced to assume that a computer program would do the exact same job as Redknapp, if not better.
Oh, and a computer program wouldn't tell a Sky reporter to f--k off.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Spurs vs. Wigan Preview -or- Dear God We Can't Possbily F**k This Up
This is one of those games where I almost don't want to waste my time or your time writing a preview. Sure, Wigan can get a result. Sure, Spurs can do something really cool like score nine goals. But we all know what's going to happen, most likely. Spurs will win by three or four goals in a rather uneventful match that includes some defensive errors by Wigan.
Tottenham's cause is aided by the fact that Wigan is in the process of selling Charles N'Zogbia, one of few Wigan players worth a damn, to Birmingham. The rest of their team has performed like absolute garbage recently. Honestly, Spurs reserves might grind out a result.
Of course, I could be jinxing the hell out of us. And pigs could fly out of my ass.
I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to give this game any more time. I can't. It's pointless. Wigan are a sorry team in shambles and we're going to give about 75% and win anyway.
God help us if we find a way to screw this up.
Tottenham's cause is aided by the fact that Wigan is in the process of selling Charles N'Zogbia, one of few Wigan players worth a damn, to Birmingham. The rest of their team has performed like absolute garbage recently. Honestly, Spurs reserves might grind out a result.
Of course, I could be jinxing the hell out of us. And pigs could fly out of my ass.
I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to give this game any more time. I can't. It's pointless. Wigan are a sorry team in shambles and we're going to give about 75% and win anyway.
God help us if we find a way to screw this up.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
CFC Shorts: Thursday Links (8/26/10)
Crouchie is looking forward to playing in the Champions League again - Yahoo! Eurosport
Now that Spurs are in the Champions League group stages, should 'Arry go shopping? - Goal.com
Harry likes bacon sandwiches - Daily Fail
Wenger is determined to stay #1 in North London - The S*n
Spurs' win follows in the tradition of Danny Blanchflower - Telegraph
Welcome, Billy Gallas - TopSpurs
Now that Spurs are in the Champions League group stages, should 'Arry go shopping? - Goal.com
Harry likes bacon sandwiches - Daily Fail
Wenger is determined to stay #1 in North London - The S*n
Spurs' win follows in the tradition of Danny Blanchflower - Telegraph
Welcome, Billy Gallas - TopSpurs
Champions League Draw: An Interesting Scenario
The Champions League Group Stage draw took place today, and Spurs fans should at least be content with their draw. We don't have a cake group by any stretch of the imagination, but it could have been a whole lot worse.
Spurs have been drawn in Group A with Internazionale Milano, SV Werder Bremen, and FC Twente. Drawing the defending champions seems tough, but there were no easy teams in Pot 1 and I believe that all eight teams in that pot would have been favorites to defeat Spurs. In pot 2, we got ultimate roller coaster team Werder Bremen. It's still yet to be seen if the loss of Mesut Oezil will have a significant impact on them. About 3/4 of their performance against Sampdoria was brilliant, but 1/4 of it was atrocious, as was their entire performance against Hoffenheim last weekend. FC Twente were among the better teams in Pot 4, but they have lost a couple of their key players from last season, along with their manager. I would have been happy with any pot 4 team not called Rubin Kazan.
Ultimately, while Twente and Werder are not cakewalks, Spurs should be favorites to get four or more points from both teams and advance to the knockout stages. I firmly believe that Spurs are the second best team in this group. We could have gotten an easier draw, but all I was hoping for is to be second favorites in our group. I think we got that.
CFC Shorts: Thursday Links is coming at you shortly. Wigan preview tomorrow.
Spurs have been drawn in Group A with Internazionale Milano, SV Werder Bremen, and FC Twente. Drawing the defending champions seems tough, but there were no easy teams in Pot 1 and I believe that all eight teams in that pot would have been favorites to defeat Spurs. In pot 2, we got ultimate roller coaster team Werder Bremen. It's still yet to be seen if the loss of Mesut Oezil will have a significant impact on them. About 3/4 of their performance against Sampdoria was brilliant, but 1/4 of it was atrocious, as was their entire performance against Hoffenheim last weekend. FC Twente were among the better teams in Pot 4, but they have lost a couple of their key players from last season, along with their manager. I would have been happy with any pot 4 team not called Rubin Kazan.
Ultimately, while Twente and Werder are not cakewalks, Spurs should be favorites to get four or more points from both teams and advance to the knockout stages. I firmly believe that Spurs are the second best team in this group. We could have gotten an easier draw, but all I was hoping for is to be second favorites in our group. I think we got that.
CFC Shorts: Thursday Links is coming at you shortly. Wigan preview tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Spurs vs. Young Boys - Leg 2 Review
Holy crap. Spurs are in the Champions League. Proper. The group stages. Up is down, black is white, Joey Barton just helped an old lady cross the street. 4-0 over Young Boys at the Lane, 6-3 on aggregate. It was truly a wild 180 minutes.
Spurs put in a brilliant performance tonight, one completely un-reminiscent of the Spurs I've come to know and love since I was a teenager. They needed to bring their A game and play with focus and intensity tonight, and they did just that. Not a single starter for Spurs had a poor game, although Gomes went unchallenged and injured himself anyway. Young Boys obviously made shutting down Aaron Lennon their #1 priority, and as a result, the other players on the pitch were able to shine.
The match will be most remembered for Peter Crouch's brilliant performance. He rarely lost a header and when he did, it was because he was fouled. His hat trick was capped off by a well taken penalty kick after two headed goals. You can teach a player technical skills and tactical acumen, but you can't teach 6'7".
Gareth Bale was credited with all four assists as he gave Crouch a run for his money for man of the match. As good as Bale and Crouch look on the stat sheet, Huddlestone and King were just as good. Neither fullback made a mistake, nor did Palacios. Lennon was very dangerous despite being the focal point of Young Boys' defense. Everyone did their job. It was a complete 180 from the performance in Bern.
I said two days ago that tactics wouldn't be the difference. They weren't. The better players came to play and outplayed inferior players. Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson couldn't have gotten Young Boys to defeat Spurs today. The team showed up in a big game and played to the best of their abilities under major pressure.
So, what's the scenario going forward in the Champions League? One of the other sites I write for, World Soccer Reader, was nice enough to post the information on tomorrow's Champions League draw. Here's what I really don't want to see and what I really want to see.
Worst Case Scenario:
Inter Milan
Real Madrid
Tottenham Hotspur
Rubin Kazan
Best Case Scenario:
Olympique Lyonnais
Panathinaikos
Tottenham Hotspur
Zilina
Thankfully, Spurs are in the same pot as my other team in Europe, Schalke 04. Roma is the only team in Pot 2 that scares me, other than Real Madrid. I feel that Spurs are on par with or better than Werder, Marseille, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Valencia, and Panathinaikos. Rubin Kazan is the only team I fear in Pot 4.
That's all for now. Let's hope for the best. I'll have some kind of evaluation of our draw tomorrow.
Spurs put in a brilliant performance tonight, one completely un-reminiscent of the Spurs I've come to know and love since I was a teenager. They needed to bring their A game and play with focus and intensity tonight, and they did just that. Not a single starter for Spurs had a poor game, although Gomes went unchallenged and injured himself anyway. Young Boys obviously made shutting down Aaron Lennon their #1 priority, and as a result, the other players on the pitch were able to shine.
The match will be most remembered for Peter Crouch's brilliant performance. He rarely lost a header and when he did, it was because he was fouled. His hat trick was capped off by a well taken penalty kick after two headed goals. You can teach a player technical skills and tactical acumen, but you can't teach 6'7".
Gareth Bale was credited with all four assists as he gave Crouch a run for his money for man of the match. As good as Bale and Crouch look on the stat sheet, Huddlestone and King were just as good. Neither fullback made a mistake, nor did Palacios. Lennon was very dangerous despite being the focal point of Young Boys' defense. Everyone did their job. It was a complete 180 from the performance in Bern.
I said two days ago that tactics wouldn't be the difference. They weren't. The better players came to play and outplayed inferior players. Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson couldn't have gotten Young Boys to defeat Spurs today. The team showed up in a big game and played to the best of their abilities under major pressure.
So, what's the scenario going forward in the Champions League? One of the other sites I write for, World Soccer Reader, was nice enough to post the information on tomorrow's Champions League draw. Here's what I really don't want to see and what I really want to see.
Worst Case Scenario:
Inter Milan
Real Madrid
Tottenham Hotspur
Rubin Kazan
Best Case Scenario:
Olympique Lyonnais
Panathinaikos
Tottenham Hotspur
Zilina
Thankfully, Spurs are in the same pot as my other team in Europe, Schalke 04. Roma is the only team in Pot 2 that scares me, other than Real Madrid. I feel that Spurs are on par with or better than Werder, Marseille, Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Valencia, and Panathinaikos. Rubin Kazan is the only team I fear in Pot 4.
That's all for now. Let's hope for the best. I'll have some kind of evaluation of our draw tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Spurs vs. Young Boys - Leg 2 Preview
So, I'm scared. I don't see a ton of reason to be confident. We're not playing that well right now. We've got a history of epic f-ups. Failure in the biggest moments has been ingrained in me for years, ever since I started supporting Spurs. We've only recently turned that around.
The good news is that since Harry Redknapp has taken over as manager, we've been pretty good at grinding out results in matches where we don't play our best. I think that the 3-2 loss in Bern can be considered "grinding out a result." Yes, we lost, but to take the epic ass-kicking that we received and turn it into something workable constitutes "getting a result." We did something very similar at the Brittania this weekend. Yes, Bale and Lennon were brilliant, but as a whole Spurs played poorly. We got battered by Stoke for the entirety of the second half and managed to win a game we should have lost. These two matches are examples of the current Spurs team that is vastly different from the one I had such a strong love-hate relationship with over the years.
Some have gone as far to call our position an advantage over Young Boys. I think that's a bit of a stretch, but only a minor one. I'd call our chances of going through a coin flip, but it's only a coin flip because we're Spurs.
See, I haven't gotten that old Spurs mentality out of my head yet. I still expect us to blow big games. I still expect us to find ways to turn our advantages into disadvantages. Yes, tonight's game is at the Lane. Yes, we have superior talent to Young Boys. Yes, Ledley King is likely to start. It doesn't matter, I can't kill that sinking feeling.
It's not just Spurs. Sure, I remember the food poisoning incident. That was pretty high on the Bill Simmons' Levels of Losing. I also remember Schalke pissing away their title chances last year by inexplicably getting their asses kicked by Hannover and Cruz Azul somehow finishing ninth in the Bicentenario last year. I won't get over 4th and 26 until the Packers win another Super Bowl. I support the Milwaukee Brewers. I guess it was only natural that I would pick Spurs with my history in other sports. I didn't even know about their history of choking or that they were the richest team to never make the Champions League group stages. It must have been destiny.
Today, Spurs can reverse this. As of the time I'm writing this, they are still the richest team to never qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages.
There's no use writing about tactics and selections. Harry has limited personnel available to him due to injury and both teams are likely to play a fairly basic 4-4-2. Both might switch to basic 4-5-1 formations based on healthy personnel and game situations. This game doesn't require a Johnathan Wilson column or Zonal Marking graphs. The better team will win, period. No gimmicks, no bullshit. Unless the referee completely bottles it, which seems to be a rarity in the Champions League, the better team will win. I can only hope that Spurs are the better team.
The good news is that since Harry Redknapp has taken over as manager, we've been pretty good at grinding out results in matches where we don't play our best. I think that the 3-2 loss in Bern can be considered "grinding out a result." Yes, we lost, but to take the epic ass-kicking that we received and turn it into something workable constitutes "getting a result." We did something very similar at the Brittania this weekend. Yes, Bale and Lennon were brilliant, but as a whole Spurs played poorly. We got battered by Stoke for the entirety of the second half and managed to win a game we should have lost. These two matches are examples of the current Spurs team that is vastly different from the one I had such a strong love-hate relationship with over the years.
Some have gone as far to call our position an advantage over Young Boys. I think that's a bit of a stretch, but only a minor one. I'd call our chances of going through a coin flip, but it's only a coin flip because we're Spurs.
See, I haven't gotten that old Spurs mentality out of my head yet. I still expect us to blow big games. I still expect us to find ways to turn our advantages into disadvantages. Yes, tonight's game is at the Lane. Yes, we have superior talent to Young Boys. Yes, Ledley King is likely to start. It doesn't matter, I can't kill that sinking feeling.
It's not just Spurs. Sure, I remember the food poisoning incident. That was pretty high on the Bill Simmons' Levels of Losing. I also remember Schalke pissing away their title chances last year by inexplicably getting their asses kicked by Hannover and Cruz Azul somehow finishing ninth in the Bicentenario last year. I won't get over 4th and 26 until the Packers win another Super Bowl. I support the Milwaukee Brewers. I guess it was only natural that I would pick Spurs with my history in other sports. I didn't even know about their history of choking or that they were the richest team to never make the Champions League group stages. It must have been destiny.
Today, Spurs can reverse this. As of the time I'm writing this, they are still the richest team to never qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages.
There's no use writing about tactics and selections. Harry has limited personnel available to him due to injury and both teams are likely to play a fairly basic 4-4-2. Both might switch to basic 4-5-1 formations based on healthy personnel and game situations. This game doesn't require a Johnathan Wilson column or Zonal Marking graphs. The better team will win, period. No gimmicks, no bullshit. Unless the referee completely bottles it, which seems to be a rarity in the Champions League, the better team will win. I can only hope that Spurs are the better team.
Monday, August 23, 2010
CFC Shorts: Monday Links (8/23/10)
Harry says Gareth Bale is the best left-sided player in Britain - The Guardian
Tony Pulis thinks Spurs are title contenders - Yahoo! Eurosport
Sessegnon adds fuel to the fire that is his rumored transfer - ESPN Soccernet
Jason Cowley thinks that Spurs have the right structure for success - London Evening Standard
Bongani Khumalo is on trial at Spurs - Football 365
An Arsenal fan is happy that Gallas pissed off to Spurs - Goal.com
Tony Pulis thinks Spurs are title contenders - Yahoo! Eurosport
Sessegnon adds fuel to the fire that is his rumored transfer - ESPN Soccernet
Jason Cowley thinks that Spurs have the right structure for success - London Evening Standard
Bongani Khumalo is on trial at Spurs - Football 365
An Arsenal fan is happy that Gallas pissed off to Spurs - Goal.com
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Spurs vs. Stoke: Match Review
A win is a win, all that matters is the W, three points is three points. I've repeated these tired cliches to myself over and over in the last 24 hours. While they may be true, the fact is that Tottenham didn't play very well on Saturday. We relied on a face goal, a stunner, some missed sitters, and a blown call to win. Spurs were not the better team over 90 minutes on Saturday and Stoke deserved to win the game. Off the back of the debacle in Bern, it was not an encouraging performance.
With Defoe, Keane, Pavlyuchenko, and Dos Santos all unavailable, Harry's hand was forced as Jenas, Huddlestone, and Palacios all played. Spurs had considerably more of the ball in the first half for two reasons. First, the inherent advantage in the center of the pitch when you're playing three central midfielders against two, and second, the fact that Tony Pulis probably didn't know that was coming. Once he got a chance to talk to his squad in the locker room, Stoke made their adjustments and had about 2/3 of the possession in the second half.
That second half was truly awful for Spurs. They got battered for 45 minutes and somehow walked away without conceding. Tuncay missed a couple of sitters, Fuller had opportunities, Shawcross had opportunities, it was target practice on Gomes. When he was challenged, he came up big. Often, Stoke failed to challenge him when they should have. There's no question that they should have scored at least two goals in the second half.
Of course, they did score once. Just don't tell Chris Foy, who inexplicably looked to his linesman for a decision when he was two yards away from where the ball crossed the line for Stoke. Don't tell Redknapp either, he said that Foy was right not to allow the goal. Everyone with an HDTV or high-quality stream knows otherwise.
So, the positives. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon had flashes of brilliance once again. When things aren't going well for Spurs, the two young wingers have shown an ability to create something out of nothing. Bale's second goal, in particular, was a superb strike. Jermaine Jenas deserves some praise as well, he had a surprisingly solid game. He disappeared for long stretches of the game in true JJ fashion, but he created a couple of chances and his hard work on the defensive end saved Spurs at the end of the match. It's nice to know that Spurs have a whopping SEVEN quality central midfielders (Huddlestone, Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Sandro, Kranjcar, O'Hara).
My biggest thumbs down for the match goes to Younes Kaboul. After the debacle in Bern, I (and everyone else) was calling for him to get his chance in the center of defense. He was at fault for Stoke's goal, completely losing Ricardo Fuller on a corner kick. As much of a d-bag as Billy Gallas is, we need him. Our central defenders are a guy with no cartilage in his knees (King), a guy with cement shoes (Dawson), and a couple of mentally disabled guys (Kaboul, Bassong). I expect the CFC and the cement shoed one to play against Young Boys on Wednesday.
Honestly, if we don't win our next three matches (H Young Boys, H Wigan, A West Brom) I'm going to hit the sauce hard. Usually I'd say that's cake, but these guys are scaring the crap out of me. Sort it out, boys.
With Defoe, Keane, Pavlyuchenko, and Dos Santos all unavailable, Harry's hand was forced as Jenas, Huddlestone, and Palacios all played. Spurs had considerably more of the ball in the first half for two reasons. First, the inherent advantage in the center of the pitch when you're playing three central midfielders against two, and second, the fact that Tony Pulis probably didn't know that was coming. Once he got a chance to talk to his squad in the locker room, Stoke made their adjustments and had about 2/3 of the possession in the second half.
That second half was truly awful for Spurs. They got battered for 45 minutes and somehow walked away without conceding. Tuncay missed a couple of sitters, Fuller had opportunities, Shawcross had opportunities, it was target practice on Gomes. When he was challenged, he came up big. Often, Stoke failed to challenge him when they should have. There's no question that they should have scored at least two goals in the second half.
Of course, they did score once. Just don't tell Chris Foy, who inexplicably looked to his linesman for a decision when he was two yards away from where the ball crossed the line for Stoke. Don't tell Redknapp either, he said that Foy was right not to allow the goal. Everyone with an HDTV or high-quality stream knows otherwise.
So, the positives. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon had flashes of brilliance once again. When things aren't going well for Spurs, the two young wingers have shown an ability to create something out of nothing. Bale's second goal, in particular, was a superb strike. Jermaine Jenas deserves some praise as well, he had a surprisingly solid game. He disappeared for long stretches of the game in true JJ fashion, but he created a couple of chances and his hard work on the defensive end saved Spurs at the end of the match. It's nice to know that Spurs have a whopping SEVEN quality central midfielders (Huddlestone, Palacios, Jenas, Modric, Sandro, Kranjcar, O'Hara).
My biggest thumbs down for the match goes to Younes Kaboul. After the debacle in Bern, I (and everyone else) was calling for him to get his chance in the center of defense. He was at fault for Stoke's goal, completely losing Ricardo Fuller on a corner kick. As much of a d-bag as Billy Gallas is, we need him. Our central defenders are a guy with no cartilage in his knees (King), a guy with cement shoes (Dawson), and a couple of mentally disabled guys (Kaboul, Bassong). I expect the CFC and the cement shoed one to play against Young Boys on Wednesday.
Honestly, if we don't win our next three matches (H Young Boys, H Wigan, A West Brom) I'm going to hit the sauce hard. Usually I'd say that's cake, but these guys are scaring the crap out of me. Sort it out, boys.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Spurs vs. Stoke: Post-Match Hangover
Well, we deserved nothing from that match. Stoke out-played us for the entire duration of the second half. The referee missed a Stoke goal that crossed the line. Tuncay missed a couple of sitters. Quite simply, we got lucky.
There were some positives though. First and foremost, a W is a W and we'll take the three points. Second, Bale and Lennon were both absolutely brilliant in the first half. Finally, some credit goes out to Jermaine Jenas. A surprisingly useful performance from him where he came up big defensively at the death.
Personal commitments have kept me from writing a full match review, but expect a very detailed one tomorrow.
There were some positives though. First and foremost, a W is a W and we'll take the three points. Second, Bale and Lennon were both absolutely brilliant in the first half. Finally, some credit goes out to Jermaine Jenas. A surprisingly useful performance from him where he came up big defensively at the death.
Personal commitments have kept me from writing a full match review, but expect a very detailed one tomorrow.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Spurs vs. Stoke Preview
Both Spurs and Stoke got off to rocky starts last week. Spurs dominated Manchester City for most of their game, but thanks to Joe Hart and a couple of bad misses, they walked away with a 0-0 draw. In the middle of the week, they traveled to Bern to take on Young Boys in Champions League qualification where they were thoroughly embarrassed, yet were able to somehow stop the bleeding after 30 minutes and find a couple of goals as they lost 3-2. It will be interesting to see if their poor start to that match and failure to find the back of the net against Manchester City will have any effect on their confidence.
Stoke lost 2-1 away to Wolves in a match where many expected them to get at least a point. New signing Kenwyne Jones had a bad injury scare, but Stoke were fortunate that his injury was only minor and he could be on the bench for them on Saturday. Still, he is unlikely to be in the starting lineup which means that more will be expected of Ricardo Fuller and Tuncay Sanli.
The Wednesday fixture against Young Boys will probably be Harry's #1 priority, and as a result, I expect to see Ledley King rested again. The Bassong-Dawson partnership was not an effective one, so Younes Kaboul might get a shot to pair whichever one Harry found less competent. Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon were both rested on Tuesday, so expect both of them to start against Stoke. Luka Modric and Jermaine Defoe are listed as very doubtful, so expect to see Robbie Keane or Giovani Dos Santos up top and either Gareth Bale or Giovani Dos Santos on the left. Personally, my bet is on Robbie up top and Gio wide left. After Ekotto's awful performance against Young Boys, Bale may be needed at left back.
Stoke and Tottenham play very similar tactics, so I expect talent to win out. 3-1 to Spurs.
Stoke lost 2-1 away to Wolves in a match where many expected them to get at least a point. New signing Kenwyne Jones had a bad injury scare, but Stoke were fortunate that his injury was only minor and he could be on the bench for them on Saturday. Still, he is unlikely to be in the starting lineup which means that more will be expected of Ricardo Fuller and Tuncay Sanli.
The Wednesday fixture against Young Boys will probably be Harry's #1 priority, and as a result, I expect to see Ledley King rested again. The Bassong-Dawson partnership was not an effective one, so Younes Kaboul might get a shot to pair whichever one Harry found less competent. Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon were both rested on Tuesday, so expect both of them to start against Stoke. Luka Modric and Jermaine Defoe are listed as very doubtful, so expect to see Robbie Keane or Giovani Dos Santos up top and either Gareth Bale or Giovani Dos Santos on the left. Personally, my bet is on Robbie up top and Gio wide left. After Ekotto's awful performance against Young Boys, Bale may be needed at left back.
Stoke and Tottenham play very similar tactics, so I expect talent to win out. 3-1 to Spurs.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
CFC Shorts: Thursday links
David Hytner makes the case for Huddlestone to be the first option in Europe - The Guardian
UEFA doesn't care about Harry's plastic pitch complaints - Sport Business
Jermaine Defoe is worried about his groin injury - Soccernet
The Fabiano to Spurs rumors are back - Goal.com
And so are Sessegnon rumors - Daily Mail
Personally, I'll be very surprised if the rumors of us signing Fabiano and Sessegnon turn out to be anything more than rumors. Spurs-Stoke preview coming at you tomorrow.
UEFA doesn't care about Harry's plastic pitch complaints - Sport Business
Jermaine Defoe is worried about his groin injury - Soccernet
The Fabiano to Spurs rumors are back - Goal.com
And so are Sessegnon rumors - Daily Mail
Personally, I'll be very surprised if the rumors of us signing Fabiano and Sessegnon turn out to be anything more than rumors. Spurs-Stoke preview coming at you tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Spurs vs. Young Boys - Leg 1 Review
I don't know where to start this. To be completely honest, I just stared at a blank screen for ten minutes. What do we say about that performance? I feel like we've already been eliminated from Champions League when in reality, our chances of advancing are roughly a coin flip. We sucked. We got our asses handed to us. And yet, we got two away goals and head to the Lane only down by one. It was a surreal match and still is a surreal tie.
Before we get into analyzing any player performances or tactics, I would like to address the elephant in the room. The plastic pitch was a minimal factor in the result, if a factor at all. Spurs came out unfocused and mental errors led to the Young Boys goals, not the plastic pitch. Grass pitches are impractical in professional football stadiums in Bern. The players had an adequate amount of time to train on the pitch to get used to the bounces and how to weight passes. Anyone who says that the pitch was a significant factor in the result of the match is someone who you should not waste your time with.
Having addressed that, we can move on. In the opening minutes of the game, I actually wasn't the least bit surprised at how sluggish we started. In addition to supporting Tottenham Hotspur, I also support Schalke 04, Cruz Azul, and the United States national team. I've seen my fair share of sluggish starts and epic disappointments in football. When the first shot hit the post, I didn't even flinch. When the first goal went in, I thought "typical Spurs." Then, my emotions changed significantly. The early bad goal, I saw coming. The trainwreck, however, was a different story.
My thoughts after the second goal were "you have got to be kidding me." My thoughts after the third goal were "I think I'm going to vomit." My thoughts at 3-1 were "the comeback is on, these guys are going into 'F you' mode." I went into halftime optimistic that we were going to turn the result around. We looked decent right after halftime, but my optimism slowly faded as the energy of Spurs slowly died. I felt dejected for a good 30 minutes, thinking about how bad we'd screwed up and how it was going to take a miracle to turn the result around at White Hart Lane. All of our hard work last year was for nothing. Then, out of nowhere, Roman Pavlyuchenko scored a bullet and Spurs only have to win 1-0 or 2-1 at the Lane to advance.
As happy as I am with Pavlyuchenko for scoring that goal, he really was absolute crap for the other 89 minutes of the game, and this can't be ignored. He was really, really bad. Gio was really bad. Modric was really bad. Palacios was pretty bad. Dawson and Bassong were awful. Ekotto was reaaaaaally awful. We had a couple of flashes of good play, but around 75 minutes of that was the worst football I've ever seen Spurs play.
The happiest guy in the locker room, if there is anyone happy in the Spurs locker room, has to be Younes Kaboul. After Bassong and Dawson's abysmal performance yesterday, you have to think that he's moved up the pecking order a bit. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a King-Kaboul center back pairing in one of the next two matches.
One player that does deserve a fair bit of praise is Tom Huddlestone. He did a lot to help Spurs keep possession and the game changed quite a bit when he was introduced. I thought that Spurs would play better with Palacios and Modric in the center of midfield instead of Huddlestone, but I have to admit that I was wrong. He doesn't have the natural talent of Palacios, Modric, the incoming Sandro, or even Jermaine Jenas, but he seems to be the most focused and composed of our central midfield options.
So, is there any blame to be laid on Harry Redknapp? Probably. I would have liked to have seen some kind of 4-5-1, 4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1 variation to try to overrun Young Boys in the midfield. Harry was obviously content to match them and hope talent won out, but our players simply didn't play with the focus to make this work. Of course, the players not being focused has to be at least partially attributed to Redknapp. Getting players focused is a major part of a manager's job. Redknapp said publicly that he didn't know a whole lot about Young Boys and based on the team's performance, I'm going to assume that they came into the game complacent and arrogant, and therefore were completely shellshocked when they went down 1-0.
This weekend against Stoke, I fully expect Harry to go to the Brittania, throw out a 4-4-2, match Tony Pulis's side like for like, and try to win on talent. Let's just hope that history doesn't repeat itself on Saturday.
Before we get into analyzing any player performances or tactics, I would like to address the elephant in the room. The plastic pitch was a minimal factor in the result, if a factor at all. Spurs came out unfocused and mental errors led to the Young Boys goals, not the plastic pitch. Grass pitches are impractical in professional football stadiums in Bern. The players had an adequate amount of time to train on the pitch to get used to the bounces and how to weight passes. Anyone who says that the pitch was a significant factor in the result of the match is someone who you should not waste your time with.
Having addressed that, we can move on. In the opening minutes of the game, I actually wasn't the least bit surprised at how sluggish we started. In addition to supporting Tottenham Hotspur, I also support Schalke 04, Cruz Azul, and the United States national team. I've seen my fair share of sluggish starts and epic disappointments in football. When the first shot hit the post, I didn't even flinch. When the first goal went in, I thought "typical Spurs." Then, my emotions changed significantly. The early bad goal, I saw coming. The trainwreck, however, was a different story.
My thoughts after the second goal were "you have got to be kidding me." My thoughts after the third goal were "I think I'm going to vomit." My thoughts at 3-1 were "the comeback is on, these guys are going into 'F you' mode." I went into halftime optimistic that we were going to turn the result around. We looked decent right after halftime, but my optimism slowly faded as the energy of Spurs slowly died. I felt dejected for a good 30 minutes, thinking about how bad we'd screwed up and how it was going to take a miracle to turn the result around at White Hart Lane. All of our hard work last year was for nothing. Then, out of nowhere, Roman Pavlyuchenko scored a bullet and Spurs only have to win 1-0 or 2-1 at the Lane to advance.
As happy as I am with Pavlyuchenko for scoring that goal, he really was absolute crap for the other 89 minutes of the game, and this can't be ignored. He was really, really bad. Gio was really bad. Modric was really bad. Palacios was pretty bad. Dawson and Bassong were awful. Ekotto was reaaaaaally awful. We had a couple of flashes of good play, but around 75 minutes of that was the worst football I've ever seen Spurs play.
The happiest guy in the locker room, if there is anyone happy in the Spurs locker room, has to be Younes Kaboul. After Bassong and Dawson's abysmal performance yesterday, you have to think that he's moved up the pecking order a bit. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a King-Kaboul center back pairing in one of the next two matches.
One player that does deserve a fair bit of praise is Tom Huddlestone. He did a lot to help Spurs keep possession and the game changed quite a bit when he was introduced. I thought that Spurs would play better with Palacios and Modric in the center of midfield instead of Huddlestone, but I have to admit that I was wrong. He doesn't have the natural talent of Palacios, Modric, the incoming Sandro, or even Jermaine Jenas, but he seems to be the most focused and composed of our central midfield options.
So, is there any blame to be laid on Harry Redknapp? Probably. I would have liked to have seen some kind of 4-5-1, 4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1 variation to try to overrun Young Boys in the midfield. Harry was obviously content to match them and hope talent won out, but our players simply didn't play with the focus to make this work. Of course, the players not being focused has to be at least partially attributed to Redknapp. Getting players focused is a major part of a manager's job. Redknapp said publicly that he didn't know a whole lot about Young Boys and based on the team's performance, I'm going to assume that they came into the game complacent and arrogant, and therefore were completely shellshocked when they went down 1-0.
This weekend against Stoke, I fully expect Harry to go to the Brittania, throw out a 4-4-2, match Tony Pulis's side like for like, and try to win on talent. Let's just hope that history doesn't repeat itself on Saturday.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Spurs vs. Young Boys - Leg 1 Preview
Am I scared? Of course I am. I support Spurs after all. Yes, we came up big down the stretch last year against Arsenal, Chelsea, and City, but who expected that? We're Spurs, after all. F--king up is something we're really good at. So, should we beat Young Boys? Of course. We're better than they are. This is basically inarguable. They are seventh out of ten in the Swiss Super League. They haven't won a competitive home match since May. And yet, I have this sinking feeling that we're going to find a way to screw this up like only Spurs can. They beat Fenerbache, after all.
The good news for us is that Young Boys are likely to come out in a fairly basic 4-4-2 setup. Even if Harry Redknapp decides to be ridiculously stubborn and make zero adjustments from his team that faced Manchester City, it is at the very worst a tactical stalemate. Their two probable starting strikers, Henri Bienvenu and David Degen, don't have impeccable goal scoring records. Even without Ledley King, Spurs should be able to handle them.
Spurs will be without King for a couple of reasons. First of all, he's almost incapable of playing 90 minutes twice in four days. Second of all, Young Boys' home field is artificial turf, which would cause a lot of strain on King's knee. It will be interesting to see if Harry Redknapp's preferred fill-in for King is Younes Kaboul or Sebastien Bassong.
There's one final thing I'd like to address before getting into any predictions, and that whether or not Harry has considered any kind of a formation change for European ties. A lot of managers in England have seemed more willing to play 4-4-2 in England than they are in Europe. Is Harry one of those guys? We don't really know, he's never been to the Champions League. He seems to be married to the 4-4-2, but that could just be in England. Personally, I'd love to see us experiment with a 4-2-3-1 setup with Pavlyuchenko as a lone striker and Giovani behind him. Old-school English 4-4-2 just seems like such a waste of the talents of Pav and Gio.
So, what's going to happen. As negative Nancy as I was in the first paragraph, I can't actually predict a negative result for Spurs. Even though I have a bad gut feeling, that prediction would be based on only that and nothing else. Young Boys don't have a single player that could see the field on a regular basis for Spurs and they are in poor form besides that result in Turkey. If we don't get a scoring draw at the very least, I should fly over to London and smack Harry myself.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2, L to R): Gomes; Bale, Bassong, Dawson, Corluka; Modric, Palacios, Huddlestone, Lennon; Crouch, Defoe
Preferred Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gomes; Ekotto, Bassong, Dawson, Corluka; Modric, Palacios; Bale, Dos Santos, Lennon; Pavlyuchenko
Prediction: Young Boys 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
The good news for us is that Young Boys are likely to come out in a fairly basic 4-4-2 setup. Even if Harry Redknapp decides to be ridiculously stubborn and make zero adjustments from his team that faced Manchester City, it is at the very worst a tactical stalemate. Their two probable starting strikers, Henri Bienvenu and David Degen, don't have impeccable goal scoring records. Even without Ledley King, Spurs should be able to handle them.
Spurs will be without King for a couple of reasons. First of all, he's almost incapable of playing 90 minutes twice in four days. Second of all, Young Boys' home field is artificial turf, which would cause a lot of strain on King's knee. It will be interesting to see if Harry Redknapp's preferred fill-in for King is Younes Kaboul or Sebastien Bassong.
There's one final thing I'd like to address before getting into any predictions, and that whether or not Harry has considered any kind of a formation change for European ties. A lot of managers in England have seemed more willing to play 4-4-2 in England than they are in Europe. Is Harry one of those guys? We don't really know, he's never been to the Champions League. He seems to be married to the 4-4-2, but that could just be in England. Personally, I'd love to see us experiment with a 4-2-3-1 setup with Pavlyuchenko as a lone striker and Giovani behind him. Old-school English 4-4-2 just seems like such a waste of the talents of Pav and Gio.
So, what's going to happen. As negative Nancy as I was in the first paragraph, I can't actually predict a negative result for Spurs. Even though I have a bad gut feeling, that prediction would be based on only that and nothing else. Young Boys don't have a single player that could see the field on a regular basis for Spurs and they are in poor form besides that result in Turkey. If we don't get a scoring draw at the very least, I should fly over to London and smack Harry myself.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2, L to R): Gomes; Bale, Bassong, Dawson, Corluka; Modric, Palacios, Huddlestone, Lennon; Crouch, Defoe
Preferred Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gomes; Ekotto, Bassong, Dawson, Corluka; Modric, Palacios; Bale, Dos Santos, Lennon; Pavlyuchenko
Prediction: Young Boys 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Monday, August 16, 2010
CFC Shorts: Monday Links
Hey gang, I'm starting up a new regular post today. Every Monday, I'll be throwing up various links that I've found for people who just can't get enough information about Tottenham Hotspur. Enjoy:
Redknapp says City won't challenge for the Premier League title - Goal.com
West Ham chairman David Sullivan warns that he might file tapping up charges over Scott Parker - Setanta
Gomes loves playing in the Champions League - Daily Mail
Gareth Bale did a video interview for Spurs' official twitter page - SpursOnSide
David Button and other Spurs' players on loan performed well this weekend - Tottenhamhotspur.com
Our U-18s defeated Manchester United's U-18s 3-1 - Tottenhamhotspur.com
Redknapp says City won't challenge for the Premier League title - Goal.com
West Ham chairman David Sullivan warns that he might file tapping up charges over Scott Parker - Setanta
Gomes loves playing in the Champions League - Daily Mail
Gareth Bale did a video interview for Spurs' official twitter page - SpursOnSide
David Button and other Spurs' players on loan performed well this weekend - Tottenhamhotspur.com
Our U-18s defeated Manchester United's U-18s 3-1 - Tottenhamhotspur.com
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Spurs vs. City: Match Review
Okay, I've calmed down. I think I was in such a bad mood after the game because my roommate was understandably asleep between 6:45 and 8:45 am on a Saturday morning, and thus I could not scream at my television every time Spurs wasted a scoring chance. So, deep breaths...let's go.
This was, in the end, not a bad result. Manchester City are considered, along with Liverpool, to be our rivals for the fourth through sixth spots in the table (although Aston Villa appear to have something to say about this). They have more raw talent and a much more expensive squad. There are more experts tipping them for a top four place than us. Having taken all of that into consideration, a draw against that team where we were the better side and their goalkeeper played out of his mind is not a negative. We prevented our rivals from gaining ground and if that game was re-played, we would probably come out with a win.
Before getting into what I thought of the play of Spurs' players and our tactical setup, I would like to address those areas for Manchester City. Rarely on this blog am I going to take a lot of time stressing over the tactical choices of our opponents, because quite frankly, I'm Stephen A. Smith and...just kidding. Because quite frankly, I like it when our opponents make poor decisions. Manchester City's decisions were just so baffling, though, that I can't let it go. I expected Roberto Mancini to deploy two defensive midfielders with David Silva and Adam Johnson on the wings and Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor up top. What they did instead was play three defensive midfielders, Shawn Wright-Phillips instead of Adam Johnson, and Carlos Tevez up top by himself as a false nine. Not surprisingly, City failed to create a lot of chances, except on the counter.
Why the hell would a team with all of the resources and talent in the world play three defensive midfielders EVER, especially against a team who has Tom Huddlestone on the field? This is no Big Tom bashing session, he had a very good game today, making a couple of key tackles and avoiding mistakes on the ball, but he wasn't tested. Gareth Barry was completely useless all game. How a team like Manchester City can spend hundreds of millions on players without getting a player like Mesut Oezil, Diego, or Ivan Rakitic is beyond me. They have a poor man's version of those players on the bench in Stephen Ireland, but they would rather play three defensive midfielders than use him. For f--k's sake, the guy won the PFA Young Player of the Year and then was tossed to the curb. You're going up against a team with Tom Huddlestone and instead of trying to exploit his deficiencies, you're going to play three defensive midfielders? Insane. You don't have to turn a defensive midfielder into a playmaker, you have all of the money in the world. What the hell is this, Manchester City or a West African national team?
That's enough City bashing, hopefully they continue to be completely inept. Let's start with the things I didn't like about Spurs today so we can finish on a positive note. Obviously, the finishing has to get better. Joe Hart was absolutely out of his mind today, but on a couple of occasions our shots could have been better taken. The standout case of this is the opportunity that Gareth Bale had in the second half where he missed an absolute sitter with his weaker right foot. Even with how well Joe Hart played, we should have put a couple into the back of the net.
I was a little disappointed to see Tom Huddlestone preferred to Wilson Palacios today, but he was carrying an injury through part of preseason and it's possible that he just wasn't 90 minutes fit. If that is the case, I am happy Huddlestone played ahead of him. If he is fit, I'm not quite sure what Harry is thinking.
Luka Modric was a little disappointing for me today. I was happy to see him played in the center with Gareth Bale at left midfield and Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left back, but Modric didn't go forward as much as I would have liked. He was level with Huddlestone for a lot of the match and when he went forward, it wasn't exactly with reckless abandon or anything. I'm not entirely sure why not. There was no reason we couldn't allow Modric the freedom to roam around the pitch and bomb forward whenever he pleased. City played three defensive midfielders, after all. What were we afraid of, a surging forward run from Nigel De Jong? If Modric was going to play that conservatively in the middle, we might as well have played Palacios.
Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch looked seriously gassed by the time Harry brought them off, which is not a good sign going into Tuesday's big Champions League qualifier against Young Boys. I can't imagine both of them starting. I wouldn't be shocked to see a Pavlyuchenko-Giovani Dos Santos combination...or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
So, the positives. I'm very happy that Luka Modric got the start in the middle. Like I said, I would have liked to see him given more freedom, but he had a decent game. I think he's a much better player in the middle than he is on the left, and I think that against lesser opposition and when paired with the more athletic Palacios or Sandro, he'll be given a chance to really shine.
Gareth Bale was very effective, even if he missed a sitter and let a couple of crosses go astray. It was probably just first game over-excitement; he looked a little too jacked up. Bale should be one of our key players all season and like I've said before, an automatic starter.
Michael Dawson and Ledley King were virtually flawless in the center of defense, and the fullbacks Ekotto and Vedran Corluka performed their jobs more than adequately. This should be our first choice defense whenever all four players are available, but of course, the questions about the durability of Ledley King's knees will always linger. It will be interesting to see if the chemistry of the defense is affected at all in the first game that Sebastien Bassong is required to step in to give Ledley King a rest.
Spurs' next match is in Switzerland on Tuesday against Young Boys. The Swiss side continues to struggle in the league, losing 1-0 at home today to Neuchatel Xamax, a team that is currently third from bottom in the Swiss Super League. After that, we travel to the Brittania Stadium to take on Stoke in the league next Saturday. On Monday, we'll take a look at the match against Young Boys.
This was, in the end, not a bad result. Manchester City are considered, along with Liverpool, to be our rivals for the fourth through sixth spots in the table (although Aston Villa appear to have something to say about this). They have more raw talent and a much more expensive squad. There are more experts tipping them for a top four place than us. Having taken all of that into consideration, a draw against that team where we were the better side and their goalkeeper played out of his mind is not a negative. We prevented our rivals from gaining ground and if that game was re-played, we would probably come out with a win.
Before getting into what I thought of the play of Spurs' players and our tactical setup, I would like to address those areas for Manchester City. Rarely on this blog am I going to take a lot of time stressing over the tactical choices of our opponents, because quite frankly, I'm Stephen A. Smith and...just kidding. Because quite frankly, I like it when our opponents make poor decisions. Manchester City's decisions were just so baffling, though, that I can't let it go. I expected Roberto Mancini to deploy two defensive midfielders with David Silva and Adam Johnson on the wings and Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor up top. What they did instead was play three defensive midfielders, Shawn Wright-Phillips instead of Adam Johnson, and Carlos Tevez up top by himself as a false nine. Not surprisingly, City failed to create a lot of chances, except on the counter.
Why the hell would a team with all of the resources and talent in the world play three defensive midfielders EVER, especially against a team who has Tom Huddlestone on the field? This is no Big Tom bashing session, he had a very good game today, making a couple of key tackles and avoiding mistakes on the ball, but he wasn't tested. Gareth Barry was completely useless all game. How a team like Manchester City can spend hundreds of millions on players without getting a player like Mesut Oezil, Diego, or Ivan Rakitic is beyond me. They have a poor man's version of those players on the bench in Stephen Ireland, but they would rather play three defensive midfielders than use him. For f--k's sake, the guy won the PFA Young Player of the Year and then was tossed to the curb. You're going up against a team with Tom Huddlestone and instead of trying to exploit his deficiencies, you're going to play three defensive midfielders? Insane. You don't have to turn a defensive midfielder into a playmaker, you have all of the money in the world. What the hell is this, Manchester City or a West African national team?
That's enough City bashing, hopefully they continue to be completely inept. Let's start with the things I didn't like about Spurs today so we can finish on a positive note. Obviously, the finishing has to get better. Joe Hart was absolutely out of his mind today, but on a couple of occasions our shots could have been better taken. The standout case of this is the opportunity that Gareth Bale had in the second half where he missed an absolute sitter with his weaker right foot. Even with how well Joe Hart played, we should have put a couple into the back of the net.
I was a little disappointed to see Tom Huddlestone preferred to Wilson Palacios today, but he was carrying an injury through part of preseason and it's possible that he just wasn't 90 minutes fit. If that is the case, I am happy Huddlestone played ahead of him. If he is fit, I'm not quite sure what Harry is thinking.
Luka Modric was a little disappointing for me today. I was happy to see him played in the center with Gareth Bale at left midfield and Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left back, but Modric didn't go forward as much as I would have liked. He was level with Huddlestone for a lot of the match and when he went forward, it wasn't exactly with reckless abandon or anything. I'm not entirely sure why not. There was no reason we couldn't allow Modric the freedom to roam around the pitch and bomb forward whenever he pleased. City played three defensive midfielders, after all. What were we afraid of, a surging forward run from Nigel De Jong? If Modric was going to play that conservatively in the middle, we might as well have played Palacios.
Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch looked seriously gassed by the time Harry brought them off, which is not a good sign going into Tuesday's big Champions League qualifier against Young Boys. I can't imagine both of them starting. I wouldn't be shocked to see a Pavlyuchenko-Giovani Dos Santos combination...or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
So, the positives. I'm very happy that Luka Modric got the start in the middle. Like I said, I would have liked to see him given more freedom, but he had a decent game. I think he's a much better player in the middle than he is on the left, and I think that against lesser opposition and when paired with the more athletic Palacios or Sandro, he'll be given a chance to really shine.
Gareth Bale was very effective, even if he missed a sitter and let a couple of crosses go astray. It was probably just first game over-excitement; he looked a little too jacked up. Bale should be one of our key players all season and like I've said before, an automatic starter.
Michael Dawson and Ledley King were virtually flawless in the center of defense, and the fullbacks Ekotto and Vedran Corluka performed their jobs more than adequately. This should be our first choice defense whenever all four players are available, but of course, the questions about the durability of Ledley King's knees will always linger. It will be interesting to see if the chemistry of the defense is affected at all in the first game that Sebastien Bassong is required to step in to give Ledley King a rest.
Spurs' next match is in Switzerland on Tuesday against Young Boys. The Swiss side continues to struggle in the league, losing 1-0 at home today to Neuchatel Xamax, a team that is currently third from bottom in the Swiss Super League. After that, we travel to the Brittania Stadium to take on Stoke in the league next Saturday. On Monday, we'll take a look at the match against Young Boys.
Spurs vs. City: Post-Match Hangover
I'll write up a real review later, but I wanted to post something right at the end of the match.
Basically, I shouldn't write a full review of the match right now because I'm really frustrated. Spurs probably should have won that game 5-0. Joe Hart was out of his mind and Bale missed an absolute sitter. Dominating games and failing to score is something this team has done way too often over the last five years or so. I'm very sick of it.
The performance was encouraging, though, as disappointing as the result was. We won't face keepers like that every week and Bale won't miss sitters like that every week. Enjoy the rest of the Premier League action this weekend, folks.
Basically, I shouldn't write a full review of the match right now because I'm really frustrated. Spurs probably should have won that game 5-0. Joe Hart was out of his mind and Bale missed an absolute sitter. Dominating games and failing to score is something this team has done way too often over the last five years or so. I'm very sick of it.
The performance was encouraging, though, as disappointing as the result was. We won't face keepers like that every week and Bale won't miss sitters like that every week. Enjoy the rest of the Premier League action this weekend, folks.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Spurs vs. City Preview
Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur
Saturday, 7:45 am
TV: ESPN2, ESPN3.com
Spurs and City are a fantastic pairing to open the season. The teams are fairly evenly matched and should both be competing for a top four spot well into the spring. I think just about everyone would be shocked to see either team finish outside of the top seven. Since finishing fourth and fifth last year after a dramatic second to last game of the season, Spurs and City have approached the offseason much differently. City saw it necessary to bring in multiple pricey reinforcements, while Spurs seem content to stick with the team that brought them to the top four. Rumors have swirled of Spurs adding Edinson Cavani, Ashley Young, Brede Hangeland, and Diego Forlan, but all of those rumors have remained exactly that, rumors. They did make one signing, Brazilian international midfielder Sandro, a talented young holding midfielder who should challenge Tom Huddlestone for playing time. City, on the other hand, have truly splashed the cash. David Silva, Yaya Toure, Alexander Kolarov, and Jerome Boateng were added to a side that was already among the most talented in the Premier League.
In the first game of the season, I expect both Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp to be afraid to lose significant ground to their rivals early, both psychologically and in the table. I fully expect to see Yaya Toure and Nigel De Jong both starting for City and Wilson Palacios and Tom Huddlestone to both start for Spurs. Two DMs vs. twp DMs in a tactically conservative match. These teams are both too talented to be blanked, though.
Okay, enough with reality. I like dealing in blind hope and wild speculation. In my wild dreams, I hope that Redknapp doesn't throw out two defensive midfielders. What I want to see is Palacios and Modric in the middle with Bale at left midfield and Ekotto at left back. I want Harry to try to take the game by the balls and beat the crap out of Manchester City. What is there to be afraid of against a team of players who haven't played a competitive fixture together and play two defensive midfielders?
Harry won't grab the game by the scruff of the neck, though. He'll do what we're used to. I expect a 1-1 draw.
Saturday, 7:45 am
TV: ESPN2, ESPN3.com
Spurs and City are a fantastic pairing to open the season. The teams are fairly evenly matched and should both be competing for a top four spot well into the spring. I think just about everyone would be shocked to see either team finish outside of the top seven. Since finishing fourth and fifth last year after a dramatic second to last game of the season, Spurs and City have approached the offseason much differently. City saw it necessary to bring in multiple pricey reinforcements, while Spurs seem content to stick with the team that brought them to the top four. Rumors have swirled of Spurs adding Edinson Cavani, Ashley Young, Brede Hangeland, and Diego Forlan, but all of those rumors have remained exactly that, rumors. They did make one signing, Brazilian international midfielder Sandro, a talented young holding midfielder who should challenge Tom Huddlestone for playing time. City, on the other hand, have truly splashed the cash. David Silva, Yaya Toure, Alexander Kolarov, and Jerome Boateng were added to a side that was already among the most talented in the Premier League.
In the first game of the season, I expect both Roberto Mancini and Harry Redknapp to be afraid to lose significant ground to their rivals early, both psychologically and in the table. I fully expect to see Yaya Toure and Nigel De Jong both starting for City and Wilson Palacios and Tom Huddlestone to both start for Spurs. Two DMs vs. twp DMs in a tactically conservative match. These teams are both too talented to be blanked, though.
Okay, enough with reality. I like dealing in blind hope and wild speculation. In my wild dreams, I hope that Redknapp doesn't throw out two defensive midfielders. What I want to see is Palacios and Modric in the middle with Bale at left midfield and Ekotto at left back. I want Harry to try to take the game by the balls and beat the crap out of Manchester City. What is there to be afraid of against a team of players who haven't played a competitive fixture together and play two defensive midfielders?
Harry won't grab the game by the scruff of the neck, though. He'll do what we're used to. I expect a 1-1 draw.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tottenham Hotspur Season Preview: Part III
I went over our options in goal and defense in Part I and our midfield in Part II. Here's the final installment, a look at our options in attack.
Peter Crouch: Since arriving from Portsmouth, Peter Crouch has been a staple of the Tottenham lineup, playing in 38 games and scoring 8 goals. Peter Crouch is obviously a player that Harry Redknapp admires greatly, having coached him on four separate occasions - twice at Portsmouth, once at Southampton, and now once at Tottenham. The Robot Beanstalk is known mostly for his height, but also for his touch and acrobatic finishes that are uncharacteristic for a man his size. Crouch isn't the most versatile player in the world, but he plays very well as the big man in the classic English big man/little man 4-4-2 setup. His chemistry with Jermaine Defoe seems to be a big reason why he gets into the lineup much more regularly than Roman Pavlyuchenko.
While many Spurs fans are not sold that he's our best option, the fact is that Peter Crouch will remain a first team regular. Expect him to start the vast majority of the games he is healthy for unless Pav goes on an absolute tear. Unless we sell him back to Liverpool, as the rags are hinting.
Jermaine Defoe: After a hot start to the season, Defoe's production tailed off slightly at the end of the year. Still, Defoe has proven to be an extremely productive player in recent years. Between his time at Portsmouth and his current stint at Spurs, Defoe has averaged a goal every other game. Additionally, he's formed a great partnership with Peter Crouch in both their time together both at Portsmouth and Spurs. He's very quick and a clinical finisher, the perfect partner for Crouch in a 4-4-2.
There's no reason to believe Defoe is going to play any less than he did last season. I'm not a huge fan of Harry's marriage to the old-school 4-4-2, but if we're going to play it, Crouch and Defoe are the best partnership. Defoe could very easily score 15 goals again if he stays healthy.
Robbie Keane: Will he stay or will he go? After failing to find his form in the beginning of last season, he was loaned to Celtic where he obliterated the rest of the Scottish Premier League. Rumors swirled that Robbie Keane would be sold, but it's the Thursday before the season starts and he's still a Spurs player. If Robbie Keane does stick around, I've got a feeling that he might find it difficult to crack the Spurs lineup at all, especially with Giovani Dos Santos looking better by the day. Keane looked great in the friendly against Fiorentina, leading a lot of Spurs fans to utter "maybe he's not so bad after all." We know that Robbie has the talent to play at the Premier League level, he's does have over 100 Premier League goals after all. He's a Premier League talent, but is he a top four/Champions League talent? I don't think so.
Robbie is going to struggle to find playing time for Spurs, and I wouldn't rule out a sale before the end of the month or him being our fourth striker.
Roman Pavlyuchenko: When Pavlyuchenko was struggling to find playing time for Spurs, he asked to be sold in January. Redknapp refused to sell him and because of a combination of injuries and Pavlyuchenko playing well in cup competitions, he started to get a little more of a shot to play regularly in the league. Pav ended up scoring five league goals last year and I tip him for more goals in big games this season. If Spurs qualify for the Champions League, that's at least another six high-level games added to our schedule. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Redknapp play Defoe and Crouch together in a 4-4-2 in some situations and Pavlyuchenko up top by himself in others.
Spurs could very well play more than 50 games this season and Crouch can't be relied on to start in more than around 35 of them. I think that Pavlyuchenko is going to get his chance this season, and I think that he's going to shine.
Giovani Dos Santos: If anyone tells you they know what Gio's role in the team is going to be this season, they are lying to you. He's got all the talent in the world but he's failed to capitalize on it so far in his career. In the World Cup and in Tottenham's preseason campaign, Gio was impressive. If he's finally reached his potential and he can play like he did against Fiorentina and Benfica on a regular basis, the likes of Liverpool, City, Villa, and Everton should be very concerned. Like many other Spurs players, one of Gio's best attributes is the fact that he can play multiple positions. His ability to play in an attacking midfield role, as a second striker, or on the left or right wing is going to increase his chances of getting playing time. On pure talent, Gio is the best player on the team. Talent alone doesn't win football matches.
I hope that Giovani Dos Santos can find some regular playing time for Spurs. He's too good to be loaned out or sold for 75 cents on the dollar. He deserves to see the field. Let's hope Harry gives him a fair shot.
That's it for my overview of the Spurs squad. I'll have a preview of the season opener tomorrow.
Peter Crouch: Since arriving from Portsmouth, Peter Crouch has been a staple of the Tottenham lineup, playing in 38 games and scoring 8 goals. Peter Crouch is obviously a player that Harry Redknapp admires greatly, having coached him on four separate occasions - twice at Portsmouth, once at Southampton, and now once at Tottenham. The Robot Beanstalk is known mostly for his height, but also for his touch and acrobatic finishes that are uncharacteristic for a man his size. Crouch isn't the most versatile player in the world, but he plays very well as the big man in the classic English big man/little man 4-4-2 setup. His chemistry with Jermaine Defoe seems to be a big reason why he gets into the lineup much more regularly than Roman Pavlyuchenko.
While many Spurs fans are not sold that he's our best option, the fact is that Peter Crouch will remain a first team regular. Expect him to start the vast majority of the games he is healthy for unless Pav goes on an absolute tear. Unless we sell him back to Liverpool, as the rags are hinting.
Jermaine Defoe: After a hot start to the season, Defoe's production tailed off slightly at the end of the year. Still, Defoe has proven to be an extremely productive player in recent years. Between his time at Portsmouth and his current stint at Spurs, Defoe has averaged a goal every other game. Additionally, he's formed a great partnership with Peter Crouch in both their time together both at Portsmouth and Spurs. He's very quick and a clinical finisher, the perfect partner for Crouch in a 4-4-2.
There's no reason to believe Defoe is going to play any less than he did last season. I'm not a huge fan of Harry's marriage to the old-school 4-4-2, but if we're going to play it, Crouch and Defoe are the best partnership. Defoe could very easily score 15 goals again if he stays healthy.
Robbie Keane: Will he stay or will he go? After failing to find his form in the beginning of last season, he was loaned to Celtic where he obliterated the rest of the Scottish Premier League. Rumors swirled that Robbie Keane would be sold, but it's the Thursday before the season starts and he's still a Spurs player. If Robbie Keane does stick around, I've got a feeling that he might find it difficult to crack the Spurs lineup at all, especially with Giovani Dos Santos looking better by the day. Keane looked great in the friendly against Fiorentina, leading a lot of Spurs fans to utter "maybe he's not so bad after all." We know that Robbie has the talent to play at the Premier League level, he's does have over 100 Premier League goals after all. He's a Premier League talent, but is he a top four/Champions League talent? I don't think so.
Robbie is going to struggle to find playing time for Spurs, and I wouldn't rule out a sale before the end of the month or him being our fourth striker.
Roman Pavlyuchenko: When Pavlyuchenko was struggling to find playing time for Spurs, he asked to be sold in January. Redknapp refused to sell him and because of a combination of injuries and Pavlyuchenko playing well in cup competitions, he started to get a little more of a shot to play regularly in the league. Pav ended up scoring five league goals last year and I tip him for more goals in big games this season. If Spurs qualify for the Champions League, that's at least another six high-level games added to our schedule. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Redknapp play Defoe and Crouch together in a 4-4-2 in some situations and Pavlyuchenko up top by himself in others.
Spurs could very well play more than 50 games this season and Crouch can't be relied on to start in more than around 35 of them. I think that Pavlyuchenko is going to get his chance this season, and I think that he's going to shine.
Giovani Dos Santos: If anyone tells you they know what Gio's role in the team is going to be this season, they are lying to you. He's got all the talent in the world but he's failed to capitalize on it so far in his career. In the World Cup and in Tottenham's preseason campaign, Gio was impressive. If he's finally reached his potential and he can play like he did against Fiorentina and Benfica on a regular basis, the likes of Liverpool, City, Villa, and Everton should be very concerned. Like many other Spurs players, one of Gio's best attributes is the fact that he can play multiple positions. His ability to play in an attacking midfield role, as a second striker, or on the left or right wing is going to increase his chances of getting playing time. On pure talent, Gio is the best player on the team. Talent alone doesn't win football matches.
I hope that Giovani Dos Santos can find some regular playing time for Spurs. He's too good to be loaned out or sold for 75 cents on the dollar. He deserves to see the field. Let's hope Harry gives him a fair shot.
That's it for my overview of the Spurs squad. I'll have a preview of the season opener tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
This William Gallas Business
According to The Guardian, citing some unknown tabloids, Spurs are working on signing former Arsenal central defender William Gallas.
Let's let this sink in.
William Gallas.
On Tottenham Hotspur.
Oh sweet, merciful Jesus.
Reverse Sol Campbell. Only a way bigger douche. And French.
I hate everything. Also I got swamped at work. Part III of the season preview tomorrow, Spurs vs. City match preview on Friday. I might write a bonus piece about why I'd prefer Mahjid "Boogers" Bougherra to Gallas or (also mentioned in the Guardian article) Brede Hangeland. Deuces.
Let's let this sink in.
William Gallas.
On Tottenham Hotspur.
Oh sweet, merciful Jesus.
Reverse Sol Campbell. Only a way bigger douche. And French.
I hate everything. Also I got swamped at work. Part III of the season preview tomorrow, Spurs vs. City match preview on Friday. I might write a bonus piece about why I'd prefer Mahjid "Boogers" Bougherra to Gallas or (also mentioned in the Guardian article) Brede Hangeland. Deuces.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Tottenham Hotspur Season Preview: Part II
Yesterday, in Part I of my Spurs season preview, I addressed our options at goalkeeper and defense. Today, I'll be addressing our options in the midfield. No more lolligagging around, let's get started.
Aaron Lennon: To start last season, Aaron Lennon was Spurs' best player. Unfortunately, a mid-season injury took him out for an extended period of time and he struggled to regain his early season form when he finally recovered. However, based on Lennon's preseason, he appears to have made a full recovery and should be a staple on the right wing. One of the criticisms of Lennon over his career is that he is all pace and no end product, but he finally crushed that cliche last year. Lennon is healthy and looking like a more technically and tactically adept player than ever before.
There is no doubt that Aaron Lennon should be one of the first couple of names on the team sheet. Regardless of the formation and other available personnel, Lennon should be in the starting lineup when healthy.
Luka Modric: Modric struggled in his first year in the Premier League to the point that many labeled him a bust. His second year was a different story, though, as Modric emerged as one of Spurs' best player. Well-known for his dribbling skills and creativity, Modric emerged as a surprisingly versatile player last season. He was already well known as a very good attacking midfield player, but he emerged as a great option on the left and surprisingly showed the ability to play a box to box midfield role as well.
Modric, like Lennon, should be a virtually automatic name on the team sheet. I prefer him in the center, but he'll probably see most of his time on the left.
Wilson Palacios: When Palacios came over from Wigan, I was skeptical of the price. £12m seemed to be a lot of money for a young Central American player with only 1 1/2 years of Premier League experience. Since then, Palacios has justified his price and established himself as one of Spurs' most consistent players. His pace, tackling ability, and inhuman stamina make it possible to play guys like Big Tom.
Palacios is the last player that I think should be an automatic selection whenever healthy, along with Lennon, Modric, and Bale. A top notch central midfielder.
Tom Huddlestone: Tom Huddlestone is an odd player. He's 6'4", 300 pounds. He runs like a duck. His vertical leap is about 6". If he plays, he needs to be paired in the midfield with a very athletic player to cover up for his shortcomings. That's the bad. The good is that Tom Huddlestone is a great passer, fairly creative, and a competent tackler. He's good enough to make a Premier League roster and play some kind of role, but he got 30+ starts this season. Hopefully, that isn't duplicated.
Harry seems to have a bit of a chubby for Big Tom that I don't quite understand. If he gets 30+ starts again, I might punch somebody. Hopefully the emergence of Gio pushes Modric inside and relegates Huddlestone to the bench. Hopefully Sandro keeps him there. Sorry, I like the guy, but he wears cement shoes.
Jermaine Jenas: Sucks.
David Bentley: F me, what a waste of £15m. Bentley isn't the most useless player in the world, but what a ridiculous sum of money for a player whose only positive attributes are crossing and striking dead balls. He's slow. He doesn't score goals. He's a mediocre passer. He's not a great passer. He's not a great defender. And yet we paid £15m for him. I think I'm probably too hard on Bentley because I'm so annoyed by his purchase price, but I can't get over it. He's a mediocre player that cost an absurd amount of money. He also needs a damn haircut.
If Bentley starts a single game for reasons other than significant injury problems, I am going to punch infants.
Niko Kranjcar: Rather quietly, Niko Krancjar has a very good goal scoring rate for a midfielder. In his career, between senior league and international games, Krancjar scores about once every five games, including six in 24 for Spurs. Why Huddlestone has been preferred to him in games where Palacios is also available, I'm not entirely sure, but the fact is, Niko produces when he plays. He's a player who can play on the left just as well as he can in the center, another one of those versatile Spurs players.
Niko seems to be a backup for now, but I'd like to see him become a bit more. For now, he's a fantastic bench option.
Jamie O'Hara: Jamie O'Hara is an interesting case. His performances in a Spurs shirt have been solid, though unspectacular, and he could possibly have a role to play in this team. Last season, he was loaned out to Portsmouth and was one of the few bright spots in an awful season. O'Hara returns to Spurs fighting for a first team place and his case may be helped a bit by the new 25+8 rules. He's good enough to play in the Premier League, but can he break a crowded Spurs midfield?
O'Hara could possibly be kept around simply because of the new roster rules, but by my count, we have 8 qualifying "home grown" players without O'Hara. I would like to think he can fight for a spot at Spurs, but my gut tells me he will either ride the bench or be sold shortly.
Jake Livermore: Youngster Jake Livermore has been loaned out many times and will likely be loaned out again. He's had semi-successful loan spells at Derby and Peterborough and most expect Livermore to head to the Championship once again.
Danny Rose: Danny Rose propelled himself to near legend status with his goal against Arsenal, but as talented as the youngster is, he may struggle to find minutes with the first team. I would expect to see Rose be sent out on a short term loan in case he either impresses thoroughly or Spurs have injury issues, where as I would expect a year long loan for Livermore.
Sandro: Without playing a single preseason game for Spurs, we can't judge what Sandro's role with the team will be this season. What I can tell you is that the 21 year old holding midfielder was purchased from Internacional for an estimated £14m. Sandro is an athletic holding midfield player with great positioning and passing ability. Think of a slightly smaller, considerably quicker version of Tom Huddlestone. I'd tell you to watch him in Copa Libertadores tomorrow, but you don't have to wait. Sandro won't be in Copa Lib tomorrow because he's playing against the United States tonight for his native Brazil. From what I've heard, there's a good chance he'll be in the starting lineup. Give him a look.
From what I've seen out of Sandro, I prefer him to Huddlestone and Jenas by a mile and I think that he will adjust to life in the Premier League just fine. Unfortunately, right now, this is just pure speculation.
That's all for Part II of the season preview, tomorrow we'll look at Spurs' forwards.
Aaron Lennon: To start last season, Aaron Lennon was Spurs' best player. Unfortunately, a mid-season injury took him out for an extended period of time and he struggled to regain his early season form when he finally recovered. However, based on Lennon's preseason, he appears to have made a full recovery and should be a staple on the right wing. One of the criticisms of Lennon over his career is that he is all pace and no end product, but he finally crushed that cliche last year. Lennon is healthy and looking like a more technically and tactically adept player than ever before.
There is no doubt that Aaron Lennon should be one of the first couple of names on the team sheet. Regardless of the formation and other available personnel, Lennon should be in the starting lineup when healthy.
Luka Modric: Modric struggled in his first year in the Premier League to the point that many labeled him a bust. His second year was a different story, though, as Modric emerged as one of Spurs' best player. Well-known for his dribbling skills and creativity, Modric emerged as a surprisingly versatile player last season. He was already well known as a very good attacking midfield player, but he emerged as a great option on the left and surprisingly showed the ability to play a box to box midfield role as well.
Modric, like Lennon, should be a virtually automatic name on the team sheet. I prefer him in the center, but he'll probably see most of his time on the left.
Wilson Palacios: When Palacios came over from Wigan, I was skeptical of the price. £12m seemed to be a lot of money for a young Central American player with only 1 1/2 years of Premier League experience. Since then, Palacios has justified his price and established himself as one of Spurs' most consistent players. His pace, tackling ability, and inhuman stamina make it possible to play guys like Big Tom.
Palacios is the last player that I think should be an automatic selection whenever healthy, along with Lennon, Modric, and Bale. A top notch central midfielder.
Tom Huddlestone: Tom Huddlestone is an odd player. He's 6'4", 300 pounds. He runs like a duck. His vertical leap is about 6". If he plays, he needs to be paired in the midfield with a very athletic player to cover up for his shortcomings. That's the bad. The good is that Tom Huddlestone is a great passer, fairly creative, and a competent tackler. He's good enough to make a Premier League roster and play some kind of role, but he got 30+ starts this season. Hopefully, that isn't duplicated.
Harry seems to have a bit of a chubby for Big Tom that I don't quite understand. If he gets 30+ starts again, I might punch somebody. Hopefully the emergence of Gio pushes Modric inside and relegates Huddlestone to the bench. Hopefully Sandro keeps him there. Sorry, I like the guy, but he wears cement shoes.
Jermaine Jenas: Sucks.
David Bentley: F me, what a waste of £15m. Bentley isn't the most useless player in the world, but what a ridiculous sum of money for a player whose only positive attributes are crossing and striking dead balls. He's slow. He doesn't score goals. He's a mediocre passer. He's not a great passer. He's not a great defender. And yet we paid £15m for him. I think I'm probably too hard on Bentley because I'm so annoyed by his purchase price, but I can't get over it. He's a mediocre player that cost an absurd amount of money. He also needs a damn haircut.
If Bentley starts a single game for reasons other than significant injury problems, I am going to punch infants.
Niko Kranjcar: Rather quietly, Niko Krancjar has a very good goal scoring rate for a midfielder. In his career, between senior league and international games, Krancjar scores about once every five games, including six in 24 for Spurs. Why Huddlestone has been preferred to him in games where Palacios is also available, I'm not entirely sure, but the fact is, Niko produces when he plays. He's a player who can play on the left just as well as he can in the center, another one of those versatile Spurs players.
Niko seems to be a backup for now, but I'd like to see him become a bit more. For now, he's a fantastic bench option.
Jamie O'Hara: Jamie O'Hara is an interesting case. His performances in a Spurs shirt have been solid, though unspectacular, and he could possibly have a role to play in this team. Last season, he was loaned out to Portsmouth and was one of the few bright spots in an awful season. O'Hara returns to Spurs fighting for a first team place and his case may be helped a bit by the new 25+8 rules. He's good enough to play in the Premier League, but can he break a crowded Spurs midfield?
O'Hara could possibly be kept around simply because of the new roster rules, but by my count, we have 8 qualifying "home grown" players without O'Hara. I would like to think he can fight for a spot at Spurs, but my gut tells me he will either ride the bench or be sold shortly.
Jake Livermore: Youngster Jake Livermore has been loaned out many times and will likely be loaned out again. He's had semi-successful loan spells at Derby and Peterborough and most expect Livermore to head to the Championship once again.
Danny Rose: Danny Rose propelled himself to near legend status with his goal against Arsenal, but as talented as the youngster is, he may struggle to find minutes with the first team. I would expect to see Rose be sent out on a short term loan in case he either impresses thoroughly or Spurs have injury issues, where as I would expect a year long loan for Livermore.
Sandro: Without playing a single preseason game for Spurs, we can't judge what Sandro's role with the team will be this season. What I can tell you is that the 21 year old holding midfielder was purchased from Internacional for an estimated £14m. Sandro is an athletic holding midfield player with great positioning and passing ability. Think of a slightly smaller, considerably quicker version of Tom Huddlestone. I'd tell you to watch him in Copa Libertadores tomorrow, but you don't have to wait. Sandro won't be in Copa Lib tomorrow because he's playing against the United States tonight for his native Brazil. From what I've heard, there's a good chance he'll be in the starting lineup. Give him a look.
From what I've seen out of Sandro, I prefer him to Huddlestone and Jenas by a mile and I think that he will adjust to life in the Premier League just fine. Unfortunately, right now, this is just pure speculation.
That's all for Part II of the season preview, tomorrow we'll look at Spurs' forwards.
A Bunch of Links
For those of you who are vehemently opposed to reading 2,000 word articles, here are a bunch of Spurs links. To considerably shorter articles. People with short attention spans, unite...look, a kitty!
Harry Redknapp has high praise for Giovani Dos Santos
Spurs players are playing for 13 different national teams during this FIFA date
Think I'm rubbish at this writing thing? Here's a Spurs season preview from The Guardian
Luka Modric is confident that Spurs can advance in Champions League
Defoe is struggling to get fit for the opener
Harry Redknapp has high praise for Giovani Dos Santos
Spurs players are playing for 13 different national teams during this FIFA date
Think I'm rubbish at this writing thing? Here's a Spurs season preview from The Guardian
Luka Modric is confident that Spurs can advance in Champions League
Defoe is struggling to get fit for the opener
Monday, August 9, 2010
Peter Crouch: The Elephant in the Room
Okay, so you're probably wondering why I haven't addressed this Peter Crouch prostitute business. Well, now I am, and I'm going to keep this post short.
The News of the World reported yesterday that Peter Crouch cheated on Abbey Clancy with a hooker. Today, the Mirror ran a story about how Abbey is coping.
And that's all you'll get from me on this subject. I don't care who Peter Crouch has sex with and neither should you. The next post on this blog will have something to do with football.
The News of the World reported yesterday that Peter Crouch cheated on Abbey Clancy with a hooker. Today, the Mirror ran a story about how Abbey is coping.
And that's all you'll get from me on this subject. I don't care who Peter Crouch has sex with and neither should you. The next post on this blog will have something to do with football.
Tottenham Hotspur Season Preview: Part I
This Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur open their season against Manchester City. If I told you I had a good idea of what is going to happen in this game or this season, I would be lying to you. I would love to say with conviction that Spurs are going to finish 4th, 5th, 6th, whatever. I can't. They're completely unpredictable. I don't know how much Harry plans on utilizing Keane and Pavlyuchenko. I don't know what kind of impact Sandro and Gio might make on the team. I don't know if Harry actually is considering giving Jenas significant playing time. We could finish anywhere between 3rd and 8th and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.
There is good news, though. First of all, the fact that a guy like me who is regularly pessimistic about his teams thinks that our ceiling is 3rd is good for something. Second, I think that the only team that has the ability to withstand injuries to key players better than Spurs is Manchester United, and that is down to the versatility of our players. I don't think that there's another team in the Premier League who has so many players who can fill multiple positions competently. Players who can play multiple positions have become a staple of this team in recent years, and besides just protecting against injury problems, it's a feature of the squad that makes them as unpredictable as a team who plays a basic English-style 4-4-2 can be.
So, while I can't tell you where we're going to finish, what I can do is tell you what we have. How Harry utilizes it, though, is pure speculation. Part I will address our keepers and defense. Part II tomorrow will address the midfield, and Part III will address the attack.
Goalkeepers
Gomes: After a tough start to life at the Lane, the Brazilian keeper impressed for most of last year and finished with four absolutely stunning performances that lead Spurs to 4th place. His play against Chelsea, Arsenal, Bolton, and Manchester City preserved three points in all four of those matches that may not have been earned by a lesser keeper. Many Spurs fans were hard on Gomes after a poor first season for the club and labeled him as inconsistent, but he has recently proved the doubters wrong.
I think that Gomes's years at PSV and his performances last season for Spurs are a much better indicator of his abilities than his poor start to life in the Premier League. You don't win four consecutive Eredivisie titles and become a legend at a club like PSV by accident. Gomes should be Spurs' clear #1 this season and he's more than talented enough to be an adequate player for that role.
Carlo Cudicini: Many people were of the belief that Cudicini was brought in to replace Gomes rather than challenge him and be a great #2 option, but that has not been the case in his short time at Spurs. Last season, a horrific motorcycle accident in which Cudicini broke multiple bones was thought to be career threatening, but he has recovered fully and featured throughout the preseason. While his age has relegated him to a backup role, Cudicini's first seven years as the #1 for Chelsea show that he's more than capable of stepping in when need be.
Cudicini is an excellent #2 option for Spurs, even at 36 years old. He showed it in his appearances last season when Gomes was injured. Extremely dependable.
Ben Alnwick: He's still on the team? This guy hasn't even been successful in loan spells to Championship and League One sides, mostly due to constant injuries. This is not a good sign for a guy who is supposed to be your apocalypse option.
Defenders
Ledley King: Our hero, the CFC. We saw last season that Ledley King can still be world class occasionally, but we shouldn't expect him to play more than 20 league games this season. In his few preseason appearances, King has not looked good. His straight-line pace, change of direction skills, and ability to react to a forward changing his run have all been poor. He may just be getting back into shape, but it's not exactly easy for a man with no knees to do cardio, and it's almost impossible for a man with no knees to do speed drills. Regardless of all this, King was brilliant down the stretch last season. When he is on his A game, he's about the best central defender we could ever hope to have. Unfortunately, his medical problems mean that the number of games King will be on his A game this season will likely be in the single digits.
When King is healthy, he is our best defender. Sadly, he won't be healthy very often, and we can't push him if we want him to be around past this year. I expect 15-20 good performances from King this year, and Harry is probably going into the season assuming that is what he is going to get. Anything beyond that is gravy.
Michael Dawson: After years of inconsistency and performances riddled with mental errors, Michael Dawson appeared to finally grow up last season. No one has ever questioned Michael Dawson's natural ability or work ethic, just his focus and footballing brain. Last season, he put to rest the rumors that he doesn't have what it takes upstairs to go from average Premier League central defender to very good Premier League central defender. With that year behind him, King not getting any healthier, and Woodgate essentially being done, Dawson will have to shoulder a heavy load this season. Spurs will need him to stay healthy and put in a solid shift in 30+ Premier League games to reach their full ambitions.
Dawson should play more games than any other central defender for Spurs this season, and because of King's questionable health and Keane's questionable squad status, he should probably wear the armband more often than any other player as well.
Sebastien Bassong: After joining Spurs from Newcastle for £8m, Bassong became a first team regular for Spurs last year, playing in 28 Premier League games and 38 games in all competitions. His most memorable moment of last season was his goal against Liverpool, but Bassong should be remembered for being a solid defender for Spurs all season. He's a considerably quicker player than all of Tottenham's other central defenders, making him a good partner for the slower and stronger Dawson.
I would expect to see Bassong get at least as much time this season as he did last season. He's #3 on the depth chart at central defender, but King's health means he's really more like 2 1/2.
Younes Kaboul: After a promising but ultimately mediocre first spell at Spurs, Kaboul was sold to Portsmouth in 2007. There, he improved significantly as a player and was brought back to Spurs last year by Harry Redknapp. At 6'4" and a weight that is probably under-listed, Younes Kaboul is an absolute monster of a man who has impressive pace and footwork for a guy his size. This allows him to play as a right back and defensive midfielder, as well as his preferred spot at central defender.
Kaboul's versatility is his biggest virtue and why he will always have a place in any side. I expect to see Kaboul play both central defender and right back this year, but not so much as a defensive midfielder with the arrival of Sandro. Certainly a valuable, versatile bench player.
Gareth Bale: Can we really call Bale a "defender?" He's not poor defensively, but that's not really what he brings to Spurs. Simply, I'm putting him here because I expect him to play more games at left back this season than left midfield. When Bale joined from Southampton as a teenager in 2007, expectations were high. In the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, while Spurs struggled, Bale impressed and was among the best players on the pitch during Tottenham's awful start. A bad injury took him out for an extended period of time and he struggled to regain his first team place after recovering until last season. When finally given the chance to start in big games, Bale made everything of it and has now cemented himself as one of the first names on the team sheet. Bale is a ridiculous athlete with an even more ridiculous left foot and many believe that his success is key to the success of the team.
Simply put, Spurs need Bale in the lineup. If he's not on form and not healthy, we're probably not going to compete with the big boys of the Premier League. After the way he finished last season and the way he's played in the preseason, many people are expecting Bale to break out this season and transition from quality player to superstar.
Vedran Corluka: At 6'4" with plenty of weight on him and not a great deal of pace, Vedran Corluka is not your traditional right back. However, he has made that spot his own over the last two seasons and appears to be a clear first choice for Spurs. While he isn't the fastest player in the world, Corluka's intelligence and surprisingly good technical skills for his body type and position have made him a great option as a fullback. His positioning and tackling skills prevent significantly faster players from beating him on a regular basis. Corluka also has the ability to play in the center of defense more than competently.
Expect Corluka to be first choice at right back yet again this season. Hutton seems out of favor and Naughton isn't ready for the big show yet, so his only real competition will come from Younes Kaboul.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto: Ekotto was a reliable fixture in Spurs' lineup last year, but he's a bit of an interesting case. Ekotto is perhaps the only player in the team whose playing time is minimally dependent on how good he is. If Harry prefers Bale at left back over left midfield, there's very little Ekotto can do to re-gain his place. If Harry likes Bale better at left midfield than right back, Ekotto might keep his place even if his play is mediocre. Regardless, Ekotto is a decent option at left back and is worthy of some playing time.
Ekotto has not been quiet about the fact that he doesn't have loyalty to any club and that he would be keen on a transfer back to France. Additionally, he has been linked to Liverpool by various transfer rumors. It will be interesting to see if Ekotto is indeed a Spurs player on September 1st.
Alan Hutton: After an extremely impressive start to his career at Rangers, Spurs purchased Hutton for around £9m in 2008. Since joining, Hutton has been a serviceable right back, but has failed to impress for the most part.
With the Premier League's introduction of squad size limits for players over the age of 21, I wouldn't be surprised to see Hutton sold or loaned out again. For me, he's the third choice right back.
Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton: Is grouping these guys together unfair? Perhaps, they do play different positions after all. The reason I'm grouping Walker and Naughton together is that I don't feel that either of them are ready for the big time and I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them loaned out yet again. I'd set the over/under on Premier League starts for both of these guys at 1.5. If they do stick around, don't expect to see them in much more than cup fixtures.
Johnathan Woodgate: Poor Johnny appears to be exiting the club. Harry Redknapp has hinted that Woodgate will be left off his 25 man squad after injuries forced him to make only 3 Premier League appearances last season. At the top of his game, Woodgate has been a class player, but because of his health, he has rarely been at the top of his game. Woodgate has been great in his time at the club when healthy, and I hope that he can get healthy once again and establish himself as a regular starter at a new club.
That's it for Part I, look for Part II tomorrow
There is good news, though. First of all, the fact that a guy like me who is regularly pessimistic about his teams thinks that our ceiling is 3rd is good for something. Second, I think that the only team that has the ability to withstand injuries to key players better than Spurs is Manchester United, and that is down to the versatility of our players. I don't think that there's another team in the Premier League who has so many players who can fill multiple positions competently. Players who can play multiple positions have become a staple of this team in recent years, and besides just protecting against injury problems, it's a feature of the squad that makes them as unpredictable as a team who plays a basic English-style 4-4-2 can be.
So, while I can't tell you where we're going to finish, what I can do is tell you what we have. How Harry utilizes it, though, is pure speculation. Part I will address our keepers and defense. Part II tomorrow will address the midfield, and Part III will address the attack.
Goalkeepers
Gomes: After a tough start to life at the Lane, the Brazilian keeper impressed for most of last year and finished with four absolutely stunning performances that lead Spurs to 4th place. His play against Chelsea, Arsenal, Bolton, and Manchester City preserved three points in all four of those matches that may not have been earned by a lesser keeper. Many Spurs fans were hard on Gomes after a poor first season for the club and labeled him as inconsistent, but he has recently proved the doubters wrong.
I think that Gomes's years at PSV and his performances last season for Spurs are a much better indicator of his abilities than his poor start to life in the Premier League. You don't win four consecutive Eredivisie titles and become a legend at a club like PSV by accident. Gomes should be Spurs' clear #1 this season and he's more than talented enough to be an adequate player for that role.
Carlo Cudicini: Many people were of the belief that Cudicini was brought in to replace Gomes rather than challenge him and be a great #2 option, but that has not been the case in his short time at Spurs. Last season, a horrific motorcycle accident in which Cudicini broke multiple bones was thought to be career threatening, but he has recovered fully and featured throughout the preseason. While his age has relegated him to a backup role, Cudicini's first seven years as the #1 for Chelsea show that he's more than capable of stepping in when need be.
Cudicini is an excellent #2 option for Spurs, even at 36 years old. He showed it in his appearances last season when Gomes was injured. Extremely dependable.
Ben Alnwick: He's still on the team? This guy hasn't even been successful in loan spells to Championship and League One sides, mostly due to constant injuries. This is not a good sign for a guy who is supposed to be your apocalypse option.
Defenders
Ledley King: Our hero, the CFC. We saw last season that Ledley King can still be world class occasionally, but we shouldn't expect him to play more than 20 league games this season. In his few preseason appearances, King has not looked good. His straight-line pace, change of direction skills, and ability to react to a forward changing his run have all been poor. He may just be getting back into shape, but it's not exactly easy for a man with no knees to do cardio, and it's almost impossible for a man with no knees to do speed drills. Regardless of all this, King was brilliant down the stretch last season. When he is on his A game, he's about the best central defender we could ever hope to have. Unfortunately, his medical problems mean that the number of games King will be on his A game this season will likely be in the single digits.
When King is healthy, he is our best defender. Sadly, he won't be healthy very often, and we can't push him if we want him to be around past this year. I expect 15-20 good performances from King this year, and Harry is probably going into the season assuming that is what he is going to get. Anything beyond that is gravy.
Michael Dawson: After years of inconsistency and performances riddled with mental errors, Michael Dawson appeared to finally grow up last season. No one has ever questioned Michael Dawson's natural ability or work ethic, just his focus and footballing brain. Last season, he put to rest the rumors that he doesn't have what it takes upstairs to go from average Premier League central defender to very good Premier League central defender. With that year behind him, King not getting any healthier, and Woodgate essentially being done, Dawson will have to shoulder a heavy load this season. Spurs will need him to stay healthy and put in a solid shift in 30+ Premier League games to reach their full ambitions.
Dawson should play more games than any other central defender for Spurs this season, and because of King's questionable health and Keane's questionable squad status, he should probably wear the armband more often than any other player as well.
Sebastien Bassong: After joining Spurs from Newcastle for £8m, Bassong became a first team regular for Spurs last year, playing in 28 Premier League games and 38 games in all competitions. His most memorable moment of last season was his goal against Liverpool, but Bassong should be remembered for being a solid defender for Spurs all season. He's a considerably quicker player than all of Tottenham's other central defenders, making him a good partner for the slower and stronger Dawson.
I would expect to see Bassong get at least as much time this season as he did last season. He's #3 on the depth chart at central defender, but King's health means he's really more like 2 1/2.
Younes Kaboul: After a promising but ultimately mediocre first spell at Spurs, Kaboul was sold to Portsmouth in 2007. There, he improved significantly as a player and was brought back to Spurs last year by Harry Redknapp. At 6'4" and a weight that is probably under-listed, Younes Kaboul is an absolute monster of a man who has impressive pace and footwork for a guy his size. This allows him to play as a right back and defensive midfielder, as well as his preferred spot at central defender.
Kaboul's versatility is his biggest virtue and why he will always have a place in any side. I expect to see Kaboul play both central defender and right back this year, but not so much as a defensive midfielder with the arrival of Sandro. Certainly a valuable, versatile bench player.
Gareth Bale: Can we really call Bale a "defender?" He's not poor defensively, but that's not really what he brings to Spurs. Simply, I'm putting him here because I expect him to play more games at left back this season than left midfield. When Bale joined from Southampton as a teenager in 2007, expectations were high. In the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, while Spurs struggled, Bale impressed and was among the best players on the pitch during Tottenham's awful start. A bad injury took him out for an extended period of time and he struggled to regain his first team place after recovering until last season. When finally given the chance to start in big games, Bale made everything of it and has now cemented himself as one of the first names on the team sheet. Bale is a ridiculous athlete with an even more ridiculous left foot and many believe that his success is key to the success of the team.
Simply put, Spurs need Bale in the lineup. If he's not on form and not healthy, we're probably not going to compete with the big boys of the Premier League. After the way he finished last season and the way he's played in the preseason, many people are expecting Bale to break out this season and transition from quality player to superstar.
Vedran Corluka: At 6'4" with plenty of weight on him and not a great deal of pace, Vedran Corluka is not your traditional right back. However, he has made that spot his own over the last two seasons and appears to be a clear first choice for Spurs. While he isn't the fastest player in the world, Corluka's intelligence and surprisingly good technical skills for his body type and position have made him a great option as a fullback. His positioning and tackling skills prevent significantly faster players from beating him on a regular basis. Corluka also has the ability to play in the center of defense more than competently.
Expect Corluka to be first choice at right back yet again this season. Hutton seems out of favor and Naughton isn't ready for the big show yet, so his only real competition will come from Younes Kaboul.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto: Ekotto was a reliable fixture in Spurs' lineup last year, but he's a bit of an interesting case. Ekotto is perhaps the only player in the team whose playing time is minimally dependent on how good he is. If Harry prefers Bale at left back over left midfield, there's very little Ekotto can do to re-gain his place. If Harry likes Bale better at left midfield than right back, Ekotto might keep his place even if his play is mediocre. Regardless, Ekotto is a decent option at left back and is worthy of some playing time.
Ekotto has not been quiet about the fact that he doesn't have loyalty to any club and that he would be keen on a transfer back to France. Additionally, he has been linked to Liverpool by various transfer rumors. It will be interesting to see if Ekotto is indeed a Spurs player on September 1st.
Alan Hutton: After an extremely impressive start to his career at Rangers, Spurs purchased Hutton for around £9m in 2008. Since joining, Hutton has been a serviceable right back, but has failed to impress for the most part.
With the Premier League's introduction of squad size limits for players over the age of 21, I wouldn't be surprised to see Hutton sold or loaned out again. For me, he's the third choice right back.
Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton: Is grouping these guys together unfair? Perhaps, they do play different positions after all. The reason I'm grouping Walker and Naughton together is that I don't feel that either of them are ready for the big time and I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them loaned out yet again. I'd set the over/under on Premier League starts for both of these guys at 1.5. If they do stick around, don't expect to see them in much more than cup fixtures.
Johnathan Woodgate: Poor Johnny appears to be exiting the club. Harry Redknapp has hinted that Woodgate will be left off his 25 man squad after injuries forced him to make only 3 Premier League appearances last season. At the top of his game, Woodgate has been a class player, but because of his health, he has rarely been at the top of his game. Woodgate has been great in his time at the club when healthy, and I hope that he can get healthy once again and establish himself as a regular starter at a new club.
That's it for Part I, look for Part II tomorrow
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Spurs vs. Fiorentina Observations
Tottenham Hotspur fought to a 3-2 win over Fiorentina at White Hart Lane yesterday an an exciting game littered with some defensive mistakes. There were some positives and negatives to take out of the match, although many more positives, so let's get to it.
-Our hero, the CFC, Ledley King was not at his best yesterday. In particular, on the first goal, he completely lost Alberto Gilardino. He was out of position a couple of times and looked slow, and I was baffled that he played for 68 minutes. King is a class player who probably just needs some time to get back into the game, but time is up. The show starts next weekend. I think I want Bassong and Dawson to start against City.
-Giovani Dos Santos was again Spurs' best player. His setup of Pav's goal was outstanding, especially since I've never thought him to be much of a tackler. He set up countless other chances that weren't converted, most notably for Crouch and Keane on multiple occasions. I tweeted out that City, Villa, Everton, and Liverpool fans should be scared if this is the real Gio. A Chelsea fan instant messaged me to say that he was scared too. I've always been of the believe that if Giovani Dos Santos ever starts playing with confidence in big club games, he can be one of the best players in the world. If we get 80% of what we've seen in the last two matches from Gio this season, I think most fans would be satisfied. If what we've seen in these friendlies is the real Gio, or (scary thoughts for USMNT fans) only flashes of the real Gio, he deserves some serious playing time.
-Stop the presses, Robbie Keane has been revived from the dead. Both of his goals were very well taken, but some serious credit has to go to Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore for playing the brilliant passes that set up both goals. Maybe Robbie isn't on the chopping block after all? The rags and blogs have linked Spurs to countless strikers in the summer, but it seems Harry is perfectly happy with Crouch, Pav, Defoe, Keane, and sometimes striker Gio. And really, why shouldn't he be?
-I've been busting Big Tom's balls all pre-season, but he looked much better yesterday than he has in previous games. He's starting to move a little bit better and his setup of Keane's goal was fantastic.
-Praise (deity of your choice), Wilson Palacios is fit. He should be an absolute lock to start the opener.
Tom Huddlestone and Luka Modric are both looking good, as are both Gareth Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. This means Harry is going to have some interesting lineup decisions to make against City. I feel like City is going to play two defensive-minded central midfielders and I fear whichever of their endless options they put on the right wing. So, as of today, I would like to see Ekotto at left back, Bale at left midfield, and Modric and Palacios in the middle. I don't think that City pose much of an attacking threat from the center of midfield, so playing two holding midfielders (i.e. Palacios and Big Tom) is unnecessary, and I think we could stand to have a great two way player at left midfield. My thoughts may change as the week goes on, we'll see.
Monday through Wednesday, I'll be posting my three part Spurs season preview. For now, I'm going to watch the Community Shield, then I'm off to a concert. Until Monday...
-Our hero, the CFC, Ledley King was not at his best yesterday. In particular, on the first goal, he completely lost Alberto Gilardino. He was out of position a couple of times and looked slow, and I was baffled that he played for 68 minutes. King is a class player who probably just needs some time to get back into the game, but time is up. The show starts next weekend. I think I want Bassong and Dawson to start against City.
-Giovani Dos Santos was again Spurs' best player. His setup of Pav's goal was outstanding, especially since I've never thought him to be much of a tackler. He set up countless other chances that weren't converted, most notably for Crouch and Keane on multiple occasions. I tweeted out that City, Villa, Everton, and Liverpool fans should be scared if this is the real Gio. A Chelsea fan instant messaged me to say that he was scared too. I've always been of the believe that if Giovani Dos Santos ever starts playing with confidence in big club games, he can be one of the best players in the world. If we get 80% of what we've seen in the last two matches from Gio this season, I think most fans would be satisfied. If what we've seen in these friendlies is the real Gio, or (scary thoughts for USMNT fans) only flashes of the real Gio, he deserves some serious playing time.
-Stop the presses, Robbie Keane has been revived from the dead. Both of his goals were very well taken, but some serious credit has to go to Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore for playing the brilliant passes that set up both goals. Maybe Robbie isn't on the chopping block after all? The rags and blogs have linked Spurs to countless strikers in the summer, but it seems Harry is perfectly happy with Crouch, Pav, Defoe, Keane, and sometimes striker Gio. And really, why shouldn't he be?
-I've been busting Big Tom's balls all pre-season, but he looked much better yesterday than he has in previous games. He's starting to move a little bit better and his setup of Keane's goal was fantastic.
-Praise (deity of your choice), Wilson Palacios is fit. He should be an absolute lock to start the opener.
Tom Huddlestone and Luka Modric are both looking good, as are both Gareth Bale and Benoit Assou-Ekotto. This means Harry is going to have some interesting lineup decisions to make against City. I feel like City is going to play two defensive-minded central midfielders and I fear whichever of their endless options they put on the right wing. So, as of today, I would like to see Ekotto at left back, Bale at left midfield, and Modric and Palacios in the middle. I don't think that City pose much of an attacking threat from the center of midfield, so playing two holding midfielders (i.e. Palacios and Big Tom) is unnecessary, and I think we could stand to have a great two way player at left midfield. My thoughts may change as the week goes on, we'll see.
Monday through Wednesday, I'll be posting my three part Spurs season preview. For now, I'm going to watch the Community Shield, then I'm off to a concert. Until Monday...
Friday, August 6, 2010
Spurs vs. Fiorentina: What to Look For
Tomorrow, Tottenham Hotspur closes out their friendly schedule at White Hart Lane against Italian Serie A side Fiorentina. While the Florence side were underwhelming in the league last season, they're a squad loaded with talent and should give Spurs a serious test a week ahead of their league opener with Manchester City. Here's what I'm hoping to see in the match.
-Tom Huddlestone moving like he didn't just pound a box of Krispy Kremes
-Jermaine Jenas showing...anything
-Luka Modric getting some time both on the left and in the middle. I'm not convinced of what his best position is for this team.
-Gareth Bale at both left back and left midfield for the same reason as Modric
-Giovani Dos Santos at all. I was happy to see him getting some PT against Benfica, but I'm not sure that playing second striker behind Peter Crouch is his best spot. I like him better on either wing.
-Hopefully any of Wilson Palacios. His fitness is in question but he appears to be doing better. I would rather not have both Jenas and Huddlestone starting against Manchester City.
-Some time for Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermaine Defoe as a partnership. While Harry seems to be married to Peter Crouch up front, I think these two are our best pairing
-Some more Niko Kranjcar? He doesn't seem to be in the equation as a possible starter and I'm not entirely sure why
-Last, but not least (and most obvious), not conceding any extremely soft goals
Oh, and a couple for Fiorentina, since I just like football in general
-Khouma Babacar, supposedly the kid is a sick talent
-Adem Ljajić, the former Man United target. They denied their option on the once highly touted youngster, can he revive his stock at Fiorentina?
-How good their chemistry is early in pre-season. Fiorentina has the talent to grab a European place in Italy, the question is whether or not that talent can work together.
I'll be back tomorrow after the game with some post-match observations. Let's hope for a good showing.
-Tom Huddlestone moving like he didn't just pound a box of Krispy Kremes
-Jermaine Jenas showing...anything
-Luka Modric getting some time both on the left and in the middle. I'm not convinced of what his best position is for this team.
-Gareth Bale at both left back and left midfield for the same reason as Modric
-Giovani Dos Santos at all. I was happy to see him getting some PT against Benfica, but I'm not sure that playing second striker behind Peter Crouch is his best spot. I like him better on either wing.
-Hopefully any of Wilson Palacios. His fitness is in question but he appears to be doing better. I would rather not have both Jenas and Huddlestone starting against Manchester City.
-Some time for Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermaine Defoe as a partnership. While Harry seems to be married to Peter Crouch up front, I think these two are our best pairing
-Some more Niko Kranjcar? He doesn't seem to be in the equation as a possible starter and I'm not entirely sure why
-Last, but not least (and most obvious), not conceding any extremely soft goals
Oh, and a couple for Fiorentina, since I just like football in general
-Khouma Babacar, supposedly the kid is a sick talent
-Adem Ljajić, the former Man United target. They denied their option on the once highly touted youngster, can he revive his stock at Fiorentina?
-How good their chemistry is early in pre-season. Fiorentina has the talent to grab a European place in Italy, the question is whether or not that talent can work together.
I'll be back tomorrow after the game with some post-match observations. Let's hope for a good showing.
Young Boys Draw was Best Case Scenerio
Today was the draw for the UEFA Champions League Playoff Round and Tottenham Hotspur got the best draw they could have hoped for, getting matched up against BSC Young Boys of Switzerland. Young Boys finished second in the Swiss Super League last season, but that was only after allowing a 13 point lead to collapse as they finished three points behind the champions FC Basel.
Drawing Young Boys was great news when compared to the alternatives: Auxerre, Braga, Dynamo Kiev, and Sampdoria. All four of those teams compete in leagues much stronger than the Swiss Super League and unlike Young Boys, they all have a little bit of star power.
Last year's great stretch run to finish in fourth place in the league hasn't really stuck with me yet. I've been a Spurs supporter since I was in middle school, so I've seen my fair share of epic disappointments. The expectations of failure have been hammered into me as I explained in a piece for All Things Footy a few months back. Last night before I went to bed, I saw stunning goals by Giampaolo Pazzini and Artem Milievskiy flash before my eyes. I saw Valter Birsa dribbling circles around Corluka. I saw us failing to break down Braga. But even I can't be pessimistic about a tie against Young Boys.
They have nothing particularly dangerous. No one on their team has a wealth of international or European experience. No one on their team has an outstanding goal scoring record. They blew a 13 point lead in the league. They're off to an awful start domestically this season. Even Spurs can't screw this up.
I hope.
Drawing Young Boys was great news when compared to the alternatives: Auxerre, Braga, Dynamo Kiev, and Sampdoria. All four of those teams compete in leagues much stronger than the Swiss Super League and unlike Young Boys, they all have a little bit of star power.
Last year's great stretch run to finish in fourth place in the league hasn't really stuck with me yet. I've been a Spurs supporter since I was in middle school, so I've seen my fair share of epic disappointments. The expectations of failure have been hammered into me as I explained in a piece for All Things Footy a few months back. Last night before I went to bed, I saw stunning goals by Giampaolo Pazzini and Artem Milievskiy flash before my eyes. I saw Valter Birsa dribbling circles around Corluka. I saw us failing to break down Braga. But even I can't be pessimistic about a tie against Young Boys.
They have nothing particularly dangerous. No one on their team has a wealth of international or European experience. No one on their team has an outstanding goal scoring record. They blew a 13 point lead in the league. They're off to an awful start domestically this season. Even Spurs can't screw this up.
I hope.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Following Sandro
Ever since the rumor that Spurs were trying to sign Internacional's Sandro started, I've been following the team and their exploits in the Brasileiro and Copa Libertadores. I've heard through internet grumblings and Tim Vickery on the World Football Phone-In that Sandro is a quality player, and I was curious about what he might bring to the table for my club. After all, any time someone is willing to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of £14m for a young player, there must be something exciting about them. His final transfer fee was undisclosed, but Sandro has officially signed with Spurs and will be joining the team at the conclusion of Internacional's Copa Libertadores campaign.
That could very possibly happen tonight, as Internacional travel to the Morumbi to take on Sao Paulo in the second leg of their Copa Libertadores semi-final tie. Internacional won the first leg 1-0 and as I explained in a piece for World Soccer Reader, Internacional are in better form in the Brasileiro and should be slight favorites.
Sandro's performance in the first leg was a very good one. He passed the ball very well and won a few 50-50 challenges. Internacional created considerably more chances than Sao Paulo as Sandro's positioning in the center of midfield allowed Inter to keep possession and shut down any attempts at counter attacks from Sao Paulo. That's what Sandro does in every match, and why I'm so happy that Tottenham have signed him.
I said earlier today that the M.O. for Spurs is underwhelming, inconsistent performances that usually contain a few moments of absolute brilliance, and that's why Sandro is such a great addition to Spurs. As opposed to a player like Jermaine Jenas, who has the occasional incredible highlight but is fairly useless for 80 or more minutes of a game, Sandro is a useful player for an entire game who rarely provides highlight reel plays. Occasionally he'll play a brilliant through ball that leads to a goal, but that's not what he's in a team for. He holds his position well, passes well, and makes intelligent and well-timed tackles, and he does this without sacrificing anything in the way of athleticism to the likes of Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas.
When Spurs fans who are not up on Brazilian football first watch Sandro, they may not appreciate what he does right away. To be honest, I didn't appreciate his skills when I first watched him on a low-quality internet stream with a bad camera angle. Then I watch an Internacional game on a high quality stream on a gigantic television and a good camera angle that caught his movements off the ball. He's an extremely intelligent player for 21 years old and his positioning is impeccable. It may take Sandro some time to adjust to the English game, but when he does - and I think this is a matter of when and not if - he will give us a lot of versatility. He can play in the middle of Harry's regular English-style 4-4-2 setup, but I think that his presence will give us the freedom to play variations of 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
If you are a Spurs supporter and you get Fox Sports en Espanol, I recommend you turn on your television tonight at 8:50 pm EST and watch some Copa Libertadores.
That could very possibly happen tonight, as Internacional travel to the Morumbi to take on Sao Paulo in the second leg of their Copa Libertadores semi-final tie. Internacional won the first leg 1-0 and as I explained in a piece for World Soccer Reader, Internacional are in better form in the Brasileiro and should be slight favorites.
Sandro's performance in the first leg was a very good one. He passed the ball very well and won a few 50-50 challenges. Internacional created considerably more chances than Sao Paulo as Sandro's positioning in the center of midfield allowed Inter to keep possession and shut down any attempts at counter attacks from Sao Paulo. That's what Sandro does in every match, and why I'm so happy that Tottenham have signed him.
I said earlier today that the M.O. for Spurs is underwhelming, inconsistent performances that usually contain a few moments of absolute brilliance, and that's why Sandro is such a great addition to Spurs. As opposed to a player like Jermaine Jenas, who has the occasional incredible highlight but is fairly useless for 80 or more minutes of a game, Sandro is a useful player for an entire game who rarely provides highlight reel plays. Occasionally he'll play a brilliant through ball that leads to a goal, but that's not what he's in a team for. He holds his position well, passes well, and makes intelligent and well-timed tackles, and he does this without sacrificing anything in the way of athleticism to the likes of Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas.
When Spurs fans who are not up on Brazilian football first watch Sandro, they may not appreciate what he does right away. To be honest, I didn't appreciate his skills when I first watched him on a low-quality internet stream with a bad camera angle. Then I watch an Internacional game on a high quality stream on a gigantic television and a good camera angle that caught his movements off the ball. He's an extremely intelligent player for 21 years old and his positioning is impeccable. It may take Sandro some time to adjust to the English game, but when he does - and I think this is a matter of when and not if - he will give us a lot of versatility. He can play in the middle of Harry's regular English-style 4-4-2 setup, but I think that his presence will give us the freedom to play variations of 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
If you are a Spurs supporter and you get Fox Sports en Espanol, I recommend you turn on your television tonight at 8:50 pm EST and watch some Copa Libertadores.
Reactions: Spurs vs. Benfica
Spurs defeated Benfica 1-0 in Portugal yesterday to win the Eusebio Cup (omgomgomg). Sorry, but I don't have any kind of recap of the trophy presentation, if there was one. Can we stop giving out massive trophies for friendlies? Thanks.
After an atrocious performance against Villarreal and an up and down American tour, it was nice to see Spurs get a victory away from home against a quality side. Spurs didn't have their absolute best today, but a few players showed flashes of brilliance. I would have liked to have seen a more consistent performance, but this is pre-season and shaky performances with flashes of brilliance are our M.O. Hey, at least Harry Redknapp was happy.
The most encouraging thing for me was the play of Giovanni Dos Santos. He looked very comfortable in a second striker role behind Peter Crouch and did well to help set up Gareth Bale's goal. It's unclear what Gio's role with the team will be this season (if he has one), but I would like to see us try to make more use of him. He hasn't ever gotten a chance and his talent is undeniable when watching Mexican national team matches.
Luka Modric and Gareth Bale were, not surprisingly, the best players on the pitch. They were our best players for the last couple of months of last season, and they appear to have picked up where they left off. Their progress has been extremely encouraging, especially since both players were written off as busts by many after mediocre starts to their Spurs careers. When everyone is healthy for Spurs, I would like to see Bale at left back and Luka Modric at left midfield with the freedom to drift inside. Right now, I'd like to see Modric in the center of the park.
Right now, Spurs don't have everyone available to them. Notably, Wilson Palacios, who is injured, and Sandro, who will be joining the team when Internacional's Copa Libertadores campaign concludes. Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone have been playing in the middle for Spurs all throughout the pre-season, and both of them look poor. Jenas just looks like Jenas, and his play constantly has me questioning what exactly it is that he contributes to the team (NSFW language). It's obvious what Huddlestone contributes to the team, he's a very good passer and a decent tackler, but the fact is, the man is overweight. As the aforementioned video states, he's about as fast as a snail on ketamine. At the end of last season, Big Tom looked like he was moving okay. He's never going to be Usain Bolt, he's a big dude. I understand this. But there's a line between large and fat, and Tom crossed it in the offseason. He appears to have put on 20 pounds. I'm sure he'll get into better shape and I still think he's a professional quality footballer, but someone of his lack of fitness and pace shouldn't be starting for a team with the aspirations of Tottenham Hotspur. If either Tom Huddlestone or Jermaine Jenas starts our opening match, I will be a very frustrated fan.
Before this blog gets all negative nancy, Michael Dawson's play yesterday was very good. Dawson started his Spurs career as a very inconsistent player, but those days appear to be behind him as he progressively morphs into a central defender of enough quality that he can start on a team contending for Europe in the Premier League. With Woodgate apparently out and King's irreversible health issues, it's unclear who will partner him in most matches (Walker? Corluka moved inside? A new signing?), but at least we know we have one consistent, healthy central defender.
On Saturday, Spurs close out their preseason campaign by hosting Fiorentina. I'll have a piece up tomorrow about what I want to see from the team in that game.
After an atrocious performance against Villarreal and an up and down American tour, it was nice to see Spurs get a victory away from home against a quality side. Spurs didn't have their absolute best today, but a few players showed flashes of brilliance. I would have liked to have seen a more consistent performance, but this is pre-season and shaky performances with flashes of brilliance are our M.O. Hey, at least Harry Redknapp was happy.
The most encouraging thing for me was the play of Giovanni Dos Santos. He looked very comfortable in a second striker role behind Peter Crouch and did well to help set up Gareth Bale's goal. It's unclear what Gio's role with the team will be this season (if he has one), but I would like to see us try to make more use of him. He hasn't ever gotten a chance and his talent is undeniable when watching Mexican national team matches.
Luka Modric and Gareth Bale were, not surprisingly, the best players on the pitch. They were our best players for the last couple of months of last season, and they appear to have picked up where they left off. Their progress has been extremely encouraging, especially since both players were written off as busts by many after mediocre starts to their Spurs careers. When everyone is healthy for Spurs, I would like to see Bale at left back and Luka Modric at left midfield with the freedom to drift inside. Right now, I'd like to see Modric in the center of the park.
Right now, Spurs don't have everyone available to them. Notably, Wilson Palacios, who is injured, and Sandro, who will be joining the team when Internacional's Copa Libertadores campaign concludes. Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone have been playing in the middle for Spurs all throughout the pre-season, and both of them look poor. Jenas just looks like Jenas, and his play constantly has me questioning what exactly it is that he contributes to the team (NSFW language). It's obvious what Huddlestone contributes to the team, he's a very good passer and a decent tackler, but the fact is, the man is overweight. As the aforementioned video states, he's about as fast as a snail on ketamine. At the end of last season, Big Tom looked like he was moving okay. He's never going to be Usain Bolt, he's a big dude. I understand this. But there's a line between large and fat, and Tom crossed it in the offseason. He appears to have put on 20 pounds. I'm sure he'll get into better shape and I still think he's a professional quality footballer, but someone of his lack of fitness and pace shouldn't be starting for a team with the aspirations of Tottenham Hotspur. If either Tom Huddlestone or Jermaine Jenas starts our opening match, I will be a very frustrated fan.
Before this blog gets all negative nancy, Michael Dawson's play yesterday was very good. Dawson started his Spurs career as a very inconsistent player, but those days appear to be behind him as he progressively morphs into a central defender of enough quality that he can start on a team contending for Europe in the Premier League. With Woodgate apparently out and King's irreversible health issues, it's unclear who will partner him in most matches (Walker? Corluka moved inside? A new signing?), but at least we know we have one consistent, healthy central defender.
On Saturday, Spurs close out their preseason campaign by hosting Fiorentina. I'll have a piece up tomorrow about what I want to see from the team in that game.
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