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.
Monday, August 9, 2010
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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