Tottenham Thread

[carmine]

Off the back of that dismal display were going into City and Arsenal away without Parker or Sandro holding in midfield and no Dembele. I have a feeling those two fixtures could be quite unpleasant.

Maybe now AVB will make some changes.

I'm hoping Dembele will be back next week! What is the news on that?

Absolutely no chance whatsoever for either i'm afraid mate! Kaboul Parker and Dembele's absense is really hurting us now.

As did Sandro's yesterday. Very worrying indeed that is carms....Huddlestone and maybe the young lad Carroll?

Frightening....!

If Sandro's out he'll play Huddlestone alongside Livermore. You can't go to Etihad or the Library without a defensive mid.

Right now, if he was fit i'd play(but i don't think he is) i'd put BAE at lb and switch Vertoghen to center back with Caulker. I don't want to talk about the done to death keeper matter only to say its gotten to be a brainer now.

Oh and <deleted> play Adebayor so atleast we have a target man that can hold the ball up!!!!!

Edited November 4, 2012 by carmine

[smokie36]

I thought Livermore was injured as well??

Agree Billy should be put out to pasture.

[carmine]

I thought Livermore was injured as well??

Agree Billy should be put out to pasture.

Not longterm though is it? Thought it was just a knock...

[rijit]

Agree with vb 'bad day at work' I think was what he said , cant argue with him on the best team won either

Could have been a lot worse had freda not pulled off 2 great one on one save's in the first half, and that's 2 game winning goals in 2 games that when it looks likely we're having to defend our goal area our bac line doesn't automatically go bac and cover cover the line,like wigan did 4 the caulker goal line clearance, <deleted>????. 2 games a week with our injury list is not doing us any favors atm, and with our selection issues the next couple of games are going 2 be tough indeed. Still in 5th but that seems kind and looking at the season so far barring the man utd result we've really struggled against any team that,arguably, has any hope of finishing in the top half.

Edited November 4, 2012 by rijit

[alfieconn]

So your saying change the system to suit one player.

Part of the problem is that we havnt got enough quality players to break teams down and thats why our away record is better.

To suit two players, Ade & Defoe for home games, especially when playing the lower teams like Wigan,

we beat them 9-1 with Defoe scoring 5 in a 442 formation not so long ago.

Bale & Lennon have more than enough quality to break any team down on any pitch home & away.

To be fair Sots, times have changed, you can no longer afford to have a fox in the box whos only contribution might be to score a goal, look at all the other mobile forwards around, Tevez, Aguero,Suarez, Van Persie, Rooney, all get involved in the general play and i'm pretty sure that if you check there passes stats they will read a lot more than 8 passes !!!

I'm actually astonished that in this day and age a player can have such a low passing rate !

Footnote ; just checked van persie 'stats for yesterday 30 passes

Edited November 4, 2012 by alfieconn

[carmine]

Agree with vb 'bad day at work' I think was what he said , cant argue with him on the best team won either

Could have been a lot worse had freda not pulled off 2 great one on one save's in the first half, and that's 2 game winning goals in 2 games that when it looks likely we're having to defend our goal area our bac line doesn't automatically go bac and cover cover the line,like wigan did 4 the caulker goal line clearance, <deleted>????. 2 games a week with our injury list is not doing us any favors atm, and with our selection issues the next couple of games are going 2 be tough indeed. Still in 5th but that seems kind and looking at the season so far barring the man utd result we've really struggled against any team that,arguably, has any hope of finishing in the top half.

Lets be a little bit more realistic about Friedals day! The seacond one to one was a great save. The first was hit at him and as the commentator said, any keeper would have been expected to save it. It was neither great or game winning. You also also the "flap away" that led to the goal and you seem to be the only one who hasn't acknowledges his error, least in the papers i've read anyway. This is strange indeed since you are so hyper critical of Lloris.

Time for change whether you like it or not i'm afraid. We can't have a keeper of his calibre looking so pissed off either.

[smokie36]

It was poor goalkeeping that....make no mistake.

[sotsira]

Some good news is that Sandro was taken off yesterday as a precaution due to

his request after feeling his calf muscle tightening.

So hopefully he'll be back next week or in the near future.

http://www.london24.com/sport/tottenham/andre_villas_boas_explains_why_he_took_sandro_off_against_wigan_1_1680755

[JacknDanny]

Just watched AVB's post match interview, his verdict, "bad day at the office"

What about all the other home games this season? were they all bad days at the office?

Even the two home games we managed to win QPR & Aston Villa, were far from convincing!

Sorry, but i'm beginning to think that the players are not playing for him or he's formation is

totally wrong for home games, two defensive midfielders and only one striker for a home game?

We go a goal down and a minute later he takes off Defoe, our main striker <deleted>!

GO FOUR FOUR TWO! <deleted>.

P.S. (I still think he won't make it to the end of the season)

Hope i'm wrong.

While i appreiciate that Defoe might nick a goal you sometimes have to look at his overall contribution in a game,

Passes : 8 5 successfull

Shots : 0

Dribbles : 0

Interception : 1

Got to say I agree about Defoe.

One of the Fantasy games I play gives players plus points for things like shots on goals/corners won/fouls won/ passes in final 3rd/goals scored etc

An acceptable tally is 45-50 points. Over 55-60 is considered above average.

Here are Spurs tallys from yesterday

Gareth Bale 53

Jan Vertonghen

49

Kyle Walker

48

Tom Huddlestone

44

Aaron Lennon

42

William Gallas

40

Steven Caulker

39

Gylfi Sigurdsson Sub

31

Sandro

27

Clint Dempsey

24

Jermain Defoe

22

Brad Friedel

18

Thomas Carroll Sub

11

Defoe was the lowest scoring outfield player!!

Edited November 4, 2012 by JacknDanny

[smokie36]

One plus point is that Huddlestone is improving, albeit slowly.

[sotsira]

JacknDanny,

Defoe is also our top goalscorer and our most likely player to score a goal when your trailing

0-1 to Wigan at home.

He's not a playmaker or tackler or anything else that scores points in your fantasy football game

he's a goalscorer, period.

So taking him off when you need to score a goal is the worst decision to make!

He should have been partnered with Ade, and Dempsey subbed.

[smokie36]

JacknDanny,

Defoe is also our top goalscorer and our most likely player to score a goal when your trailing

0-1 to Wigan at home.

He's not a playmaker or tackler or anything else that scores points in your fantasy football game

he's a goalscorer, period.

So taking him off when you need to score a goal is the worst decision to make!

He should have been partnered with Ade, and Dempsey subbed.

I agree.

Also you can't make defensive and conservative substitutions at the Lane when 1-0 down against anyone. Its just not how we expect our football to be played.

AVB needs to remember where he is....this aint the library!!

[mrbojangles]

Off the back of that dismal display were going into City and Arsenal away without Parker or Sandro holding in midfield and no Dembele. I have a feeling those two fixtures could be quite unpleasant.

Now is certainly the best time to play our lot Carms. We really aren't playing well at the mo.

[smokie36]

Off the back of that dismal display were going into City and Arsenal away without Parker or Sandro holding in midfield and no Dembele. I have a feeling those two fixtures could be quite unpleasant.

Now is certainly the best time to play our lot Carms. We really aren't playing well at the mo.

You didn't see our game yesterday then.

[JacknDanny]

JacknDanny,

Defoe is also our top goalscorer and our most likely player to score a goal when your trailing

0-1 to Wigan at home.

He's not a playmaker or tackler or anything else that scores points in your fantasy football game

he's a goalscorer, period.

So taking him off when you need to score a goal is the worst decision to make!

He should have been partnered with Ade, and Dempsey subbed.

The point being made was that he did naff all in the game!!.

The modern game has changed... there is no such thing as being just a goalscorer.

Compare the points scored by Premier Leagues other 'goalscorers yesterday

Tevez 62... Dzeko and Balotelli (who had quiet games) 41 apiece

Giroud 40

Berbatov 49

Jelavic 36

Holt 37

Crouch 36

Fletcher 28

Benteke 44

Torres 39

Michu 38

Kone 42

Carroll 28

DEFOE 22

Thats the reason yer man was pulled off!

[uptheos]

True, Defoe's contribution was minimal.......but, he's always as likely to get a goal out of nothing. That being the case, I think it was a very poor decision to take him off when 0-1 down to a team like Wigan. If anything, you have to 'beef up' the attack and go at them, I didn't see a great chance of going 0-2 down by bringing on another forward. Maybe AVB needs to leave his notebook and psychology books at home and realise that Wigan will never be are not Man U?

Edited November 4, 2012 by uptheos

[rijit]

Yeah freda 'flapped' at a cross and clawed the ball away according to the guardian 8 yards away!!!! unfortunately yet again our defense wasn't on their toe's and yet again an opponent got to the ball first , admittedly it could be argued it wasn't the greatest of keeping, but equally a goalkeeper clawing a ball 8 yards away gives the defense more than enough time to watch and clear, so it could be argued a mistake by the defense but worthy of Freda being dropped for?, dont think so. Any way that's down to vb. And for me any one on one is difficult and when a goalkeeper wins the duel its a plus and should receive plaudits, and 'ball near him!!! w t f !!!!! surely any save the keeper makes, the ball has 2 be somewhere near them, else thy wont get it!!!!

As for the defoe argument MOD came up with an interesting stat Defoe has/had the most shots on target of any prem player!!! him or Dempsey? for me defoe should have stayed, in fact imo,Dempsey should have stayed and taken walker? off, and gone 3 at the bac and gone 4 the jugular as smokes and up the o's pointed out it's wigan at the lane not utd at the library!!!.

Edited November 4, 2012 by rijit

[smokie36]

Yeah freda 'flapped' at a cross and clawed the ball away according to the guardian 8 yards away!!!! unfortunately yet again our defense wasn't on their toe's and yet again an opponent got to the ball first to it, admittedly it could be argued it wasn't the greatest of keeping, but equally a goalkeeper clawing a ball 8 yards away gives the defense more than enough time to watch and clear, so it could be argued a mistake by the defense but worthy of Freda being dropped for?, dont think so. Any way that's down to vb. And for me any one on one is difficult and when a goalkeeper wins the duel its a plus and should receive plaudits, and 'ball near him!!! w t f !!!!! what sort of desperate argument against a keeper is that!!!!, any save the made, the ball has 2 be near somewhere them, else thy wont get it!!!! As for the defoe argument MOD came up with an interesting stat Defoe has/had the most shots on target of any of prem player, him or Dempsey? for me defoe should have stayed, in fact imo,Dempsey should have stayed and taken walker? off, and gone 3 at the bac and gone 4 the jugular as smokes says it's wigan at the lane not utd at the library!!!.

Agree with most of it rij....but Lloris might have sorted his defence better and been quicker off the line. Just musing and offering you something to bite on...!

[MrRed]

Yeah freda 'flapped' at a cross and clawed the ball away according to the guardian 8 yards away!!!! unfortunately yet again our defense wasn't on their toe's and yet again an opponent got to the ball first , admittedly it could be argued it wasn't the greatest of keeping, but equally a goalkeeper clawing a ball 8 yards away gives the defense more than enough time to watch and clear, so it could be argued a mistake by the defense but worthy of Freda being dropped for?, dont think so. Any way that's down to vb. And for me any one on one is difficult and when a goalkeeper wins the duel its a plus and should receive plaudits, and 'ball near him!!! w t f !!!!! surely any save the keeper makes, the ball has 2 be somewhere near them, else thy wont get it!!!!

As for the defoe argument MOD came up with an interesting stat Defoe has/had the most shots on target of any prem player!!! him or Dempsey? for me defoe should have stayed, in fact imo,Dempsey should have stayed and taken walker? off, and gone 3 at the bac and gone 4 the jugular as smokes and up the o's pointed out it's wigan at the lane not utd at the library!!!.

[rijit]

Yeah freda 'flapped' at a cross and clawed the ball away according to the guardian 8 yards away!!!! unfortunately yet again our defense wasn't on their toe's and yet again an opponent got to the ball first to it, admittedly it could be argued it wasn't the greatest of keeping, but equally a goalkeeper clawing a ball 8 yards away gives the defense more than enough time to watch and clear, so it could be argued a mistake by the defense but worthy of Freda being dropped for?, dont think so. Any way that's down to vb. And for me any one on one is difficult and when a goalkeeper wins the duel its a plus and should receive plaudits, and 'ball near him!!! w t f !!!!! what sort of desperate argument against a keeper is that!!!!, any save the made, the ball has 2 be near somewhere them, else thy wont get it!!!! As for the defoe argument MOD came up with an interesting stat Defoe has/had the most shots on target of any of prem player, him or Dempsey? for me defoe should have stayed, in fact imo,Dempsey should have stayed and taken walker? off, and gone 3 at the bac and gone 4 the jugular as smokes says it's wigan at the lane not utd at the library!!!.

Agree with most of it rij....but Lloris might have sorted his defence better and been quicker off the line. Just musing and offering you something to bite on...!

Maybe smokes, maybe not It's a tough one 4 sure, perhaps another perspective could well hinge around strategy 4 vb, solid up to start try not 2 rock the, relatively, successful boat and gradually change things, but were injury hit and currently 3 wins away from the relegation zone, a hugely dark view on things, but given vb's supposed attention to detail probably not gone unnoticed certainly not if you've been, arguably prematurely, certainly unceremoniousnesly sacked as vb was by the chavs, as you said b4 bringing Hugo in and him making a few gaff's, and maybe dropping a few points, in the long term aint a great deal, but remembering what happened to him at the chavs , IF YOU WERE IN HIS POSITION would you want to think long term and take a chance?, maybe drop down the table, give the media another chance to crucify him and 4 sure they would HONESTLY me thinks probably not, just a thought for you to reflect on

[rijit]

Yeah freda 'flapped' at a cross and clawed the ball away according to the guardian 8 yards away!!!! unfortunately yet again our defense wasn't on their toe's and yet again an opponent got to the ball first , admittedly it could be argued it wasn't the greatest of keeping, but equally a goalkeeper clawing a ball 8 yards away gives the defense more than enough time to watch and clear, so it could be argued a mistake by the defense but worthy of Freda being dropped for?, dont think so. Any way that's down to vb. And for me any one on one is difficult and when a goalkeeper wins the duel its a plus and should receive plaudits, and 'ball near him!!! w t f !!!!! surely any save the keeper makes, the ball has 2 be somewhere near them, else thy wont get it!!!!

As for the defoe argument MOD came up with an interesting stat Defoe has/had the most shots on target of any prem player!!! him or Dempsey? for me defoe should have stayed, in fact imo,Dempsey should have stayed and taken walker? off, and gone 3 at the bac and gone 4 the jugular as smokes and up the o's pointed out it's wigan at the lane not utd at the library!!!.

The boring boy returns with yet another astute observation!!!! , tell me red your little footnote '19 soon to be 20', I assume that it refers to your IQ? or maybe its referring to the millions of £'s in interest your paying each month accumulated by your owners when they were buying you

[MrRed]

Correct

It is my IQ

[mrbojangles]

Stop exaggerating Red.

[smokie36]

Stop exaggerating Red.

[rijit]

Correct

It is my IQ

That's a relief. I hate to think of such a huge institution f====cing up so badly!!!!!

[carmine]

JacknDanny,

Defoe is also our top goalscorer and our most likely player to score a goal when your trailing

0-1 to Wigan at home.

He's not a playmaker or tackler or anything else that scores points in your fantasy football game

he's a goalscorer, period.

So taking him off when you need to score a goal is the worst decision to make!

He should have been partnered with Ade, and Dempsey subbed.

I agree.

Also you can't make defensive and conservative substitutions at the Lane when 1-0 down against anyone. Its just not how we expect our football to be played.

AVB needs to remember where he is....this aint the library!!

No its not yet the Library but its become a f*cking disgrace in recent weeks and the atmosphere was dreadful. I was cembarrassed by the booing. Shocked infact as i have been sadly on more than the odd accasion this season. If i was back in England now i'd just stick to traveling to all the away games where our loyal core support remains. yes we all know it was a dreadful display but to boo and jeer off your own side?!

You smokes, i can live fine with being below Arsenal at the end of the season if our ground retains its atmosphere and love for the footballing culture that Nicholson built. I don't care about Chelski and City buying silverware and in doing so eroding the true meaning of competion in the game. But its this new breed of monied football fan that i detest and is slowly driving the reall old school support away from the game and as sad as it is to say White Hart Lane has become a bolt on example.

How long do those fair weather Sky sports "fans" think the likes of Bale, Lloris, Vertoghen, to name but three, are going to want to stick around in that toxic <deleted> atmosphere?

Andre Villas-Boas is the youngest manager in the league with great potential. Ne needs our support not boos and at this rate those so called "fans" are going to get exactly what they deserve; a manager sacked and a mid table team.

I have been going to and wathching Spurs for many years and been subjected to some aweful displays by piss poor Spurs sides but i never did and never thought i would hear this sort of behaviour towards our team.

[carmine]

I've been reading the whole Defoe debate. fact is, the stats cdon't lie. he's selfish, can't hold the ball up. can't pass just a head down and whack. He also needs far too many chances. He doesn't not in any way suit a 4-2-3-1 set up and it was correct to bring on Adebayor who incidentally should have started anyway. He holds the ball up so well and the set up is the right one for us. I don't want us going back to a 4-4-2

Woobly chops was consistently guilty of upsetting the team balance to accomodate his chosen ones and it doesn't work.

people have to understand that performance was not just about one substitution. There was no intensity and no atmosphere. I was concerned after only ten minutes. the players looked like they were taking the game for granted and the ground was the quietest i've ever known it.

The performance, if not necessarily the result of the next two league games should define our season so its about time the team showed some gonads and the fans get behind them

[smokie36]

I agree regarding the boos carmine. The fans should direct their anger towards the chairman rather than our new manager who has so far done a pretty fair job in view of the injuries we have had.

There's not been a steady team playing week in week out and he was not given the personnel he needed either.

That said he has handled the keeper issue badly in my view but its not something the fans should be attacking him for.

Yes mate I was shocked by the silence....especially in the second half....albeit barring a certain section of the support and we know who was getting behind the team at that point....

[carmine]

I agree regarding the boos carmine. The fans should direct their anger towards the chairman rather than our new manager who has so far done a pretty fair job in view of the injuries we have had.

There's not been a steady team playing week in week out and he was not given the personnel he needed either.

That said he has handled the keeper issue badly in my view but its not something the fans should be attacking him for.

Yes mate I was shocked by the silence....especially in the second half....albeit barring a certain section of the support and we know who was getting behind the team at that point....

Well heres one for you arei think theres a few on this forum that might be surprised too...except the missing Abrak ofcourse!

Over the past five years Spurs are 14th in the premier league for net spend. This is the real important figure in transfer dealings. In short, Levy is letting us down and i have to say J&D has been making a better point than i thought he was.

We mucked about and messed up the Moutinho which was disastrous and should never been allowed to happen and theres nothing to suggest that he even went for anothjer striker. I also have to remind myself we messed up buying Damiao 18 months ago. Its piss poor and its high time he backed our manager properly and spent some of the profits.

Don't even get me started on the atmosphere and reaction of elements of the crowd...i'm still seething about that

[MrRed]

I told you a few months ago that Levy wants to be the manager.