Observations
Monday, October 4, 2010 at 10:00PM Some observations and statto type stuff. Not that they need highlighting, but in case you've just woken up from a coma, read on. What with the fabled International Break now upon us, many will want to avoid slipping into a coma so best to keep talking about Spurs. No chance of boredom what with all the various arcs and sub-plots doing the rounds over in N17.
Goals Conceded, Goals Scored
Only Chelsea and City have conceded less goals in the league than us. But the former has scored almost double the amount we have. Sort of great, sort of not. Make-shift defence currently getting away with it or doing a sterling job. Depends on how deep you analysis from one game to the next. Down to bare bones, yet we keep plugging away. As for our forwards and lack of goals...
One Goal
Seven Prem games in and the collective force of Defoe, Crouch, dos Santos, Roman and Keane have given us the one, single goal between them. If forwards are not scoring, then you have to look at their all round play to justify their inclusion. JD is injured. So that leaves just Crouch who does assist, at the very least. And he's good with his feet too, apparently. You know, for a tall bloke.
One Point
One point gained against Wigan, WBA and West Ham. And yet we find ourselves in the top 5. Man Utd haven't won away from home yet and are third. Either the league is very average or super competitive. The only thing we should be gutted about is that we are just as slow out of the blocks, stuttering away, much like 99% of the league.
What if...oh what if, we had hit the ground running and changed up a gear earlier in the season? This old season of seven games of age.
At the minute, even Chelsea who have stormed ahead, don't look out of this world amazing. They don't have to be. Man Utd, are looking mid-table. How's that for controversy. Fergie will have to sign 3/4 of our players in Jan to juice up his side again. Batten down the hatches, Daniel.
So, with us and 4th spot, it's going to be about who starts to pull away from their competition, and thus applying the pressure on the chasing pack. The alternative is, this stop-start we've got in the Prem at the moment which everyone seems to be embracing, continues, which will mean this season might well be the most open ever. More so than last season. Can you handle that? I'm still holding out with my prediction that we'll finish about City and we'll finish in the Top 4. Again. There is something eerie about the Prem this season.
England squad
Crouch is joined by Huddlestone and Lennon. May the Gods have mercy on us this time round. We're a big club now, right? Can they not all pull out due to slight knocks?
Reader Comments (27)
COYS!
Great to watch, but have to be more cynical and clinical in the striker dept. Imagine a Drogba with our service from the middle.....drool
We've had a patchy start, had injuries to our best keeper, centre-back (Daws, player of the year innit), midfielder and striker. Plenty of other injuries, out of form players, plus the distraction of CL football. We are playing Hudd, our captain (wtf?) at CB. Where are we?
3pts off 2nd
Daws and Defoe on the mend, a plethora of defenders due back, Gomes at his crazy best, Modric and Hudd about to be reunited in CM, Lenny looking lively again, Pav happy and the icing on the cake, the truly wonderful Rafael Van der Vaart. Oh, and a lovely double-header against the European champions. Great times
Don't know about you guys, but I'd rather have a patchy start, with ability to greatly improve OVER coming straight out of the blocks and bound to slow down. Deep squad, Jenas, Hutton showing revivals to strengthen squad. Defoe, Dawson to come back. Plus - currently in good position to qualify from CL group. .... Bliss
Agreed Tony. To pick up points playing not that great, its a good sign. As long as we turn the corner in the next month. Can't be leaving it too long.
Be happy to see our England boys come back uninjured, Can't say the same about citys, think we may have just turned the corner, just gotta reclaim last seasons swagger! Coys
tony & harvey, somehow you both missed out Bale :S
provided we do, of course, turn the corner....just kidding, optimism remains
N17ment, Bale is a constant, like the speed of light. I was referring to players we haven't had due to form or injury
This season would have been great if we had a manager that had just a little nous and a chairman who didn't let us down when it really mattered.
A new top four is imminent and it won't include us.
With the opening fixtures we had, I really expected us to be top of the league by now, but we still too often play against lower ranked temas as if the pitch was fulll of bannana skins.
For me, the best thing so far this season has been our midfield, and with what VDV has shown so far, I now think that Joe Cole was a bullet that luckily missed us. Would we have signed VDV if we had got Cole?
The injury situation has made things very difficult. Having 5 central defenders out [King, Woodgate, Kaboul, Dawson, Gallas] isn't the easiest to deal with for any squad. Our player of the year, highest goal scorer, and our #1 keeper all missed substantial time. Nevermind several other niggles [Modric, Crouch]. Frustrating to get only 1pt against Wigan, West Brom and West Ham. Would of/could of can make you crazy but 7 games in we're 5th in the table even on points with 4th and 6th. The lack of a Carling Cup run is actually a blessing. My goals for the squad this year are: 1. Finish top 4 again. 2. Progress through group stage of Champions League. 3. Seriously contend for FA Cup
You'd have to say, we're in a good place to do that. Dawson and Defoe's return will feel like new signings. We're still figuring ourselves out but I have enormous confidence in the talent of the squad to improve once the same XI play together a few times and the side can be settled.
Hard to blame Gio for not scoring as a forward since he has yet to play in that position yet this EPL season. Kind of wonder how he might link up with VdV in the hole behind him. Just seems funny we have the runner-up Young Player of 2010 WC and don't give him a shot in his usual position.
I think Gio should be out on loan but he should be playing for a premiership club not championship. We know he can play down there. I think they couldn't get him out on loan because VdV was brought in so late. What the hell are we going to do with Robbie Keane and David Bentley? They make a combined 120k a week and aren't anywhere near 1st team.
Mikey & Tim;
Your concern about mentioned players' lack of playing time (including Charlie and Kranjcar) is legit. However, imho, their idling will end soon because of the schedule ahead, where there is no way Harry could sustain it without players’ rotation. Also, how things are going in EPL this year, unfortunately, there will be more injuries to our midfielders and strikers, and having such strong bench will be advantageous for us.
There is something very special for me in winning the FA cup. Historically, this is one competition where Spurs emerges to come alive & show that they can play, whether they meet the lesser or the top sides.
considering the champions league and injuries we are in a good postion and staying with the pack......
the squad can only get better with dealing with this season.....
harry may have made a slight tactical mistake in europe away but hes wants success
no doubt there
AllGobNoIdeaHarry .........
your comment on levy and redknapp is unfair and incorrect.........
levy getting vaart at the price of 8 mill was incredible
and redknapp has the club on a higher footing than has been for years......
he konws a top four is still next years champions league
this is only year two!!
and the club is still moving in the right direction
AllGobNoIdeaHarry - people criticised Harry & Levy in January, yet they were proved wrong when Spurs got 4th. Let's face it, without those 2 we would be the same old Spurs. Show a little appreciation please. No one is perfect, and you must take the rough with the smooth - but look at the whole picture.
N17ment - yes. Wot Harvey sed.....
TonyTott,
I appreciate what Redknapp has done with limited tactical knowledge - it was quite an achievement. Levy also has been fantastic for the club at times - bagging VdV in the 12th hour appeased all the fans who don't have a clue, but this season wasn't the time to fanny around. There's no real point in debating their (Levy and Redknapp's) worth till the season is over, but with at least one half decent striker, the club would be in a much, much better position to play CL football next season. Crouch, Keane and Pav are so average it pains me.
sell kranjar for 8mill to Liverpool, or any , who wants him, and buy
another superstar, in Van der art class.
to compeed on the highest level, we need a worldclass striker,
and get our defence sorted out, and ready.
Imagine, to change Kranjar for Van der Art, well done Mr. Levy, more of
these deals we could use.
Liverpool? Why would he want to commit career suicide?
World class striker would also cost £15M - £20M which is why we are stuck where we are.
Finish about City ? Small typo i suppose , sorry for being a **** and pointing it out.
"And he's good with his feet too, apparently. You know, for a tall bloke."
So Says his Mother!
AllGobNoIdeaHarry
Now. I'm not usually a Harry Redknapp supporter but... I feel you're being a little too hash.
He's not the genius that most English based supporters make him out to be and his persistence with mediocre strikers threatens to end me at times. But honestly...he has done his bit.
I've always wanted Spurs to be in the CL, because we deserve to be there, and because I thought it would mark the beginning of a new phase for the club. I strongly believed that CL would mean the end of Jenas, Crouch, Keane and other rubbish and was more desappointed than anyone when the window slammed shut and Jenas was still smiling and practicing his zidane walk on the inside. I felt gutted to win the game vs. Young Boys via the shameful hoof-to-the-tall-guy tactic. And just like I never believed Bale was poor when Redknapp stuck him permanently on the bench, I have no belief whatsoever that GDS can not play for us while the likes of Keane still get playing time.
But still. Redknapp has done his bit and deserves his due respect.
The long term layoff of Jenas and Keane's demand to leave for Celtic secures the Top4 spot for us - because if they were arround they would have played at the expense of Kranjcar and Pav and we would have finished 8th. All we need is a bit of similar 'luck' to aid ol'Redknapp again. (Crouch this time) and all will be well.
Cheer up. Inter Milan vs. Tottenham Hotspur is almost coming up :)
I agree with much of the above comment, but this:
"He's not the genius that most English based supporters make him out to be and his persistence with mediocre strikers threatens to end me at times."
Is not accurate imo. Harry has persisted with the strikers we have. Do you really think Harry wasn't trying for another striker? The Fabiano camp was just talking about the offer we made for the Brazlian and who knows what other offers we made. It's pretty clear that Harry would go for players but for Levy controlling the purse. Not getting the big name striker can't laid at Harry's doorstep
Harry mad at Modric?
see this:
http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Harry-Redknapp-gives-Luka-Modric-a-close-look-at?urn=sow-274525