Gallas, again
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 10:31PM I'll get straight to the point (rather than cryptically dance around it to incite discussion).
Spurs fans are split down the middle on this one. You've got half of us saying he's a bad apple and the rest believing that he's exactly what we need (as far as his player qualities are concerned). But then there's debate about just how good he actually is and how far experience can carry him. Also spoken to some gooners today (who hasn't), who are in complete disagreement with the 'he's poison' line and others who suggest he will be rosey for the honeymoon period, then turn into an utter **** and end up isolating himself from the rest of the squad because of his demands and his conquering personality and lust for authority and control.
Wenger talking him up I see today also, not that I believe what he has to say without some scepticism, but he reckons Gallas alleged negative attitude is exaggerated.
Then I remember how he said he'd score an own goal for Chelsea to get away from the club and shrug despondently.
If we get Gallas the leader, barking orders and displaying composure at the back and intent going forward - then we'll be applauding the master-stroke of a free transfer. He will bring vast experience, a winning mentality, a **** mentality which we lack in abundance and the type of assurance at the back we need to allow us to sleep better at night (Dawson by the way, isn't suddenly shit because of one lacklustre England performance and his slow-mo no-go movements away to Young Boys - but there is that scratching of the head and chin when debating whether Daws only works best with a King by his side. I'm just not happy at this juncture to write off his form from last year as some type of fluke).
If we get some of the more repugnant traces of his (Gallas) personality, I hope poison is easier to rid from our system than a dodgy lasagne was.
Gallas is paradoxical. You can see that with the way we all appear to be in disagreement with each other.
So - there's only one thing to do. Back him in Lilywhite.
Until of course, it (if it) goes to shit. Then some of the vocal ones amongst you can say 'I told you so'.
Reader Comments (71)
Grim Down South
I agree. A better finisher that Tuncay would have embarassed us today.
spooky
not sure the marseille deal has been done yet
Seems to have gone cold since monday unless i've missed something.
Funny moment in our match bale flatted on the touchline (ok thats not funny) but then the stoke players try and pull him over the line...jenas pull hi legs back into playing area. Hilarious!!
not at all happy with our defence today. Tuncay should have had a hattrick by now.
christ
ball was over the line
Harry sort this defence out for wed please
actually maybe it wasn't
1. Whew! Lucky, very lucky. That ball was over the line.
2. 3 points, however we got them, given the injuries, has to be considered a very good result
3. Jenas played very well second half. Can't fault his effort and what where he needed to be, so good for him.
That was one of the best performances under Redknapp.
We had every excuse going to bottle it but we stuck to our jobs and won the game.
Not seen a Spurs side battle like that for years.
This Stoke team is a disgrace as well as was this fucking ref. What they are allowed to play is no football. Nothing but beating on opposite players legs, dirty smacking, battering, showing, holding, wrestling. This mockery should never be permitted in the PL.
Kudos to every single lillywhite player for not giving up and run scared, but for enduring till the end. Crouchy totally neutralized Dulap’s one dimensional strength; it shows how terribly he was missed last year at WHL against those clowns. Jenas and Kaboul did very well, and it showed the reason they are here and that you can count on them when shit hits the fan. There is no way that a Spurs team of three years ago would put up such fight and come out on top. For that, all praises to Harry.
Schedule is becoming loaded with games, and some players need relief to recuperate. Kaboul for Bassong was a masterstroke, and Gallas could soon give Daws a breather, without sacrificing strength and quality.
As for the equalizing “goal”, it is good to see for once that some 50-50 decision end up going our way.
Decent summary there Beetle, although we could also argue we sat back too often in the second half and let them came at us. I'll say this about their 'goal' - fuck'em. Karma for all the shit Shawcross was getting away with. I do get sides with less quality need to 'battle' hard, but fucking hell, their tactics were disgusting.
Fucking hell! 2 positive Jenas posts in one blog.
Not sure if theirs was a goal or not but as we always suspected, the BIG 4 get all the decisions in their favour!
thanks for the clarification tomtraubert!
not sure about fabiano's status spooky
you're starting to mellow spooky...
David, my thought exactly! Ahhh, the joys and bennies of being part of the SkyFour. Happy for the points, but feeling a bit dirty....
take a shower, ziege :) fuck those Stoke's lumberjacks.
Yeah, Gallas has a reputation for having caused dressing room upset. What I haven't heard voiced anywhere is that maybe, just maybe he has had a point in some of these bust-ups.
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't last long in a dressing room with pricks like RVP, Bendtner, Cashley, Terry and all the other scumbags he's had to endure at Le Arse and Cheatski without getting in a fight with someone. As for on the French team, I obviously disagree with the way the players voiced their concerns (Gallas was far from the most vocal of dissenters), but the coaching team and fottabll assosiation were not above reproach. He who writes history, controls it. The French FA slap suspensions on the players, so it must have been all their fault.
"fottabll assosiation".... nice...
Best save ever from Crouch. No hands too! Taking the piss out of Stoke's shit strikers. 'Hey, I'm not even a keeper and I can save your crappy shots.'. That play was just as good as Bale's. Well done Peter. Defence all over the shop, but that's what Stoke do to teams when they get it in the air. Dirty fuckers though, all over Gomes. We got out of jail, but that's what good teams do. They get results, dammit. I needed that big time. Fuck me, a Spurs team you can actually rely on to get a win. What's with that?!?! One thing is beyond doubt, this team responds to the manager. And as for Jenas, I'll say this - Harry, just fix him. Think it much more suits him playing in a 3 man midfield, he even looked better than Palacious. Interested to know how those actually at the game saw him play rather than on Football First.
Also, delighted to see Lennon and Bale really step up and take responsibility in the abscence of the strikers. Goes to show that the 4-5-1 is something we must try more often. Giving Bale and Lennon more freedom is essential. They are both arguably better than any of our strikers. Like many things with Harry, he's stumbled on it by accident rather than design, but who really cares. The point is it could be a blessing in disguise that so many forwards were out. Gave us a chance to unleash the Gazza/Azza apocalypse. A new striker who can play up there by himself now becomes even more essential, and Keane even more redundant.
What a load of cack!! If that ball was over the line...the press would have rammed photos of said goal down our throats this morning.... Match of the Day - likewise.....but no....all we have is a photo of Crouch and a ball......... Oh and yes - four Stoke players celebrating......... but hold on there were four Stoke players, moments after Bales first goal, all stood with their arms up in the air, whilst looking, open mouthed at the Referee! Were they all wanting to ask a question? or were they all hoping that Bales nose was so long that it could be counted as an arm?
COYS
Spot on post there chrisman totally agree. I've a (horrible?) feeling that robbie's gonna stay though and pav might be the scapegoat.
The gazza/azza apocalypse - class
Anyway well done the lads. Roll on Wednesday.
BIOYC
Hmm actually pav might be ok as he'll be cuptied if we qualify. Don't think if he's gonna be sold he'll stay in England.