Sideways Spurs need fantastic forward
Monday, January 24, 2011 at 1:20PM The one definitive observation from Saturday’s draw at St James Park was the one we always discuss in the aftermath of another ninety or so minutes of frustration. You know exactly what it is I’m referring to. Regardless of all the tippy tappy possession and the undoubted Barcelona brilliance of Modric (just call it Lukalona football) who you just have to stand back and applaud when remembering the slow but necessary process of his gradual but now explosive return to complete form.
Even if his performance at Newcastle was not full pelt thanks to the physicality of the opposition, pushed and barged throughout the game, but refusing to be bullied and was desperately unlucky what with the woodwork rudely getting in the way from a shot that deserved net.
So regardless of all that...we still don’t quite manage to make it count up top, we don't seem to create the clear cut chances that the build up play deserves, mainly because when the ball gets up top in and around the box, we are let down by either lack of composure, wrong decisions or poor ball/cross. So that vital bit of the build up is where it sort of falls flat.
Plenty of guilty touches shared by many. Lennon, on the left (having started off in his traditional right) got his foot stuck under the ball once or twice when a cross might have resulted in a goal. On the left, crossing with his weaker foot. Not going to work really.
There was a patch in the second half where we knocked on their door constantly. Well actually, we were practically kicking the door down even though we had the keys in our hand, however dropping said keys walking away from the door back towards the start of the driveway before running back and kicking the door...again. Never really breaking through it. There was an easier way.
PICK UP THE KEYS, PUT THE KEYS IN THE LOCK, UNLOCK THE DOOR. WALK IN.
Lennon did do quite well trying to get in via the window (that’s cutting in onto his strong(er) right foot and what with him being so small, perfect fit for it). Along with Modric, Azza was our best player on the day. Even with his final ball hiccups. His goal was deserved. For his effort and for our effort with not giving up. Even though we might look back in regret at some fundamental issues that aided Newcastle into the lead and for most of the game likely to hang on to it. I under-rated them post-match. Shame on me.
As for us - we made hard hard work of grabbing a point.
Their goal, awful really from our perspective. Hutton’s slow and slower footwork the first facepalming moment, Cudicini’s attempted save the second. The latter redeemed himself. The former is fortunate he’s decent going forward. His positioning remains awkward at the back, along with his lack of instinctive quick thinking defending with additional ball and player watching. Can we try Charlie again at RB again? Or Kaboul?
Before this, should have been 1 up at half time (JD miss) but 1-0 down in the second it was, and the day continued to run with the ominous theme of despair. What with BAE out injured, Bale in at LB from LW and then out early in the game with a back injury. And then 1-0 down and lacking punch.
Dawson, talismanic on his return bringing with him some clean sheets to replace the dirty old ones found himself hiding under the blankets avoiding the big scary hairy monsters. He got turned, badly on one occasion. I still love the big smiling lad to bits but a day to forget for the most part. Could have easily been 2-0 once or twice when we pushed forward only to be countered.
Jenas was like a goldfish swimming in shark infested waters. Talks a good talk does JJ. Talks. Pienaar didn’t look sharp or completely 100%. Did have one or two worthy moments of intent, but he’s come straight into the side so we can hardly start having a go. He did okay, we’ll expect better over time if he’s going to be more than just a squad player (which is what I think he is). Bassong did fine considering it’s the first time he’s slotted into LB this season.
Other mentions. Defoe should have had it just before the half time whistle, as mentioned. Buzzed about but his decision making sometimes has me eating my fist. I dislike the way he always seems to fall down after a poor first touch in front of the pen area. I know it was physical game, but it happens too often. van der Vaart? You sort of forgot he was playing at times, what with dropping back in deepest midfield to help out Luka and sort of getting stuck there. And please Rafa, stop allowing gravity to pull you down with such comparative ease.
Also found a lot of our play was down the middle, forever smacking into a cluster of Newcastle players. Lost the balance of width and as the game progressed (three at the back) we still seemed to get to their pen area and lose impact due to a loose ball or whatever. Ref was as messy as our final third effort.
When you cry out for Crouch (which is what five of us were doing as we watched the game on a plasma – the wonders of streaming from lap top to tv) you just knew the day was now totally engulfed in ominous-ness. When he came on we hardly managed to us his tallnessness. Lack of width, lack of crosses. But he did get his head onto a flick-on once or twice which is either deemed as constructive to bringing his team mates into the game or the only thing he does which is hardly reason to depend on him.
In the end, Lennon worked his swagger and from the jaws of defeat yadda yadda yadda. He made the right decision and finished splendidly. Two points dropped, no? Well actually probably not. Because that observation from the game once more illustrates that if you have no consistency up top you’re not going to produce consistent performances. This is not an issue with the 4411 formation. Well it is, I guess, because we’ve not got the player to compliment vdV and especially the magic of Modric. But I prefer this step up to a more traditional 442 as with the right players it will work better than say having JD and Crouch starting. Will being the operative word.
Our midfield has remained more or less the same and when Huddlestone returns we’ll be even stronger in terms of creativity. Pinged balls and disguised passes aplenty from Tommy.
But the forward conundrum continues to plod along.
Recent games, recent partnerships:
vs. Newcastle - Defoe/VDV
vs. Man Utd - Crouch/VDV
vs. Fulham - Pavlyuchenko/VDV
vs. Newcastle - Pavlyuchenko/VDV
vs. Aston Villa - Defoe/VDV
vs. Chelsea - Defoe/Pavlyuchenko
vs. Birmingham - Defoe/Crouch
(thanks to Mumorn, GG)
And the stats:
Crouch - 1 goal in 1315 minutes, or 1 goal per 14.6 games
Defoe - 0 goals in 548 minutes
Keane - 0 goals in 226 minutes
Pav - 5 goals in 801 minutes, or 1 goal per 1.8 games.
Our strikers - 6 goals in 2890 minutes, or one goal per 5.4 games.
6 goals in 23 Premier League games
Our Midfield - 21 goals in 9580 minutes, or 1 goal per 5 games.
21 goals in 23 Premier League games
(thanks to...not sure, if stats are not correct – let me know)
Now, take the team as is and stick a prime time Dorgba-esque player up top. Much like the Dutchman and Croatian galvanise our midfield, so will a top drawer centre-forward.
We don’t test the opposition keeper enough, when we do we don’t score enough from chances created. It’s almost there, the design, the workings. I know we struggled with the final ball but it’s all limp where it matters. None of the penetration deserving of some of our football.
Was a time when we were scoring goals for fun (circa Berba/Keane era). This team just needs that spark. Because the moment we click and we're clinical and ruthless, we’ll be dangerous. We’ll kill teams off and we would win games that ‘Top 3’ teams are expected to kill off. The reason we are once more thinking more about the 'battle for fourth' is because we are probably sort of better than last season but not massively improved to compete with the other sides who are churning out the results.
Final word:
Don’t fret at the Prem table. We got completely written off last season, countless times. We’ll still finish fourth. But it will go down to the final week(s) again.
Also, I have a question about our scouting system. I've discussed this a few times already this past weekend with Lilywhite supporting family and friends and it's something a number of you have probably scratched your heads about plenty of times. Why do we let it drag out, re: signing players? Is there no smart decent striker somewhere in world football we could pick up for a relatively good price or are we are about to enter the usual last gasp bid and win transfer bingo of deadline day? Do we not have people working on potential transfers in the months leading up to the opening of the window so we can just make bid on the first day - 100% it's the player we believe will better us?
Behind the scenes, we might well have two or three players that fit the bill. But you can't quite believe that's the case. Hope I'm wrong.
COYS.
Reader Comments (65)
Anyone care to admit we missed BAE?
Last rant of the day.
@Nayim et Mes
1) You cannot deny that in fact you agree with me. My point is that we need to be flexible enough to change our gameplan when something is not working. Some say we need Tom back. Others say we got unlucky. Well I say we make our own luck sometimes.
I will only point to the Arsenal game at the Emirates as an example. Maybe we got lucky, maybe they became complacent, but we changed our formation at half time to devasting effect.
So since teams have shut up shop against us, we need a plan B to overcome this. Otherwise if we continue to play the same way, as someone said, we should be grateful to reach 5th place. You only need to recall Philomena Neville and co stop Bale when they visited WHL. You dont need to be Man U to stop him.
So why dont we show flexibility when we need to? Why not rotate Corluka with Hutton sometimes for example?
2) For those promising youth mentioned, most of them are attacking midfielders or attackers and not defenders. But I digress. It's irrelevant their clubs are languishing or if they wouldnt make our first team. The second point is only your opinion. The first point let's wait and see, especially Villa.
Some of our better younger players could come in and offer a fresh perspective when things are not working. Again the idea is to be selective.
You say our youth dont cut it. I say all this negativity and (over-) eagerness to buy buy buy is what kills their chances. You never know until you try.
For example, why not try Townsend on the right and Lennon on the left since Bale is injured? Or try Rose on the left? Maybe not for the whole game but perhaps 10-15 minutes a game here and there. Eventually they would have played enough to show either they do make the grade or not. Fact is now none of them are given a chance.
3) Some say we should be grateful where we are now. I say there will not be a better chance than this season to consolidate our position as part of the top 4. But we are not taking the chance even due to foreseeable circumstances and things within our control. You say we have no divine right to win every game. Well I say if we win those we ought to win, and nick a few lucky wins in the process, then top 4 is not a worry. As things stand, we not only have to worry about Chelsea, but also Sunderland. And if someone below gets a good run going, then well who knows. Fact is we have done well but we could do so much better. We did the double over Villa and Fulham this season (which we couldnt last season). We beat Arsenal in their home patch. But we dropped points against Chelsea, Sunderland, West Brom and West Ham. If we had done the business against Newcastle at St James, then we would still have been back in it, especially with Man. City losing and our game in hand. Of course we could still do it in the end, but what a rollercoaster ride it would have been.
Anyway last rant of the day. Going home. Goodnight and god bless.
That was funny Peter Crouch but I still prefer you to Jermain Defoe. People are often critical when you play because we normally hoof the ball upfield hoping it will find you. Well, I was certainly happy when the ball found you in the dying minutes against Newcastle. Unfortunately, you can't help it if our manager still does not know his best team which is by far you and VDF up front. I know Defoe looks the part and you look a bit freaky but that's no reason to play JD up front with VDF. let's face it, he's never going to score with a header, he can't score penalties and only scores when it does not matter. For me, You and Super Pav, you and VDF and at last resort you and JD. Loved that header that clinched us the 4th spot last season against City and I would hate to see what you would be like on steroids.
i think that bae, and our other full backs are often given more stick than they deserve, the way the team plays requires them to constantly push up the pitch and be out of position defensively, making there defensive role harder than it could be. Though I must admit I have a personal issue with corluka, no defender should ever come out and say they don't like heading the ball.
Mr Singapore.
I think the point I'm making in general is that, even taking into consideration, our current 'plight' (5th in the prem & in the last 16 of the CL), is a million miles from the grim reality of most seasons past. It just seems that we've very quickly gotten too used to it and now sulk like children if we don't get a winner every week, Lionel Messi demanding a transfer to the Lane, free beer, no merchandise sales, cheap tickets and a £450m stadium exactly where WE want it.
To quote you, 'We dropped points against Chelsea'... A team we didn't beat for 20 years (if you were around through that fun-fest). It's either remarkable that we consider it dropped points or a sign of progress?! What next, we only got three past Milan?
For your other points, you can please some people some of the time and the rest of the people the rest of the time, but not all the people all of the time... Some want rotation, others say pick your best side and stick with it. Some say play the kids, others say what the hell were we thinking when it doesn't come off (Arsenal Carling Cup), some say change the plan, others say why was Harry constantly tinkering.
What is constant, is that the people who have got us in this position should be trusted and supported and we need to learn that in football, nobody gets it their own way all the time.
Any senior in age and reasonable thinking Spurs supporter knows from the facts that our team last decades didn't have the right scouting system and also until today we didn't have the right persons who knew what kind of players should we buy. That's why although Spurs were always among the top 20 spending teams last 20-30 years, it's the only team among them that hasn't won any competition title, domestic or international, during this period. There isn't a bigger proof of their failed policy concerning buying the right players than that. Another aspect of late years is that we don't acknowledge and subsequently cure our shortcomings in time. Serious teams detect and cure their shortcomings as soon as possible. According to the numbers all four teams above us have scored more goals than we and have conceded less than we did. Also according to those numbers we have the four worst scoring strikers of all the teams in any major football league of Europe. I agree although that the position VDV is playing it could consider also as that of a striker (officially he is an attacking midfielder). When are we going to substitute those 4 with better scoring strikers? Are we waiting until the difference with the other teams in the top five has become unbridgeable?
Great article Spooky.
Agree with Mes- Years of under achievement have tarnished our thinking. Suddenly we should be winning every week-
Simple fact is, our strikers are not converting chances, and recently we seem to be hitting the bar, scuffing it wide, or worse, missing sitters altogether!
The answer? New striker- not sure- who's to say that Rossi or Benzema would have guaranteed a win?
I think this year- if we win the FA cup, and qualify for CL for next season, it will have been a fantastic achievement-
As Spurs fans- there's always next year- and I firmly believe that if harry gets the striker he wants with the squad quality we have- who's to say where we could go.
I have never been more optimistic in years, and you never know- a ball goes in off Crouchy's arse to win the CL final against the Gooners.... bliss
And Jenas is shit most of the time... he's weak and we've carried his lackluste perforamnces for far too long, I would far rather he was loaned out than Kranjcar. He only delivers sparingly in the following scenario's: a) on occasion in Europe, b) when we're cruising and c) when we're being spanked and we've got nothing to lose... he is a luxury player that bottles it when we really need him to step up!
Diarra would be an ideal replacement.
Bored of the striker debate, we need at least 1 and have done since Berba left... those stats are bordering on the ridiculous now and still don't tell half the picture.
As long as those 2 positions (cm & cf) are sorted by the end of Jan, which I'm sure they will, I'll have complete faith in the squad, certainly good enough to get past Milan and definitely strong enough to go on and secure 4th place this season.
Agree with the article, especially the bit about VdV playing too deep. I'd been looking forward to seeing him play in the hole, playing little balls through to Defoe, not picking the ball up off our centre backs.
Only thing I disagree on is Hudd. Our results since he got injured have improved eg Christmas period.
As for pig-ignorant, sexist drivel from Leonardo and others about Karen Brady - who cares what she says as long as it stops our man Levy selling the heart & soul of this club for a few pieces of silver. This knee-jerk stuff (she's West Ham, therefore we hate her, Levy is Spurs, therefore we love him) is crap. When you're hanging around a windswept, concrete wilderness in East London you'll no doubt have a chuckle with your moronic mates about how at least we stopped 'the Spam' getting it (and never mind the fact that the Arse have got N. London to themselves...)
Thanks for your kind words Mike - I stand by everything I said about Karen Brady - revolting attention seeker who has spent the last few weeks slagging our chairman, manager and club off in the press.
For all his faults, I would choose Levy a million times over that bunch of Pikey jokers - and yes of course I hate West Ham.
And finally, I believe we are a better team with Hudd in than JJ or Wilson (at least on much of this season's form). Some of our recent results have been misleading (ie our unimpressive win over Fulham) whereas I'll never forget the games against Chelsea, Arsenal and City last spring.
Of course youre entitled to hold different opinions - no need to insult each other though!
Leonardo, I don't think you understood my point. The Stratford issue is now the BIGGEST issue facing the club. Nothing else matters. Failing to finish top 4, relegation, nothing would make me/has made me stop supporting my club. Except one thing - moving to Stratford. Yes, I've said it. And before you brand me some kind of lightweight armchair fan, I've supported Spurs and been to WHL every season since the days of Dave Mackay. I've already told my two sons I'm not taking them to East London. How can we get excited when we play W. Ham in the EAST London derby?! Or when we play the Arse in the NORTH versus EAST London derby?!! If you agree with me, then stop writing pointless spiteful rants about Karen Brady and start directing your anger at Levy and the board who will go down in history as being the ones who sold our great club, literally down the river Lea!
Well Devon, what can I say...I've been a supporter for 56 years, saw the one (and only) really great Spurs side of 60/61 and have witnessed a slow, steady decline ever since. Ok odd moments of Cup glory, one or two great players now and again, but never a team to seriously challenge for the title.
My point is that yes we have made serious progress over the last 2 seasons but to cement that progress, a new stadium with all the attendant debt is not, in my opinion, the most pressing thing we need right now. That is a team worthy of the new stadium, a team that can seriously challenge for the title, and my point about Levy and co. is that he just doesn't get it.
What do you want Devon....the League title or a new stadium...and please don't say that to win the title we need the new stadium.....Sunderland and Middlesborough have both had new stadiums but I don't see them competing for the League title.
You carry on with your fantasy world....I've lived it and seen it and as Singer said right at the beginning....same old, same old.
I will always be a Spurs fan but that doesn't mean that I just accept that everything is fine all the time as to offer a counter opinion may be regarded as heresy. I don't have rose-tinted glasses and with the volatile financial state of the game at present, where players move for either glory or money the financial focus has to be on the team. A successful team equals demand equals money, new players and stadiums. Unfortunately, the measure of success these days is so narrow and mainly confined to ECL football, which also rewards those clubs with more money.
I respect your right to have a different opinion and I can do that without insulting you, although it was tempting!
"Anyone care to admit we missed BAE?
Jan 24, 2011 at 4:09 PM | Unregistered CommenterGrim down south"
I did. Very much.
Is it a coincidence or have goals become harder to come by since VdV joined us? Last season we had no problems scoring and keeping the opposition from scoring but this year we are still able to keep the opposition from getting behind us but we can't seem to find a way to get behind them. We have shifted tactics from 4-4-2 to 4-4-1-1 just to accommodate VdV. Should 'Arry consider doing the unthinkable and drop VdV so as to return to 4-4-2? I think it is an option worth thinking about. A combo of Crouch/Pav with Defoe should be able to find their magic touch and start scoring for fun. Unless we can find a complimentary striker for VdV in the form of Carroll then let us go back to the way we used to play prior to VdV's arrival.
@davek
apologies for the insult dave you got the depth of my ire admittedly and perhaps calling you a muppet was a tad harsh, i was just getting more and more frustrated with a number of posts and yours topped it off ;)
BUT, you talk about building a team to win the league in order to sustain our future.....without including the stadium in this equation.............surely the two are interlinked? if we spend on the team we risk our future unless we can sustain it, equally the UEFA break even rules are on their way. We have to build a new stadium in order to sustain our team and compete, otherwise we will forever be also rans, that isn't going to fit in with your doommongering is it?
Spending big on the team now in the hope that it works is a short term fix with no guarantee of success, I am up for that to a point but if im gonna trust that with anyone its gonna be levy on past form so give the guy a break.
The decline since the 60's has indeed been slow albeit with a brief hiatus in the 80's when we at least challenged , all the more reason to be upbeat and positiive about the last two years, it could well be a false dawn but it ticks the boxes for me......we are challenging and playing good footy, i'll take that over any of the scenes that I have witnessed in the 90's and the noughties, they were the same old same old, this is not.
If we could couple it with a successful WHL rebuild i'll be a pig in shit, if not then i don't know, maybe i would prefer refurbing a small stadium and risking success but keeping my soul, maybe i will embrace a change in location......but success at any cost? The next Liverpool, The next Leeds? No thanks, even if it means we don't buy this window.