The pear-shaped cockerel will crow again
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 6:30PM I'm still sick. My immune system, as dependable as a Brazilian goalkeeper suffering from bouts of aphephobia on any given weekend. If it wasn't enough having Death sat in the corner of my bedroom reading Playboy and periodically tapping the face of his wrist-watch, my problems are compounded. The old girl has pneumonia and I'm having to reorganise time I don't have to fit in all the other pockets of bane in my life to avoid a complete meltdown. In addition to all this drama I'm now experiencing disturbing nightmares, terrorised in my subconscious by a returning Adel Taarabt ghosting around White Hart Lane, tricking and flicking himself to a brace of goals and as many assists. I wake up screaming every night.
These are difficult times.
There isn't a match report of the Chelsea debacle because I was lost in the depths of depression at the time with football hardly at the forefront of my mind and a television nowhere in sight. Not to say I want sympathy for my Easter break that had more cracks in it than a Cadburys egg. Retain your apologies and group hugs for our rather limp run-in which has seen us surrender any genuine chance of reclaiming a Champions League spot.
Is it overly dramatic to suggest that we've surrendered it? I don't think so. I do appreciate that there are certain dynamics to arguing and debating why it's all gone pear-shaped based around the lack of forward activity in the Jan transfer window, the inconsistency with formation and tactics and one or two other plausible post-mortems. In a nutshell, you could sum it all up by perhaps siding with the uncomfortable realisation that we - Tottenham Hotspur, players and manager - gave it all up by making repeated fundamental mistakes.
This flaw in our grand design simply one that pertains to the fact we have defeated ourselves. Over and over again.
The reason the dynamics here are ambiguous is because, say for example; Arsenal could suggest if they had a decent goalkeeper and more cohesiveness at the back and perhaps took their chances they'd still be in the hunt for silverware. They are, according to their manager, so close.
Which is what we are. Had we a keeper who wasn't prone to making big mistakes at key moments. Had we a genuine world class striker. Had we retained more consistency and structure across our formation. Had we not allowed errors in officiating consume us psychologically. This isn't on the basis of our last game. Generalisation of hope lost.
So close, yet so far.
In both cases (us and the enemy), the problems might be apparent and obvious and almost feel like a final piece of the jigsaw only needs to be slotted in to complete it, but that final piece is somewhere under the sofa and nobody is bothering to push it aside and reach into the dustballs to find it.
We are close. But we are still some way off. Because signing a new keeper or a new forward and deciding on a set formation - these are missing pieces (rather than a single piece) to the puzzle and once it's complete there's no point leaving it on the table gathering dust until it's broken up and placed back into its box for someone else to solve.
Supeglue the sonofab*tch and frame it on the wall for everyone to admire. Because even with the right players and tactics, the glue that binds it altogether is still required for its final decisive completion.
Arsenal still have issues with choking and only when the pressure is off do they turn it on (see their 1-0 win over Utd). With us, perhaps it's complacency or attitude adjustment. It's all about the glue. Sellotape just wont do the job.
That extra spark of something has to be drilled into the players, that desire and hunger, that necessity to be better. Better than the rest.
Yes, it's quite disconcerting to see us drop down to 6th. Doesn't feel right does it? But then the past 15 years haven't exactly been kind to us. Not to say that just because we've had erratic progress and transitions upon transitions that it's okay for us to accept this seasons almost certain failure as one of those things and we'll be back and we'll be stronger for it.
Sure, look at the positives but it still has to be deemed an unacceptable resolution to 2011 because how else do you make sure the squad retain unity of belief and ambition and drive them forward?
We should still look to win all our remaining games. It's a lull, it's a poorly timed one (is there any ilk that's planned?) and its even one we might have got through just about okay had we not dropped all those points against 'weaker' opposition earlier in the season. But the reason we dropped those points is because we've not been good enough across several games domestically.
Not that I'll admit to defeat until its mathematically impossible. So looking ahead, what do we do?
The club has to retain its spine. The club, no matter the competition, needs to be in Europe.
We need to be decisive about the future of Woodgate and King. We have to clear out players who do not have a place as part of the squad and bring in the loaned out players that do. Sign a competitive alternative to Gomes to sharpen competition for the number one jersey. We need that forward. Dare I say we need two new forwards, with spare parts gone as part of the clear out.
Tactically, Redknapp - if stays for one more season - has to accommodate a change in his own agenda. Not a clue whether the England job is going to happen for him. No one is going to argue he looks after number one, has his own set of personal priorities and is very much a media PR manipulator and man-manager who perhaps does lack that killer killer instinct but has proved (to a certain extent) that he can also deliver. He might be self-centred, but it has still benefited us.
He has delivered, the hard way, rather than in any overly dominating fashion. Stats don't lie although they do disguise certain failings. Regardless, Harry has done a good job. What he needs to do is an outstanding one.
Very few, hand on heart, would disagree that we should have done, should be doing, far better than we are. At least that's the general consensus. But then this season has seen similar discussions with the other top tier clubs also wondering why they've not taken it by the scruff of the neck.
It's no easy task fighting for a top four place. There's a buzz about Spurs. Would be a shame to lose it. Long term, Levy should probably start working on that contingency plan. This club has to be in good nick when it's handed over to the next coach.
Perhaps our evolution does require another season of growing before we step up a further level. If there is to be no Champions League qualification this season then let there be a relentless fight for it next season. Because anything less will not be good enough.
Reader Comments (84)
Have to say sorry.
Sorry for the illness, for your girl having pneumonia, for Adel Taarabt and his guaranteed great performance against us next season...while playing for a top4 Liverpool, for the looming awful transfer window where we will acquire the likes of Joe Cole and keep Donkey JJ, and for another 6th place (or worse) in the 2011/2012 season.
Figure this out spooks, At the Chelsea game we only had one shot on goal, which resulted in a goal....and for that shot, Sandro, the goal scorer got a public rollicking/humiliation from his manager who couldn't understand what had led him to do such a thing. Now try explaining that to me because it was really shocking. Both in man-management terms (remember the Lennon fiasco in Madrid?) and in terms of chasing success i.e. a top4 spot. How were we supposed to win with no shots on goal? We needed to win.
My explanation is that what we saw was a spontaneous reaction, a reflex if you may. Redknapp just couldn't hide his disappointment with Sandro's emerging greatness and importance to the team. Unfortunately, the cameras had captured it all before he could compose himself and pretend to be happy. All his hopes of convincing Daniel Levy to sign his son's buddy Scott Parker vanished right there. Let alone Joe Cole.
There was not the faintest sign of joy from going one up, his reaction was worse than when we conceded from another Gomes blunder...It really was shocking. Harry's supporters will be hoping no one remembers that moment again.
Given Taarabt's rise in just one season, can we be really convinced that these guys (Redknapp, Ferdinand, Sherwood and Co.) are correct in their assessment of Bostock, Dos Santos, Walker, Townsend, Rose and our other youngsters? Liverpool , Barca, Arsenal etc are giving their kids a chance and doing great while we stagnate trying to make Jenas and Crouch-y happy. Why?
playing 4-4-1 with vdv ruined our season. we shud have stuck to 4-4-2. vdv is like a better version of keane (slow). we need to replave and get rid of players but levy uses our club just to make money.
4-4-1-1 my bad my yids....
I agree Pristar, as great as VdV is, it has upset the balance of the team. He needs to be used less and we need to revert to 4-4-2 with 2 strikers next season.
The bin dippers gave us a half a season head start and look like they will finish higher with us placed 6th. That isn't acceptable as far as I'm concerned.
The question now is that if our best players do stay (i.e. Bale, Modric, VdV and Sandro), will Levy and Redknapp be competent/ambitious enough to find strikers, and one or two defenders, to match the midfield's quality, and formate a system of play that works?
By my reckoning, we've only got one more season, max, before our excellent midfielders look for moves. Our lack of transfer movement over the last few windows has been a disgrace, and it's of no surprise to me at all that we look like finishing 6th.
In this upcoming summer window, we have to act professionally, ambitiously, and most importantly of all, quickly, if we're to have any chance of finishing 4th in what will be a more difficult season. None of this last minute bargain shopping for players that the manager neither needs nor has time to integrate into the team or his vision of how the team ought to play (if indeed he has one). The extremity of the penny pinching also has to be reigned in if we're truly serious about getting back into the CL (incoming and outgoing), but will Levy hand a war chest to someone who could be looking at bird or only here for another season? Levy needs decide and sharpish.
If Redknapp is capable of getting us back into the CL, which I seriously doubt, he should already know who he wants and how he wants to play. Get the transfers done asap or it will set us back years, if it hasn't done already.
Ronnie and Twmnn you both make very valid points to which I'll add:
It really pisses me off when Redknapp accepts bad decisions without complaining. Top managers like Rednose and Moaninho complain like mad when decisions dont go their way and put massive pressure on refs to swing things in their favour for the next one. I ask myself: why was Redknapp so gracious about being robbed - nothing to do with wanting the England job is it?
Its funny how man management (supposed to be Harrys strength) has looked a bit off recently, with incidents wirh VDV, Lennon, etc noticeable and of course Krank wanting away. I also thought Bale has looked off colour and frustrated in the last few games and hasnt scored for ages.
There may be a problem with VDV's role within the team, but its not just goals scored. Goals conceded isnt too hot (what has happened to fotress White Hart Lane, with loads of clean sheets?) and why has Bassong gone so far backwards?
One other thing: why is it that Liverpool players are desperate to play in Europe, even if only the Europa, whereas we are saying we dont want it? They are positive and giving themselves a reason to fight to the end of this season whereas it seems we are mentally writing it off. If we had been in the Europa we could have played (before they went out on loan at Xmas) Gio, Bentley, Krank, Bassong, Townsend, Bostock, Pletikosa, Corluka, Ohara and Keane. All of them needed game time and we would have benefitted by having sharper, fitter, more confident players to bring in when needed and also maybe made some of them more attractive to buyers rather than having to loan them out, because no-one had seen them play.
Agree that we desparately need a statement of intent in the transfer window - sign players for the present and future not those with their best days behind them, and sign them early Levy so they can settle in/have a full preseason.
Agree with Pristar - VDV, good a player as he is, gives us more problems than he solves. He's the reason we've scored so few goals. Has Redknapp the balls to do something about it? I wouldn't be too sorry to see him sold on for the good of the team - preferably abroad so he can't hurt us. I too, fear that Taarabt will return to haunt us, and always have since he left.
Is that really you, Alf?
We will wait. We will see Dos Santos score goal after goal for Racing Santander. We will then sell him off to some other Spanish club, possibly Sevilla. We will sell Bostock off to a Championship side, possibly Norwich or the like. We will keep Jenas. We will keep Crouch. We will keep Defoe. We will sell Pav. We will then sign 31-year old Joe Cole and Scott Parker, because they're both 'triffic' players. We will flounder in our search for a forward. On the last day we will lodge 40 million pound bids for Drogba, Bojan, Aguero, Rooney, Hernandez, and a time machine to allow us to go back to 1964 and offer 40 million pounds to Bill Nicholson for Jimmy Greaves. All will fail. We will then proceed to register a squad of six defenders, three goalkeepers, two forwards and fourteen midfielders. We will then attempt to fit in Joe Cole and Scott Parker into a 2-7-1 formation, with Daws and Gallas at the back, a midfield of Bale, Cole, Modric, Jenas, Parker, Thudd, and VdV on the right, and Defoe up front as the lone front man. We will draw game after game. We will be destroyed by a rampant Adel Taarabt, who will score consecutive hat-tricks against us, both at the Lane and Loftus Road. We will draw Bostock's side in the FA Cup, where he will end our dreams of a ninth one by smashing a fifty-yard thunderbolt gently into Gomes' arms, only for him to try to swat a fly on his bald pate and so send it over the line. We will draw Dos Santos' new side in the Europa league, and will be treated to a striking masterclass from the hitman while Defoe misses from two yards and stares ruefully at his undisplayed 'Goal 101' t-shirt. We will do all this, and we will limp towards midtable. And the manager will assure us that we are 'ever so close' and that we need 'only one or two top players'. We will wait till the summer in hope, again. And then we will sign Phil Neville and David James.
The end.
Cheer up, for ****** sake. Coulda woulda shoulda. Who would you drop to have given Tarabt a good run considering he got the arse all the time. GDS aint pulling up trees over there and Bostock was a gamble. Dawson was also a gamble, and lennon and Hudd, even Bale for that matter. Some you win some are Tony Gardner (looked a world beater for a game). Mido was our saviour for ten. minutes.
We need to clear out the obvious and buy a couple ofplayers who don't demand over 100k a week. We need to keep beleiving. Harry aint the best but he aint the worst either, Do you really want to gamble on another Ramos adventure?
one last word of warning
Edin Dzeno
27 million, 1 goal.
and he was the answer
According to me the main reasons for the current situation of Spurs are the follows, in order of importance:
1. The lack of a sufficient number of players who have (actually are born with) a strong character/ego and a winner's mentality.
That means that most of our players don't do their best in every game in order to win it.
I think this is more than obvious to our supporters and to those who have watched all or most games of Spurs.
If most players of a squad have the mentality that most of the current players of Spurs show on the field, then that team can very difficult win a sufficient number of games in order to reach a target.
The exceptions of that rule are very rare and they can occur only in combination with other factors.
This can't be changed by a good trainer, a proper president and by the supporters given that only the players participate in the game and they are the only ones who can win or lose it.
2. A tactically proper trainer.
As at least some experienced trainers and journalists say and as many of you could see , Harry works rather on the psychology of the players than on the tactical game.
In today's football tactics can play a very significant role as we've experienced watching certain teams trained by proper on that aspect trainers.
But as I said earlier no tactic can work on the field if you have players who don't play to win every personal duel and every game.
3. What has been also obvious lately is that Spurs miss a well programmed transfer policy.
A transfer policy aiming to identify and to meet the needs of the team properly and in time.
Liverpool, like every club which wants to be considered as a big and ambitious, wants to play Europa cup football because then it can increase its popularity world wide, it can attract good players who can't find for different reasons a place in a CL team and it increases its revenue while it gains international experience. Only “small” clubs want to and can concentrate only on one or two targets.
I still think VDV is a great player. In some of the games I've seen I feel he showed more skill and vision than anyone in the team. I think its a case of managing him and having a formation/tactics that get the best out of him and others. You cant blame him for some of the pathetic performances from our other strikers.In fact if it hadnt been for his goals where would we have been? People say he plays too deep but then so does Rooney.....
Agree with a lot that's been said bar the need to be in the EL. It hardly promotes your club, simply because no one bothers watching it apart from supporters of the clubs who are playing.
No. If we're serious about getting back into the CL, we'll need a clear run at it and to focus.
I was at the open training session yesterday morning. very enjoyable. Crouch, even in training cant hit the target!!
L King and J Woodgate played in a 7 aside.
Gomez was busy explaining how he allowed the ball through his hands at the weekend. Great cheers when he did catch the ball!!
Remember Bostock - he looked sharp!!
Ill load a few photos later on.
Spooky, hope you and yours get well soon
@Phil.
I am in agreement with you. Let's not confine the argument to Dzeko. Him, Torres, Carroll and Suarez cost over £140 mill and they have averaged one goal per month since they were signed. This works out as £35mill for a 10 goal a season striker.
I have seen plenty of posts saying why didn't we buy these players, but we already have two ten goal a season strikers who average out at about £10 mill each and they are probably paying them a lot less than the £100k per week + that each of them are getting per week.
I don't claim to know the answers, but we are beginning to look like Liverpool supporters taking the view that if we only did XXX everything would be great, and when that fails, if we only do XXX it will all be okay, and then that fails and so on.
old lady is recovering.
Looking at the coaching staff, i cant help thinking these guys are out of their depth. Clive Allan - maybe, but Jo Jordan, Les and co, no way these people are winners or have any idea what it takes to win the big games. We need a clear out. Ledley is finished - he looked pedestrian yesterday in training and he will never recover. Woodgate is struggling - he will not recover.
I think we have one more season with this present squad. But I want harry to open up his eyes and think very carefully about team selection and tactics. Its going to be tough but with Man City in the CL and Liverpool in the Europe Cup and quick exits from the FA and funny cup, we have a great chance of making top 4 next season. Id give it all up for this. Ive said it all along.
The post from Ronnie, is exactly how I see it, but not sure if this is the case with the majority of fans. Sandro, like Bale were forced into the team by injuries. heaven knows what would have happened to Bale or Sandro, if they did not get this lucky break. Redknapp scouts his targets from the confines of his living room on a Saturday night watching Match of the Day with his son who I believe is our unofficial chief scout. Their criteira is simple. If I don't know them or have played with me or for me, then they are not worth having.
VDV's flaws are well documented on this site. The only formation he can play in is 433. One of Crouch/Defoe/Pav with Bale and VDV either side would have worked wonders. With Modric roaming just behind the front 3 and Thudd and Sandro shielding the back 4 and the wing backs bombing forward as needed. Lennon to come on as sub and run at tiring defences (prob in place of VDV). I have no doubt that with this formation we would have scored an abundance of goals and conceded far fewer this season and easily grabbed a top 3 (yes 3) spot in process.
Redknapp's continued insistence on being wedded to 442 or its variant 4411 is baffling and nonsensical. Why are we playing 2 out and out wingers to cross the ball into the box when we only have one striker? If we had had the good sense to buy Suarez (a proper forward/link man with pace who doesn't drop back and get in Modric's way!) then maybe i could understand it. Even then, what top European or English team plays 442? Time to move out of the dinosaur ages.
Phil...
You ask "Who would you drop to have given Tarabt a good run considering he got the arse all the time".?
Answer...our three pathetic strikers. Defoe+Crouch-y=7 goals entire season!!! Please tell me Taarabt+Gio do not deserve atleast a couple of games at the expense of those two?
Giving young players a chance is really imperative to the success of a team like Spurs. We all accept that we cant compete with the Barcas, Chelseas and Citys of this world when it comes to getting established professionals. So our only chance is to attract them when they are on their way up and that is by being the team where they are most likely to get the chance to play.
Acquiring the reputation of being a team that never gives youngsters a chance could really spell doom for us. If we cant attract young upcoming players, and we cant compete for established pros, then what next?
In all fairness, why is Jenas still at Spurs? Doesn't he have any pride or ambition? 90% of the fans hate his guts and have no belief in him. Can't he just demand a transfer? Or is he also uncertain about his own ability and needs the comfort zone of Spurs and Levy's protection? Even O'hara demands to go out on loan when he is not playing. Whats up with this Jenas guy!
Andy...
I fear that you are right. Isn't it scary?
I confess that I was one of those who wanted Commoli out. I was so wrong.
Levy should have stuck to his convictions and kept the Director of Football position. He was right all along and should revert to it as soon as the Redknapps move to the England camp.
Ronnie's post sums it up for me. Redknapp's reaction to Sandro's goal was extremely worrying. Just what is his agenda?
Simple. He had a perfect opportunity in front of the world's media to let us know he is a tactical genius. My girlfriend could outwit Redknapp and she knows nothing about football
Well at least we've got Pienaar
Will get a lot of stick for this but I think it is time for Harry to be shown the door!
He does not want to be at Spurs, his mind is on England. I am also fed up with his "we haven't got any money" excuses, yes we do not pay silly wages but the reality is that we have better players than Man City and Liverpool and possibly Arsenal so we should be finishing above them!
We have rubbish strikers yes, but who bought them? I seem to remember Harry splashing just over £30 mil on Keane, Defoe and Crouch!
His best signing has been Gallas which is nothing more than a quick fix, the 3 forwards, Peinaar & Bassong are not the players to take us forward. Its well documented that he didn't want to sign VDV or Sandro who are 2 stars of the season. Never has been and never will be a top class manager!
Mornin' all. I took a lot of flak from a number of posters for the Guest Blog I did here (I've no idea if the linky-jinky magic will work when I post this - the html-fu is weak in this one) when February opened it's bleary eyes and grasped for its first espresso:
http://www.dearmrlevy.com/dml/2011/2/1/weve-got-our-tottenham-back.html
However, and I'm not happy to say this, I'm kind of feeling like I'm at least slightly vindicated by the results since. And I still maintain I wasn't calling for the head of Redknapp or Levy, or even trying to diminish what they'd achieved, but taking off the Danny-Rose-tinted spectacles, the January transfer window was an unabashed cockerel-up. If we'd managed to find someone, ANYONE, who could batter beef-butt with a banjo, then we'd be out of sight of the bin-dippers, and probably ahead of Citeh by now. Add a Spurs goal only to each match in that run against Wolves, Wigan, West Ham and Blackpool and we'd have got 7 more points than we've currently managed to accrue. Add in a goal against the Baggies and the Scum, and we add another 4 points.
But we didn't. And now European football is wiping it's eye on the dockside and waving a hankie at us while we sail off on a certain White Star liner of actual achievement.
Under normal circumstances, I'd say that I'd rather have no European football than that Europa League abortion that can completely [insert word for "to take sexually from behind"] your season. But this year, without the prospect of ANY European football, we're going to be looking at the Odemwingie end of the goalscorers' showroom rather than the flashy, 2-seater performance roadsters like the Aguero SR. Which is only going to mean, with Citeh splashing more this summer than a killer whale doing tricks in a pool, our chances of getting there again NEXT time will be slimmer than they were this year. It's like our Champions League qualification chances are on a Slimfast plan, and could be heading for severe eating disorders.
Ah, well. It was fun while it lasted.
love harry to bits but.............
hes got to be the only manager who plays all out attack in every game regardless of opposition
maybe a little "coarse management" throughout the season might see us sitting a little more optimistic at this point
perhaps he should manage barca as there the only team in the world who can attack every game and get away with it
COYS
Harry should leave, well thats my opinion, he dosent seem to have tactical knowledge and slacks off his own players for dismal performances! When we lost to chelsea, instead of blasting the ref, he made love with the ref, is it just me or does it seem like he dosent seem to care no more?
Well whatever happens, i know very well that, come Saturday i will sing my hearts out for Spurs, results might not be coming our way but we can be proud of our showings especially in the CL.No point in boo-ing the team, lets applaud them and show them that we will always be behind them, to dare is to fucking do, we might not have done it, but we have dared with all our might! GLORY GLORY TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS!
I'm beginning to feel the same, Ossie.
If Levy isn't prepared to compete transfer wise next season, and is insistent on a more gradual and measured approach that will take at least 3 years just to build a new stadium, then there really isn't much point in having a chequebook manager such as Redknapp in charge next season. And that's assuming Redknapp and his cronies could even identify the players needed. Rather than wasting a season listening to Redknapp's excuses before he and the press talk him into the England job, why not get a new manager in asap?
On the other hand, if Levy does back Redknapp next season by keeping players as well as recruiting new ones, there can be no more excuses. Redknapp will have to perform to keep him in with a chance of the job he wants more.
VDV is a class player, don't over look that. Look at his performances against Le arse the guy is a proven winner. Would you prefer Defoe or Keane stepping up for those pens, or Crouch (can Crouch muster the power to take a pen?).
VDV was thrust upon H and I do think it has impared our season in so much as we don't have the right forward to play off him. We need to find a beast of a forward to play with VDV. Our choice of midfielders is immense, Sandro has been the bonus of the season and needs to be a perm fixture now.
Need to move on from Ledley and Woody, sign another centre half. That still leaves Daws, Gallas, Kaboul and Bassong - not too shabby.
We should go for Europa and blood all the fringe players.
Harry knows we need better players in certain positions which is why he keeps mentioning that Spurs shouldn't stagnate in the press, so Levy needs to back him. Does worry me that he will go for his pet favorites but let's see what we do in the summer, can't be calling for Harry's head yet.
Harry has broken all our taboos, bar beating Man U anywhwere and Chelsea and Liverpool away. We didn't beat Arsenal in the league for 10 years for christ sake, TEN YEARS.
Have some faith.
Last July summed it all up for me.....
Remember when I mentioned that I got a call from Harry just before the the team headed to the game against Sporting?
I asked then if we were going to try and win and the response was a resounding "No, this is about getting fit".
Yes it was a pre-season game, but to go out with no desire to win the tournament?!??!
Been the same all season......
Harrys explained what he said to Sandro on the club website so it did need clarifying.
Mubarak's Mum - well put
Given Taarabt's rise in just one season, can we be really convinced that these guys (Redknapp, Ferdinand, Sherwood and Co.) are correct in their assessment of Bostock, Dos Santos, Walker, Townsend, Rose and our other youngsters? Liverpool , Barca, Arsenal etc are giving their kids a chance and doing great while we stagnate trying to make Jenas and Crouch-y happy. Why?
May 3, 2011 at 7:07 PM | Ronnie
remerber a kid called Thomas Penkert?..... Well, watch this space !!
Redknapp to Chelsea,
Modric/Berba swap,
Spurs still going to Stratford.
Interesting Spurs Show this week!
http://podcast.playbackmedia.co.uk/spurs.xml
Redknapp to Chelsea? It's not a crazy as it sounds, with an open chequebook though, who knows? But surely there must be someone advising Abramovitch that Redknapp is a tactical bankrupt.
Modric/Berba swap? Berbatov + a cash make-weight I take it? Wouldn't put it past Levy if the money was enough.
Spurs still going to Stratford? Can't believe that at all.
I like ronnies point about adel and gio.
why are players like this not being given a go, christ - giovanni should (could still) be an unbelievable attacking option as we all already know that taraabt is and what a perfect season it would of been for these two to break out of the reserves/bench and give our other 3 wasters of space something to think about!
Im struggling with the fact that im dissapointed with this season, the champions league was a blur, one hell of a competition and didnt the mighty spurs add some extra fire to it,until one of the aforementioned "wasters of space" spilt his red wine all over the cream carpet and we were politely asked to all get the fuck out of europes elite party. Plus before the days of martin Jol we would still be buzzing to be in this position in the league....should we be happy, are we expecting to much from our club while its in a progressive period, should we just sit back and continue to enjoy the ups and downs of being a spurs fan that were used to....
I dont know, cant answer it...i should feel ok about the outcome of the season but i really really dont. Dissapointed is an understatement and for the first time i can remember its has actually got me feeling quite depressed!!
maybe a beer will help, ill find out and let you all know wether to rush off to the local off license or simply remain inside and weep into your spurs branded pillow....
='( .....Coys.
A more tactically astute manager/coach would probably have figured out how to use dos Santos, but I think when players step out of line and fall out with Redknapp, he pushes them further away from the first team. dos Santos hardly did himself any favours when he was with us.
Adel might have actually needed a reality check as being out on loan was not detachment enough for him, so selling him might have made him into a better player but I'm hearing a lot about how his style wont bed in well in the Prem. Not sure he'll be a superstar but might shock one or two of us. If he had amazing skills in training then it's a shame someone could not have taken him aside and explained the virtues of patience. But the lad obviously thought he was the bollox and deserving of first team football.
Dos Santos is unprofessional and content to cruise along on the back of natural talent. Anyone who has ever thought he was the answer is deluded. The nightclubs of Spain are welcome to him. Speaking of "unprofessional" a certain Bulgarian springs to mind .
Taraabt has had one good season in the *second* tier.
Let's stop grabbing at straws here.
Taarabt is wholly un-proven in the prem, as above, we have not lost out here. Read we have a 50% sell on clause which is great business if true.
Warnock spoke about convincing his whole team to accept Taarabt will not track back and do the hard work. That may be ok in the champ but it won't wash in the prem.
He will always show some brilliance at times, but this is not a team player for us.
If you look at our sub-par results and where they occur, it is striking that almost all of them occur either immediately before or immediately after a CL tie. Coincidence perhaps, but possibly tells us the emphasis was wrong - the CL was prioritised in players minds with nothing left in the tank for any scrappy affairs at Blackpool. Fatigue doesn't come into it either. If you look at the dodgy results in March/April, they tend to occur after a nice break partly thanks to internationals and the Cup exit. I'm still convinced it's not completely the fault of management or lack of ability but mental preparation. Who fancies a huff around Molineaux when there's a nice juicy trip to Milan coming up?
Dubaistar, your post had me in stitches!! thanks!
However, this is the pessimistic view all us yids seem to take. If we keep Assou-Ekotto, Sandro, Bale & modric, we are going to attract a few decent strikers, as it is a statement of intent from those players that they want to stay at a club that is going somewhere, BUT if two or three of them leave, I fear the worst.
"...But the lad obviously thought he was the bollox and deserving of first team football."
May 4, 2011 at 2:12 PM | spooky
Thats how every good young player is supposed to be. Its upto the management to "manage" those thoughts and turn them into a productive/confident mindset.
The alternative is Jenas - players who know that "they are NOT the bollox and DO NOT deserve first team football" but are happy to receive a superstar's paycheck for nothing while keeping upcoming players out.
@555 and Mubarak's Mum....There is nothing in your arguments (against Gio and Taarabt - who are only used as examples of young players that we could have developed) that provides an explanation as to why they cannot be given a chance at the expense of the likes of Crouch. Who is surely one of the poorest strikers in the league.
It feels good to see young players coming through. Just ask Barcelona fans.
Well, at least someone understands implied sarcasm. Thanks crow. What bugs me is that every time we lose a match, not only does the press declare 'Modric, Bale, Sandro, VdV OFF to Man Utd/Madrid/Barcelona! Come one, come all, place your bids here!' but most Spurs fans seem to believe that as well. Modric is on a contract thate extends into June 2016, Bale is on one that ties him to the club till June 2014, VdV likewise, and Sandro's on one that expires in June 2015. They've all declared that they want to stay-in fact, Modders has done it several times. Even if City's steamrollering swathes of gold get them there instead of us,(though it is entirely our fault, no doubt about it) these guys will stay and we can build the new team around them, with the likes of Walker , and coming in to strengthen our team. It isn't the end. Far from it. Shame most Spurs fans emit great wailing and gnashing of teeth whenever a bored red-top with a United jersey on decides to print 'Modric to Man Utd for Carrick plus a United-branded novelty mug'.
Ooh, that didn't turn out right. What I meant to say was '...the likes of Walker, (insert new goalkeeper here), (insert new striker here) and (insert new defender here) coming in to strengthen the team.' Sorry.
Levy has made it clear that spending loads of cash to chase CL is not going to happen so people should bed in for the long term building plan and financial fair play rules to have some kind of effect on clubs spending habits.
Although I do believe that in the Jan transfer window Carroll was the main target for around 25m, Chelsea's rush of blood and panic buying put an end to that one. And sparked our ridiculous attempted shopping spree in Spain.
Redknapp I'm still in two minds about. He has taken us up a level no doubt - but he has had the players to do it. Most already here when he arrived and our form was caused by a disjointed team and bad atmosphere. Full circle anyone?
So he needs to take responsibility for our end of season car crash form. City and Liverpool away could easily leave us with some serious relegation form to end our season with. Who else but Redknapp can take the blame for that - when he claims we are close to winning the league!!
Still annoys me that with the talent we have we go route one and 4-4-2 all the time? A better technical manager would have looked at 4-3-3 in some shape or form. but it's just not in Harry's make up, similar to Glenn and his obsession with 3-5-2.
Bale, Modric, Sandro, VDV, Huddlestone, Lennon, Krankjar, Piennar. Has any Spurs manager in recent memory had this much natural talent and ability to choose from? And why try to add Charlie Adam to that as well?
Jenas, Bentley, O'Hara, Dos Santos as well. Mind boggling really!
Wickham + one foreign striker in the summer, I expect Crouch and Pav to go alongside Keane. What will Crouch bring if we are not in Europe?
Liked the Gomes type error by the German keeper tonight as well. Who would be a goalkeeper these days? Best in the world becomes the latest comedy goalie. Maybe now he will come to Spurs, natural home for the comedy keeper. Did Erik the Viking ever make ridiculous mistakes? - my mind has gone blank on him.
Manuel Neuer let in some soft goals, but as he's not called Gomes no one will say anything.
We've droppped at least ten points due to Gomes howlers in the various competitions we've been in. I know people will also say we gained points thanks to him, but even that isn't comparable to his magnificent form last year. He needs some serious competition at the very least. I love the guy, though. Real character. Although that may not be enough anymore.
We could have won the league.
............with Davey Moyes as manager.