Have just seen the interview he gave after the match. Well spoken and determined. Was asked about playing in behind Rafa, his response was it was great to play alongside him etc. Didn't mention that he constantly was left marking 2 players. If Harry insists on playing Rafa there he has got to find a way of helping Walker out. Thoughts?
That's the main problem with accommodating VDV. Right side midfield seems the best place if VDV isn't playing as a second striker (or whatever you'd call him). Unfortunately he doesn't offer enough defensively meaning he isn't so compatible with Walker. For all Walker's strengths (and I will hold my hand up and say I didn't think he would have come on this far this fast), he isn't as good a defender as Charlie. Perhaps for balance then, Charlie would be a better option behind VDV. Of course, you can't drop Walker given his current form so I guess we'll have to live with the defensive weakness of our right side. Trouble is that other teams will see that and (those that can) will exploit it.
Actually I think Walker is the right choice to play at RB when VdV plays right mid. VdV drifts around and cuts in so we need Walker to provide width and penetration down the right as while Corluka does get forward a bit, Walker is by far the superior attacking full back. What was needed yesterday was for VdV to pay attention a bit more - he did leave Walker exposed a few times to 2 on 1 situations but credit to the guy he dealt with them all bar one. The only two times I can recall them (off the top of my head) getting any significant joy down our right was when van Persie beat Kaboul for the Gervinho miss and in the build up to Ramsey's goal. If VdV can just track back a bit more and if the center mids can provide a bit more cover (although we really can't fault Parker or Modric on their performances yesterday) then Walker will be more than fine at RB, no matter who plays in front of him. He looks a real talent, a proper player. Get him in an England shirt pronto.
VdV is part of the solution not the problem. Yesterday was yet more evidence that Sandro is a very important player for us and including him leaves no room for both VdV and Defoe. We nearly messed up by sticking to 442 yesterday. Arsenal had nowhere near their first choice midfield playing but they still retained the ball better than us simply by having three against two. VdV is a clear top four/champions league quality player and Defoe is just a good squad player at this level - I'm getting frustrated that Harry and the majority of other posters on here can't seem to get this....
I see your point Power, but at home you really shouldn't be conceding so much possession, we do have at present an embarrasment of riches. A good example is at Man U, Fergie doesn't play favourites he puts out the team that will win the game and if he has to bench a star player so be it.
VDV is a great squad player for us and can be used in so many postions as and when required. either wing in the middle or up front. Walker is looking the real deal at RB i feel he has justified his name on the team sheet week in and week out and don't think Charlie can have any complaints about not been in the first team after a strong start but i do think Charlie will still have a huge part to play in the season. I can even see Walker moving up into RW if required with Charlie at RB to give another dimension to our squad! Very exciting times for a versatile squad COYS
I think both Spurs and England have found their regular right back for the forseeable future in Kyle Walker. The lad is still learning his trade, but that loan spell at Villa last season did him a power of good and he's progressed exceptionally well. If his twin brother Naughton does the same at Norwich, Spurs defence looks to be very secure.
100% agree. 442 with VDV is suicide against top teams. I think VDV and Walker on that side have the potential to be as good as Modric and Bale were on the left for the second half of the season that we finished 4th in but that was when we had Huddlestone and Palacios tracking back and covering. Although without an extra holding player our side does seem unbalanced with only one of Sandro and Parker and the brilliant thing about the two of them is they're both great going forward too, helping us put a lot of pressure onto teams. Modric had a strange one yesterday, I thought he broke up play nearly aswell as Parker but his passing and controlling of the game wasn't quite there.
Couldn't agree more. I like Defoe don't get me wrong, but with the players we now have at Spurs, a 4-5-1 formation is (in my opinion) our strongest formation and Defoe doesn't make the first XI for me. Parker AND Sandro need to be at the spine of the midfield which will allow Bale, Luka, VDV and Adebayor to create havoc for opposition defences. Defoe and Lennon to come on if/ when needed, though players like that probably won't be happy with a squad role. I'm glad it's Harry's headache and not mine!
What about a back 3, with Bale and Walker as wing backs. Unfair on Benny (and not sure we have 3 fit centre halves at the moment) but makes best use of the attacking threat we have. Then Sandro, Modric, Parker in the middle, and 2 out of VDV, Ade and JD up front. Bale and Walker are young and fit enough to track back, and Parker and Sandro would hold up most attacks anyway, and we would dominate in midfield. Give Ledley/Gallas the sweeper role, with Dawson and Kaboul to attack the ball in defence.
I don't think we can play Charlie and VdV down the right. Neither have any pace. The only reason we haven't been exploited more down the right so far is due to Walker's engine and speed. When i initially read KingHotspur's suggestion of moving him to RW with Charlie behind i thought it was ridiculous. However, having thought about it i think it could work, especially away from home where we are more likely to play 1 (proper striker) up. We would be pretty well protected down both flanks, we'd have 4 fullbacks on the pitch after all!!
Lets face it nearly all these line up's would work. However, as we know Harry's not a huge tactical genius, he puts out his team if it works 'triffic, but if not make the big decisions and sacrifice someone for the good of the team. HD I would not go for a back 3, because if someone gets in behind there is no cover.
This could work pretty well against the top sides I think. However, our squad cover looks much less good for this formation so it would have to be saved as a surprise weapon for special occasions
I respectfully have to disagree with most of the comments on here: I believe VDV is the problem. Last year, because we had a collection of off-form and/or inadequte strikers, he could be deployed as side-kick to whichever of them Harry decided to pick that week. But with the arrival of Adebayor, and the marked improvement in Defoe's commitment and performance, there is no need for him up front. So Harry, who seems to have included an "if-he's-fit-he-must-play" clause in VDV's contract when he pulled off his master-stroke signing, picks him and distorts the team to accommodate him as a result. He lacks both discipline and energy. The goal against us yesterday was principally down to his failure (yet again) to track back. He is constantly out of position, and we lacked an outlet down the right until he was substituted. Team-mates were uncertain where to find him, and that undermined a lot of the midfield passing patterns. The Ade/Defoe partnership is beginning to look good. They were both unlucky not to score yesterday. VDV would be excellent now if used as a sub late in the game, or if he came on in the event of an injury. He could slot in wherever. But he would have to be told to keep his place and preserve our shape. Unfortunately, I think he likes the limelight too much. He wants to be the star, the "man", and isn't prepared to do the graft. He scored a terrific goal yesterday, but don't let that obscure the fact that once Sandro came on, and Modric moved out to the right, we looked hugely better. That would have been my choice of starting line-up. In the event of injury, we can then move Walker up into midfield, and bring on Charlie. Incidentally, I couldn't believe how quiet it was on the way to and from the ground yesterday. Was it the heat? Plenty of vocal support during the match, of course, but empty carriages on the trains, and minimal excitement. Is that a sign that we were expecting to win, but a bit twitchy in case we didn't? If so, it's all right now. And relax.
I think that the solution is pretty much what a lot of people have said, though we may need to move Modric out to the right. Having Sandro and Parker protecting a back four and then having a front four of van der Vaart, Bale, Modric and Adebayor makes us both solid and creative. It's a very dangerous combination. That leaves us with the possibility of going 4-4-2 if we need to score, with the pace of Defoe and Lennon on the bench. Even if we're leading, they'll trouble teams on the break, so they're still very useful subs. As long as we progress in the Europa League, then players will still get plenty of games to try to force their way into our first XI. Rotation and competition are essential, as we got both badly wrong last season.
I didn't see the stats yesterday but usually VdV is well up there in covering the most ground. The problem is that he is a brilliant attacker but a terrible defender so needs to be played in the right position. Given the choice of my life depending on VdV or Defoe scoring from a half-chance I'd have VdV any day. Both of his chances to score yesterday were harder than Defoe's, but he slotted one in easily enough whereas Defoe had the whole goal to aim at and put it too near the goalie. It was Song that got free for Arsenal's goal - surely Defoe should have been tracking him rather than VdV? I happen to think Defoe is the lazy one of the two - that's one of the reasons he is offside so often: but perhaps someone has statistics to prove me wrong.
Atleast all these problems are good problems,so lets hope 'arry can get it right,i'll be surprised if he can.As for Walker he must have earned an England shirt,been excellent going forward and is getting better in defence too(ofcourse his speed and strength will always help there). Alot depends on Harry and if he's got the balls to make the hard discisions.Rotating squad is the recipe for success.
If we play VDV on the wing, I'd rather we had Corluka behind him - mainly because VDV doesn't bother getting back and, as Walker is a more attacking player, that could cause problems.
