Uh oh, it looks like QPR fans know Taraabt isn't living up to his self-promotion... http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/97753-Adel-Taarabt-The-end-of-an-era!! Consider the sell-on fee!
VDV has shown he's the best goal scorer on the team--with the possible exception of Adebayor, who is actually (after 7 games!) 3rd on the all-time Spurs goals to games list. He's an excellent player who's been playing very well. But Spurs are a very long way from being a one man team. Do you remember those awards they give out for player of the year? Well, the winners of both of them also played very well for Spurs on Saturday. I actually think there's such good balance right now that losing VDV won't have nearly the effect that losing him did last year. Adebayor and Defoe, who's now back to good form, can pick up the scoring slack. Though we'll see, of course. Van Persie also isn't a one man team for Arsenal of course. I've been very impressed in particular with Ramsey, who was man of the match yesterday IMO, and of course Wilshere. Walcott had an excellent game as well. But--I think Arsenal need Van Persie's goals more than Spurs need any single player, probably much more. While the midfield is first rate and improving, the defending still looks shaky, and neither Gervinho nor anyone else shows much sign, to me, of being a top goal scorer if Van Persie is out. Also, Van Persie has something like the best goal to minute ratio in the Prem over the past few seasons, no?
I don't think Adebayor or Defoe could pick up the slack left by VDV's absence, neither are anywhere near as good a finisher as VDV, neither are anywhere near as good a passer or have the technical excellence that VDV has. Neither also is an artist who is a joy to watch.
G10, I'm getting concerned now, your love for Rafa is hitting the obsession stage! Breathe my friend, just breathe!
Luka or, at a push, Nico could play his role though - although not as well as Rafa. JD and Adebayor are very different players and would not even try to play Rafa's role. They have very different skill sets to offer.
If VDV is unavaliable we will probably just revert to 4-4-2. I don't remember Harry trying to play a 4-5-1 system when VDV is not on the pitch?
SOS - Been breathing for sixty years, that's how I got to be this old and to see a player of VDV's quality playing for us is an absolute joy. For people to suggest, as some Spurs fans have that he be dropped to accomodate JD/Lennon/whoever is hilarious. Incidentally, I don't think we are currently playing 4-5-1, not that these terms mean much anyway. I just think in terms of the 'front six' and, when you have the talent Spurs have, loose structures within that. I still think Sandro, Parker, VDV, Bale, Ade, Luka is our best 'six', but can happily see that Lennon deserves to keep his place at Fulham. His assists both came from an 'inside position' on Sunday, and that's key for me to him keeping his place, his work off the wing. Because Walker can bomb forward on the wide right, and we need to thicken the mid against most Prem teams. Why I prefer Sandro is that many Prem goals come from set pieces, in our last two games, they've been the main threat to us. So not only does Sandro thicken the mid in a different way to Lennon, but I think he would help us more on set pieces. However, we're winning, playing joyous football, so if Harry says same again on Sunday, no complaints from me or Sandro I'm sure. COYS, it's such a great time to be watching my beloved club
I can only hope I reach 60. Constant alcohol abuse added to late night kebabs really aren't doing me any favours... Who's been saying that? They need their eyes tested. Or they're clearly "fans" of the club that don't watch the games and just like using the speed of JD and Lennon on FIFA/ PES.
SOS, plenty of people on various sites and forums were opining that VDV was a 'bad fit' for Spurs, blah, blah, blh. Thanks for the clue as to why some of them may have been saying that, as it baffled me. I don't play such games, so wouldn't know about that. I know that Lennon and HD have often been overrated by Spurs fans in the past/present. I like both of them as players, though the 'JD fan club' has often got on my nerves over the years, but they simply aren't at the level of VDV.
Amazing that some feel one of our best players is a bad fit, all I can say to them is f*ck off and support another team, I'm all up for debates but there's some cases that are just stonewallers, and Rafa being in our first team is one of 'em. I suppose Real Madrid fans have the same opinion about Ronaldo .
Spot on We need to get our best XI to fit together as a team to win the toughest matches but be able to cope if they are injured which means giving the squad game time when possible. Lennon and Defoe are good players but only at squad level if we have CL aspirations. Rafa would get into almost any CL team on a regular basis.
Exactly PS, it's essential that we have a top squad if we are to win trophies and finish top4, but you can't have people like Defoe or Pav being 'given a go' instead of people like VDV or Ade just to keep them happy. They will all get their chances in a natural manner. I expect Pav and JD to start again v Rubin, as they did the other week. Here's hoping they play well and help us to a good result.
Newcastle fan in peace. Was the guy joking? If not maybe he's a little jealous because Spurs have an excellent team at least as good as theirs. Although I can't stand Redknapp I always enjoy watching your matches as you play football the right way. Would much rather see you lads challenging at the top than the likes of Liverpool. Loved the game at St James', one of the best second halves of football I've seen for a while, both teams going for the win. Good luck for the rest of the season.
Newcastle are gradually earning more and more respect - last night was an excellent result. Still very early, but if you are discussing Top 6 places, you would need to think about the Magpies, the view that you will drift away is not quite so strongly held now.
Good luck too you also,another fine performance last night in one of the most hostile places in the EPL.I bet Pulis was kicking himself for not getting Ba looks like you are getting the best out of him. Now can you please get some good results against the two Mancs' clubs and Chelsea that would benefit both our teams.
Cheers mate, the fact is the whole 'deluded' thing is a total invention of the media and it's got to the point where we almost play up to it slightly just to take the piss. It's just too easy for them to keep tagging us as Northern thickos with delusions of grandeur when the fact is that the overwhelming majority of Toon fans still aren't thinking about Europe and would still be very happy with a top 10 finish. I heard a few people last night mentioning that we're now more than half way to safety. I'd call our support optimistic but we're cautiously so after what has happened to us, but Pardew and the lads are slowly starting to get us dreaming again - and what is wrong with that? Van der Vaart is a class player, I've heard a few people (none of them Spurs supporters mind) suggest that he's a luxury and should be replaced with a more workmanlike player and I couldn't believe it, do Spurs supporters agree with that at all? As a child of the heady Keegan days I think that kind of mentality's sad tbh. Overall it wasn't a great individual performance by him against Arsenal but I seem to remember he was deployed on the right that game (I could be wrong) and still scored. Hopefully Ben Arfa can be as influential for us as VdV is proving to be for you lot, both are players with talent in abundance.
