Re DL, it didn't take him long to get back on my ignore list, I'd suggest others do the same. I've also added Cof PL, as I spent a considerable time explaining our ST situation to him, which he then twisted to 'his advantage' why he's interested in our ST situation anyway, i know not. Oh yes I do, because he looking for a chance to have a dig.
I don't have an agenda I just call it as I see it. I'm a football fan. I'm saying similar/the same things as everybody else yet being singled out for having some kind of "agenda" and making "sky digs".
Not many were pleased about Gallas playing, it's true but you were the only one that blamed him for that goal. Even when it was pointed out to you that you were wrong you still criticise him. In your opinion he was also supposed to be a troublemaker under AVB, which was premature and chosing to see the negative in him. Spurs fans who might not agree with AVB's appointment or Gallas' selection don't blame them for everything that's happened so far this season like you do.
To Further back YV......you,DL, knew enough of the match to have a dig at an ex Chelsea player in Gallas yet at the same time needed to start a thread asking how a Chelsea loanee did in that very same match...which to me indicates that really your 'Lukaku' article was your wum attempt at trying to point out that a Chelsea player had a good game against us. I think you must think alot of Spurs posters are mugs.
Personally I will always begrudgingly admit I thought in his prime along with Carvalho he was the best defender I've ever seen in a Chelsea shirt. I still think he could have reacted quicker and got tighter but hey-ho that's just one of those things we will have to disagree on. He has over a decade of PL experience under his belt and has experience playing for some top clubs in the past so I can see the rationale of partnering him with Vertonghen and helping him gain some experience but he wouldn't go near the armband if I were manager. I still think playing G*llas is perhaps holding back Caulker who I feel has earnt the chance at CB I was talking about the Newcastle game. I have no idea how he played I only have Phil Thompson's orgasms on GSS to go by. No I don't think Spurs fans are mugs (not all of you anyway) but I think your understandably disappointed in your result this weekend and are taking it out on me. I'll reiterate I could not care less about the game in itself as it has no bearing on my club all I wanted to know was how Lukaku performed. I did not ask on the Chelsea board because I did not feel Chelsea fans would be able to give a detailed or fair assessment of his performance due to having not watched the entire game and obvious bias.
Caulker deserves his chances this season but I think he'll be used sparingly in the league until Vertonghen's fully settled in and trusted. Gallas' contract is up at the end of the season and I think by that time Caulker will already be 3rd choice centre back getting fairly regular games. Trouble is he's not had the advantage of playing preseason with the rest of the squad and I don't see Vertonghen or himself as enough of an imposing character to organise things at the back. Whenever Gallas has taken the armband in the past for us he's done well so I have no issues with that as long as he's not given the armband full time.
I don't see any positive to having Gallas in the team as his "experience" isn't any benefit, he can't stop players around him making errors, nor can he organise the defence AND he gets turned easy AND has a nose bleed when the ball goes high over his head. It would be better if we went with verts & caulker or kaboul & caulker and allowed a partnership to gel as these players are not only superior to gallas, but they are the future. I agree about Gallas in the past, as there was a time at Chelsea when he was world class, one of the best defenders I have seen in this league, yet thats all in the past and when talented players are on the decline they are a negative to the team.
I'm also mystified why Livermore and why not Sandro, and have no idea why Jenas played. For that matter, I would have tried a 4-1-4-1 at home, with both Gylfi and VDV, and I wouldn't have fired Arry. But managers and general managers often do things I don't get. I was more suprised when the formation was almost exactly what I expected the first week. The biggest problem the first two weeks, which cost us three points, was a late game collapse. In both cases, someone kicked the ball directly to the other team, the whole team's body language was "Your turn to score now!" and we didn't get the ball back till they had scored. My only explanation is that pressing had tired the team out--but if so, I see it as AVB's fault for not getting the players fitter. I understand we should be patient with AVB. He deserves a fair chance, and negativity will not help. The fact is that pressure is building up after just two games, which is unfortunate. But I'm not sure it's realistic to expect anything but for as long as the team isn't winning.
I Agree with HIAG in that it is a transitional year for Spurs. Given the fact i wanted him sacked 6 months into the Chelsea job it's not for me to say how long he should be given but I do think he should be judged after he's built his on team. I think his time at Chelsea is counting against him. I don't rate Wilian but let AVB bring him in, and a few others (from the Modric money) and judge him then
I've gotta admit I've been pretty peeved with the first two squad selections and some of AVB's decisions. He's decided Dawson and Huddlestone aren't good enough for the squad, where as Jenas is?! Personally, Daws > Gallas & Caulker (though Caulker has the potential to be far better). Hudd > Jenas and his creative attrbutes far out do Livermore and Sandro. The selection against West Brom really irked me, while Livermore and Sandro played well (thought Jake was MOTM), I'm bermused at the fact he deployed two DM's in a 4-5-1/ 4-2-3-1 at HOME to, with all respects, a team that probably won't be in the top 10 this year. While we dominated posession, I can't help but think that had Gylfi and/ or Ade started the game, we'd probably have come away with 3 points, their attacking instincts were sorely missed in that 1st half domination. Then, to cap the game off, he decides to bring on Jenas, who contributed to absolute f*ck all and yet again reminded all Spurs fans why he's pony. I know we're only two games in and new managers will take a bit of time (well, unless you're Michael Laudrop! ) but the doubts are already springing to my mind of why on earth have we replaced Harry with this guy because so far, I've seen nothing to make me think we're moving forward. One final point, not sure if it was on here or on Twitter yesterday but someone quoted AVB as apparantly saying we're 1 point better off than last season, personally I make us 4 points down on last season. I base it on last season result in the same fixture - 2-2 vs NUFC at SJP and 1-0 vs WBA at WHL. I want to remain optimistic and positive I really do and I know AVB hasn't been able to strengthen in all the areas he wants but he's taken over from a guy who massively improved the fortunes of our club (who I still think was wrongly sacked and was gutted about it too) and he himself has come in off the back of a horrendous spell with one of our fierce rivals and so far failed to impress with his handlings of certain aspects. The jury was always going to be out for AVB and so far, he's not done himself any favours. I want Andre to succeed more than anything, not only for the good of the club but otherwise, we're gonna be an absolute laughing stock for replacing our best manager in years/ decades for a guy who was sacked less than a year into his Chelsea spell.
I make it we're 3 points down on last season, and I'm fuming about it. I'm still mainly blaming ENIC, but let's see who we buy and then what AVB does with it. So far, he's looking like a mistake, but I'm not going to have a go at him yet. ENIC though, do my head in.
True G10, it is 3, my bad me and maths clearly aren't on good terms at the moment. Not sure I blame ENIC though. I'm annoyed that yet again we've left business 'til late but I can appreciate that we're not going to spend over the odds on some of our targets. Hopefully if we can't get the likes of Moutinho, Lloris, Willian & Damiao - all of whom seem to be very pricy, I just hope there's contingency plans in place. The next week is really going to define what happens to us up to January I think.
HI SOS, fair comments. It all depends what you want from your owners I guess. Anyway, not long till we find out out the extent of ENIC's investment in us this summer. I suspect like most windows it will be around zero, as they pump very little into the club on the playing side, running it off our money as fans basically.
Exactly, it's how you want to see it. I don't like the ENIC approach overall, others do, I respect that.
Don't get me wrong ENIC/ Levy haven't been the most adventurous of spenders over the past couple of seasons and you could say it's cost us in regards to not meeting expectations (set by Levy) but I'd much rather know the club is stable financially and not see money we don't technically have spent on players only to see us go into financial meltdown and do a Pompey or Leeds etc. Having said that, this week, especially with Luka's sale, they really need to pull their finger out and make some major investments otherwise we're gonna be left behind by our rivals. We need strengthening, our two main rivals for top four places - Arsenal and Chelsea - have strengthened considerably and the latter look extremely impressive now. If we're left with the squad we have now, then we can kiss goodbye to any top 4 challenge, I hate being negative but AVB's selections and the lack of investment has led me to have some real concerns about the short term aspirations for the club, personally feel we've taken a step backwards so far since the sacking of Harry.
