yeah,our strongest team will give anyone in the league a game and could potentially bean anyone on the day. The problem is a few squad positions after that. we've got cover just about everywhere, but we're seriously lacking in some key features which we need more than 1 player to have. the creativity in the centre is 1 example of this. We sold Modric and bought in dembele. different players, but both offer creativity and a spark when you need it most. we've also got the added bonus with dembele that he rarely gives the ball away. - but we've only got 1 man like this. take him out and the replacement is distinctly average. i don't know how many times I can see Livermore play along side sandro. actually, it's got to the point where I dread Livermore coming on or starting. he's just not up to the standard we need, IMO.
I get where you're coming from Roo, but I think it's because we use Livermore alongside another holding player all the time, so it's more about balance than his ability, for me. I hope he gets some games in the U21s with Carroll.
Take no notice of tash, the spotty wee teen as were bound to attract the morons after this game. Anyhow. We were without bale and dembele and f it wasnt for a great save by cech then it would have been 3-3 just becore they went 4-2 up. Fine lines and dreadful defending cost us. Its not like we was played off the park. From what i gather we had them rocking and all they done was sit deep and hit us on the counter. So overall we can go into the next game with confidence
Today: Friedel Walker, gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen Lennon, Sandro, Huddlestone, Sigurdsson, Dempsey Defoe Our team last year for the Chelsea game: Friedel Walker, Gallas, King, Assou Ekotto VDV, Parker, Sandro, Modric, Bale Adebayor Personnel-wise we're just not as strong as last year. Partly through having two of our best players in recent years sold, Partly through retirement and partly through injury. But player-for-player I just can't see that we really strengthened over the course of the last twelve months. PNP - Well I hope those two are in AVB's mind. But it was Harry who sold Corluka thereby hinting that he thought there was cover/competition.
I couldnt understand why we sold vdv and replaced him with dempsey and fans reacted like we had improved? Demps is a good player but were playing 4231 and still havent got the CAM position sorted.. If we can get verts at cb and sort out the CAM position then i will be more confident.
for me PNP, Livermore worked ok in a 442. but this new formation requires athleticism, pace and mobility. you'd think looking at livermore he'd have those features, but he's slow and has the turning circle of an HGV. I like Livermore, he's got a great attitude and he always tries his best. he's a great example to other youngsters too. I personally just don't think he's quite got the ability that we need.
i don't think losing VDV and getting Dempsey has weaked us much,even at all,given VDV injury problem and fitness issues,he missed a lot of games.Also Dempsey has just had a long journey back from the USA
If you didn't see it, Gallas was responsible for 2-3 of the goals. He was dreadful today. Despite all that, I feel we could have finished them off had Bale been playing. Lennon had them all over the place, at times. With Bale to cope with as well, I think they might well have cracked.
I was a fan of jake when he first got in the team as he had bags of energy but like you i now dread seeing him in the side as he literally does nothing other then run.
Yep. Despite our general defence this season I think Verts (who looks like he could be really very good) and caulker have been some our biggest positives so far. For me I'd like to see them paired when BAE gets back. Not sure how well he's been doing but I wonder how many Hamburg fans are saying "10m for VDV - what a bargain!" practically the same as we were saying a couple of years ago.
Was stuck at work mate but had radio and was torture listening but could gather from radio that gallas had a mare...lennon was our best player and aside from a slow start we took the game to the chavs and they just hit us on the counter
really lenny? I think we're stronger this year. (wish we still had a bit more, but overall i think we're better) that side you mention from last season was our strongest team. it's not fair to compare todays game as we've got a fair few injuries. Dembele for Modric - great replacement IMO. you'll never get like for like, but Dembele has really impressed me. give him another 2 years and I think he'll be better than modric (although slightly different) Sig and Dempsey for Rafa - Rafa has class, but dempsey works his arse off. Rafa was ****ed after 60 mins and caused us real headaches at times. Sig hasn't settled yet, but there's no doubting his ability. Vertonghen and Caulker for King- caulker has been like a new signing and has lots to learn, but he's going to be a quality defender. Verts has just hit the ground running. already a favourite with me and he could go on to be a spurs legend. Lloris - great when he's played we've still got improvements to make, but we're definitely heading in the right direction. can't see how we're not as strong as last year.... :S
Other than the first 15mins of the 2nd half we were second best the whole game. Gallas and Walker need dropping after their defending today.
agreed NSIS. just been having the same conversation with my mate who's a chelsea fan, over text message. 3 mistakes cost us. chelsea looked so dangerous going forwards, but I've not seen them look that shaky at the back in a while.
I think 4-2 flattered Chelsea. Apart from the opening spell where they were well on top and from the 80th (ish) minute where we seemed to tail off somewhat we matched them and at times bettered them. Gallas did well to turn in Vertonghen's cut back for our first but was poor for two of the Chelsea goals. It's clear we miss Kaboul in that position. You could fault Caulker for their 4th but I think the majority of blame for that has to go to Walker, why he just didn't put it out we'll never know. He was having a reasonable game for us up to that point as well. Vertonghen was as good as ever at left back. Our midfield didn't seem to ever really get a grip on the game, Hudd had some good passes as ever but never got to the point where he was controlling the game for us, and Sandro took a while to come into the match as well. He looked effective when we were pressing hard for goals but at times he was almost invisible. Friedel perhaps should have done better for their first and third goals but maybe I'm just being very harsh on him. No-one saw Cahill's volley coming to be fair, not from a centre back. Who knows, maybe Lloris would have saved them.......no doubt we'll be hearing that from various quarters of the press in the next few days. Adebayor looked sharp when he came on, slipped a bit on his chance IMO but he looked effective. Marked difference to Defoe who was in his usual 'shoot on sight' mode today, took his chance well but SO FRUSTRATING when he had a number of chances to play his team-mates in. Overall I'm surprisingly positive tbh. The late withdrawal of Bale might have been a bit unsettling and there's no doubt we lacked the directness down the left and his undoubted quality and goal threat. Dembele's physical presence and skill on the ball might have helped us get a grip in midfield as well. Our lack of a like-for-like replacement for these two is glaring, Townsend is a possible one for Bale I suppose but Dembele is a crucial link for us. As I said, I think 3-2 would have been fairer as a score line but ah well. Keep the faith. COYS
The opening spell being the entire first half! No good talking about missed opportunities either - Mata could've had another 2 on a good day. For all bar 15-20 minutes you were easily outplayed. Just accept it and move on.
Dembele looks class, that's true, and Vertonghen and Caulker for an aged King looks like a decent deal. But we've lost a lot of class in VDV, Modric and even some strength in depth, you could argue, in Pav and Corluka. Not that I was a huge fan of Pav's - but we've gone from three strikers to two. And I'd rather have 60 mins of VDV than 60 mins of Dempsey or Sigurdsson so far. And btw that team from last year was not quite full strength - Lennon would have started and Kaboul too probably.
Defoe, &Lennon could have had 2 more as well,don't kid yourself the only reason's you won were Mata,a couple of good save's from Cech and bad defending byGallas.No way were you 2 goals better
