That was rubbish. Sloppy, sluggish, complacent, lazy and utterly toothless, too. We simply can't undo teams that set out to defend against us when Defoe's on his own up top. If he's paired with Dempsey or Adebayor or the Ivorian's picked on his own, then we're fine. If not, we're predictable. We need another striking option and a number of our squad players need a kick up the arse, frankly. Sandro was excellent, Caulker did well, Vertonghen was fairly decent and Lennon had his moments, but there was no urgency, no threat and no incisiveness. Huddlestone will be miles off the pace for quite a while and looks too bulky, our various left hand side midfielders left Naughton exposed too often on the break and the balance just wasn't there. Redknapp overdid it last season with the kids, as many of them ended up out of position and used in unfamiliar roles, but it might be an idea to put the likes of Carroll or Pritchard in soon.
I don't think the players are the slightest bit bothered about this competition. We saw the same last season and we're seeing it again this season. I think what disappoints me the most is that Maribor were just an ordinary side and we didn't beat them. And don't start me off teh goal we conceded. Sometimes I think we're the only team that lets in goals like that.
Yes. I thought Huddlestone's distribution and free kicks were good against Chelsea. But today his passing was bad, and he was far too slow. I'd really like to see more of Carroll.
I'm just thinking the big guns will be back from injury soon. Gents, we're actually second favourites to win the whole competition. Just saying. And I know the CL dropouts haven't arrived yet. I'm not placing money, no worries.
Ha! Just going through this thread now (not just being wise after the event, promise) and fully agree with this. A year ago this is the sort of team that Harry would've put out as a bunch of second-stringers. And yet we're supposed to be taking this seriously this year. Not criticising AVB, mind. I think he's been given a team with nothing like the talent it had last year partly through transfer activity and partly through injury (and bloody babies getting born). And guess what? remember what Spurs needed three years, sorry, two years, sorry, a year ago? A bleedin' striker! Our entire plan now that Ade's injured is, er, Defoe. We are the weakest in the striking department that we've been for years now. It's just bizarre. To say that we've become weaker cos we've sold Pav and not replaced him really does speak of a bleak state of affairs.
No way do I want to see Carroll starting in this competition, Pritchard is so good, that might just be a possibility in the knock out stages. But for the next game as for all the previous others, AVB will be right to stick to first-teamers.
Thanks Lenny But do you realise that if ANYONE agrees with me, things are really, REALLY, no I mean REALLY ****ing bad!!!
I actually said last summer (and with good reason in a twisted way) that out of our four strikers at the time (Pav, Keane, Crouch, Defoe) that Crouch would actually be the last one I sold. Mind you that was before Stoke offered 12m or whatever. Imagine if during the Berba/Keane days when Defoe rightly couldn't get a game you could go back in time and report to Spurs fans that in a few years' time we'd be genuine contenders to once again finish top four and now Defoe is our number one striker and he plays up top on his own. I'm not sure how that could possibly seem to make sense.
its fair to lay blame at avb for our lack of strikers as he didn't make the recruiting of strikers a priorty. imagine if defoe wasnt on form? we would be screwed so avb can count himself lucky. we should have signed ade before season started and and we need three quality strikers overall and i dont see dempsey as a striker.
Agreed as usual Boss, except I do see Dempsey as a striker. But we needed to get two proper strikers in during the summer. I would have loved Carroll, but a Shane Long, Fletcher, whoever, some bloke up front who could head the ball, run the channels, whatever. Oh and I was a big fan of Crouch, and never agreed with the people who used to coat him off.
I disagree Not signing strikers has been an issue prior to AVB We won't pay the going rate Llorente was available... fuk dat said Levy, Falcao was available, fuk dat said Levy, Lewandowski was available, fuk dat said Levy. Damiao. Cheaper than Harry Ramsdens chips and helluva sell-on, OH YEAH said Levy. Oh ****... too late. End of season, end of hope already
i know some see demps as a striker and thats fair enough but its only in recent seasons he has got into double figures and thats playing as an attacking midfielder. maybe he can play upfront in 442 as he linked up well with defoe agaisnt qpr but can he play uptop, on his own in 4231? im not convinced.
Whoever said it was a strong line-up wants their head testing, it was ****e, and so the performance proved. Who ever it was that challenged me about Hudd the other day...wanna come back and have another go! Quite a few u-turns in this thread from so called knowledgable posters! I say again, same as the last few seasons, we only have a first 11-14 capable of decent results, the rest are average.
