I really hope so mate but I just can't see it. Of all the players in the team, he seems to really love Gallas, not sure why but the impression is to me that Gallas seems to be his number 1 CB Always rests him in Europa & other cups and lets not forget, first game of the season he started over Vertonghen to partner Kaboul... Hopefully AVB'll realise that Gallas has been too much of a let down at times (similar to Walker) and should give someone else a go.
Gallas is easily the most widely experienced player in our team if the manager thinks that is important in a team that has not actually won anything then I wouldn't disagree.
DEMBELE IS FIT! just seen a tweet from a belgian physiotherapist and rehabilitation team who have said: "On my way to deliver @mousadembele injury free to his club @SpursOfficial" the twitter account is followed by Verts and Dembele, so I'm guessing it's got some credibility and is likely to be true! GET IN!!!
I thought there would be too but to be fair he's only been playing in the deeper role where he's looked excellent in for a season so perhaps there were clubs with an eye on him for a January move. What I meant by our transfer move is that it was a smash and grab late in the window when most other clubs had made their signings so it would've taken them longer to put a bid together. Diame looks like a smart signing too though. We seem to shy away from free transfers for some reason which is a shame when you look at some of the players who have been snapped up over the past couple of seasons.
Assuming this is true, do we play him on Thursday and if so, then where and who gets left out? It'll be interesting to see what side we put out against Lazio.
NO! I'd wrap Bale up in cotton wool too. We need to put a run together in the league more than we need a result against Lazio. In Italy I'd go for: Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Gallas, Naughton; Livermore, Carroll, Huddlestone; Falque, Ade, Townsend.
I honestly wouldn't mind Villas-Boas picking a side like that for the game, but I'd change it a little. Lloris; Walker, Dawson, Caulker, Naughton; Falque, Livermore, Carroll, Dempsey; Sigurdsson; Adebayor. 4-4-1-1. Stick a number of youngsters on the bench, too. Then try Dembele behind Defoe against West Ham.
go knows PNP. i think he needs 45 mins perhaps, just to get some game time under his belt. WHU will be a tough test on sunday. I really want to see Carroll play though, so perhaps a half each? very difficult to call.
http://www.movetocure.com/en/ They do a lot of this. I wouldn't count chickens or cockerels just yet though. Injury free doesn't equal physically fit.
Marriner is the ref. 4pm Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United Referee: A Marriner; Assistants: S Ledger, D Bryan; Fourth official: K A Woolmer.
Ah yes Paul Mariner decent player. Yes I know he's not the ref. it just reminded me of the former Ipswich & England man.
Paul Mariner, I remember him, very similar to Mark Hateley. Our upcoming opponent Andy Carroll is the only English player of similar ilk I can think of today, we had quite a few back then.
Experience to a degree is pivotal, I fully agree and appreciate that but when he's so experienced to the point of where his body can't match what his mind is telling him, he becomes a liability and Gallas has been at fault for many goals this season. He could've won every competition in world football, fact is, like all footballers age catches up and it's caught up with Gallas big time, just like it did with Maldini, Cannavaro & Judas and even now the likes of Carvahlo at Madrid, one of the best CB's of our recent generation yet Ramos and Pepe are selected above him because he's just simply not the player he was. Would you honestly suggest that when all our defenders are back fit, that because of Gallas' experience then the likes of Kaboul/ Vertonghen/ Caulker should be dropped for him?
Gallas' experience is important...on Football Manager, as you can have him mentor some of the younger centre backs for a season. Then they take his place at the end of the season, for a fraction of what his wages are.
I am not advocating Gallas I am saying that if AVB feels or felt that the experience of Gallas outweighed his loss of mobilty in THIS team then I could understand it. You cannot compare this argument with other players or teams because the circumstances are all different. These are the kind of decisions a manager has to make. Like picking a player who is not quite fully fit because he brings something that no one else in the squad can. With Dembele for example there is a temptation to rush him back because we do not have other options. All these team selection decisions have other factors it's not just about picking a pretty good looking line up on paper.
