nothing to do with results or performances, it's about our lack of planning and and once again starting the season playing catch up. I couldn't care less about the results, but if we seriously expect to compete with the top four then we have to plan better for the season ahead.
The club knows best how to manage players returning from injury or who have had little rest due to international tournaments. I don't think they've been overlooked.
Neither player has been involved in any physical stuff in this pre-season build up. There was a training ground friendly scheduled for last Thursday primarily to assess Sandro, but it was cancelled. However, he does continue to keep ahead of his personal comeback timetable.
Cancelled because Sandro wasn't ready or another reason? Do you know when their predicted comebacks are meant to be by? I presume Palace will be far too early. Is Swansea a slight possibility?
It makes me cringe when i hear fans say the game means nothing when they lose.....they put 5 goals past you so how is that not important???...Its very important and shows you are going to miss bale when he goes. you did not exactly play a strong team afterall...
If we ignore the result and concentrate on preseason being about getting our first team fit and ready then what did we gain from this match? We took a pasting and none of our ****ing first or half of our 2nd team played. What's the point? Send them all home and just ask them nicely to turn up 5mins before palace kick-off
A starting line-up that includes Falcao, Moutinho, Rodriguez, Toulalan, Abidal and Carvalho don't make a "strong team"? Making a connection between conceding five goals and Bale not playing is equally absurd. Conceding five goals had more to do with none of our first team centre backs (Kaboul, Vertonghen, Dawson) being available, coupled with the lack of Sandro and Paulinho in central midfield to break up play than anything else.
Why is it very important? What's their to be gained from pre-season other than match fitness and getting to know new team mates/ formations? "you did not exactly play a strong team afterall" - Are you saying Monaco are not a strong team? They've splashed £52m on the worlds best striker, £40m on one of the worlds most promising players, plus adding players like Moutinho, Toulalan, Abidal and Carvahlo - ALL of whom featured today against a Spurs side that had a centre mid and a left back in central defence and only 3 players likely to make our strongest first team - Lloris, Dembele and Chadli.
Our reserves and 2nd team will be flying come aug 17th. Shame about the rest, where the **** are they? Kaboul needs to play, or are we gonna line up Livermore+Fryers at the back? Where are our central midfield? 2 weeks til season, where the hell are they?
If this is what an AVB pre-season feels like I'm rapidly going to lose faith in him - I thought he was meant to be methodical... the club seems to be in chaos at the moment. Unless it's a case of "method in the madness", as the expression goes.
Spurcat said Kaboul (and Sandro) have no more than a slight possibility of returning for the Swansea game. So we can definitely rule them both out for Palace unless AVB takes a major risk. Hopefully Daws will be ok and that his knock is literally just that, a knock. CB is looking a real problem though, with Daws as the only recognised CB who's hopefully going to be fit for the start of the season, we MUST bring someone in ASAP. The Caulker sale was already a bad decision in my opinion but it's looking like a disaster right now especially as the Chiriches deal has broken down. I don't care whether it's an ageing freebie, a loan for a good out of favour defender or a perm, we just have to act fast and try and get them in time for Espanyol so they can have at least one warm up match with the squad. AVB's comments today were encouraging about Bale so hopefully we can field the likes of Bale, Paulinho, Soldado, Chadli plus others such as Mousa, Ekotto, Defoe, Gylfi, Lennon, Walker and Rose against Espanyol so we're "ok" in terms of midfield and striking options I think.
Spurs official website seem to be putting a positive spin on the scoreline http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/home/
This is what I meant in my previous post. Where are some more of the first 11? We did this last summer aswell. - why play the kids who have absolutely no chance of being anywhere near the first team this season? There's nothing to be gained this late in preseason. We could easily be facing more disruption within the squad as it is, if bale leaves and others come in... So we should at least be making sure who we have available now are getting used to one another in a game situation. Signings/sales need to be sorted pronto, otherwise we're going to have another start of season "mess" again, despite our early excellent early transfer business. Same old spurs!
i would have thought huddlestone would have played at the back considering all the injuries,and we might even need him there against palace in 2 weeks time
Roo, the worrying aspect is these players will be near the first team, zeki fryers the new Rio (cough), rose will be getting games, Livermore will be used when Avb wants two defensive mids and kane will get a sub role due to injuries. One player who deserves a chance is townsend who performed for QPR, and I expect if townsend was playing in the Dutch league, some English club would think '' cracking player, let's bid 7 million '.
I think it's too early to assess Fryers. Rose could be good back up at left back. I do love Benny but if we can get Coentrao then I am happy for him to go. I would rather us keep Bale and scupper any part exchange deal for Coentrao however. Livermore I really don't rate. Not that he is terrible but he would get nowhere near any of the top 4 squads. I would much rather he went than Huddlestone. If we can keep Bale, get a centre half and get Eriksen then we would be in great shape for the coming season. Here's to dreaming!
