"4 points off 4th but with a dire goal difference...not feeling very optimistic...so no change ther then!" Based on our GD we should be on 22-23 pts. Which those 3 penalty decisions earlier in the season more or less account for,
What is Sherwood's problem with Capoue? First he snubs him during the Southampton game when Dembele had to come off and again today when it was obvious that Holtby isn't a defensive midfielder and needed to be replaced, both times going for Bentaleb instead. And, frankly, his explanation for this is poor - saying he trusts Bentaleb as he's seen him play for the academy is Sherwood saying his has neither seen Capoue play (which is his job) and that he doesn't trust him (which is illogical, given he's been a rock when deployed in central midfield) We needed Capoue today, and Sherwood nailed him to the bench for 90 minutes. Doesn't look like an improvement in the man management department, that's for sure.
I only watched the second half but it didn't look that terrible to me. We had the chances, their keeper put on a pretty good show but we could have pinched it. The ref could have been a little more helpful, no way he was ever going to give a penalty unless someone emptied a magazine of bullets into someone's back. It's going to be a long road back after AVB but at least we are passing the ball forwards. Walker was pretty clever getting his suspension out of the way before the Man U match. Lamella looked half decent at last, still a bit light weight but he's coming on. A few plusses, a few negatives but nothing to worry about.
I don't think that we had any strong penalty calls, but his decision to not book Reid for his foul on Rose was ludicrous. The commentators were discussing whether he was going to get a straight red or a second yellow, yet he somehow escaped both. Totally bottled it.
Come on Spurf, of the players we signed in the summer, do any of them look like world class players who have transformed our squad into contenders? Ãrik Lamela - really lightweight. Looks lost out there. Let's hope it's just a 'settling down' issue Vlad Chiriches - worries me when he's in the team. Makes crazy decisions. Prefer Verts and Daws any day! Ãtienne Capoue - better DM than Sandro? No. So will always be a back up and not a shoe in Roberto Soldado - came with a big reputation. So so disappointing. When will he finally deliver? Nacer Chadli - I'm not actually sure what his best position is anymore! Paulinho - has hot and cold periods but by no means the player I thought we were getting Christian Eriksen - probably the player with the most promise and ironically, the smallest price tag!
I may have to get drunk after that! It's typical Spurs though,reality quickly setting back in again after a little bit of optimism!
Sherwood only in the job 5 minutes and fans already moaning at him! the joys of management! Honeymoon period over?! ......Although I did read comments from Sherwood saying he doesn't mind being called a "young Harry Redknapp" so maybe there is hope for him yet
Just to defend Sherwood on team selection, as mentioned earlier his hand is forced, our two natural wingers (townsend & lennon) are missing, he wants to play two up top and he wants wingers to put in crosses but right now he has a squad overloaded with central midfielders and inverted wingers. He also wants to reward the youngsters that he rates, and the reason he is selecting players ahead of capoue is that he prefers to trust players he personally rates rather then go with reputation, so you have to respect that even if on paper capoue should be selected. This season is virtually now a write off, we have no chance of top four (in my opinion) and the best we can hope for is to see us play better football, have some youngsters make their mark and to slowly prepare for next season and Sherwood will need to impress if he wants to carry on next season. But most of the current issues are all from our summer spending, an unbalanced squad and our previous manager, it will take more then a few games to get moving in the right direction.
Well he selected Holtby and Eriksen and Siggy, thats three central players but he has to select players out of their natural position!
None of them are central midfielders, in my opinion. All prefer to play in front of a 4 man midfield or perhaps wide, in Sigurdsson's case. There's no way that any of them can play a deep or holding role, either. It's nice to see that Sherwood's willing to give some of our youth players an opportunity, but his omission of Capoue in Sandro's absence is just stupid.
SIggy, Holtby and Eriksen are all Central players, be that midfield or CAM, it just depends on how you, me or the manager views the players but they have all played central throughout their career at various points. I assumed Sandro was injured, so can't comment on that but I'm sure you know I rate Sandro and would hope his omission is more to do with the festive period and back to back games. And as for the young players, we can't have it both ways, we can't want them to be given a chance and then slate the manager for omitting players like Capoue, as he never assembled the squad, so players will miss out and Capoue was one I said we never needed, and clearly Sherwood agrees and prefers to go with young players.
All that money blown on very average players. That's what you said. Paulinho, Capou, Lamela, Erikson, Soldado, Chadli, and Chiriches. First for the most part they have not been given any continuity under AVB with the exception of Paulinho and if you think he is very average then you follow a different sport to me. People are ready after very little time in often akward circumstances to make bold statements about players abilities. Most players take time to adjust to the English game and not taking that into account makes your comment nonense. Does it make people feel better to rubbish players? Are you hoping to spot the dud first?
Sigurdsson, Holtby and Eriksen have all spent their careers playing forward of a central midfield pairing. They're not central midfielders any more than someone like van der Vaart is. Pairing two of them together is just bizarre. Very, very naive move and it put a lot of pressure on our defence, especially when West Brom broke. A better team would've slaughtered us. I assume that Sandro's still injured too, but Capoue's clearly a far more sensible option than picking two attacking midfielders. If Sherwood doesn't rate him, then pick someone more appropriate. If he wanted to select Bentaleb then I'd understand his decision. I don't think that it would be the best choice, but it would make far more sense than Holtby and Eriksen together. The only way that I can see the German and Dane working is either with a lone striker or with one of them used out wide, the latter of which wouldn't be ideal.
I agree I wouldn't play them together , but Sherwood decided to play a naive but attack minded setup, yet we have to remember he has no experience, he is naive, he is young and he will make mistakes so unfortunately that is where we are. People where saying Sherwood deserves his chance will here it is, we have to accept in the first few games Sherwood will make naive decisions and that is why I view the season as a write off. I would hope Sherwood learns from his mistakes and then decides to select Sandro OR Bentaleb which I'm sure he will, but right now I'm just putting it down to his lack of experience and after all his "Mouthing Off" he is going to learn the hard lessons of management and that it takes more then being mouthy!
I don't buy this. He's played the game for decades and he was a bloody holding player himself, basically. The idea that he doesn't understand the value of his own position as a player just doesn't wash with me as a naive or inexperienced decision. It's just a poor one. I hope that he learns from them too, but I'll still point them out and question them. If I see something that I think's stupid in a starting lineup, then it probably is stupid. Redknapp made some decisions that I thought were a bit odd and they worked out, but I think that a lot of managers get a bit too close to the woods. They pick the players that are doing well in training or playing well in games, without thinking about how that's going to work on the pitch as an XI. I don't get it and it bugs the hell out of me.
It bugs the hell out of me aswell but I've run out of "moaning" after spending the last year and a half attacking AVB! plus its Christmas so I'm taking a break and giving Sherwood the benefit of the doubt as I believe Levy has made it clear Sherwood has to play attacking football and because Sherwood has no experience he will make odd decisions. If hes still making these odd decisions after the new year then its clear he doesn't learn quickly or makes poor decisions without fixing them, yet because I'm behind Sherwoods decision to include the young players then I'm personally just easing off until I see how he unfolds as a manager.
Anyone would think we'd lost because our defence wasn't up to it. As I saw it we were a bit unlucky that the ball didn't fall for us on numerous occasions; we should have been playing against 10 men and even their goal was a bit fortunate with the ball bouncing off Ade's left foot right into the path of Olsson.
