In the gossip column this morning it say's,Levy is keen to sign him but Tim is not keen on his return,and is resisting it
Yeah I saw the bit about Tim. If true then I hope Levy respects his decision. We need to allow the head coach/ manager to have a say in who they do and don't want in their team. The past 3 or 4 managers have mentioned that some signings had been made by Levy, some turned out to be wonders and others not so much.
And I don't blame Tim either and shows what an interfering influence our Chairman is, what a pain in the arse he is. Why the bloody hell is that lazy sod even being discussed, is he going to put the shift in, in Tims system? is he bollox, yeah he's great with the ball at his feet, but his attitude in tough games is ****e. Flaffing around in avb's slow buildup crap maybe, but high pressing like we are now?....leave it out! NO.
I haven't read the article but I'm guessing there's no quotes so hardly worth judging anyone off the back of it. Also, where do you get the impression that we're higher pressing than before? We always looked to get the ball back under AVB, the only difference now is that we're more direct and counter quickly. Given the way Eriksen was allowed to stroll around for much of the game on Sunday, I'd say there's definitely room for a Berbatov type player in the team. I hope we don't go for him though, I think one moody, temperamental striker is enough.
Why have you invented the idea that I said higher than before??? its not there. I said we press high thats all, same as before, requiring effort. Maybe you missed the after game analysis, Eriksen was actually singled out for joining Ade when necessary, and dropping into MF without the ball. Perhaps you watched a different game.
"Flaffing around in avb's slow buildup crap maybe, but high pressing like we are now?.." That's where I got it from. I didn't see the analysis, no, but funnily enough Eriksen would've been the example I would've brought up too. Under AVB he often closed down with Soldado making it look like a 442 off the ball, whereas under Sherwood he tended to drop off into midfield without the ball(although there was still good pressuring from other players. Maybe I did watch a different game as I thought Eriksen was quite lazy on Sunday. Sherwood's post match comments show that it's what he wanted though, he wanted Eriksen not getting involved with a lot of defending and instead saving his energy for attacks. That sounds exactly like Berbatov style role to me. This was why I was surprised that you said he'd fit better into an AVB system as I don't think he'd have suited our pressing game then and Sherwood seems happy to accomodate for the kind of role Berbatov likes.
I think that suits him best, he was used similarly like that at Ajax. I even spoke to Ajax fans at the PSV game last season and they said that "Eriksen never defends".
Berba has actually worked pretty hard for Fulham since being made captain, i've been pretty impressed with him tbh
YV, I don't want to get bogged in details, but you said I said higher than before. I know I said we pressed high, we do, the analysis showed numerous nicking back of the ball from Swansea, Eriksen included. I thought this was one of Eriksens best games. Ran the game? no, not necsessary in this one, like Tim alludes to, popping up in a lot of key moments with quality was his job, I agree that is a Berb trait, but CE worked off the ball in key moments, he may not always have been the one all the time sticking his foot in, but he was in position, even if its the opposite side to the play, he was in position to stop a switch of play for example. Berbatov is not interested in teamwork, his tee shirt with 'just give me the ball' says it all. I couldn't think of anyone more unsuited.
In Fulhams numerous drubbings, I've failed to spot that then. If he's running around atm, it'll only be to impress the new manager...it won't last, never does with the moody Bulgarian.
Berba shouldn't need to run around, that was one of his best qualities that he could stand still and the ball would find him. Why run around after a ball when its coming to your feet? he left that to Robbie Keane and it worked wonderfully. I could never understand why fans would say he was Lazy, as in a negative way, of course he was Lazy! but it was a positive, the guy has world class awareness and he can stand still watch the game and he knows where the ball is likely to end up. at his feet! I'll always remember him fondly and like when Klinsmann came back you knew it wouldn't be the same but great to see these players in a spurs shirt.
....well he does now. Lets not forget he's only 21, for Ajax its not a surprise he was even needed to defend, this is a different league. To expand on your first point, spot on, that is his best position, as Ajax were trying to build the team around him there, off a main striker, and what was shown after the game was his linkup with Ade going forward and dropping deeper when we're not, even if its only to occupy space. My first impression of the lad is he does make things look easy, quite a languid almost laid back approach, so I do acknowledge the similarity with Berb, but thats where it ends for me. That bursting run and cross first half was something I'd not seen from him, so if he's doing that and dropping deep with a purpose, instead of dossing about waiting for the ball to come to him, he is learning our league and starting adding things to his game as I see it. There were times he was just milling around in space, but I'm not critical of that as you could argue he's there as an outball for a quick counter. I'm not saying he was MoM or anything like that, but he looked much happier playing there than he has done in other positions we've tried. I'm not counting his playing there under avb with Soldao as that whole slow buildup thing just didn't suit anyone really, he looks different there in Tims setup.
Absolutely agree Boss. No point in running away from where the ball is going to be - just wastes energy. Similarly little point in chasing lost causes.
...by which time the game is lost! I fail to understand why comparing him over 5yrs ago has any relevance today, thanks for the trip down memory lane an all, but for me, a no. 10 has to do more than wait for the ball these days, unless you have a special 9 with him prepared to his other stuff....highly unlikely, especially under Tim who expects effort from all. Lets not be ridiculous and suggests he or anyone else runs around like an idiot for 90, there is a happy medium.
I think it suits all attacking players to not have to worry about defending. It's a question of whether he's special enough that it benefits the team enough to let him wander around the pitch doing what he wants, Bale was and VDV was but I don't think Eriksen's at that level at the moment. There are other ways to play that off the striker role though and I'd like to see Eriksen putting more effort in to help out his teammates whether it's defensively or bringing others into attacks. "high"/"higher" it's all the same I think we differ quite drastically on Eriksen's preformance so I'll leave it there before we end up going in circles.
No don't get me wrong notso he isn't right for us now but trying to change someone like Berba just isn't going to work and it wouldn't be the same this time round. Berba is too old now but because he is one of my favourite players I would always enjoy seeing him in a Spurs shirt.
You can run around like a headless chicken like Keane and Parker or you can be cool calm and collected like Berba and Makelele. Both type of players have their place in a team but like you say, why run towards the ball if the ball is coming back to you. Some players just have that ability and you don't try and change them.
Not really mate, we've seen the same things, just interpreted it differently. Like i said, he wasn't MoM, he wasn't our best defending MFer either, I've just seen an improvement of late and a few missing bits of the jig-saw found, yes he can do more, but generally thought he had a good game when he was involved. How did you miss the after game chat? I hope you're not one of those that switches over thinking its all rubbish, its surprising at times what can be missed in a game, and it doesn't matter who the pundit lineup is, there's always a valid point somewhere, its only when pointed out afterwards you see it.
