Paulinho has been trying to play a fast one touch game whereas Dembele has been playing the opposite. Play Paulinho further forward so that he can work with Ade, Soldado, and Erikson and we could get the slick one touch sequences that can unlock defences. Dembele is the problem in my view as good a player as he is, on his day he can make a difference, I fear his football brain is just too slow. The sooner Sandro is able to replace him the better IMO.
Well that would have been everybody bar Lloris whlie avb was here! I see what you say though, he had more impact around the opponents box, than our own. The 5th MFer in AVB's teams made that easier I think though. TS's sides if they haven't been 442, then not far from it, 4411 or whatever, and if you're only playing 2 in the middle as such, for one to be a box-to-box specialist wanting to get forward, this then isolates his mate and it becomes difficult...as TS is finding out!
While I may have criticized both, I think both Paulinho and Dembele are excellent players. It says something to me that our best game we played them plus Capoue and Bentaleb; we have five first rate deep-lying midfielders (including Sandro). Even if we'd started this year's team with the perfect manager who figured out who our best team was, and which system they should play in (not so easy since everyone will have different strengths and weaknesses in different systems), they'd still be "coalescing" 28 games into their first season. Obviously, reality fell far short of that, so we tend to still have a collection of talented players playing often incoherent football. The only answer is patience, I think. But I want Spurs to win while playing beautiful football now.
You will find in my account Spurs may or may not coalesce, synch, fall together (or apart) and even symbionate. Gel will only refer to personal care products favored by Bale, Chadli, Ronaldo and others.
I'm not personally a big fan of Paulinho but to say "he is what he is" is far too early, especially for a foreign player in his first season who has had to play under two different managers with two different styles, not to mention we get outplayed for large periods in the game due to Sherwoods team setup, so its difficult at the minute for players to be judged iin their first season. No one said he would flop, yet his role would be different and a players role in a team is crucial to how they adapt, so you can't compare their progression as one player is playing under a world class manager who has a proven track record of getting players to perform, while Paulinho has had to play under AVB and a manager in his first ever job.
I said thsi earlier in the season, if you remember He used to get in great goal scoring positions and he should be focused more on supporting the attack or using his ability to get in such positions but now his role has changed and it doesn't give the guy a chance to adapt. Hopefully next season whoever is in charge will have a clear idea of the system and style of play to use and each players role, as all this chopping and changing of managers and style of play really isn't going to help us get anywhere so I just hope next year we can have someone who stays for 2-3 years minimum (hopefully longer) due to being successful.
Why is that YV? I think he is fair and physically fit enough to keep up with play, unlike some. He is not card happy but also is not afraid of giving a card when it is necessary. He is also big enough not to be affected by the Mourinho mind games that are almost certainly going to be spouted from the mouth of the not so special one before the match
I dunno, I thought Fergie had him in his pocket when he was around and I've always seen him as a young Howard Webb, helping out the big teams and bottling a lot of the big decisions. I do get him and Friend mixed up a lot though so maybe I'm being unfair.
Asked whether, given the talent available to them, England underachieve at major tournaments, Mourinho replied: “I think so because [The Premier League] is the best championship in the world; it is the most competitive one. “I know that many foreign players are in the top clubs but at the same time the national team players, all of them, they play in the top clubs in the Premier League – players from Chelsea, from Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, a few from Everton also – all of them Mourinho doesn't see us as one of the top clubs then!! A little dig ahead of the game I think
Team news from the Spurs Twatter feed: Walker and Kaboul are back in contention, Eriksen's doubtful, Rose, Capoue, Lamela and Chiriches are still out.
Newcastle, where we looked our best by far, was the only game Kaboul started. I can only hope he's ready for this one. The high line we played against Newcastle would seem to be suicide against Chelsea, but it would still be very helpful to have a fast CB, no matter how we play--or who we play, really.
There is no way Spurs have the better strikers. Chelsea's problem is more to do with the system itself. It's not a surprise Spurs have tried to get Torres and Ba, they'd score for fun at your gaff.
