If our players are tired after playing some part of a couple of half-paced games there some serious questions should be asked about their pre-season preparation
Maybe so, but flying to and from Germany, plus 2 games in 2 days against top class opposition a few days before the season starts isn't ideal at best - especially when you consider that certain areas of our squad are wafer thin already.
I'd have to agree about areas of our squad looking very thin. It'll probably be a nice experience for some of our kids, but they'll be miles out of their depth against some of the players they'll be up against. We're in desperate need of at least one striker, probably two or even three, plus our central midfield has lost a lot of depth. A third choice keeper wouldn't go amiss, either. Other areas seem totally fine or even overloaded, which is a bit silly. We've got five senior centre-halves and a ton of full-backs, plus some very talented youngsters coming through. Veljkovic is apparently an adept holding midfielder, but Carter-Vickers is getting hyped relentlessly and watched by other sides. Our attacking midfield options look similarly deep.
There is an interview with Donna Cullen, which I believe can be easily found on-line, where she does drop a hint that Poch was unhappy with this Audi Cup trip.
I'm not surprised. It would've made some sense last week, but it's a stupid time to play it. The same is probably true of the MLS game.
Would that be the interview contained in this post here? http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/ind...cullen-tottenham’s-executive-director.120689/
Reading Donna Cullen she could be an executive for BP or Dyson, shame she is talking about a football club. Yes club! seems like the wrong name nowadays it should perhaps be Corporation rather than Club as playing for the people who actually attend matches at WHL comes a long way down her list. When I read stuff like that I seriously wish i was not a fan of football.
It’s a long way gone from a few friends who wanted to chase a ball and have a bit of fun, isn’t it? I’m not that bothered it’s turned into mega-capitalism, for some reason. Maybe because it still often enough looks like and very well may be a few friends having a bit of fun--surrounded by a lot of money-making machinery.
I'm not sure the club has drifted into business from football. Its more that technology (specifically broadcasting) has created a lot of Spurs fans who have no chance of ever getting to White Hart Lane. I don't see it as a bad thing that the Club tries to cater for them too. In fact since they probably create the vast majority of the club's income its the only sensible approach.
Well that's a kick to the nards... lukam10 Looking forward for the very special game tomorrow against my former team Tottenham Hotspur and I'm sure @garethbale11 does too...⚽️#AudiCup#Munich#Coys#HalaMadrid#
Audi Cup squad confirmed Goalkeepers Michel Vorm Hugo Lloris Luke McGee Defenders Kieran Trippier Kyle Walker Danny Rose Ben Davies Eric Dier Federico Fazio Toby Alderweireld Kevin Wimmer Jan Vertonghen Midfielders Nabil Bentaleb Ryan Mason Harry Winks Dele Alli Mousa Dembele Tom Carroll Josh Onomah Christian Eriksen Erik Lamela Nacer Chadli Forward Harry Kane Meanwhile, here's Los Ladrones do Madrid's squad Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Casilla and Rubén Yáñez Defenders: Varane, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Marcelo, Carvajal, Arbeloa and Danilo Midfielders: Kroos, James, Bale, Casemiro, Modric, Cheryshev, Isco, Illarra, Asensio and Odegaard Forwards: Jesé, Lucas Vázquez and Borja Mayoral
Forward (singular). We couldn’t possibly play Kane the whole game...and then another whole game...could we? Surely not bringing Coulthirst means Chadli and/or Lamela or..Onomah..or...ah..someone will get a run at striker..doesn’t it? The game is completely meaningless and a very unfortunate distraction from the crucial opener against Man U. I really want us to win it. The last time we played, Ade convinced us to buy him. What’s going to go wrong this time?
I'm hoping that Ronaldo appears on the pitch to take every free kick...even though he's not in the squad for the tournament, which causes a mass brawl on the pitch between Los Ladrones players that sees us awarded a 3-0 win and Marca see the error of their ways and start tapping up various members of their squad for a last-minute summer move to WHL, starting with a double swoop for Bale and Rodriguez. ...what, too perfect?
Sorry PS but by your logic we should move Spurs to Asia. No it's about MONEY not loyalty to far off fans. Remember the roots of football and why Spurs exists.
Going with the most obvious XI for the opening league fixture, you'd assume that we'd line up like this today: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Dembele, Bentaleb; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane. It's what Spurcat picked and I'd have to agree with him. I doubt many people would disagree with about 9 of those picks. That leaves us with the following 12 players for the next day: Vorm, McGee, Trippier, Davies, Dier, Fazio, Wimmer, Mason, Winks, Alli, Carroll, Onomah. You'd assume that McGee will miss out, which leaves us with no actual choice on personnel. How to assemble that into an actual team? It's hard to say, as there's no striker at all and no wingers. Not the best way to go into two fixtures against big sides in the week leading up to the season, is it?
It's possible that Dembele and Chadli will get some game time as strikers. Dembele started at Fulham as a striker and Chadli has the size and strength fo fill the role if necessary. Not a substitute for signing more strikers but better than rushing into buying someone who is not good enough for our team.
It really didn't click to me until last week that the Audi Cup is in the same week as our first league game of the season, playing Tuesday and Wednesday against some of the best teams in the world is a great experience but I'm concerned it could leave us fatigued going into the Utd game on Saturday. Even if Poch's intended XI for the Utd game play 45 mins each in both games, taking into account the travelling it's a bit concerning. We'll have just Thursday and Friday for final preparations and then an early journey to Manchester to kick off the season, really not ideal.
