With barely 2 weeks of tedium left until the start of what I reckon will be a barnstormer of a season, I thought I'd pass some time by asking: What is your best combined Spurs XI from the PL era? After much deliberation, I'd go for: GK - Hugo Lloris We've had some top quality keepers over the years. I was a massive fan of Neil Sullivan and adored Robbo, but Hugo - despite not knowing what a near post is and having similar distribution accuracy to a FedEx trainee, he is by far and away the best shot stopper we've had in the PL era. Add to this the fact the he is truly perfectly suited to the overall system and its a no brainer. LB - Christian Ziege SUCH a tough one this. We've been blessed with some truly special players at LB. My heart said Benny or Rose but the former never quite fulfilled his potential here and the latter, despite an incredible season, still has a way to go until he fulfils his. Ziege was a much needed signing at the time, addressing a position that we were desperately weak at. His dead ball skills were of the quality that apparently isn't encouraged anymore at Spurs, and was a top class defender on top of that. CB - Ledley King Zero explanation needed here. CB - Toby Alderweireld This was another horrendously hard decision. It honestly would've been Campbellend until he did the unthinkable and unforgivable. Toby is the only player to 'make' my team after just one year in the shirt, but such was his impact on the side that I made the painful decision to overlook Mabbut and include our Belgian cucumber. RB - Stephen Carr Yes, Kyle had a mightily impressive season last year and 3 years prior to that, but the reality is that the Irishman literally carried the team through some dark, dark days. I was utterly devastated when he moved to the Toon, not only because his command of that flank would be irreplaceable (and basically was until Kyle's arrival), but because it was basically a statement that said 'I love this club but I can't take the **** any longer'. His move was a damning reflection of how low we'd sunk and was one that shocked a lot of the fans. Top, top quality player. DM - Eric Dier It's amazing to think that such a young player, after a single year in this position, stands head and shoulders above the long list of holding mids who have graced our club in the PL era. He offers so much defensively but is also so comfortable on the ball and has a real eye for goal. Massive, massive future awaits. DM - Luka Modric Such an easy decision. The little magician was the cog around which everything else revolved during a period that saw us produce some of the best football in the world and exceed all expectations in our maiden CL voyage. One of the few 'big money' signings we made in the PL era who was worth every penny and more. LM - David Ginola A sensational signing whose arrival I didn't quite appreciate the absurdity of at such a young age. A player who had helped Newcastle to almost their first PL title, who was courted quite openly throughout that summer by Barcelona yet ended up at lowly perennial underachievers Tottenham Hotspur. Carried us on his beautifully tanned shoulders to safety in that dreadfull season under Gross. Produced some of the finest moments of magic and flare for a club renowned for valuing style over substance. Carried us again to our first major trophy of the PL era...I will never forgive Graham for the way in which he ostracised Ginola. Like VDV, seemed born to play in a Spurs shirt and never quite managed to replicate his form from the moment he took it off. CAM - Gareth Bale Apart from being utterly mesmerising to watch in full flow, to me Bale will always hold a special place in my heart as he demonstrated that the club had finally learned to do something it had struggled with for decades if not more: to identify young talent, sign that talent for a reasonable fee, develop and coach that talent into a world class performer. Bale's development in so many ways reflected the incredible progress we were making off the pitch through the new training ground and academy - both of which now mean that we can compete with teams who blow us out of the water financially. RAM - Darren Anderton My absolute favourite player growing up. Every playground game, every kick about in the park, every shirt I scrimped and saved to buy, I was Dazza. Vision, passing, stamina, poise, two footed...Glenn Hoddle himself once said that Anderton would've been the most complete midfielder in the country if not the world had he not had the injury problems. Heartbroken when he left and furious when it was leaked that most of his injuries were due to Francis and others rushing him back too early. Disgusting waste of a talent but at the same time the fact that the club was pushing him to play so much only serves to reinforce just how quality he was. ST - Harry Kane The hardest decision of them all. In choosing Harry, I had to conciously ignore Sheringham, Klinnsman and Berbatov - all of whom were sheer class. For me though, Harry has achieved as much as those luminaries of our front line did, but at a far younger age. He is the ultimate team player and worked so, so hard to get to where he is. Unique in that he is the first product of our academy who looks set to become 'world class'. So, my pick: Lloris Carr King Alderweireld Ziege Dier Modric Anderton Bale Ginola Kane Looking at it, that team would probably beat everyone 5-3 and win the league by February. Intrigued to hear your opinions!
How long before someone wonders why Greaves and Hoddle have been overlooked. Happens almost every time this question is asked.
------------------Lloris Carr Woodgate Alderwerield Gallas -------------King Dembele ---------------Sheringham Bale-----------Klinsmann------- Berbatov
I think I might swap in Thorsvedt for Hugo. Love Hugo, but Erik was such a commanding figure. Ziege I never felt was quite up to the defensive side, might have Benny personally. Not sure you could argue for anyone else. Would like to get Rafa in, but not over Ginola. I never knew he was so much in demnd at the time, you have to wonder why he came to us, given we were absolute cack without him.
Lloris Corluka Toby King BAE Carrick Dier Modric Bale Berbatov Keane Or Lloris Toby King Verts Lennon Sandro Modric Bale VDV Kane Sheringham
4 players out of position plus Woodgate and Dembele?! That's a brave call RS. Surely we haven't been that short on quality in the PL era
So pushing King into midfield, turning the slowest, laziest striker in our history into a winger and playing Bale on the flank that had its own chant arguing against it aren't to be taken as signs of panic?
Thorsvedt Walker King Campbell Ziegler Ginola Modric Dembele Bale Berbatov Sheringham Note: in reality this team would probably be awful. Berba+teddy? Hmmm. Ginola and Bale would have to swap throughout but both were more than capable on the right. Big fan of Dembele. Yep, that says ZiegLeR
King : The drop from King to the next best DM (in spite of the little he played in such a role) is bigger imo then the drop from King to the next best centre back. I would be perfectly comfortable with a centre back pairing of Woodgate and Toby, and would rather have the luxury of having King in a midfield role. Bale : If it's good enough for Real, some might argue that it should be good enough for us ! Berbatov : it's not perfect, granted. But I want him in the team. I'll admit that it doesnt work with Gallas. That was an aberation, lol.
My 2nd attempt : ----------------Lloris ------- Woodgate Gallas Toby----- ------------------King Walker------Dembele--------Bale ------------Sheringham --------Berbatov Klinnsman
Ziegler??!!!! That's even more mental than putting in Campbell! Mine would be: Lloris Carr King Alderweireld BAE Anderton Modric Van der Vaart Ginola Bale Berbatov Players like Dier, Alli, Kane, Dembele and Klinsmann were very close but I think from pure get me off my seat factor this would be the team I would choose. Bit lightweight perhaps but very entertaining!
