So Kane has been on the pitch for 120 mins in the two matches during which we scored two goals. Janssen has been on the pitch for 60 minutes during which we scored four. Too early to draw conclusions but I don't see the need to panic.
Some day, all Spurs games will have one. "I can't say I regret staying up for it as it was a thoroughly entertaining affair played at a surprisingly high tempo and with quite a bit of passion on display, especially from our side. Roma are an excellent team - you can't push Juve all the way in Serie A without being one - and it was good to see our lads up against some real quality once again." We want to ask new signings (sic) + squad players + academy talent questions in a fickle crowd-free env and against quality opposition. Both of these games have done that IMHO (potential CL opponents etc) . I assume Pochettino sees where the squad weaknesses are etc in general and with the physio list currently having some serious entries on it. We shall see what happens in transfer activity etc ...
Our problems in the first half seemed to result from giving Onomah the Eriksen role. I think we might have been okay with Winks there, certainly with a healthy Lamela, but as it was we simply couldn't make the passes to get through their energetic press. When Eriksen and Winks came on, we had no trouble passing through them and controlling the game. I agree Georgiou was a big, pleasant surprise. I thought N'Koudou was fairly good in both games as something different: an AM who stays on the flanks and troubles fullbacks with pace and trickery. While his decision making was poor at times, I thought the trouble he gave defenders was more than worth it. My big concern is our defensive reserves. I simply don't trust CCV, certainly, and KWP, probably, not to leak goals in PL games. So that leaves us with Wimmer until Rose gets back, unless you count Dier, who probably shouldn't count as we often play a back three. I'm okay with Wimmer, as he's generally done decently, but he may be on his way. A key to the season, it seems to me, is picking up at least a couple of decent defensive reserves. And time's a wasting to bed them in.
Wimmer needs to leave in order to get his form, fitness and confidence back. He looks really short of all three. I was quite pissed off when Vertonghen instantly displaced him on his return to the side in the season before last. I can't see that player anywhere when I watch him today. Jump in for Bruno Martins Indi and Stefan De Vrij. Both products of Feyenoord's academy and play for the Dutch national team, so I wouldn't expect any language issues. One left-footer and one right, both experienced, have played in more than one country and are 25 years old. And for Levy especially, they both have one year left on their respective contracts at Porto and Lazio. Flog Wimmer to Southampton, so he's still close enough to keep in regular touch with his best mate, Son. Maybe pick up Soares from them in return, if we don't have anyone else coming in at right-back.
Cedric Soares impresses me. Wages should be fine but I imagine Saints wouldn't want to sell and probably don't need to.
How? He knocked West Ham out of the Europa League 2 seasons straight. I'd have had Alli's performance in the plus, he was helping out the good Kyle Walker on defensive duties and dipping into midfield to give an option when we were clearly lacking creativity first half. Think you're harsh on Trippier too. We switched to 4 at the back second half and given the pace Roma already showed, we needed the fullbacks to be more disciplined. I thought he did fine.
When pre-season you use all or most of the squad the two major issues are getting into the norm rythem and the nerves of the occasional players The worst player on the pitch was the so called ref how on earth does he get games
I wouldn't place too much importance on these pre season friendlies etc because remember the Ramos pre season when Bent was hammering them in and come the start of the season and flop from the whole team? I ALWAYS now look at that time as the benchmark experience and draw NO conclusions from pre season matches.
None whatsoever ?? So what I am then, if I say the conclusions I draw from this pre-season are : 1. Our full strength starting XI will be a match in the CL for the PSG/Roma equivalents 2. CCV and KWP are not senior squad ready.
Our pre season full strength starting X1 were good enough to thrash everybody then gain 2 points in 8 matches back in 2008 was it? RDBD, you are free to form your own conclusions whether on individuals or on the team as a whole but when the season starts for real it's a whole different dynamic. Players can play blinders in friendlies then have mares when the sharp end starts.
The core of it had not finished 2nd/3rd in the PL in the previous two seasons, and with the best defence / 1st-2nd best attack (which is the case now) .
He's crap in the MLS, apparently. They're used to it. It's a relatively new league, so things like quality match officials will be hard to come by.
Nothing to do with the current thread, but it's always nice to see that bit again. And I guess there's a part of me that's thinking "surely that can't be true?"
I guess that explains the poor quality of referees in the Premier League, as football didn't exist in this country before 1992...
Here's the lineup I wonder how many bloggers mouthing off at the lack of Sterling/Shashoa/Duncan/Tracey in the US tour squad are going to admit they didn't even know this tournament, which is a damn good reason not to have large chunks of our Development squad on the wrong continent, was on the club's calendar?
Based on what appears to be a Barry/Sissako midfield pivot, we need to subliminally send this image to Everton six times a day for the remainder of the summer...
