1st Game Summary.

[PleaseNotPoll]

He has updated:

"People should realise that players have a life outside of football....
...... not every comment\tweet\action is to do with football!! Plus jumping to assumptions is never good"

Unfortunate timing, perhaps?
I hope so, as I can see a place for Huddlestone in the squad, especially in European games.

 

[No Kane No Gain]

My point re. Hudd was to be on the bench, I wasn't suggesting to give him 90, not sure where you draw that from, that should have been quite clear in the OP, acknowledging Jake and Sandro to start. If he felt that way at being omitted, do you honestly believe he'd go to the lengths of putting it on Titter and say nothing else...no need to be joining dots in the dark, its already happened, and I can tell you it hasn't gone down well, if it proves to be a fake twitter account then we'll know in due course.

The point if this is true is that Tom feels unjustly treated over the matter, maybe he wasn't contacted and informed of the team selection correctly. If thats the case its another thing AVB was criticised for with Chelsea players, so hasn't learnt. If no-ones bothered by similar traits, thats fine by me, we'll just wait till he pisses off someone more prominent before we all talk about it...well, you lot can, I already have!.

And I'm sorry, but every team played some good football at some point over the weekend, that just isn't a plus point.

That's what I'm saying about guesswork. Maybe AVB didn't explain it to him, maybe he did. From the sounds of things there was no trouble with Hudd in the first place and that shows that I should take my own advice too as I thought Hudd was Tweeting about a problem with AVB.

I'd like to have seen Huddlestone on the bench too but I'm not overly concerned that Jenas was the unused sub and not Hudd. I thought leaving VDV out of the starting line up was the real poor decision to pick up on.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

I thought leaving VDV out of the starting line up was the real poor decision to pick up on.

Depends on his fitness level, in my opinion, but I definitely thought that he should've come on for one of the holding players, rather than Sigurdsson.

 

[Roo]

That's what I'm saying about guesswork. Maybe AVB didn't explain it to him, maybe he did. From the sounds of things there was no trouble with Hudd in the first place and that shows that I should take my own advice too as I thought Hudd was Tweeting about a problem with AVB.

I'd like to have seen Huddlestone on the bench too but I'm not overly concerned that Jenas was the unused sub and not Hudd. I thought leaving VDV out of the starting line up was the real poor decision to pick up on.

Obviously we don't know what AVB's thoughts on him are and he could genuinely like him. but at the same time he could have been on the bench to be brought on had we been winning, to gain some interest from other clubs prior to the window closing?

 

[Spurm]

i would like to see Hudd play alongside Sandro. Hudd sits deep, but he isn't a defensive mid per-se. However, because he naturally sits deep he should be capable of covering for Sandro on the odd occasion that he gets forward.
His passing should allow us to release Bale/Lennon/Sig/VdV in ways we are unable to do at present, similar to Modders.

My preferred team, especially at home would be:
Friedel
Walker Verts Kaboom Benny
Sandro
Hudd
VdV Sig Bale
NEW STRIKER

Lennon to be used as an impact sub for any of the 3 attacking mids as they can all shuffle around. Also, bringing Lennon on as impact will allow Walker a bit of a breather as he is the only natural width on the right in that formation.

 

[No Kane No Gain]

Depends on his fitness level, in my opinion, but I definitely thought that he should've come on for one of the holding players, rather than Sigurdsson.

Well yeah but I'm pretty sure he he was fine, he came on against Valencia and played in the practice match they had at the Lodge, I believe.

I don't think we've seen VDV and Sigurdsson on the pitch together have we? I hope it doesn't become a case of "either, or" for the long term with those two because Sigurdsson's set pieces have been very good and VDV's a top player.

 

[PowerSpurs]

i would like to see Hudd play alongside Sandro. Hudd sits deep, but he isn't a defensive mid per-se. However, because he naturally sits deep he should be capable of covering for Sandro on the odd occasion that he gets forward.
His passing should allow us to release Bale/Lennon/Sig/VdV in ways we are unable to do at present, similar to Modders.

My preferred team, especially at home would be:
Friedel
Walker Verts Kaboom Benny
Sandro
Hudd
VdV Sig Bale
NEW STRIKER

Lennon to be used as an impact sub for any of the 3 attacking mids as they can all shuffle around. Also, bringing Lennon on as impact will allow Walker a bit of a breather as he is the only natural width on the right in that formation.

I agree with that. Probably play Parker and Livermore in away matches.

 

[Spur of the Moment]

Levy holds the credit cards so the signings ultimately come down to him. The team played some good football yesterday and that's a positive, despite the result.

Even Vidic struggled when he first arrived in the Premier League, Vertonghen might have been fine but it is a risk to play him. Caulker went to the Olympics and then international duty with England so AVB hasn't much of a chance to work with him, you can disagree with his decision if you want but you can surely see it's not without reason. Oh and before it's mentioned, we didn't have much choice with Sandro, it was him or Jenas out of our match squad.

And finally, Huddlestone. All we know is that he's been shouting his mouth off on Twitter and was upset at not being picked to play, nothing shocking there from a football player. The rest is your opinion trying to connect the dots in the dark. We have no idea why Huddlestone was left out, it might be because he's ignoring a diet he's been put on again, training poorly or simply not fit enough. I thought Huddlestone looked in good nick in preseason, considering he'd been out for a year, but I could still see Huddlestone struggle to make the 90 considering the amount of work Sandro and Livermore had to do. Assuming the worst about AVB's choices isn't giving him a fair chance.

Thank heavens for some reasoned comment among the negative hyperbole!!

Some of the speculation on here, based on a few tweets 2 of which are quite innocent direct responses to questions, appears unnecessary. How one players comments about not being put straight back into a team after a year out could indicate general team spirit is ridiculous.
We may not have the ideal squad yet, but some of the criticism of team selection in the first game of the season when no one actually KNOWS the reasoning behind it has been unreasonable.

We all want the best for this club we support and if the next few games don't go the right way, then I am sure that there will be some justified criticism of management (and owners). But after one game - a tough away game against the side that finished one place below us last term??? We bossed most of the game and but for woodwork and the non-sending off of Simpson, we would probably have won.

And now Gallas is being blamed for the Ba goal. It was a superb finish and if anyone made an error it was Walkers poor clearance. Surprised there hasn't been a witch hunt against Brad for being too old to reach it.......

It's gonna be a long bloody season at this rate.......

 

[redwhiteandermblue]

Most of us are thinking along similar lines ( put my impressions on the match thread--didn't see this one.) Good game for AVB, which was the biggest single development for me. His team and tactics took the play away from a very good team playing at home for most of the game, and he definitely went a certain distance towards assuring me he's the right man for the job.

Counter vs. Press is an issue, but I thought in this case pressing worked well, even away from home.

I would have picked that team except for playing Vertonghen. But I could see AVB's thinking. A good team with two good strikers at home is the time to start your veteran CB, not your new acquisition who has not reassured anyone with his defensive solidity. I also agree it was Walker's poor clearance that deserves the blame for the goal--insofar as there should be any, it was mainly a good strike.

I thought Livermore and Sandro did well. I was thinking that Sandro and Parker both like to get forward, there could be a case made for asking them to take over Modric's role between them. So maybe Livermore as well.

A bigger issue may be two positions for VDV/Gylfi/Lennon. Lennon justified his spot, but playing both VDV and Gylfi half a game seems a big waste. I might try Gylfi as a deeplying playmaker due to his energy and the fact that VDV is so good playing off the striker, but maybe VDV, or both, should be tried there.

As for Huddlestone: he's a good player, but to be honest I wouldn't start him either. In fact, I might give Carroll a chance first.

 

[Spurm]

i think most of the Spurs posters on here have been relatively positive. There are a few doom and gloom merchants but its not as bad as you are making out. I wasn't very positive of a result before the game and we didn't get one. However, there were signs and as you say it was the first game.

 

[notsosmartspur]

Well its good to see what on the face of things a day ago, aren't as first seemed, and I'll be the first to say I'm glad about that. Personally I think its the right place on a forum to air concerns, any threat to squad harmony should be worth discussion, its a shame some see that as hyperbole...perhaps they should look the word up.

 

[Spur of the Moment]

Keep the dictionary for your own needs mate - together with any exaggerations you want to make.
Taking snippets of online 'conversations' and turning it into facts relating to team spirit is little better than the wumming we get from the Goons and Chavs.
But if that floats your boat then carry on........

 

[Roo]

i think most of the Spurs posters on here have been relatively positive. There are a few doom and gloom merchants but its not as bad as you are making out. I wasn't very positive of a result before the game and we didn't get one. However, there were signs and as you say it was the first game.

I don't think I've seen anyone who's been negative towards our performance at the weekend. there was room for improvement, but on the whole AVB showed some very encouraging signs with his plans for the squad and the way we play. I for one, am excited for the game against WBA

 

[notsosmartspur]

Keep the dictionary for your own needs mate - together with any exaggerations you want to make.
Taking snippets of online 'conversations' and turning it into facts relating to team spirit is little better than the wumming we get from the Goons and Chavs.
But if that floats your boat then carry on........

Ahoy there shipmate! before saying anymore i thought i'd read my OP again, as i can't see where your coming from, do you really think i'm sitting here all irate and ready to slit my wrists! of course its in a 'told you so' tone' I've made no secret of my overall view of things, so its supposed to be tongue in cheek, but I've not put an exclamation mark in, so i can see how you read it. But thats how it looked yesterday morning, today its different. The points were put up for debate with a slant, you should know I do things differently by now. however, not wishing too many upset anyone, if this type of thread doesn't float your boat ... you'd better set sail!

 

[Ghoddle10]

For me, it's mainly/all about Levy selling AVB up the river and going to Toon with one unsuitable striker. The rest is footnotes.

We played well enough to get a result - we didn't.

Put Ade in there beside/alongside VDV/Defoe and have someone like Loris in goal, then IMHO we're not pointless after the first game.