Comments from the OS today: Thatâs exactly what he intends to do as he fights for a place in team. âI wanted to stay and fight for my place, as simple as that,â he added. âEveryone knows it, the manager knows it, Iâve been at Tottenham for seven-and-a-half years, itâs where I love playing my football and I want to be back playing". ------------------ I really don't think there are many better professionals in the game than Daws. We've never heard a peep out of him when things haven't gone his way and it's brilliant to know that he stills see's his future here despite a difficult start to the season. 90% of players in his position would have spoken out to the media and stated their unhappiness and their willingness to leave. Top, top guy. Really hope he can force his way back into contention, all the best Daws
I'm a big fan and would have him above Gallas any day. Kaboul/Vert first choice, Daws/Caulker backup.
I'm the same SD, Gallas has been a really good signing for us but I don't rate him above Dawson. Should definitely be the main contender for Verts/ Younes' places in the team.
Yep well said Daws, if he's fit I'd play him on sunday. Getting rid of him was a ridiculous idea, and a CB crisis was only narrowly avoided because Daws chose to stay. I don't know who was behind the idea to shift Daws out, AVB or Levy, but whoever it was, a very bad idea indeed.
Agreed, Dawson is exactly the type of player and person needed on the pitch at the mo. Its a time of transition (kind of) and you need players like him to keep everyone together and motivated.
Absolutely G10, even if he's not our best, he's still a fantastc CB to have in the squad, one who you know won't cry to the media if he's not playing and one who'll do everything he can to help the club on and off the pitch. Kaboul's injury means we need him more than ever and I agree, he should definitely start against Reading. Same here.
Michael Dawson, nice guy but not good enough to be a regular player for a top 6 club. He should of gone to QPR where he would get first team more often rather than back up for us and a few cup games.
But do you not think that his attitude is exactly what is required at the moment to help bring the team together?
Disagree with that. Dawson is more than worthy of a top 6 club in my opinion. With the injury situation we always have with CB's there's always potential to stake a claim and the fact that one of my favourite players - Assou-Ekotto hasn't been great in the first few games, it wouldn't surprise if we saw Verts pushed out wide with Dawson coming in if Benny doesn't get his ars* in gear sooner rather than later.
Dawson and Gallas wouldn't be a good combination, 2 injury prone centre backs, short of pace would leave us very vulnerable. I think Caulker's probably ahead of Dawson anyway.
I'd be very happy to see him back in the side on Sunday, especially as it would give us the freedom to pair up Gallas and Caulker in the upcoming cup games. Vertonghen could do with someone alongside him that can handle a physical presence up front, in my opinion. He'll have learned something of the English game from Gallas' vast experience, but I think that it's time for Caulker to gain the benefits of it now and pick a more complementary pairing in the league. Happy to have Dawson fit and available, but Kaboul can't come back quickly enough for me.
I actually think Gallas is a pretty fast centre back even if he is one of the Grandads of the team. In fairness, most of the top centre backs in the country and Europe aren't usually blessed with pace anyway, it's just an added bonus if they do have it. I personally wouldn't put Caulker above Dawson just yet, though no doubt in my mind he'll be twice the player in a couple years time. I'm a huge fan of Caulker but currently I'd have him below Kaboul, Verts & Daws for the time being.
Here here PNP. Kaboul's my favourite player in the team so I was gutted to hear of his injury. The way he's matured into what I believe, one of the top 5 centre backs in the league over the past year or so has been amazing. As you say, Verts could really use a more powerful presence at the back with him, no doubt he'd have learnt a hell of a lot playing alongside Gallas, the guy's been one of the best centre backs the premier league has had, however when the opposition bombard us with aerial threats - which have cost us so dearly against WBA and NCFC - we need a powerful presence to counter it... Dawson is that presence.
I think that we could do with Scott Parker returning to the side soon, too. I rate Sandro highly, but we've lost quite a lot of influential players in one go, van der Vaart and Modric to transfers, Parker and Kaboul to injury, plus our managerial change, so we've lost continuity and lacked leadership, at times.
I've actually been really disappointed with Sandro so far. At the start of the season I tipped him to take over from Scotty as our number 1 DM, judging on his early performances, Parker will waltz straight back in when fit and keep the position, this may be down to the wholesale changes don't get me wrong but he hasn't looked like the "beast" we've known him to be in games. Parker's due to return soon isn't he? Didn't the OS say he will return not long after the international break?
You're right, Gallas isn't slow but he quickly tires when he's up against an opponent who he keeps having to chase back to goal with. I think AVB does rate Caulker over him which is why I'd be surprised should Dawson and Gallas start together if Vertonghen was moved to the left. I also can't see Benny being dropped either.
For me, Gallas seems to struggle when up against a meaty centre forward, he doesn't like being bullied. Yeah I think AVB does rate Caulker above Dawson, it's not something I'd strongly disagree with as he clearly sees, like we all do, the potential Caulker has. I just think he's been leaving out the wrong player in Dawson when I personally feel, he can be of huge benefit on and off the pitch. You're probably right, Benny won't be dropped but I think AVB should have atleast have a word. I'm a huge Benny fan so I don't want him dropped permanently, I just think that maybe if he was benched for one or two, he'll realise the LB berth isn't a given despite seeing Rose loaned out.
I think Parker's back in training now, but I've no idea how close to a return he is. Sandro's not had a pre-season and his international commitments seem to have disrupted his start to the campaign, but he's rarely convinced me when he's picked alongside another holding player. He put in an amazing performance when paired with Palacios against Milan, but he always seems unsure of what he's supposed to do in virtually any other game when it's been tried.
