I was just too young to see him play, but the pride of my Spurs memorabilia is a limited edition b&w poster of Greasvie volleying a ball during a match, which he has signed. I keep meaning to get it framed and hung on a wall in the house.
I'm pretty sure a few of us were questioning our decision to keep Brazilian Jenas while loaning out Holtby at the time - now I wonder if there's anyone who isn't.
I never ever, ever thought I would say something like this but to compare that Brazilian international midfielder to Jenas is very unfair to Jenas. I really mean that. BTW I see a few people on here we're saying it during the game, Sherwood said it at half time and probably all of us were thinking it before a ball had even been kicked. But Paulinho on the right wing with Lennon on the bench?! That is one of the most obviously bizarre selections we've seen in recent times. And the most straightforward substitution you'll ever see.
Yes. Messi does remind me of Greaves in the cool, calculating way that they both took chances. Greavesie very rarely missed. He is still, to this day probably the most deadly finisher I have ever seen.
Messi is facing tax fraud charges, I don't thing Greaves would have done. Players of old seemed to show more of an example to others than the millionaires of today.
One thing I'm not sure I recall hearing anything about: at one point in the first half, the Besiktas fans appeared to be jeering Townsend when he was at their end of the pitch after he went past one of their players. Coincidental jeering, or another set of racist fans in Europa league games? On the subject of racism, the Standard has an article with Demba Ba mouthing off that top clubs don't pick African players because of where they're from. Right... Barcelona: one Cameroonian (on loan to Wet Spam) Bayern: one Moroccan Chelsea: one Egyptian, one Ghanaian (on loan to Everton), one Ivorian, one Nigerian Dortmund: one Gabonese Everton: one Cameroonian, one Ivorian, one South African Inter: one Algerian (on loan at Sassulo), one Ghanaian (on loan at Sampdoria), one Ivorian (on loan at Prato), one Nigerian, one Senegalese Juventus: two Ghanaians (one on loan at Atalanta) Liverpool: one Ivorian Man City: one Ivorian Milan: three Ghanaians (one on loan at Venezia) PSG: one Ivorian Roma: two Ivorians (one on loan to Bastia), one Malian Schalke: two Cameroonians, one Ghanaian, one Nigerian Tottenham: one Algerian, one Togolese (plus a Cameroonian) Long story short, shut the **** up Demba - especially because you were at Chelsea last season.
Amazing thing about Jimmy Greaves.He became an alcoholic during his football career......and still scored more goals than our lot! CHEERS!
What I should have said was that the Besiktas game looked like a fair CL team playing the second 11 of a good Europa squad. We did have some players who are little or no dropoff from our first 11. But most of them either have confidence issues or are very new to the team. Lloris, Dier and Bentaleb are the exceptions. I think even so we would have been decent except for a couple of players who are shockingly out of form (Chiriches and Paulinho.) If we'd had Velkjovic at CB, or possibly Dier, and started, say, Soldado or Dembele at CAM that second eleven would have been a lot better. Besiktas targeted Chiriches all game. Not having someone with something like CAM skills did a lot to make us very disjointed.
I know that the return leg's still a while away and we've got two fixtures to play before it, both of which are derby games of sorts, but this one has me wondering. Winning the group would be a big bonus, as we'd miss tougher sides in the next round, but how much of a gamble will Pochettino take? Assuming that we perform well in the two league games before it, what sort of side would you want him to field? I think that I'd risk this result and give those that aren't starting an opportunity to prove themselves and a way back into the side. The manager's methods and system can work, but it needs the right approach from the players and the right balance to the team. Stick with the 4-4-1-1 and keep the width, but leave behind the entire first XI and hope that those selected will do a job. Vorm; Walker, Dier, Kaboul, Rose; Chadli, Capoue, Dembele, Townsend; Lamela; Adebayor. Subs: Friedel, Naughton, Ball, Stambouli, Paulinho, Ceballos, Akindayini. No idea how seriously Besiktas will take it, but the atmosphere's bound to be immensely hostile. Might be a bit much for some.
I'd give this game to the players who need minutes. We're through and while winning the group has it's bonuses, it's never usually long before we face one of the CL dropouts anyway, so I'd rather keep the first teamers fresh for as long as possible. Besides the team I'd select is more than capable of beating BJK in my opinion. Vorm Walker, Kaboul, Dier, Rose Stambouli, Paulinho Lamela, Dembele, Townsend Soldado/ Ade Friedel, Naughton, Ball, Winks, Onomah, Akindayini, Ade/ Soldado
I think we should just send Adebayor on his own, we've got bigger concerns thn topping the group at the moment and the less time the other players spend with Ade the better.
I look forward to ITV4 showing the team sheet! Adrian Chiles wouldn't know what to do (so normal behaviour then)
