Rest Eriksen, Winks, Jan and Rose as they've been playing a lot recently and we can't afford injuries to them. Play someone other than Llorente upfront. This is all I ask.
Eriksen rests when he plays, Jan need more game time to get back to his best and Rose also thrives on game time. We need a striker and the fact he scored in the last game should help his performance. Apart from that I agree with you
We should be able to challenge for top 4 and take one of the cups seriously enough as things stand or is that unrealistic of me for our snowflakes? Wether we are 2 points or 32 points behind the league winners makes no difference to us in the fight to get 4th spot so let's prioritise a few cup games.
Eriksen covers more ground per game than most of our other players so not sure what you're getting at there. Jan's getting back from an injury, so is Rose and they've both played 2 tough games already this week. We're in the middle of a run of 5 games in 13 days, we currently have 1 left back, 2 cms* and 1 Eriksen. Son's coming back soon(hopefully should be ready for next weekend) and Llorente is coming up to 34 and shouldn't really be playing so many games. Plus he simply doesn't fit the way we play so leave him on the bench and bring him on if we're struggling in the last 20. *apparently Sissoko's a doubt so we'll probably have to play Winks with Skipp anyway.
Spurs fight to finish in the top 3, not top 4. Take this memo back to your Citeh pals in the Emptyhad stadium.
3/4 is the same thing...we were 2nd a few seasons ago...shouldn't the bar be at 2nd place? It's quite disturbing how a lack of silverware has actually made some of the fanbase anti silverware in their general perception of the beautiful game.
I’m hopeful Son will be ready for Watford, not next weekend! Sterling or Llorente really depends on how we set up - the 3 at the back suits Llorente more as we’ll get balls into the box, the diamond needs someone mobile who can handle the balls to feet in which case I think Sterling is more of a threat. I’d like to rest Eriksen but not sure we can afford to. Then again I think I’m right in saying that the Owlman has decreed that his priority is the PL so this might be the opportunity to delegate the creative duties to someone else.
When Spurs achieve that more than once in a short period, then yes. Until then, the baseline is currently set at : - PL top 3 - being in the PL title fight come the business end of the season
I don't buy stats that show running because it depends how and why you are running. Perhaps I am unfair on Eriksen. I appreciate his ball skills and passing ability but for me he is not enough of a fighter and tends to disappear too often. That's what I mean by resting in games. maybe he is not that essential against a team like Palace anyway. Determination is more important to beat them than guile.
Team is wrecked with injuries, mate. We’ve been averaging 1-2 injuries to a player in the last few games. We can’t keep pushing the same players to their limits, we’ll literally end up with no players and then likely have no top four and no trophy. Don’t like saying it but one has to be less prioritised and even though we all want a trophy, it’s top four that’s more pivotal to the club at the moment.
I thought you meant our medium term strategy was one or the other Yeah I understand that we have injuries and we are up **** creek.
Eriksen and Dele are usually the players that cover the most distance for Spurs in a game. We’ve always known he’s not one to make a crunching tackle but he’s the only player in this team capable of that one bit of absolute magic, whether that be a stunning goal or an unreal assist. He showed that against Fulham with his assist and he would’ve had an assist against Chelsea had Llorente not tried volleying with his left foot after that fantastic ball over the top. For me he’s our best player, because even if he’s not generally playing well in a game, he’s the one most likely to register a goal or assist out of absolutely nothing.
Oh no mate. As you well know due to our bet in the summer, I was fully expecting strengthening because I felt we really had to do something “big” this season, along with the fact the squad in general just needed to be improved a bit. The fact we haven’t and now we’ve suffered as a result through injuries, just means that I think we’ve got to prioritise certain competitions now, instead of trying to go for all of them in equal measure. It’s ****ing **** and I hate the idea of basically chucking a “b team” in the FA Cup but I just don’t think we can risk anymore injuries to key players.
I don't disagree with you DH and you spotted him long before most of us, before he joined Spurs. I recently said in a match thread that we needed Dele and Eriksen to step up and deliver some magic and they duly did just that. I don't doubt his creative abilities we would miss him sorely but and there has to be a but, he does not like to get stuck in and it's against physical sides where he is likely to go missing. That's alright if you have Dembele or Wanjama or to an extent Sissoko playing alongside. At least Winks, who you criticise is not afraid to get stuck in. Eriksen is a special talent but he does IMO have this major flaw that will give us problems unless we address the huge hole left by Dembele.
I think that’s the advantage of having a team of different strengths/ talents though. We have players who are there for the dirty work (Dier, Wanyama and to an extent, Sissoko) but then we need the players like Dele and Eriksen (and one day Winks!) to create space and opportunities for themselves or others. For instance, if we were to flip it around and say “why doesn’t Dier or Wanyama score or assist enough” would that be a fair statement/ question considering they’re defensive mids? I don’t think so. That’s why - even though it’s annoying at how much of a pussy he is - I don’t hold Eriksen’s lack of grit against him as I know that when on the front foot, he’s got the ability to make something special happen. As for Winks, the reason I’m so critical of him is because I know he has the talent to be so much more but I’m annoyed at how he seemingly holds himself back. When he wants, he can hit passes almost as good as Eriksen yet too often he prefers the safer option. Winks can become a very good creative central midfielder but he must start believing in his own ability. Personally, I don’t think Spurs can keep on waiting for him to become so, eventually there has to come a point where he either makes the “next step” or he continues to be a player who’d come under the label of “what might have been” in my eyes.
'For instance, if we were to flip it around and say “why doesn’t Dier or Wanyama score or assist enough” would that be a fair statement considering they’re defensive mids? I don’t think so' Very good point DH. I did say maybe I was being unfair on Eriksen. I think you won that argument. Winks, however! patience young man! Winks is playing one of the most complex and demanding roles in a team linking the play and possibly developing into a fully fledged playmaker. This is where we have to be happy that we have Pochettino who is prepared to allow young players the time they need to develop. Unlike Chelsea for example who have a brilliant player IMO, in Hudson Odoi and have managed to piss him off so badly he wants out after spending his life there since the age of 8.
Do you think we are likely to see parrot or sterling up front or on the bench today or are we gonna stick with llorente. Be good to see at least one of em get some action.
They must be close to playing but my feeling is MP will stick with Llorente at least for the first 70 minutes.
I played (field) hockey at club level years ago ((only managed youth level at footie, as contact lenses didn’t exist!). I used to refer to my contribution to the team as “80 minutes of tactical jogging”. I sometimes think of Eriksen in the same way..... but the huge difference is the other 10 minutes he provides of sheer class!!!!!
