please log in to view this image Saturday 17th October 12.45pm White Hart Lane Premier League The return from the international break sees a new manager for our visitors. It'll be his first trip to the Lane, but it won't be his first game as a manager against Spurs. Juande Ramos got the better of him in a pre-season tournament in Rotterdam in 2008. Bent, Dos Santos and O'Hara got the goals in a comfortable 3-0 victory to win the Feyenoord Jubilee tournament. We all know what happened after that, so I won't dwell on it! There's some suggestion that we'll have everyone virtually available for this one, barring Dier. The youngster will be a big miss in the centre of the park and the decision about who to replace him could decide how this goes. We don't really have direct cover and Liverpool have caused us a lot of problems defensively in recent games. Dembele started for the top ranking Belgians yesterday, so he might be the fittest available. Son faces a late test, according to media reports, but Mason and Bentaleb are supposedly back. This might be a little too soon for the previous first choice pairing, though. The trip to Belgium on Thursday might be more appropriate for them. Lineups for the last league game: Spurs: Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Alli; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Kane. Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Wimmer, Carroll, Dembele, Townsend, N'Jie. League form: DDWWWD Liverpool: Mignolet; Can, Skrtel, Sakho; Clyne, Milner, Lucas, Moreno; Coutinho; Sturridge, Ings. Subs: Bogdan, Gomez, Allen, Rossiter, Lallana, Ibe, Origi. League form: DLLDWD Ref: Craig Pawson. Made some controversial calls in their game v Bournemouth earlier this season. Our performances against the Scouse have been somewhat pathetic recently. Their change at the top could either be a big opportunity for us or horrible timing, depending on how their players react. Did Rodgers still have the dressing room? I think we'll find out soon. Should Son return if he's available? Who joins Alli in the middle? Will any of our players be suffering with an international hangover?
So I got back from holiday last night, and I have one question... How many terrible Klopp/Kop puns did you all have to endure while I was away?
After watching that video above: I swear O Hara is a very decent Premier League midfielder. I think it's just an example of how luck and other factors affect a player's career. Someone like Jenas becomes an established Premier League player and regular in the England squad whereas O Hara ends up hanging around in the Championship, often unable to get into teams and then not even having a club at the opening of this season*. Having just looked up his Wiki page I see he got MOTM on his debut for Fulham this season then two more consecutive MOTM in games after that. Some quality players get lost in the lower leagues and others hang around in Prem teams long enough to be "established, Premier League standard". * Having said that Jenas looks pretty handy in that video. But you know what I mean - those players who hang around in the top division long enough that they can always be flogged to a promoted team for about 5-10m with the "experienced...proven" tag being cited by their new boss.
The most annoying thing about Klopp's appointment is that Liverpool have become that little bit harder to hate! The guy's a legend.
Only a little bit. Just remember the media bum licking and the sense of entitlement from anyone remotely linked to the club and you'll soon forget Klopp. He'll be spouting the same as the rest of them in a year
Yeah luck is definitely a factor in player fortunes. O'Hara always looked decent in a Spurs shirt and if I remember rightly he won Pompey's player of the year award on his loan spell there so he was more than worthy of being a Prem player, I think a number of factors didn't help him though, he became a bit of a big time Charlie, dating (then wedded & divorced due to him cheating) footballer's bicycle Danielle Lloyd didn't help his ego too much, then he tweeted one time about how hard it was for him being a pro-footballer which it's fair to say didn't generate much sympathy from us average Joes and then he fell out with the Wolves hierarchy so his fortunes took a massive downturn at one stage, looks to be getting back on track with Fulham though so fair play to him. I knew and played against Terry Dixon back in my Sunday League days, not sure if many remember but at the time, Terry was the 16 year old kid called up by Steve Staunton for the senior Ireland squad, he was touted as the Irish Rooney and was the best young player I'd ever seen in all the years I played football, he was touted by many at Spurs to go on and do great things but he suffered two dislocated kneecaps which completely ****ed him and was subsequently released, he joined West Ham briefly and that didn't work out and is now in complete obscurity, genuinely believe had he avoided those injuries he'd be one of the best players in Europe if he developed as expected. His mate Michael Noone was also a very good young player, he was on Millwall's books for a period and then went to the Glenn Hoddle academy, not sure where he is nowadays. One of my best mates back in school was also a very promising footballer, had a successful trial at Pompey after ones with Palace and Luton, in which he was confident of receiving a scholarship, then done his ligaments not long after and nothing materialised and he then just seemed to give up on footy... Though the "lucky" bastard is now signed with Sony record labels and also has his own minor label! Doesn't make it as a footballer but falls back on a potentially successful music career, not bad for a back up option!
In many ways, these examples highlight the importance of surrounding yourself with 'good people', especially when choosing an agent. We shouldn't forget that most professional footballers essentially leave the mainstream education system by the age of 13-14, and from an even younger age (say 10-11) live in a bubble existence of privilege and hype that is almost a parallel reality to the grey and miserable - yet more real - reality that us 9 to 5 suckers occupy. Huge sums of money are thrown at them from a very young age and most of us, let alone a lad who has existed in a bubble for years without a solid education, would struggle immensely to keep our feet on planet earth if the minute after signing a senior contract (usually at the ripe old age of 18) it dawns upon us that we earn more in a week than many earn in half a year. I guess it shows how crucial it is to find a good, decent agent who really understands what is best for the player, rather than the lining of his own wallet. There's no doubt in my mind that Delph's sudden case of amnesia was sparked by an agent with £ signs in his eyes. Same goes for Scott Sinclair - a hugely promising player who is now very much 'meh' due to sitting on a bench for 3 years. One wrong move like that can ruin a player's career. We forget how short a professional football career actually is. 3 or so years wasting away at a 'big' club who "guaranteed" a player first team football represents at least 25% of the time that a player can realistically expect to see plenty of first team football.
We've been hit with a few injuries with Gomez and Ings out long term, Firmino and Studge not fully fit Henderson and Benteke also out. I expect us to line up like this. Mingolet Clyne Skrtel Sakho Moreno Can Lucas Origi Coutinho Milner Studge
Ings was just hitting form as well, a shame from an England perspective but can't deny I don't have a wry smile on my face that he misses our fixture. We've got a few injuries too, though we've had these for a few weeks now so nothing new apart from Dier's suspension, which is a huge blow seeing as he's been head and shoulders above anyone in the side so far. Team I'd play: Lloris, Walker, Toby, Jan, Davies Dembele, Alli Lamela, Eriksen, N'Jie Kane Vorm, Tripps, Wimmer, Rose, Townsend, Carroll, Chadli
Aren't you going to go with one of Rodgers' increasingly bizarre selections? I was looking forward to an odd formation that nobody understands and about half the team playing out of position. This is very disappointing.
Seems very unfair. Can't you at least pick a random midfielder to play centre-half? Too many changes might confuse your players.
Danny Rose is back, though... So other than missing an entire midfield 5, we're fine. Great. Chadli and Dembele can celebrate Belgium being crowned world number 1 by earning their places, I guess.
Is it too much to hope that Dembele has one of those games he occasionally has against the bigger teams and has an absolute stormer? .......Thought so
It's certainly far less likely given he's neither playing for a place in the team nor in the shop window, as he supposedly agreed terms with Napoli the other day.
