Sorry YV but how is this team any different to the one that's been misfiring and leaking goals for weeks? Aside from King, this is Harry's preferred first choice "favourites" who've put in most hours this season and look knackered. Is Kaboul even fit to play yet? I don't see any progress in this team for the final four games. Same old formula.
Because its the same team bar one or two that put the points on the board in the first place. Anyone who believes GDS should come in for the B'burn game as some sort of rotational exercise wants sticking in front of a TV and shown our EL games. If after viewing said games they still feel he's worth a go, then I can put you in touch with a suitable guidedog society.
We haven't been using those tactics recently, Fla. We've been playing two holding midfielders, with Modric pushed up the pitch and both Bale and van der Vaart tucked in from the wings, for some reason. It results in a lot of possession and virtually no goal threat.
so its not the personell its the way we play PNP......lets get back to basics? wingers on the wing and left footers on the left...boring i know i now...but effective..and start Gio for the simple reason that the other wingers need a kick.
I think that our wingers are just being poorly instructed, Dona. They're playing badly because of the way they're being asked to play. Bale featured heavily on the left against Swansea, which is the only time in recent games that I can remember it happening. They couldn't deal with him at all and we won. I don't think that's a coincidence. Not sure why Redknapp does. Dos Santos could've arguably started when Lennon was out, instead of this change of tactics. He could have performed a similar role to that which he plays for his country, which might have masked his weaknesses. Given Lennon's questionable fitness at the moment, he could still be used from the bench.
The fact that people are still considering GDS proves how much Harry has ****ed up. He has left himself with a squad that has no options for change. It's common sense that you need back-up for every position. Players get injured, lose form, are indiposed at her majesties pleasure, etc, etc. But Harry for some reason doesn't think this. So Lennon has been out of sorts. Bale and Benny have been run into the ground. We can't play with two strikers because we don't have two fit strikers and the one we do have can't play up front on his own. It's not rocket science is it? Then you get Harry's obsession with packing the centre of the pitch with everybody bar Friedel and Joe Jordan and it's no wonder the wheels have fallen so far off they are already rolling up the A1 and gathering speed. Sure it's hard to have a good level of back-up. Charlie sulked at a lack of game time and trotted off to Germany at the 1st chance. But isn't that even indicative of how Harry treats players? Corluka is hardly one to rock the boat so he must have had a good idea that once he was out of the team he would struggle to get back in barring Walker losing a leg (and even then Harry would probably ask him to try to play). But wouldn't the likes of Townsend, Kane, Naughton, Caulker at least offer 90mins of pure determination every now and again when called upon?
Also meant to say, I honestly think the players should ignore Harry from now on and go back to playing in the positions and way they did at the start of the season. Who is man enough to get the players together and go back to the basics. Harry isn't interested so maybe Parker or Modric should take the bull by the horns and whip the team into shape.
The fact that Walker, Lennon, King and Bale have not been singled out, yet Adebayor was, is utterly ridiculous. Effectively saying there's one rule for players contracted to Spurs and another for those merely on loan isn't going to foster team spirit. However, some professional pride on the pitch would be more welcome than behind the scenes - starting with Bale deciding to ignore the instructions to drift inside all the time and stick to the left flank.
Seeing as the subject of using our wingers is here, not much use if your front men are JD and VdV, as we saw at the weekend, not either of thems strong point, so a rather silly tactic looking at it like that. The best pairing I've seen that did profit from crosses was Ade and Saha, not used since...why? It would mean dropping VdV, he was injured at the time...'shock horror' I sense!...check out the teamsheet of the performance I've seen many references too, have a look for a 2nd DM too while you're at it. Even more interesting is that Bale and Lennon were'n't on the pitch together either, Lennon came on for Bale. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16884811
VDV scored a couple of headers against Villa last season, so he can do it. Annoyingly, we can't play Niko against Blackburn - he's got a knee injury. We could play VDV in a similar role to Niko on the right with Ade and Saha up front (if Ade is playing for us again this season, that is...), although playing VDV on the right wastes his ability in front of goal somewhat.
Luke ....disturbing choice of pic to make a point! Hbic, by definition, Brad Friedel 'can' head a ball into a goal, but you wouldn't rely on it for a season. Since the Villa game, the amount of crosses put in and one header the other week from VdV since says he can't with any regularity. If one drops invitingly while he's in space as in those cases, yeah, no doubt he can, but we're not going to see him out muscling and out jumping PL CB's. I'm not in anyway suggesting Ade and Saha up front all the time, its just been another successful option.....not used!
Van der Vaart's a good header of the ball, which is one more reason why he shouldn't be taking our corners. Sure, he's not going to beat a defender in the way that Crouch would, but he'll work space for himself and attack crosses, if given the opportunity. Bale's also a decent aerial threat. Defoe and van der Vaart would benefit from having Bale and Lennon getting out wide and roasting their markers for different reasons, though. Beating the full-back and putting quick, early balls into the box between the keeper and his defence would create numerous chances. Even if our players don't get on the end of them, there's a decent chance that the opposition will put through their own net. Defenders hate pace and they hate being turned around. Trying to deal with a pacy, low cross when facing your own goal is a nightmare.
that's what i did'nt understand,vdv taking corner's when he should be in the box as he's a good header of the ball
realistically, who do we have left to take the corners though? If VDV and Bale are best in the box, (which i also agree they are) who is the next option? certainly not MODRIC! he's like an 11 year old playing for his school team, unable to get it anywhere near the goal mouth.
Assou-Ekotto? Lennon? Bale? Walker? Bloody Friedel? We need to try something different, as what we're doing at the moment clearly isn't working and hasn't been all season. Modric should always be the short option, to force opposition defenders out of the box.
