The general malaise as ever is players blowing hot and cold. Jenas for one and Malbranque for two. Combine this with injuries and you inevitably get tears before bedtime. But Wigan away was a masterclass in just hoe inept a Premiership defence can be.
Some say you cannot legislate for injuries. I disagree. The physical harm to the man, of course not, but his replacement can be planned for.
Where is the Carrick money, Mr Levy? Where is our Carvhalo? Heskey couldn't stand up in a warehouse full of crutches and still we failed to deal with him.
A great side needs a great defence. Look at the inspirational Liverpool and the mechanically draining Chelsea. We have King. For all the reverence shown to him there are two immeadiate problems.
When will he be back full time - and for a long time? And is he a captain, a vocal leader?
Chimbonda is frankly fab. Dawson a soldier. YP Lee has shown huge improvement despite the insanity being played on the wrong side of the pitch. And now he's sidelined until Christmas 2010 or thereabouts. Stalteri again, has does nothing but get better, but he began so weakly, it's often only a relief when he puts in a good show. Unkind, but true.
Rocha. Let's face it, the jury's still out. In his defense, he has put in some committed displays with a string of strong headers and good tackles.
The prosecution however have footage of him playing blow football against Arsenal and moving out of the way of a couple of hard hit strikes including the one that sunk us at Second Hand Fridge recently.
One can bemoan BMJ's tactical naivety till the cows come home, but until Levy gives him the money to buy depth of quality what do you expect him to do?
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Tottenham Hotspur : World Class Defender Required
Posted by Harry Hotspur at Sunday, April 15, 2007
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47 comments:
idiot
I think all we need is another french player...I think Distin is a good bargain considering that he hasn't sign any contract with man city yet or maybe Ben Haim is also not too bad! ....COYS!
Mark Langton you call yourself sidyid yet your a Fulham fan. Very strange.
Ben Haim is world class is he????
Nice blog Harold.
Yeah... why aren't we all world class yet? Rocha's had a least 10 games for us, why hasn't he settled down in the premiership and become just like John Terry / Jamie Carragher and Lilian Thuram all rolled into one ? Useless t0$$er...
Sack the manager, revamp the midfield, sack the fans, hang the chairman from the neck until he is dead, Kill Jenas, Burn Malbranque...
How dare these players show any sign of inconsistency or tiredness. We are Tottenham, and we deserve to win every game ever, ever, ever. In fact, I demand every result is retrospectively amended so that we win every game.
It had nothing to do with Phil Ifil being young or inexperienced - we're utter crap. How dare Jol play Ifil, sack him I tell you - giving young players with no experience a run out due to a shortage of players ... the sheer gall of it.
Robbo is fat, Defoe is crap despite not playing any games, King isn't a loudmouth, Tainio is a rubbish left winger, Keane and Berbatov are just flukey...
Unbelievable that we haven't won the Quadruple, I demand satisfaction...
BMJ's tactics are spot on, but we cant keep having individual errors. Pascal is one of my favourite players but his lapses of concentration really piss me off..... his MoM display against Watford a case in point. Jenas, Thudd, Zokora all need to switch on defensivley a little quicker. If someone could stop JJ doing those aimless 15 yard square pass would be on to a winner, he gives that ball away too cheaply.
COYS, lets make the top 7 and buy ourselves a leader.
Danny ~ great post. I laughed out loud at the 'burn Malbranque bit'.
DO call again.
What does Defoe have to do to get a start?
Come the summer, he's gone and that's a great shame.
We all know what he can do and he showed this when Keane got injured in dec.
Whether you like Defoe or not or prefer Keane and blah, blah, blah, we are better with him at Spurs and i'd rather he be playing for us then against us.
Great goal from Keano btw!
Distin would be a good free but Ben Haim - no thanks.
What about Woodgate, he's only on loan remember and don't think he's cost that much (1 yr left on his Madrid contract). Considering he's English (and the over inflated price for Lions these days) i think he should be an option worth pursuing.
But whoever we go after for CB coverAnton - Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease NOT Anton
Maybe Dervite to share CB cover duties next season?
Does anyone see the reserves/youth?
Any chance we are going to see them pushing for 1st team anytime soon?
Apart from Pekhart & Dixon, who are the future stars - any decent defenders, like a LEFT Back & (LEFT Winger)
Left midfielders Hallfredsson and Yeates will be gone in the summer
I think a large part of this is down to midfield though, we don't close opposition teams down enough and as a result the ball is just coming back to often.
That said we don't organise well agaisnt set pieces, robinson needs to organise his defenders better and command his 6 yard box against corners, freekicks and crosses.
oh danny boy that was funny but very true.i think we have good defender's let's remember last season we were good at the back and if anything have improved it with the signings of chimbonda,rocha assou-ekotto the problem is keeping ledder's fit so distin could be an option but will he leave man city to sit on our bench and i've heard he is discussing a new contract.I would go for curtis davies as he's young english and has bag's of talent.
On the left back problem roberto carlos is available on a bosman in the summer whether he would join is another thing but he still has aloy to offer despite his age!,if not go for baines as again he is english and proven at this level instead of trying to get gareth bale who isn't.as for the left of midfield gamst pedersen would be a great signing but getting him could be a problem there's one thing tho please damien no spammer's please i've heard nasty rumour's about reo-coker and the ever unimpressive harewood!!...
and the odds for the game with the Arse are...by how many are Spurs going to lose? But MJ's tactics will be spot on...as usual.
YOU NEED A LOT MORE THAN A WORLD CLASS DEFENDER TO MOUNT A CHALLENGE ON ANY FRONT YOU ******* HAS-BEEN *****. TRY A WORLD CLASS MANAGER AND TEAM.
SEE YOU ON SATURDAY AT THAT SHITHOLE YOU CALL SHITE HART LANE. WE'RE COMING TO ***** YOU JUST LIKE OLD TIMES.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! LOSERS!
You're welcome on here my gooner pond life friend, but if can't moderate the language, at least asterix it or I delete you.
Your efforts are wasted and no one gets to read your beautiful poetry.. so play the game.
Cheers, HH
PS. Do pop back Saturday team time to explain how it was you who f**ked it up.
you are a idiot.
Danny Boy - that was quality, LMAO!
Woodgate and Leighton Baines good calls, could be more obtainable and realistical targets than Arsenal loving wanna be Manc player Gareth Bale. Even better still, Woodgate and Baines are both proven in the prem, question mark over Woodgate's ability to stay fit though.
Gooner Scum - we're coming to get you Saturday...so p*ss off till then!
COYS!!!
Whats Spainish eyes, learn how to spell harry ....idiot
Spainish. Like holidayish. Like your landfill site, Mark.
Not seen you on Spurs Od lately, the shame keeping you on an anon footing these days??
You jerk.
Hahahahaha.
Anon 1.39,
Perhaps you need to find a new home, mate. The 'idiot' post you're running with is pretty dull and not really getting the debate going either way.
I sign all my posts.
Cheers,
HH
Oh yeah Dannyboy - You forgot to include Lennon, he runs much too fast and in a very funny manner...a bit like a speedy penguin...he just ain't right for the image of perfect Spurs...:)
Was the poster 'danny' actually our very own 'dannyboy'?
We should be told!
Theres no doubt injuries havennt helped our defence. But in my opinion our biggest problem is a woeful midfield and a keeper that for some reason has turned into a dodge pot.(how many goals has he cost us this season ????) Our midfield offers very little protection too our back four. Any one that thinks that clown jenas is good enough is BLIND. He went stale up in newcastle and hasnt improved one iota in the last five years. The four or five goals he scores from midfield in no way justifies his place on the team. For me hed have to score twice in every game because he offers very little else. Zakora deserves a chance to show what he can do. Afterall hes only been here a few months(not years like some)but lets be honest he hasnt in any way looked like the real deal. Thud will always struggle because of his size and pace(or lack of it).I really dont see him as the answer. As for the rest,ghaly,murphy,tainio i dont think so. Lets move onto our wide players or lack of them shall i say. Theres no doubt lennon is highly promising and improving all the time but thats it sadly. There are no more. Steed is not a wide player by any means and i personally would like to see him in the middle. Taarabt to be fair does look promising but we,ave only seen him for about ten min,s.
Id like to see him get a start or two before the end of the season.
point of order mr hotspur - 10.13am wasn't danny boy, it was danny! I'm the real original dannyboy !
very funny post though.....
our defence is not the problem nor our midfield or even our manager or board..... its our short term memory and need for immediate sucess... Can you remember what it was like ten years ago...do you remember the lows....We need to stop complaining and moaning and take the rough with the smooth.....its clear for any one to see that under BMJ we are the most improved unit in the prem...coinside that with the demise of the ars*....its all gravy or should I say happy days...
...and my take on this for what its worth - i think the players are there, they are just not performing.
our achievements last season were based on a solid defence (4th best in the league?) and we have bought chimbonda in place of stalteri, who, apart from scoring a screamer against the spammers, has pretty much not impressed, so why so shaky this season?
in my opinion, king obviously has been sorely missed defensively, if not from a captains perspective, but the biggest difference is the space in midfield afforded to opposing teams. where were the tackles and closing down by midfielders yesterday? defending starts from the front (my only criticism of berbatov - watch me get lynched!)
maybe we are missing carrick more than we realise and davids? pains me to say it, but carrick is having a great season at manure despite an indifferent start.
personally, i would like to see a minimum of changes this summer - a left winger, left back and centre half only to give more options, and a replacement for mido who will surely leave and let the rest of the squad be assured that we are not a continual chop and change team. given a good start come august, good things are round the corner.
COYS
where is our Carvalho?
gone to the Algarve and got food poisoning!
ahahahahah
Dannyboy surely you can see the problems in central midield ??
deldee you and the likes of you are too easily pleased thats your problem
lonely gunner when exactly was the last time you won an away match ???
anon 4.52
erm, very much so, which is what i thought my comments covered ?! our centre midfield for the next few years in my opinion can be 2 from thud, jenas and zokora BUT they gotta remember their defensive duties.
COYS
I cant believe jenas will ever be good enough. Its not like he came yesterday. I personally have seen plenty of jenas for the last five or six years and he drives me crazy. I havent seen any improvment whatsoever in this time and really struggle to see what anyone else sees in him. Perhaps you might enlighten me how hes good enough for any top 6 team.
As for thud i dont think its any coincidence our form picked up when he was left out. Pace and mobility are vital for any prem.. central midfielder and hes got neither.
woodgate is a fine defender and i would welcome him with open arms as im not too convinced with rocha
lee young pyo has to be gone, bring in matty taylor, good defender, scores goals, loves spurs
left mid has to be gamst pedersen, he really is brillient and would be a great addition to aposition that needs filling
defoe will most likely leave to seek regular first team football and i will have no complaints, simply because keane is better, more committed and a team player
COYS
Rocha deserves a chance to prove himself. I bet not many of us would have taken vidic this time last year but look at him now. Maybe rocha will turn out to be crap but lets give a chance to prove it.
What about robbo englands no 1. What the hell has happened to him. Hes turned into a liability. I think all opposing teams just shoot on sight now when they see him in goal. Unfortunatly for us it seems to be working. I hope he sorts him self out soon or hes in danger of becoming the next dudic.
I thought Robinson had a howler of a game too.
Your point about a shoot on sight poilcy being adopted is probably quite right.
The word seems to be out on him....
Good defense is more than just about 1 good defender. It is about good organization especially in midfield and mentality. I wonder whether losing Carrick is the reason for our defensive woes. We never really noticed him and everyone expected him to be scoring goals but I think he did a great job of organising the midfield and acting as an intelligent shield for the back four.
BTW Robinson and Jenas really need to wake up. Jenas seems to always slow down the game giving the opposition a chance to get back and well Robinson....
Hi HH (and Danny Boy)
Good to see you have a nice site going here Harry. I am afraid you are more than right about Robbo and shoot on sight. How many points has he lost us this season? What does his continued uncertainty do to the defence in front of him? I love the guy for how he comes across, his desire to play for us for life (said something along such lines when he signed a long contract a while back) but if we want to be seriously succesfull we probably have to be ruthless.
PS is SIMBB dead and buried, and say hello to Nick and Sarah and the rest from me if you are still in touch
PS2 I suspected that Danny-post wasn't our Danny Boy. His humour - excellent as it can be - is not absurd like that :-)
There's no way around it. Jenas, at his best, is not the player we need in the midfield. It's hard to say what it is about him, but I'd put it down to a lack of imagination or creativity. He has the tools to be a solid player, but I doubt he'll ever put it together. Zokora and Tainio are useful players who understand their role and can always be counted on to fight, which is all you can really ask for.
I'm glad to see that the calls for Martin Jol's head have dissipated, and that dannyboy has recognized the importance of king's absence from the squad on our defensive stability which he denied a while back (I remember).
stay positive my friends, we're only a kallstrom away from glory.
2 players that would sort out all our defensive problems are Gabriel Heinze and Gonzalo at Villarreal.
We definitely need a decent left winger (we all know that) and I reckon Morten Gamst Pedersen could well be the man for the job.
I also think that all of the above players could well be available.
Also, please Martin, forget about Stewart Downing - I've said for ages that the guy is crap and I'm SO glad Middlesboro, stupidly, turned down our ridiculous offers last summer. How many good games has Downing played this, or any other season for that matter?
Hey guys,
Thanks for the praise for the post. And yeah as dannyboy as already cleared up, I am me and he is him and we are we which is to say that we are separate entities.
I take exception though to my humour being termed as 'absurd'. The post was just a parody of a lot of people's already extreme views on Spurs and what they feel is 'best' for us.
Anyway we're all guilty of it, me included! It is a side-effect of the emotions that run high after a disappointing result, etc.
Anyway - glad you enjoyed it guys...
Danny(not dannyboy)
left back - in baines out BAE
left midfield - m g pedersen / m petrov / robben / j cole
centre mid - barton for jenas, hargreaves for zokora?
It doesn't matter who we play up front if we haven't got a balanced team hence the left side players mentioned.
As for the frontline I'd like to see crouch for mido. Defoe is starting to look sharp and he is passing the ball (at last!!)
One other option could be to play keane with zokora in the middle which will give defoe playing up front with berbatov -this would solve the jenas, keane/defoe debate........ surely keane wolud be a better and certainly a more creative alternative than jenas. This could probably improve zokora's game as I think keane is clever enough to make the most out of his game, not to mention the service to the front two/ wingers.
There are many holes to fill. I was ridiculed on this site last autumn for suggesting we sold King, however good he is, because twenty games a season max was simply not enough and I will be proven right. Rocha was a crazy buy. UEFA Cup tied for one and knowing King had long term problems. Also he is weak in the air and every tackle/interception has an air of "last minute desperation about it". We persevered too long with Gardner. Dawson has not had a great season but he has never had an opportunity for a rest. Then there is Robinson, a decent close range shot stopper but bugger all else. He hails to dominate his six yard box and you get the feeling tht any half decent shot form 25 yards+ will fly past him. Only Chimbonda can look back on the season's work and feel satisfied.
I'll save the rest of the team for another blog but all you dreamers beware. Don't think that a couple of buys will transform our fortunes because the work we need is more than cosmetic. Also don't think we can attract the top players because we cannot and worse of all we will never hold on to the few we do have of genuine Champions League class whilst we leak goals like this.
Still obsessed with me then Harry.
Your blog is as shite as your forcasts, hows your betting going then idiot!
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