Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Tottenham's Troubles Remind Me Of The Jewish Origami Expert...


Mani Fold.

The anticipation, the expectancy of a new dawn at WHL has, and not for the first time, resulted in disappointment, heartache and accusation. And that was just waiting for the tickets to arrive.

Any preseason pretensions of Champions league placings look wildly optimistic this morning.


Injuries. More injuries than a Claims Direct ad. It's quicker to list those who are well enough to play. Jol says we have ten defenders and seven are out of service.

Tactics.Tictacs for tactics. BMJ likes the orangey ones.
No wingers.
27 'nothing to write home about' central midfielders.
And rumour has it we've put in a mega bid: Chimboda plus cash for Shevchenko.
Jol wants to play five up front against Derby and needs a man who can unlock a Championship defense.

Yes, we have been here before, but it doesn't make the view any the more inspiring.








47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our season will not kick off for another 3-4 weeks.

I personaly would like to question Jols pre season preparations and training simply because this season started exactly the same as the last season ,we have been superb in pre season friendlies but when the league starts we look completely out of shape and unfit,players look tired then 5 or 6 games into the season we start our season but then it is too late because we are playing catch up with the top 5-6 teams.

We have lost almost the entire defence is the excuse we are hiding behind but does anyone think chimbonda is a lesser player than hibbert or rocha and gardner are worse than stubbs and yobo? besides Lescott was also a make shift left full back as he is actualy a centre half.

Our players on the pitch last night should have been more than capable of beating everton,no disrespect but apart from the goals we gifted to them they did not even look like they were capable of scoring.

Jols biggest problem is he cant organise a team as a unit,he is not a manager to take a team to top 4 in england..

I personaly would not entertain the bloke and chase either Capello or Lippi for the job as soon as possible and no lesser names should do..or may be the manager of sevilla..

Investing 40 million on a team and leaving it to someone who is not capable of doing the job doesnt make sense.

Get Jol out get Capello,Lippi or anyone in their class in.

Anonymous said...

Didn't Ghaly say at B'Ham that Spurs don't do that much running? well, if that is so, that explains the reason why we were overrun - well apart from having a joke of a midfield!

Jenas made one, yes ONE forward pass to our forwards and this just isn't on! I've stuck by him but I can't do it anymore! The guy looks shellshocked!

Jol makes changes just so that in the hope they can score, not for tactical reasons - this worries me.

Anonymous said...

I am ashamed to admit this but this morning I am embarassed to be a Spurs fan.

This year was our year, our turn to play with the big boys as i woulod happily proclaim to anyone who would listen.

Yeah right.

Thing is do you think players like Jenas and Gardener feel the shame like we do as they park their £80,000 motors, slide into their million pound mansions and count their money?

NO

Enough of this crap - Jol Out!

Anonymous said...

Not bad boys, less than a week in to the new season and we are talking about Lippi, Cappello or anyone else as Jol is not the man to take us in to the top 4. What a load of shit! He is the best manager we've had in decades and I have no doubts that he is the man to take us back where we belong. If you are not happy then fine, that's your right, but please keep your stupid thoughts to yourself!

EL said...

I can't speak.

Anonymous said...

The midfield is an embarassment. We have sold players that are better than the current group (Mendes, Davies, Brown ... Carrick). No width (although Routledge added a little when he came on), no playmaker and no-one capable of holding the ball. Rather than buying potential we need someone experienced NOW that can provide some leadership and control in midfield.

Anonymous said...

I tend not to post comments as I merely read these pages for amusement but I now feel the need to post something as these mindless comments have got the better of me.

OK, last night wasn't a terrible performance but in the same way nor was it a good one. Robbo made some fantastic saves and probably can only be blamed for the third goal as he looked flat footed. Our defence is a big problem. Even with Dawson and a recognised left back we looked ropey last year. Jol has spent money on sorting this but has seen 6 of our top defenders all crocked. How do you prepare for this? We all know that Gardner and Rocha are prone to mistakes (this is why Jol doesn't play them, only when he has to). Stalteri is bad enough in his own position never mind the other side of the pitch. That is why we leaked goals last night.

This in turn has a knock on effect in the midfield. They know that they have a frail back four behind them so hang back but at the same time they need to get forward. This is why last night they struggled to keep up with play because as the ball was cleared they were trying to get from one end of the pitch to the other only for the ball to come straight back again.

Creativity. A lot has been said about this and I agree that there is none but the reason for this? Lennon. When he is on the pitch he draws players to him which leaves space for others. Anyone notice last night how Berba normally had two marking him? That's because they had no other menace to worry about.

Those that are calling for Jol's head are quite simply morons. You have the right to your own opinion but you are morons. The type I always end up having to sit next to who shouts and screams with no real thought. Jol will have this team ticking when he has all the players back that he wants. Judge him then when he can actually play the system that he has bought these players for.

You boo boys can do one as well because I thought the whole thing about "support" was to encourage.

Rant over.

Anonymous said...

I often wonder what a Spurs training session must be like.

We clearly do not practice any footballing fundamentals like setpieces, passing or basic team interplay. According to Ghaly we arent to hot on fitness work either.

A sorry state of affairs but one which I did point out a good season and a half ago to much hostility.( not wishing to bang my own drum or anything.)

I think it is fair that almost everyone agrees that Jol is:

tactically naive

unable to motivate

unwilling/too fucking stupid to address the glaring weaknesses in our squad

obsessed with playing players out of position

A terrible judge of player ability - buying and playing Jenas, Zokora, Ghaly, Reid, Rasiak, Stalteri, Bent, Gardner etc etc . Selling Mendes, Kanoute

Barely able utter a fully coherent sentence. Dress him up in Red and his actually look as well as sound like that little dungeon master bloke out of dungeon and dragons.

SO WHY THE FUCK I HE OUR MANAGER? I tried to get him out end of last season but you wouldnt join me.

Anonymous said...

We seemed to be playing a 'circle' formation; all our players around the outside, with all theirs in the middle - with the ball.

Hats off to Andy Johnson and Arteta though, they were both superb - would either of these have cost 16.5 Million?

Very dissapointed.

Anonymous said...

What a load of shit.

Jol is tactically clueless. He's done ok to bring us to this level and I'm grateful but he won't take us further. The players on the pitch (fair enough Jenas is useless) just looked confused as though they didn't know what they were supposed to be doing. Anyone who sits now and says "oh its only the start of the season give him a chance" ...are you going to be happy with another three years of this before we realise he has taken us as far as he can? also by that time the players who all want champs league would have left.

Many of us questioned him last year and its time for Levy to be brave and show him the door. I hope he proves me wrong I really do but Jol just hasn't got the tactical brain to do it. Sorry but Houghton just isn't up to our standards either. We can't afford to be sentimental.

Anonymous said...

Like so many of you I am hugely disappointed with the start to the season. It has nothing to do with bad luck or injured players, it is all about organisation, discipline and absolute commitment.
Robinson is weak in goal, he does not dominate the box and therefore leaves defenders in doubt. I grew up in Stoke and spent my childhood watching Banks and then Shilton save the team from relegation. They did not pull off many great saves but their positioning was superb, any ball in the six yard box belonged to the keeper, they caught everything in the air, their distribution was intelligent and they commanded the penalty area. Robinson does none of these things, making great saves is not enough as a keeper, it is the most important position on the pitch and Spurs need someone who can do a much better all round job.
Marking from set pieces has been a major weakness for the last two seasons. If I were Derby I would concentrate on this for the next couple of days. What is wrong with good old man to man marking? If some of our players are too stupid to know who to mark Jol should write the appropriate number of the opposition on the back of their hands so someone like Gardner can check he is sticking with number seven and is never more than one metre away.
Get the defense sorted and then start working on the rest, there is a massive amount to do. After all the anticipation and expectation it is all so sad.
A draw against Derby would be an amazingly good result.

Anonymous said...

I cant believe the Jol Out brigade have popped up already. The season's 5 days old! That has to be a new record. Jol has HAD to play Tony Gardener and Paul Stalteri in the 1st two games of the season. That tells it's own story. We have been hideously unlucky that all our injuries are to our best defenders and our creative midfielders. We'll be fine, chill the f*ck out! Last season our first 3 games were won 1 lost 2. If we win saturday, it's the same situation. Chill..the f*ck...out!

Anonymous said...

Favourite quote of the day - from some mug on vital.

"I dont want to get rid of Jol - but he needs to improve his tactics and team selection"

fucking brilliant. Apart from lacking the two fundamental skills of football manager , doing a top job apparently.


What a bunch of muppets you are.

Anonymous said...

the terraces are our platform , our mouthpiece. You know what needs to be done on Saturday. It can be slow and drawn out or we can end it quickly.

Lets make Jol history.

The man who frittered away the greatest Spurs side in a generation. All despite having a spending power and backing unmatched in our history. Because we all know come season end teh likes of Berbatov, Lennon and Dawson will want (and deserve) better.

We could have been contenders, instead we are a joke. Listen to them laugh at us at grounds around the premiership.

He proudly proclaims us kings of the losers, best of the rest. Which tells you all you need to know about him.

His ambition extends no further than than dull, safety first football designed to 'contain' the likes of Sunderland and Everton.

Boring football, negative tactics, apathy United.

End it. You know you want to.

If for no reason other than his insistance on picking Jermaine Jenas.

Anonymous said...

Does Jol pick the ponce Jenas or does he have him enforced on him by someone higher up?

Anonymous said...

James Cutmore; I was as dissapointed as any other Spurs fan last night, especially when the texts come in from even neutral [usually just gooner] mates saying gutted and what a bunch of shit etc.
However, i think its too early to panic, and certainly to early to say get Jol out. Regarding the players Jol has signed, and people thinking he has signed the wrong ones etc, well he has'nt. Commoli is the sporting director and he is the one that should take credit for signing Berbatov, Chimbonda, Zakora? from last season and maybee Bale, Kaboul, Prince and Bent.
I have however been saying for ages of the obvious need for top class central midfielders, and that Jenas and Zakora just dont cut the mustard at the top level [or the medium level come to that]What i want to know is why did we sign Bent when the money could have been spent on central/left midfield? Its glaringly obvious to everyone, yet still no players there. Ok, we have bought a lot of potential, but again no more than that really.
Deffencively for the last two games we have looked like a team that is missing its 1st choice line up which we have. However the defence is particulrily bad because the midfield in front of it is so rubish.

On Jols tactics, i can understand why he chose Teemu in midfield as he's a bit more of a grafter, just a shame he's also shit. I think Jol should be given this season as a whole to see how we finish, if its still in Europe then he stays, if its not then he goes. I personally like the bloke, and im proud he's our manager as he's a good man. Just think other people should shoulder the blame of signings.
SORT IT OUT COMMOLI, BUY SOME TOP MIDFIELDERS BEFORE THE WINDOW CLOSES.

Anonymous said...

All the peolpe going on about we had to pick stalteri, or we had to pick gardner ..did you not think about the trouble we had breaking through a defence yesterday? Our defence suffered fair enough but if we don't know how to create chances then its fucked. we were only missing tainio and lennon from our midfield and all strikers fit. Look how much posession we had and couldn't do anything. Jol moans about creativity then leaves a creative player who played all pre season (Taraabt) out of the squad. Jol fucked up a fair bit last year as well. There is no way we can blame the fact that we had to play with Gardner and Stalteri for the reason we were so poor.

Anonymous said...

I have it on good authority that during training sessions we mostly play pictionary.

Some times Risk or even Monopoly if we have a long gap between games - its breaks up all the sitting around watching trisha and watching Jenas dance in his underwear (that Jol insists upon. - strengthens glutes and abs apparently)

Jol can sometimes spends whole afternoons during the week, deciding whether to strengthen his forces in Asia or assault North Africa. he generally plays it safe and strengthens Asia.

Ghaly also loves playing board games, and was surprised that brunm hadnt even got a scrabble board! so they end up just running around and shit.

Anonymous said...

You leave Martin Jol alone. He's the manager to lead Spurs back where they belong.









(In the championship).

spursphil said...

After 3 hours of football our season's finished and there's calls for the managers head! What a load of tosh!
We have been through all this before and it dosn't work.
A win on saturday will lift spirits and when our injured players are back things will get better.

Keep the Faith!

Anonymous said...

Read my comment on the left from last season.
They come good then, they'll do it again.

COYS

Anonymous said...

chances of top 4 will be over by mid september.

chances of top 6 slim. everyone has strengthened with new money preseason.

we cant be shit and still finish top 6 this year.

16.5m for a defoe clone? just what we needed.

who would have thought we could spend 40million and not address our shit midfield? its ridiculous.

get someone in to replace jol now ready for the 2008 season.

Anonymous said...

'WHEN YOU play a team like Everton, not conceding a goal is key. If you see the first goal, a free-kick with a great delivery from Arteta, you have to be tough and Lescott scored. '

any ideas what that means? nope, me neither.

Makes me wonder what Jol bollocks is ringing in our players ears as they wait in the tunnel before the game. No wonder we never start well they are probably
bewildered by Jolish nonsense for a good 20mins.

Anonymous said...

We desperastely need a creative midfielder. Jenas is really not cutting it in any shape or form; Zokora is, at best, industrious but severely lacks the killer pass. Basically, we have NO midfield general (Read: Essien, Fabregas, Carrick (ouch!), Gerrard). Mr. Martin Jol. Act now, act quick, and go out and get one Riquelme.

Anonymous said...

I wholeheartedly agree wit parklanetom. If we had a midfield that was creative, and attacked with verve, the defense (even what is left of it) should be able to cope. The objective of winning a game is to score. We have the strikers to do that; we don't have the midfield to get the ball to them (most passes to the front men last night were from Robinson's Wimbledon tactics). Shame on you Jenas and Zokora. Your paid to get the bloody ball to the strikers, not Robbo.

Anonymous said...

Jols gone mental,
Lol mate!...does make you wonder when that idiot complained about too much running in Steve Bruce's training...like a litte f*cking girl!.Jol protects and tolerates these problem boys with supposed "potential" too much. As much as hee seems a charming great bloke when things are going well, he needs to get a nasty streak when theyre not doing the business, become like a wolf, a winner in the mould Fergie, Mourinho and what one day Roy Keane will be, who btw maybe the perfect candidate to take over if Jol fails and has had a couple of decent Prem seasons behind him.

Anonymous said...

James Cutmore; Just read that Berbatov is out for a couple of weeks and Kaboul is out for about 3 or 4 weeks with injury. So thats King, Dawson, Kaboul, Bale, Lennon, Berbatov plus others all out. Thats half our 1st team out and leaving us stretched for about the 1st month. I dont see things improving rappidly........

Anonymous said...

Extra!

Berba is out for two weeks at least.
You lucky bastards!

Now the season will start for you.
Told ya this is not a joke.
It's an old score to be settled. I mean there are lessons to be learned.
The old groin problem is back. It was a easy 1,2, 3 strike: 2 shitty performances and an injury.
Power is a terrible thing.
I should know!

Place your bets: you're going to beat Derby now.

Nemesis

Anonymous said...

5:45

Fucking injury list. Just like Chelski last year. Mourinho is certainly having a deja vu looking at us.
What a curse!

Berbatov recovered and bettered everytime he went to Germany last season. People say it's his fiancée who's there. Just put yourself fit again, man, and bring the woman back with you, so we can have you in one piece.And playing!

Anonymous said...

Oh, when the shit hits the...fans.
And now this!!
Guess the guy is really jinxed:

http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_289470204

Anonymous said...

Jolsgonmental - you are a first class numpty, trying to make comical quotes who obviously won't rest until Jol has gone, be it 6 weeks, months or years. Anyway......

Readers of this blog know I rate Jenas; I still do. The problem is Zokora. IMO, if Jenas had the confidence that his midfield partner would sit and protect the back 4, I believe he would be more adventurous and make the runs he occassionaly does. Instead, he's stuck with a headless chicken who runs 20 yards and trips over. That's my opinion for what it's worth. Put Jenas alongside someone like Makelele for example and he would be transformed. So there.

I love my Spurs as much as the next fan, but the season is 2 games old; get behind the team, whoever is selected and support them you negative cretins. So there, again.

COYS

Harry Hotspur said...

Voyeurs 'R' Us?

So hello to the many many ars*eholes from ars*nalmania, ars*blog, gunnerblog, goonerforum and highbury.se ...... still visiting

I'd of thought you'd only be interested in a big club and not a bunch of small time losers like us.......

Anonymous said...

dannyboy,

where do you think steve coppell, or even harry redknapp could take this squad of players?

you think they would do worse?

Harry Hotspur said...

I think Redschnapps is a an adept all round manager. I don't know if he's blessed with an stella IQ, but he has a great 'footballing brain'....

Coppell has proved that he has a tactical ability that is so good it can actually transcend the quality of the team.

The weathering of the unrelenting Man Utd attacks on Sunday was extraordinary. Even with ten men he commanded his troops with the savvy of Napoleon.

Jol, is not as good as either of these two men.

He is the best since KB and to dismiss him as just that would be unkind, but not untruthful.

We are a work in progress, but such a high profile one that Jol has to protect himself and us by making sure his learning curve is brief.

Just as it took him months to realise his substitutions were woefully slow, he is now perhaps, realising that 'botching together' a team that 'might contain and attack' is NOT A PLAN.

I support Jol, but he has to be brave.

This is not a damage limitation exercise, this is football.

I genuinely believe that if he threw some hungry youngsters into the mix and lost matches, he'd get an easier ride.

Wenger was handed SO MUCH SLACK for adding (in actual fact very few) youngsters to his first squad.

Ars*nal's so called B Team my ars*.


If he trys to reheat Tuesday's dog's dinner of a team then most diners are going to refuse to pay or leave.

Jol must be brave.

I think I shall inflict this point on the nation in my prematch prattle for the Derby game.

HH

Anonymous said...

anon 830 - the problem with your point is that last season other teams doubled up on Lennon because he was the only creative player we had behind the strikers.

Dannyboy - your right on, the problem is the combo of Zokora AND Jenas. The last year+, outside of the European games, Jol has forced his central midfielders to interchange in the holding role during games. This requires a defensive minded player in both CM slots and leaves our most creative players on the bench (Huds, Taarabt) or out of position (Steed was sensational in his natural right side CM position at Fulham - he never had to play outside there).

Anonymous said...

JGM

a valid point and deserving a valid response, thus;

I think either of the 2 managers named would do well at any club who has invested so much money and, on paper, has so much quality at his disposal. The fact is, Jol is here, they aint. Patience is a virtue, although it's hard seeing the last 2 performances. However, Jol has got us to 5th for 2 seasons running. Given time, I believe he will do the same, if not better, this season. Show me any club who could lose the amount of players through injury and not suffer. It seems Berbatov has been carrying an injury, which explains his non-committed effort. Coupled with that 3 left backs, 3 centre halfs and 3 midfielders out at the same time........
I may change my view in 6 weeks if we are propping up the table with 4 points from 8 games; until then Jol gets my vote. We just want some bollocks from the big man!!!

I prefer your attempt at comedy ;-)

coys

Anonymous said...

Sorry Dannyboy, if you put Jenas alongside Makelele he would just look like a bigger c***. We paid all that money for Taarabt and Boateng, and Jol is too scared to put them in. Huddlestone is the best passer of the ball we have, where was he on Tuesday? Robbo was iffy last season. Why wont he come out for crosses? Why not play Ifill instead of Stalteri while these injuries force us to make changes. I could go on, but Im too pissed off and numb. Jenas rhymes with.......well, you get the idea.

Anonymous said...

It seems Berbatov has been carrying an injury, which explains his non-committed effort.


very selected memory, dannyboy:
this injury is the same injury he had last year: it comes and goes. but only came yesterday when he jumped for the header.
it's his problem: the psique goes down and drags the physic with it: he has to clear his mind to heal this injury.

Anonymous said...

I dont understand.

everyone accepts that there are better managers out there. managers who were in charge of our squad would be running riot throughout the league and probably europe

everyone accepts that he is still, putting it politely, 'learning'.

So its all misguided loyalty then? and blind faith that sometime in the future he may be as good as other managers?

crazy.

learn your trade in division 2 or on footballmanager 2007 not at one of the worlds highest profile clubs.

Anonymous said...

I can't believe the number of complete spanners on here who are recyling the same doozy brained 2x4 posts we've had on here over the past couple of years whenever things go wobbly for a bit. This is the same manager which took us to 5th twice in succession and a few quarter finals to boot. Sound like a bloke who no's no tactix? Don't pretend to be stupid just coz you're upset. It embarrasses the club. And stop saying we're using injuries to nearly all our best defenders as an 'excuse'. No-one's trying to excuse us from winning you fucking brain doners, they're reasons not excuses and bloody good ones. The issue is why we bought big but not for midfield. Maybe we tried but couldn't get who we wanted? Who knows? you lot? Don't make me laugh, I've got clean pants on.

Support is easy when things are looking up, it's when things get cranky and luck's against you that a club finds out whether the support is top 4 or mid-table strugglers. Some of you my friends look like relagation fodder.

Be constructive or be quiet. You know who you are.

COME ON YOU SPURS!
COME ON YOU SPURS!
COME ON YOU SPURS!

Yid15.

EL said...

Hmmmm.......

Robinson

Bonda Kaboul King Bale

Lennon Huddle Taarabt
Boateng

Berbatov Keane

maybe one day

Yid15

EL said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

6:08

I heard he was having cold feet about getting married in September. So did I when it was my turn. Who doesn't?
But a man is a man, so if love the girl just get it over with. I bet she'll love London. All WAGS do.
Otherwise, send her packing. I know at least a thousand females who would take care of that groin in style.
Com'on Berba. We need our king back!
COYS!

Anonymous said...

he is looking shaky, dannyboy.

no show of support from any of our boys, no public show of faith in turning it around.

the wall of silence is deafening.

The big mans number is up..

surely even you can tell something is going to give soon. loyalty or not.

lets hope we get one of these other managers you agree will do a better job.

cant wait.

Anonymous said...

Sofia, yesterday's evening:

Berbatov's agent commented that the injury is not very seriouss and maybe he could get back in a week.
Asked if there was a chance of him moving to another club, he replied:
'Anything is possible in football. As it is, today there's nothing to comment. But as long as the transfer window is open if anything happens, you'll be the first to know.'

I hope the board , managment and fans have already realised you have to let him go.
15 days to save the season.

Anonymous said...

Dannyboy, I was going to say re your 6.47 comment lighten up mate, we're all entitled to our opinions and a little laugh, it's half the fun of blogging...but now you've joined in appreciating JGM's humour...lol!

Example about opinions and having a laugh - your a fan of Jenas and I'm a fan of Zokora...now thats bloody comedy for a start!

But seriously, I'm not saying I would like to replace Jol at this very moment in time, but the reality is we do have the making of a great squad, and if he fails with that, life has to go on. Due to all our chopping and changing of past dodgy managers, I do appreciate that he has taken us to a new improved level, massively improved compared to 14th place finishes. However he is getting the financial backing now to challenge for more, so should he not be the man to take us to a new level which is Champions League football, then it is normal that Levy would have to look for the man that can. It happens all the time, look at the Chelsk changing seemingly good managers in Vialli and Ranieri, but Mourhino is one of the best at getting the most out of his players...ok granted they are a team that cost 300 million quid, but still investment does not guarantee anything. Look at Real Madrid or AC Milan a few years ago when they had just about every best player in the world.

It is arguable should we fail to make champions league this year whether he would be sacked then, but surely with our squad we deserve at least 5th place and a trophy maybe???

However should he say fail to take us to the champions league say after next season (having my doubts that we will do it this season now) then for the 2009-2010 season there should be a new man (maybe Roy Keane would be ready then?). JGM will argue I am being too patient obviously...but like I say, this is a game of many opinions.

Anonymous said...

Ahem

Jenas is crap. He is not David Beckham.

He does not look like Becks
He does not think like Becks
He does not play like Becks.

You know who does?

Nakamura Shunsuke.

I have been saying it for 5 years, why will no one listen?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

HE IS PERFECT FOR THE JOB. He could easily be another spurs legend if Martin Jol just coughed up the 10 Million that he is worth; He will be the next Glenn Hoddle or better if WE JUST SIGN HIM! PLEAAAAASSSEEEEE.

Oh and signing a winger wouldnt hurt either I suppose....