Monday, October 29, 2007

A Reprieve For Ghaly?




There is much talk of a another new dawn, a new regime and hopefully a new, brighter future at White Hart Lane. Thoughts have already gone the way of extending the clear-out beyond Jol & Hughton. Some particularly reactionary types are still wanting the Board gone.

As fans of a club seemingly embedded in the drop zone the easiest targets are the players themselves.

But is it time for a greater pragmatism to prevail and look beyond shouting 'and you can take Jenas with you n'all!' Our midfield has been so frequently lacking what can only be called bite and spark.

Have we reached a point of calm where Hossam Ghaly could wear the shirt again?

I'm not suggesting him as complete answer to our prayers, but any flashes of ability he may have offered in the past would surely be welcomed right now. No?

56 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes. yes. yes.

everyone should be given a chance to prove their worth until the transfer window.

Lets see Tainio as a defensive midfielder. Robbo with some proper coaching. Lets see Kaboul reigned in and thinking like a defender.

Only then can we judge who is good or not.

fuck it, lets see if providng service to our front men wont breath some life in Mr. Bent.

Anonymous said...

Why have we NEVER started Steed in an attacking midfield role?

We obviously bought him for this position and he always looks dramatically better once he decides to play the inside left position as it takes the pressure of his poor left foot.

I cant stand management like this and its the reason I am happy Jol is gone.

Anonymous said...

I think Ghaly should play! I've gone over goals from last season and i must say that as far as playmaking goes, he's brilliant. if any of you are like me and have tons of clips from last season, check out how many goals he himself has had a hand in...

I think we need to give him another chance.

Come on you GHALY!

Come on you SPURS!

Anonymous said...

Give Ghaly a go for sure. He has more physical presence than any of our other midfielders (bar Thud) and has skill to match. Give him and Malbranque a chance together in the centre with Steed sitting just infront. Can't be worse than watching Jenas/Thud/Zokora running around like headless chickens! I'm expecting a lot of players given fresh chances under our new management which is exactly what we need. A clean slate for all!

Anonymous said...

Damn you guys are fickle, pretty much everyone was screaming for Ghaly to be dropped/sold a few months ago...I think he, like all our midfielders, makes too many mistakes and gives the ball away..This can be corrected by good coaching, a la Ferguson and Wenger, dont see the Arse or Manure players making many mistakes do you....only time will tell....

Anonymous said...

admit it. once all the misplaced sobbing has stopped things arent looking so bad now are they?

Nothing was ever going to change under Jol. The same players playing in the wrong positions. The same subs at the same time. The same tactics every time.

Now maybe, just maybe we can start realistically discussing other possibilities.

GRAZZA said...

2:06:

No-one ever said sell him for footballing reasons, that was all proper heat of the moment stuff from all concerned. You cant excuse chucking the shirt away but he did apologise so do we forgive and forget or do we hold a childish grudge which is no more or less childish than throwing a football shirt to the ground?

Tainio for centre mid with Steed or Ghaly!!! I can see a place for Ghaly on the right if Lennon flunks Juandes crossing school.

However, i believe this wil all be academic in Jan when the spanish invasion starts, because most of them will probably get the chop.

Anonymous said...

sure jolsgonemental, everything is looking really rosy. All Ramos needs to do, is get us into Europe this year via the league, win a couple of cups along the way and next year get us qualification for the Champions League. If not well, we will send him packing like we have the other countless managers since the 60's! On the topic yeah give Ghaly another another chance, I am sure he will coming bounding out of the tunnel kissing the shirt, give anyone a chance, my grannie, your granne, anyone!!

Anonymous said...

we wont get into europe this year. seasons over.

but at the very least we now have the 'possibility' of addressing the mistakes we make every single week.

which is better than no possibility. at all.

which in my mind is better. we have a glimmer of hope. we didnt before.

Anonymous said...

I don't know the stats but i remember jol saying that ghaly got the most assists last season........?
i still also remember him loosing the ball every two seconds.
I see kaboul as a holdiong midfielder, good ability, defensive but with ability to get forward and get on the end of crosses, if ledley comes back and dawsons fit etc... i'd stick kaboul in the midfield with steed attackin bale on left lennon on right.

Anonymous said...

Just ate a nice paella, thank you. And I haven't been this excited since the day Edgar ran on the pitch for the first time. So forget all the crap that has gone on this season and get behind our new leader - it's a new era - RAMOS !!!

Snap

Anonymous said...

I've been banging on about giving Steed a chance as attacking CM for ages. Now maybe he'll have a chance. After the 'Makalele role' we know have the 'Hudd/Zok' role', which means 'ineffective going forward or defending'.

I was one for selling Ghaly after his antics last season. But while they haven't thrown the shirt in the dirt, some players are clearly not wearing it with pride. As you say Harry - why not give him a chance?

Anonymous said...

I think every player will get a fresh start...except Jenas who has lost the one manager who rated him above all else. I'm not expecting a miracle turnaround tho, and don't really see how having Ramos will make us much better. He may be a better coach or whatever, but at the end of the day will he be saying "I need a left winger" and Comolli saying "have this overpriced striker who is surplus to requirements then...".

Whether you liked or disliked Jol, the club have a lot to answer for, and I can't see us succeeding passed 5th until we lose the Comolli role and let the manager choose his squad and the tactics.

Unknown said...

None of you seem to know much. Ghaly is crap! Soooo crap on the ball and can't pass at all. No way give him a chance in midfield. Play King and Kaboul at the back as Dawson is playing crap atm, Chimbo and Bale when fit. Then Hudds with Boateng, Lennon and taarabt. up front, any one really and lets get behind bent. he will come good

Harry Hotspur said...

Your team incs. King who is in a rest home, no Lee - improved player of our generation and Bale as a full back when he clearly is dynamite in front of .... Lee.

"None of you seem to know much".
Looks like you'll fit right in! Lol.

GRAZZA said...

Thats Classic. I may not know anything but i do know this!

Lennon - On his day - yes, after crossing school - yes.

Hudd - Poo

Boateng - Complete unknown quantity, looked very ordinary against the cypriot pub team.

Taraabt - Looks more like the new Ronnie rosenthal than the new zidane.

And none of the them are left footed..........

Anonymous said...

Ghaly loves a tackle, which is more than can be said for the other that play in the Spurs midfield.
What about Ghaly and Steed in the centre? Is it not about time Steed was given a chance in the middle of the park?

Anonymous said...

hossam ghaly is awful. i hate all this revisionist history. he's never played a good game for us; giving him another chance is just a waste of a place in the midfield. let him sit on the sidelines until he realizes he's not too good for a small club like birmingham and we can get some compensation for the 20k per week we're paying him. this is not the time to start revisiting past failures.

Harry Hotspur said...

Ghaly gave the ball away alot. However, I also recall him running like a mentalist to get it back. And now & again succeeding. He has a shot on him and like Taarabt after him, the right coach could LEARN HIM some passing and teamwork.

I could see HG & SM in the centre. Certainly not a bad combo on paper, a battler and a have a go hero.

GRAZZA said...

I think we needn't worry, we have new, impartial (in the sense that he's probably not going to be governed by internal politics as Jol was) and probably higher class manager, who will pick whom he sees as the best midfield we have available and due to the fact that hes won Shiny Silver Stuff - we can probably rely on him to do a decent job!!

Whomever they be i'll be behind them in a Yid15 stylee.

Theres a bit of Blind faith for you!! :)

Anonymous said...

Lets face it guy's we need a new defensive midfielder end of! Stop all this Ghaly talk he's rubbish! The manager is going to give the players a clean slate so should the supporters lets see how a few players perform now knowing that there future is on the line!!! It might even make Jenus play better???

Anonymous said...

Ghaly did throw his shirt on the floor thats true, but he just didnt want to come off the pitch but a few games before he also had few teeth kicked out and he didnt want to come off the pitch its a pity some of the present players didnt didnt show some of the same passion perhaps we wouldnt be bottem 3

Anonymous said...

really are you sure, Ghaly is a waste of space and wouldnt even make a championship team, if we want to compete with the top 4, we need a scholes or lampard, gerrard etc. Ghaly should just be given a free transfer..

Anonymous said...

4.47 Point taken mate, but we don't have Gerrard or Lamps or Bruc Willis for that matter. Time to stop picking endless holes and get behind what we got I think. The coaching at Spurs had obviously gone wrong and now that is hopefully addressed we can try and play football. All this let's go out and buy a Roy Keane talk is dreaming. Nobody ever bought a Roy Keane including him. We need to nuture talent and make sure we have right men in place to do that.
One iof the reasons BMJ had to piss off and take Hughts with him is that they were getiing nothing out of the players. Lennon was going backwards and Robinson was being told to HOOOOOOOOOOf it upfield to Mido. No plan no hope.

Juande Juande
So Good To Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Anonymous said...

Bruce Willis even...

Anonymous said...

Who cares, Harry, you gimp?

Anonymous said...

Ghaly second chance is fine by me but does anyone have any idea where he has disapeared to? He has not been listed on any team sheets for weeks he is not listed anywhere on the spurs site as far as i can tell, he has vanished.. Any ideas anyone??

Anonymous said...

well throw a spurs shirt on the floor and you'll end up at the bottom of the thames like ghaly, a lesson for anyone else that wants to try it!

Anonymous said...

I think it speaks volumes about our midfielders that, under Jol, our most effective attacking strategy involved Robinson kicking the ball over them, straight to the forwards.

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Poyet will guide you home
And ignite your bones
Juande will try to fix you

Anonymous said...

Hey was just wondering, what is everyones thoughts on what we can realisticly expect from spurs this season?

Cup runs?
Top 6?

Anonymous said...

yes ghally should be given another chance, he had a lot of assits when he came,if a player like ghally is to be thrown out for a stupid action he committed(though he did apologize)then i assure u that the team has lost a lot!
by the way ghally will be playing for his national team in november in the 11th pan arab games that will take place in egypt, so to any of you who has doubts about givin ghally a chance or not i think u should at least watch him playing for the egyptian national team before ...

Anonymous said...

ghaly have skills and we all know that ...

this is a little of it
http://www.upload.ps/211007/2ec40ab89e.avi

Anonymous said...

ghaly have skills and we all know that ...

this is a little of it

http://www.uuploadit.com/Users/tigerman/ghaly%2014.avi

Anonymous said...

Ghaly is dire..he has been for a majority of last season, gives the ball away waaaaaay too much and simply he's a FUCKIN LIABILITY! Its not about giving him another chance and forgiving him..its about him not being good enough.

Juding from what has been reported, Comwally undermined Jol when he wanted an experienced centre half and holding mid. How do we know at some point he'll do the same with Ramos?
Shame really when we just thought we're going to be getting some consistency Jol is sacked. Out goes a whole most of the team and in comes another. Wait a couple of seasons to gel while the top four increase the gap. Being a spurs fan over the years have left me with no teeth as they keep gettin kicked.

I hope Senor Ramos will be the real deal and the club have patience with him.

Anonymous said...

Ghaly is dire..he has been for a majority of last season, gives the ball away waaaaaay too much and simply he's a FUCKIN LIABILITY! Its not about giving him another chance and forgiving him..its about him not being good enough.

Juding from what has been reported, Comwally undermined Jol when he wanted an experienced centre half and holding mid. How do we know at some point he'll do the same with Ramos?
Shame really when we just thought we're going to be getting some consistency Jol is sacked. Out goes a whole most of the team and in comes another. Wait a couple of seasons to gel while the top four increase the gap. Being a spurs fan over the years have left me with no teeth as they keep gettin kicked.

I hope Senor Ramos will be the real deal and the club have patience with him.

Anonymous said...

Ramos' team for the final day of the season (by which time it's likely they'll be nothing to play for):

Robbo

Chimbonda
Dawson
King
Bale

Lennon
Kaboul
Riquelme
Rose

Berba
Keane

Howzat Harry?

Anonymous said...

3.36

I like it. Lets go with a midfield of players who we have barely seen play. A relegation scrap is the ideal time to put them in.

And Hudd at the core, good shout. Lets build the team around him. He has been awesome this season.


4.47,

i agree totally.

why didnt comolli sign Gerrard , Lampard and Scholes preseason. That is all we needed.

Comolli is rubbish. The answer was staring him in the face all along! he must feel a fool now.

And whilst we are at it, why no John Terry or Nesta?

Anonymous said...

FROM GODFATHER ON FTL:

"For the first time since I've been at the club, the prima donnas are actually being made to have a double session of training today (morning and afternoon)! Viva la revolution! " This is from a guy that works at Spurs Lodge, and has done since the days of Jaques Santini... "

deman said...

why not try ledley king as a defensive midfielder sven used him there for england and he done superbly, & stick steed as the attacking midfielder and you never know, plus with some good defensive coaching the defenders might be able to learn how to defend again.

Anonymous said...

Well for one, Ledley has expressed that he hates playing in the midfield. But that's irrelevant because he is never going to be injury-free long enough to make a difference on the field.

Harry Hotspur said...

Shanemac!

How dare you write these things!

It is exactly this kind of nonsense that is injuring Our Great King and Leader, Captain and King!

You know nothing. I am a season ticket holder now for 326 years man and oaf and let me tell you there ain't nuffin wrong with Ledders at all.

Comments like yours are MAKING him ill!

I'm going now out of respect for our Captain and to go home and play his hit single, You Spin Me Round Like A Record Round Right Round.

Anonymous said...

dont worry people it wont be long until the natural order on this blog comes back to normal. we will start getting our hopes up and jolsgonemental will be renamed to ramosgonenuts...donuts!

Anonymous said...

Re: 6.20pm

I have no expectations.

Brendan Locations said...

I'd like to see Routledge, Tarrabt, Boateng & Ghaly get fresh looks. I'd much rather see them giving some good service and making runs while making mistakes than the Jenas, Tainio and Zokora bunch who can't make an accurate feed for their life. Jenas should never take another free kick for Spurs. The latter bunch make a ton of mistakes as well and only really play well against weak teams. Scoring isn't the problem it's defense but there's no quick fix other than Ledley coming back and its still not a great defense with him, so some of the attacking of a Tarrabt will allow us to overcome the goals we concede.

Anonymous said...

Harry - I've been negative towards your desires to shake up the midfield with the youngsters, but after Sunday, I am convinced we have no choice but too completely rearrange the midfield.

This is my suggestion for doing this and will describe why below:

LM - Huddlestone
att CM - Taarabt
hold CM - KPB
RM - Steed against top teams for defensive skills, Lennon against all others

Counting on Bale playing at LB, the midfield Sunday was the best I thought Spurs could offer. Our current wingers (SM, AL, TT, WR) have absolutely no ability to deliver a quality cross or pass to our strikers, which is killing us.

Still, when we went wide, Blackburn showed a ton of respect and allowed us to stretch them out. This is where I was extremely disappointed with the CM's. I love Hudds - he is an unbelievable passer and a fierce tackler, but he can't play CM. The middle was wide open to be attacked, but neither he or Zokora (who is completely useless) ever made runs into the box to take advantage of the wide open space. He is not good enough defensively to play the holding role, and if he's not going to run forward where do you put him? Perhaps at LM like Riquelme, where he can setup the offense, but then hang back and cover for Bale when he pushes up?

I am 100% convinced now that we don't have a quality holding or attacking CM among the group that we are starting. Steed was decent in the attacking role at Fulham, but he has lost a couple steps and is not the same player now. The lack of a good holding CM has not hurt us defensively this season, but it will if we put a real attacker next to him.

We have to play KPB and Taarabt NOW, because we have to find out if they have the skills to fill those roles. If not, we need to completely revamp the central midfield during the next transfer window.

Harry Hotspur said...

Hi Daytripper,

The introduction of youth (whilst not straying into Jonathan King territory) isn't ideal.

Jol was probably right when he kind of resigned Taarabt him as 'one for the future'

But at what point do you relent and try that which has yet to fail?

As fans, it's reached a crictical mass whereby excuses were exhausted and a total revamp was needed.

Easy/ hallucigenic to wander around saying let's but a
Gerrard, let's buy a Lampard. While you're there get us a gold plated helicopter.

The first step is to shape up what you have. As of yesterday, it was 'double sessions' for Spurs players at training.

The next second is an evaluation of resources.

The games ahead cannot be allowed to degenerate into a learning curve that doesn't end until we're buried.

Lastly, tactics.

Ours have been transparently amongst the worst in the league.

A fact backed up by both the low talent Derby team sheet and the 'I don't know what I'm doing' similarities between Jol and Sammy Lee.

Word is, JR is a 'fan'/has an awarness/appreciation of The Prince.

Good.


Let's give him direction and a spin then.

I'd rather watch a bit of bite go wrong than much more what we've had.

COYS.

Anonymous said...

Your right Harry, these next 6 odd games are crucial in that they can't turn into a squad evaluation process.
That's the boards fault for not bringing him in in the summer.
These are must-win games and we have to hit the ground running which is no mean feat!
Lets hope he can impose a different mentality from the get go.
Roy Keane has done it at Sunderland, last 5 minutes of every game they are pedal to the metal, we need to be the same, we need to be at full throttle for 95 minutes. not 90.
COYS.

Harry Hotspur said...

That's a terrific phrase, 'full throttle for 95 minutes not 90'


Dead right.

Anonymous said...

Rather ghaly any day than that sorry excuse of a footballer Zakora

Anonymous said...

On Ghaly,
He's never the man to make a difference, think we're clutching at straws there. Big deal he chased back for the ball, so he fucking should!

It was not my imagimation the countless times he lost the ball and yeah did have the odd sublime touch, but these were far outnumbered by the frustrating over dwelling on the ball, which is why many called him "Ghastly".

It would be like bringing back Mido again who we were all fooled by his brilliant first half of one season when he was trying to win a contract until his true colours came through, not say he was that bad, but not just for a team with top 4 aspirations in very much the same way as Ghaly certainly isn't.

Secondly, we nearly done the Brum for 3 million until he started to stir up things in his first training sessions...his attitude will never be 100% right either.

Ok our current midfield ain't that great either, but at least the attitude is right and higher in the pecking order than Ghaly for me.

And then given time, I think we'll even see some of the current midfield weeded out by Ramos who will slowly make his own imprint on the club by bringing the quality and class we are seriously lacking in there.

Shame though given the amount of money that's already been spent on the midfield and the turnover of players that have played there and left in the last 3 or 4 season is flabbergasting.

Anonymous said...

Lets face it guys. Ghaly has gone. He won't like the new fitness regime and all that running. Lol.

Smudger.

Anonymous said...

have we replaced Segers yet? is Clemence still involved with Spurs? i know he was the GK coach before he went onto the England setup. i thought he was still involved at youth/reserve level... can anyone else shed some light? lets hope Kasey Keller doesnt decide to pack it all in and become our new GK coach (shudders at the thought)..


THFC4LIFE

Anonymous said...

Work it, make it, do it, makes us, harder, better, faster, stronger
Work it harder play it better move it faster makes us stronger (repeat while Kanye Bill raps)

N- n- now th- that don't kill us
Can only make us stronger
We need Ramos to hurry up now
cause we can't wait much longer
I know we gonna play right now
Cos we can’t play much wronger
Man, I’ve been waiting all year now
For my main man Juande

work it harder play it better move it faster makes us stronger(repeat)
I need Juan right now
I need Juan right now

He said; “we start today”
It’s a whole new club today
Gus is secretary, he’s the boss today
And he don't give a fuck what y’all say
Juande’s gonna get us playing it his way
Damn, he may even make a man out’a JJ
Robbo and Hudd’ll lose some weight
Even Zoko Pops’ll pass it straight
Bow in the presence of greatness
Cause right now Jol has forsaken us
You should be honored by Juande’s self
That he would even show up at our humble Shelf
So go ahead and mourn Mart and Chris
The injury time losers I won’t miss
And the constant playin’ of Jenas
New gospel yiddos, take six, and take this, haters


N- n- now th- that don't kill us
Can only make us stronger
I know we is playin’ shite now
‘specially Pascal Chimbonda
Is it me or was he much
better when his hair was longer?
Man, I been waiting all year now
For him to sort our defenders

work it harder play it better move it faster makes us stronger(repeat)
We need you right now
We need you right now

Me likey

I don't know if you know ‘bout Juan
Im trippin ‘cos he’s the real special one
H-he’s the big bad Spanish Don
He’s better than Moyes at Everton
And Fergie, Rafa and Wenger from the Scum
So why the hell are you dissing Juan?
Cryin’ ‘bout Jol? I feel bad for you, son
I’m tripping, even though Martin’s gone

Cause it’s Juande Ramos’ night
So we gon’ do everything that Juan likes
Play a winger on the left and on the right
He’s gon’ take us back to Europe, right?
We’ll even have a defence that’s tight
He’s a mean Spanish mutha who’s takin’ flight
Ugh, Juande, you’re making us (harder, better, faster, stronger)

N- n- now th- that don't kill us
Can only make us stronger
I need Ramos to hurry up now
Cause we can't wait much longer
If we can just stop conceding
goals from Christophe fuckin’ Samba
Man I’ve been waiting all year now
For my main man Juande


work it harder play it better move it faster thanks to Juande(repeat)
I need you right now
I need you right now

You know how long I've wanted Juande?
Since before we drew with Villa
Since we went out to Sevilla
Don't act like we’re not stronger [x6]

Man, he’s making us
(harder, better, faster, Juande)

N- n- now th- that don't kill us
Can only make us stronger
I need Ramos to hurry up now
Cause he’s paid so much wonga
I know we’re in the bottom three now
We got the width of a god’damn conga
But now we’ve got the man, now
The cup-winning fish called Juande

work it harder play it better move it faster thanks to Juande(repeat)
I need you right now [x4]

Never over [x8](harder, better, faster, Juande)

You know how long we needed Juande?
Since before we drew with Villa
Since we went out to Sevilla
Don't act like we’re not stronger [x6]

Man, he’s making us
(harder, better, faster, Juande)#


Woohoo! Thanks Kanye West Stand. Now, onto the Awards and a new format this year that sees the Front Page get their very own awards and voting. For details of the Chat and Spurs Chat Awards, just pop into those forums.

Anonymous said...

oh dear! comolli doesnt think the handling of jol was in any way wrong or unjust. these things happen in football he says. id love to see him get shafted when its his turn to bend over for mr. levy!

Anonymous said...

Am looking forward to seeing our boys get a good booting from the boss. they have been acting like tarts all season. Think we have the right man at last, and the double session of training suggests good things. And hope we get new blood into the club in January who Ramos wants, and not Comoli's choice.
Think Kaboul should play in midfield, as he has no idea about getting back! and that KPB, Pekhart, Taraabt get some time in the first team

Anonymous said...

Ghaly doesnt make an impact hey? are the memories as fickle as the support or what? Do none of you remember Ghaly's goal against Chelski in the FA cup? he outjumped about three players, ran with the ball for half a pitch and scored. AGAINST MOANRINHO's Chelski???!!! AT THE BRIDGE!! come on you guys hes not class but hes a hard worker and goes for the ball and CAN score. on his FA cup performance alone he should be given a chance. plus he only thre his shirt cos he was peeved at bein subbed he wants to play and he loves spurs cant you all see that??