A Spurs Fans Greatest Fear
By Spurs Daddy
Part 1
Part 1
With pre-season well underway, we have now played four matches and from the highlights I have seen, the squad seem to have some good and bad points.
Midfield
The 1st thing that springs to mind is the balance of attacking play; being one dimensional is not going to win us many matches as opposition coaches will find a way to stop our strengths.
We all agreed that the problem with the team is our lack of goals from midfield. What has been implied but not highlighted is midfield creativity. As we all know the centre of midfield last season did little in the creative department.
I have also heard so much criticism of Carrick. People say that he has to do more. I disagree I think his role is to stop the other teams cracking our defence. He is the link man from our defence to the midfield. He links play by distributing the ball with his good array of passing. With Carrick doing this, he will give the player who plays along side him in the middle the license to press forward, in effect becoming the third striker, or player who interlinks with the forwards.
It is such a shame that D’Alessandro and Riquelme do not want to play for us. Either of those two would have caused some serious damage to the goals against column of our rivals.
Anyhow, we have Tainio, who has a good reputation. He looks like he’s going to be a good player and will give us some much needed attacking options. But who will be his cover? Will it be Mendes or Brown? Brown is hard working but I feel it’s time for him to leave. Mendes is good player, but he won't unlock defences nor score that many for us, so who else? Not Davies, as I think he is Carrick’s cover player.
Thinking back to all the matches I watched, what is prominent in my mind is that the team looked more attacking when Simon Davies played. The more he regained his fitness the better we looked going forward, and when he played with Kelly overlapping, we actually had some penetration on the right.
The left of midfield on the other hand (unless Ziegler was playing) looked mediocre. However, with Davies not being able to beat or sprint past his man, and more importantly not scoring many goals, it simply was not good enough for us to be challenging for a place in Europe.
Now I am not a fan of Reid as I think we should never have bought him. But as he is now wearing the blue and white of the team, I will never jeer him.
After last season, Reid disappointed me by not tracking back (I mean at a decent pace rather then a slow stroll) when we lost possession. He continued to annoy me by failing to get to the by line to deliver a telling cross. He forever was cutting in when we needed him to play wide.
This pre-season, he seems a little bit leaner; not a lot, but it’s a move in the right direction. He is also trying to take on his man. This coupled with Routledge on the right gives us more attacking options.
We all know Reid has a good shot and Routledge is fast. Martin Jol has stated his belief that the majority of goals are scored from crosses. This is what these two need to do on a regular basis and not just cut into the middle the majority of the time like Reid did last season.
Before you all yell, we need to vary our play, yes I agree he should cut in a move around the pitch, but Reid also needs to start crossing the ball from the touchline.
However, these two are not going to play 40+ games for us this season, so who do we have as back up? Ziegler and Lennon. What backup! I cannot be more pleased to have these two up-and-coming youngsters challenging the two ahead of them.
So that is what I think is our only midfield weakness, other then Reid's fondness for food.
132 comments
My second point is my only reservation for next season. We still lack that creative flair. A thinker, a spark a live wirer. We dont have it in the squad right now. Could you push Robbie in there. Have thought about it. Dont know.
I am sure that Jol and Levy know this, so I havent given up hope this season but without it, we are missing a big part of the jigsaw!
Come on England in the Ashes!
I wouldn't think to hard if I were you, when you become manager or DoF then you get a say.
It's pre-season games - a time for the players to get match fit and for the manager to experiment a bit with different players and partnerships - it's not a look at what will happen.
I very much doubt we'll be seeing Aaron Lennon or Calum Davenport playing for us in the Prem for instance.
As I said - don't think too hard, you release an article like this every day and it's getting boring.
Wait until August.
The future is blue and white!!!!!!!!
COME ON YOU SPURS!!
Please do not advertise your blog site on this one.
THBN is NOT a Spurs website directory, but a footballing debate site.
To anyone wishing to place a link to their website; Please note that all comments containing any ads to other blog sites will be removed
THBN Team
You will get the point when the other parts are published.
Regards
THBN Team
Respected football managers have said that Reid has the sweetest left foot in the game.
I have seen glimpses of the type of player he will become. He has the best vision out of any other player at our club, yes, even better than Carrick's.
He does need to lose weight though.
I cannot understand why Jol doesn't put him on a strict diet.
Reid will never be the kind of winger that Routledge is. In fact, I would say that Reid isn't a winger at all. He's more of a left-sided midfielder.
That is why I have said in the past, if we are going to play him on the left, we definitely need an attacking creative midfielder in the centre alongside Carrick.
Or we can play with Lennon and Routledge on the wings, in which case, there is no need for an attacking midifielder. Carrick & Tainio/Mendes can do the job perfectly.
Any thoughts?
Has all the gazza/ginola qualities to inspire/create.
should have bought him years ago!
It is pre season though.
With a million squids prize money up for grabs.... I think jol will field his best XI against a good lyon team.
they are at similar pre season fitness levels and spurs fans will really see where we are.
my concerns are we can't string 5 passes together.
davidson and gardener worry me BIG time and without a true strong okocha type player, you'll never see the best of routledge/reid or keane/defoe.
POSITIVES... all 4 strikers playing brilliant ( look hungry to want to stay and is the only reason why we're in the final)
tainio and routledge have shone too.
Peace cup final to first two games of the season for spurs players to get to grips with how jol wants them to play. I mean, dutch manager dreams of passing on the deck, movement and possession??
doesn't he????
Get our best XI out and lets see them play as a TEAM.
then we'll have no moaning.
mark
m…
Are you mad POSHSPUR?
Reid is fat and cannot beat a player!
Its irrelevant him having a great left foot if he cant get to the ball to use it.
his had his chance, and doesnt want it. ship him out asap.
Agree with the JJ Okocha thoughts though - get him in!
are you on drugs !?!
by that do you mean that beckham is shit on the left as well
can only assume that forest made us take him when we only really wanted dawson.
forest couldnt afford his food bill anymore...
Hes got to prove hes worth it next season!!
Jol should hide all Kebabs/pies and bugers, and make him fast!
Im going for Routledge, he looks dangerous
routledge setting up jermaine. they'll be cuddling and hugging 20-25 times this season
Look at fat Roony, and fat Beatie
He can score, he's strong, tall and good in the air, also he has pace for a big man!
Rooney is chubby and Beatie is verging on Reid fatness!
as could reid if he was doing the business. but he is not.
look at mido - he must have lost 20 pounds in the last 2/3 months - that is a great, committed player.
Well thing is Beatie hasnt really done the business since he went to Everton, seems more interested in which kebab to buy nowadays!
I said that Reid COULD become our Beckham, not IS like Beckham.
Beckham never ran or beat his man. Beckham's main attribute was his amazing passing range.
David can spray the ball across 60 yards without blinking. He would also cross from deep.
Reid is in the same mold as that.
As for Reid wanting to lose weight, well it's obvious that he can't or doesn't want to, so it is up to the club to discipline him.
If he needs to be dropped in order to learn, then so be it.
But the guy has potential. If anyone doubts that, then they obviously haven't been to many games.
Mouney will become a hit. He is very fast. We now have a fairly fast squad of players.
I am sure that Lennon is one of the quickest players in the Premiership. Robbo said the same thing.
Our super-fast pacey players are:
Routledge
Lennon
Mouney
Stalteri (as I have been informed from a reliable source).
Any others?
It is you who dosnt understand!
Great range of passing abilities??
Yeah cos Reids passing is as good as Beckhams!!! not!!
And Beckham actually covers every blade of grass, and is actually quite skillful,
To compare Reid to Beckham is just silly!!
Reid will NEVER become our Beckham, any sane person can see that!
I dont remember Fatty crossing many balls or spraying many 60 yarders either.
How long do you give someone who MAY have potential to prove it and show it, when he clearly lacks drive and commitment. He's had his chance, forget him.
He can't do it now, but I am sure he will be able to in the future.
That is what I said.
You have to be stupid to say that Reid can do that now. Everyone can see that he can't yet.
Reid is a fat irishman that has played his career in the 1st Division!
To even think of comparing shows stupidity!
Think he can play at full back or in midfield,
Think midfield is out of question, as there are a ridiculous amount already,
so he's prob gonna challenge Kelly, which is a shame, better if he was left footed!
reid should be kicked back to the all-you-can-eat buffet where he came from.
you can only give hime so many chances before he becomes a liability. there are other players ready to step in.
dropping him as punishment will only lead him to get depressed and start comfort eating.
They wont let him back to the all-you-can-eat buffet as he is a danger to putting them out of business!
Apparently he is two-footed, pacey and can pass. But that is second hand info.
Are we going to sign someone or what?!
Theres no point in signing for the sake of it!
Like Johnson, we dont need him
The current squad is good enough to take spurs into uefa cup!
Yes like Left back, and central mid, thats all we need, 2 players!
Richardson would be nice though
Is there any need for capitals????
But a coconut? More like a lemon
yes Reid fat, you've got eyes look at him!!!!
Dwarf
This after all isa Spurs site why not pick each others brains for ditties that we can match to players.
Look at the Arsenil they have a song for almost every player.
with interest, as I'm not whooly convinced by his ability. I think he should be given a full season to prove himself,but how many times has he lost possesion,overhit a cross, or even worse hit the first defender when trying to cross a ball.I really hope I'm wrong, the only crumb of comfort is that Spurs appeared to track him as long as Bobby Zamora and we all know he turned out to be world class, so perhaps superchunk can as well!
That's is why most of this generation of Spurs fans will never understand that to get a team motivated, you must be with them, not against them.
With the current squad we have at the moment, we can definitely qualify for the UEFA Cup as we are better than Boro, Bolton, Newcastle, City etc.
AND AS FOR FEEDER CLUB I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING LEFT WORTH FEEDING ON
Back in the sixties when we were in Europe on a consistent basis, it was great to hear 60,000 plus singing this song
Davids is available on a free.
I can't remember who commented on the fact that we don't have any real Dutch stars in our squad.
We have Mouney, but he doesn't really count.
Jol should be looking to bring in at least two quality Dutch players
Can anyone verify that?
£14 million? Spend it on Rosicky, he'd still be a bargain
THAT DWARF GUY CRACKS ME UP THOUGH, HE SHOULD HAVE HIS OWN SHOW
WHAT TYPE OF PLAYER DO SPURS NEED
the other 10% of mates support Spurs, but you could count the amount of games they've been to on one hand. So to talk about Spurs I come in here.
We might not be super fit with six packs, then again we dont play for spurs do we??
Reid is fat trust me!
Apart from that he hasnt done much, the reason im going on about him being fat is beacause i think this is affecting his performances
Onto the article. You don't need all the pace in the world to be a top winger look at Damien Duff. Sheer determination is a footballers best ally and now Reid has settled into the pace of the prem he'll finally shut up those pretending to be Spurs fans. We have a great mixture all across the midfield now so i see no need for changes especially now Mendes is fit again and settled into life in England
oh sorry one goal!!!
And alot of average/poor performances!
Last thing we need is another Anderton, only playing because he had a good Euro 96!!!
Or in Reids case, playing cos we paid 4mill for him!!
There probably short - almost dwarflike
We should support are fighting men never let their weopens are dulled their strength exausted or their tresure spent! Lets get behind them! Come on you spurs the future is blue and white!
takes me 10 mins to get whl on match day..... probably live closer than anyone on this site to the lane!
i agree mate.
spot on
ive been sayin it for yearsto my dad, i said we should of the sav when he woz the 17 year old whizkid, and sheva and every other quality player
danmacblogger@yahoo.com
if it does WHL would be fantastic with the houses and all, any idea about capacity?