Vertonghen offers defensive answers
Jan Vertonghen has called for a settled Tottenham back-four next season rather than the changes made this season if Spurs are to mount a serious challenge for the Champions League.
A major headache for Tottenham last season was the defence again, individual errors undid us at times and we conceded a mammoth 53 goals.
While defending begins at the front and the three attacking midfielders need to do more, the defence let itself down. There were positives, Danny Rose was a revelation and Jan Vertonghen played 32 league games in solid fashion, although he was not immune to mistakes
“We’ve had a lot of changes during the season because of some injuries, suspensions and illnesses so if we play with same guys like we did the last couple of games I think we can adapt to each other, improve and concede less goals."
We had trouble at right-back as we all know with Eric Dier, Vlad Chiriches and Kyle Walker all playing there but Fazio also had an up and down season.
Vertonghen 32 games 2,811 minutes
Danny Rose 28 games 2,370 minutes
Federicio Fazio 20 games 1,776 minutes
Younes Kaboul 11 games 990 minutes
Eric Dier 28 games 2,298 minutes
Vlad Chiriches 10 games 707 minutes
Kyle Walker 15 games 1,306 minutes
I'd expect to be seeing Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose as the first choice defensive partnership with either DeAndre Yedlin or a new right-back, Federico Fazio, Kevin Wimmer and Ben Davies playing in the UEFA Europa League, in front on Michel Vorm, at least for the group stages.
"I always say the strikers are the first defenders and the defenders are the first strikers, we help them score and we also need their help to defend, as well,
"The title is expensive because in the EPL there are some bigger teams. We try to do our best and like we have shown this season we can beat the big four. We have beaten Chelsea and Arsenal at home. If you want to challenge for top four ... we have to beat them more often.”
Picking up wins against the top four is progress from the hammerings we have been taking recently and suggests we took a step forward last season, albeit while bedding in a new head coach and a new playing system.
Next season is one where we need to press ahead again and show further improvement, a stable back four may well help.
A major headache for Tottenham last season was the defence again, individual errors undid us at times and we conceded a mammoth 53 goals.
While defending begins at the front and the three attacking midfielders need to do more, the defence let itself down. There were positives, Danny Rose was a revelation and Jan Vertonghen played 32 league games in solid fashion, although he was not immune to mistakes
“We’ve had a lot of changes during the season because of some injuries, suspensions and illnesses so if we play with same guys like we did the last couple of games I think we can adapt to each other, improve and concede less goals."
We had trouble at right-back as we all know with Eric Dier, Vlad Chiriches and Kyle Walker all playing there but Fazio also had an up and down season.
Vertonghen 32 games 2,811 minutes
Danny Rose 28 games 2,370 minutes
Federicio Fazio 20 games 1,776 minutes
Younes Kaboul 11 games 990 minutes
Eric Dier 28 games 2,298 minutes
Vlad Chiriches 10 games 707 minutes
Kyle Walker 15 games 1,306 minutes
I'd expect to be seeing Kyle Walker, Eric Dier, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose as the first choice defensive partnership with either DeAndre Yedlin or a new right-back, Federico Fazio, Kevin Wimmer and Ben Davies playing in the UEFA Europa League, in front on Michel Vorm, at least for the group stages.
"I always say the strikers are the first defenders and the defenders are the first strikers, we help them score and we also need their help to defend, as well,
"The title is expensive because in the EPL there are some bigger teams. We try to do our best and like we have shown this season we can beat the big four. We have beaten Chelsea and Arsenal at home. If you want to challenge for top four ... we have to beat them more often.”
Picking up wins against the top four is progress from the hammerings we have been taking recently and suggests we took a step forward last season, albeit while bedding in a new head coach and a new playing system.
Next season is one where we need to press ahead again and show further improvement, a stable back four may well help.
1 comment
There have been times when they have been poor covering the two centre backs and in a season where our goal keeper has been incredible we've still conceded 53.
I think Veryonghen needs a good all action intelligent defender next to him with some pace. Fazio I think is a very good defender but lacks pace and so he and Vertonghen together can be beaten quite easily.
Vertonghen lacks pace as does Fazio so we need someone who compliments both players.
I also think we should go all out for Schniederlin or a player of his ilk as an absolute must. With talk of him going to the goons (who dont play two holding mids and him likely to have to attempt a whole new system) I think he could maybe be talked into coming to Spurs for a decent paycheck.
Bentaleb and Mason are both still developing and I think the team overall could do better if they develop next to so…