An opportunity for Spurs today
A big game for TV to open the season Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur and with us winning at Old Trafford there is not the air of invincibility there once was.
Creating that air plays it's part in maintaining a home record that immediately puts a visiting mentally on the back foot. It is something we need to create at White Hart Lane, we simply didn't get enough points at home last season.
Louis van Gaal has already said that Daley Blind will play at centre-back so he will be in opposition to last season Young Player of the Year Harry Kane. Blind is an excellent passer of the ball but like many a Tottenham central defender he lacks pace. Harry Kane is not a fast striker but he is clever with his movement, something that will be key to his progress this season.
Forget the name Manchester United but look at the players who may play instead, Johnstone in goal, nobody knows how he will react to the pressure, new signing Darmain at right-back has no Premier League experience and we know full well what that can mean, Chris Smalling at centre-back is error prone and lacks concentration with Daley Blind alongside him who isn't experienced as a Premier League centre-back with Luke Shaw at left-back, a player who has struggled at United so far.
It is not a back five that strike fear into you, they are inexperienced, is there a leader among them, a John Terry figure, you'd say not. Defensively they are very susceptible first game of the season with nerves, the expectant crowd and the pressure of the occasion. Kane, Chadli, Eriksen are not going to be losing sleep worrying about them, they should be looking forward to an opportunity.
Carrick and Schneiderlin are both quality Premier League players but it is a new combination and how well they play together may determine the result. They won't yet know what the other is going to do in given situations and Schneiderlin hasn't had long to learn the requirements Louis van Gaal will have given him for his role. It is not simply a case of this is what I did at Southampton so I'll just do the same at Manchester United. He has moved to a bigger stage, can he cope mentally with expectation levels he has not experienced before? Look at Erik Lamela he hasn't coped thus far, yet he is talented no doubt.
Mata, Depay and Young are not names that frighten either, Mata is quality going forward but lacks pace and switches off defensively at time, Memphis Depay is stepping up a level of football, the same as Eriksen did and it took him time to produce decent football on a regular basis. Depay could take to the Premier League like a duck to water or he could struggle to adjust to its greater demands. Ashley Young is a hit and miss player who has seen the highs and lows in his career, he's a decent Premier League player but no world beater.
Wayne Rooney up front can and will be a handful, he will score goals this season, he does every season, indeed he is only 20 goals behind the 249 scored by Sir Bobby Charlton for them, yet he hasn't always played as an out-and-out striker.
It is a team missing the big players, build for a system but with second string players starting. It is not a game to be afraid of, not a side to be afraid of, it is a game that affords us an opportunity to catch them cold. Now is the time for our lads to show mental strength, to appreciate this is an opportunity and grasp it.
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Go to the Football-Shop.net to grab all your Tottenham Hotspur related products, there are 297 to choose from including signed shirts, both framed and unframed and nearly 3,000 in all.
Creating that air plays it's part in maintaining a home record that immediately puts a visiting mentally on the back foot. It is something we need to create at White Hart Lane, we simply didn't get enough points at home last season.
Louis van Gaal has already said that Daley Blind will play at centre-back so he will be in opposition to last season Young Player of the Year Harry Kane. Blind is an excellent passer of the ball but like many a Tottenham central defender he lacks pace. Harry Kane is not a fast striker but he is clever with his movement, something that will be key to his progress this season.
Forget the name Manchester United but look at the players who may play instead, Johnstone in goal, nobody knows how he will react to the pressure, new signing Darmain at right-back has no Premier League experience and we know full well what that can mean, Chris Smalling at centre-back is error prone and lacks concentration with Daley Blind alongside him who isn't experienced as a Premier League centre-back with Luke Shaw at left-back, a player who has struggled at United so far.
It is not a back five that strike fear into you, they are inexperienced, is there a leader among them, a John Terry figure, you'd say not. Defensively they are very susceptible first game of the season with nerves, the expectant crowd and the pressure of the occasion. Kane, Chadli, Eriksen are not going to be losing sleep worrying about them, they should be looking forward to an opportunity.
Carrick and Schneiderlin are both quality Premier League players but it is a new combination and how well they play together may determine the result. They won't yet know what the other is going to do in given situations and Schneiderlin hasn't had long to learn the requirements Louis van Gaal will have given him for his role. It is not simply a case of this is what I did at Southampton so I'll just do the same at Manchester United. He has moved to a bigger stage, can he cope mentally with expectation levels he has not experienced before? Look at Erik Lamela he hasn't coped thus far, yet he is talented no doubt.
Mata, Depay and Young are not names that frighten either, Mata is quality going forward but lacks pace and switches off defensively at time, Memphis Depay is stepping up a level of football, the same as Eriksen did and it took him time to produce decent football on a regular basis. Depay could take to the Premier League like a duck to water or he could struggle to adjust to its greater demands. Ashley Young is a hit and miss player who has seen the highs and lows in his career, he's a decent Premier League player but no world beater.
Wayne Rooney up front can and will be a handful, he will score goals this season, he does every season, indeed he is only 20 goals behind the 249 scored by Sir Bobby Charlton for them, yet he hasn't always played as an out-and-out striker.
It is a team missing the big players, build for a system but with second string players starting. It is not a game to be afraid of, not a side to be afraid of, it is a game that affords us an opportunity to catch them cold. Now is the time for our lads to show mental strength, to appreciate this is an opportunity and grasp it.
Recent Articles
The defensive area Ben Davies must work on
Dutch clubs want Spurs youngster
Go to the Football-Shop.net to grab all your Tottenham Hotspur related products, there are 297 to choose from including signed shirts, both framed and unframed and nearly 3,000 in all.
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