Tottenham Hotspur - the Pride of London

[Castrol]

Kranjcar celebrates his first goal for Tottenham in a topsy-turvy match at Bolton. 2-2.

[Spurslover]

Originally Posted by Castrol

[img]Kranjcar celebrates his first goal for Tottenham in a topsy-turvy match at Bolton. 2-2.

Corluka break his duck too.

Bolton shows us our weakness in defence.

We gotten our first goal in the game through route 1. Once again it is clear that when Crouch uses his head, he creates lots of problem for the opposition. Again 2 centrebacks were drawn towards him.

Against teams who pack the midfield, it is always difficult to break through the middle. Route 1 has proven quite effective for us in a certain way, the pass few games had shown we scored through route 1 for a few times already.

Harry, please consider route 1 practise in the training ground. Defence is also weak, we are lucky Cudicini is working very hard and he manages to scuff out a couple of attack as well as a fair share of crosses.

[andyk]

Originally Posted by Spurslover

Corluka break his duck too.

Bolton shows us our weakness in defence.

We gotten our first goal in the game through route 1. Once again it is clear that when Crouch uses his head, he creates lots of problem for the opposition. Again 2 centrebacks were drawn towards him.

Against teams who pack the midfield, it is always difficult to break through the middle. Route 1 has proven quite effective for us in a certain way, the pass few games had shown we scored through route 1 for a few times already.

Harry, please consider route 1 practise in the training ground. Defence is also weak, we are lucky Cudicini is working very hard and he manages to scuff out a couple of attack as well as a fair share of crosses.

=> Good post as always, BRO ! Last saturday's game was really stressful watching our make shift defence...Was wondering why HARRY was so laid back on securing back up CBs during the summer transfer window...He really depended too much on both KING,DAWSON & WOODGATE to recover for the season !...Dun think GOMES enjoy being a SUB last 2 games !...But anyway historicly we dun play well at REEBOK...so every thing we equalised...i was jumping & waving on my BED !!!

Have tis feeling that our SPURS team have not really gel as team liked ARSENAL or CHELSEA yet !!!...And i really NOT looking forward playing ARSENAL end of this month !!!..Especially watching how they thrashed BLACKBURN last nite !!!

[andyk]

Hi SPURS Bros,

On "DARREN BENT" - "Did HARRY make the right call to let him go ??? Because he's scoring every game including against MAN U !!!"....We could have let PAYLACHENKO go instead....He's certainly doing much better than DEFOE now !!!...But at the same time,it was really tough for HARRY to make all of them happy !!!...

Hope to read your comments soon !

Come On SPURS !!!
Andyk

[Spurslover]

Originally Posted by andyk

Hi SPURS Bros,

On "DARREN BENT" - "Did HARRY make the right call to let him go ??? Because he's scoring every game including against MAN U !!!"....We could have let PAYLACHENKO go instead....He's certainly doing much better than DEFOE now !!!...But at the same time,it was really tough for HARRY to make all of them happy !!!...

Hope to read your comments soon !

Come On SPURS !!!
Andyk

Bro Andyk,

I guess Harry let Bent go because Bent is not settled at Spurs and he is not scoring easy goals (like durian kings). As a striker you must score critical goals as well as easy goals. Although Bent did well enough to be top scorer last season, but he has not been able to earn a international call-up.

Pavy is a renowned international with Russia, playing alongside players like Arshavin. He is also available to knock in a few free-kicks. Pavy can actually be used like Crouch partnering either Defoe or Keane. Anyway, he is currently injured. He must also understand that to-date the only russian, Arshavin, has made it well in EPL.

The team has too many disruption such as injury through club and international games to be well blended. Hope that the gel will work soon and then we will be great to look both during attack, creating goals, defending as well as shot stopping.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

[andyk]

Originally Posted by Spurslover

Bro Andyk,

I guess Harry let Bent go because Bent is not settled at Spurs and he is not scoring easy goals (like durian kings). As a striker you must score critical goals as well as easy goals. Although Bent did well enough to be top scorer last season, but he has not been able to earn a international call-up.

Pavy is a renowned international with Russia, playing alongside players like Arshavin. He is also available to knock in a few free-kicks. Pavy can actually be used like Crouch partnering either Defoe or Keane. Anyway, he is currently injured. He must also understand that to-date the only russian, Arshavin, has made it well in EPL.

The team has too many disruption such as injury through club and international games to be well blended. Hope that the gel will work soon and then we will be great to look both during attack, creating goals, defending as well as shot stopping.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

Yo BRO,

Look liked PAVY is on the out of SPURS in the JAN '10 Transfer Window...at the rate the goals CROUCHIE,DEFOE & KEANE is scoring,it's really tough for PAVY to be featured regularly ! Wonder who HARRY have in mind especially it may be tough to buy any good player halfway in the season ! Probably he'll be looking for players on loan or promote current players available !...

COMEON U SPURS !!!
Andyk

[Spurslover]

Originally Posted by andyk

Yo BRO,

Look liked PAVY is on the out of SPURS in the JAN '10 Transfer Window...at the rate the goals CROUCHIE,DEFOE & KEANE is scoring,it's really tough for PAVY to be featured regularly ! Wonder who HARRY have in mind especially it may be tough to buy any good player halfway in the season ! Probably he'll be looking for players on loan or promote current players available !...

COMEON U SPURS !!!
Andyk

Bro Andyk,

I would love Harry to go for younger strikers as they are fast and they can learn from the already experienced international strikers like Keane, Defoe and Crouch.

Don't forget we still have Santos Giovani (Mexico), whom has helped Mexico into 2010 World Cup. He is on loan to Ipswich town to learn the English way of playing. Hopefully, he can mature into a great striker.

I do think that we still need cover for our weaken defence. Hope that Harry will look into it. Chelsea should have a few unsettled defenders in Alex(33), Belletti(33) and Paulo Ferreira(30) because they are unable to break through the stranglehold of Terry, Carvalho, Cole, Bosingwa and Ivanovic. They also have youngsters in-line to cover and learn from the best.

Alex, Belletti and Ferreira are experienced EPL players and in the 30's they would not mind being a substitute provided they can play, which may present them with a World Cup outsider chance.

Spurs, with King and Woodgate suffering from long injury spells, may acquire their service and help tie over the crisis. Hence, anyone of the three to come to Spurs will be great. Of course, Alex is the best among the three followed by Belletti and then Ferreira.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

[andyk]

Originally Posted by Spurslover

Bro Andyk,

I would love Harry to go for younger strikers as they are fast and they can learn from the already experienced international strikers like Keane, Defoe and Crouch.

Don't forget we still have Santos Giovani (Mexico), whom has helped Mexico into 2010 World Cup. He is on loan to Ipswich town to learn the English way of playing. Hopefully, he can mature into a great striker.

I do think that we still need cover for our weaken defence. Hope that Harry will look into it. Chelsea should have a few unsettled defenders in Alex(33), Belletti(33) and Paulo Ferreira(30) because they are unable to break through the stranglehold of Terry, Carvalho, Cole, Bosingwa and Ivanovic. They also have youngsters in-line to cover and learn from the best.

Alex, Belletti and Ferreira are experienced EPL players and in the 30's they would not mind being a substitute provided they can play, which may present them with a World Cup outsider chance.

Spurs, with King and Woodgate suffering from long injury spells, may acquire their service and help tie over the crisis. Hence, anyone of the three to come to Spurs will be great. Of course, Alex is the best among the three followed by Belletti and then Ferreira.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

=> Yo BRO SPURSLOVER,i have read your interesting comments ! But it's really tough to imagine our London rivals doing us any favours...we have been talking about JOE COLE for the longest time !...Can U remember when was the last time we have any CHELSEA or MAN U players joining us ?...It's liked a "demotion" for them to play for SPURS !!!...

Recent talks that HARRY is buying DAVID JAMES or even tried PAUL ROBINSON...OMG ! It's liked SPURS players are getting older & older !!!...And i thought Boss LEVY have already rejected that ???....

In the JAN transfer window our Defence need Top Priority !!!

Come On U SPURS !!!
Andyk

[Castrol]

With all the attention on Harry Redknapp and Jermain Defoe, it was Ledley King who bagged the first goal as Spurs beat Portsmouth 2-1.

[Greyface]

If Ledley King doesn't get injured too often, I believe this current squad is good enough to break into a top 4 position.

Spurs probably needs another defender to cover Ledley King when he is out, however a world class defender will not join us & play second fiddle to Ledley.

[Spurslover]

Originally Posted by Greyface

If Ledley King doesn't get injured too often, I believe this current squad is good enough to break into a top 4 position.

Spurs probably needs another defender to cover Ledley King when he is out, however a world class defender will not join us & play second fiddle to Ledley.

Bro,

I begged to defer. World class defender can be conditioned/trained, Spurs have done it with Sol and Ledley. Buying is not always the best option. Look at Man U, Rio, Evra and Vidvic were brought in to strengthen their defence, however, majority of their defender list are players bought at young age and train with them for long period. Joh O'shea, Gary Neville, Jonathon Evans, West Brown, Rafael and Fabio.

Looking at the present Spurs batch of defenders, Dawson looks promising. I do agree on the part the another defender is required to cover King.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

[Spurslover]

We won 2-1 at Portsmouth, great away result with lots of lessons to learn.

We have our Gomez to thank for making 3 magnificent saves. However, he is still quite a suspect at long ball situation (although he's already better than last season).

The defence look solid with King back at the fort. The decision to add Dawson to form three centrehalves was a good one.

The midfield is still not providing enough cover for the back for resulting the introduction of Dawson. Lennon is not doing enough run down the wing. Krancjar is not creating enough by drawing players toward him and releasing the players around him.

Defoe did well to score, he did better when he totally ignore the team's objective. He was determined to score right from the start, ignoring that Keane is probably in better position than him.

Defoe also forgotten that he is a professional player and no player would like to have his leg stamped, this action/reaction may cause player/s to loose their legs if not their career/s. He also played into Fratton park's fans hand by being sent off. Moreover, the team is strongly handicapped by his rashful act. So Defoe: "However smart and good you are, you are only a player in a team, play for the team and not your own selfishness!"

Crouch did well to play as the lone striker and gotten into good position to score despite the handicap.

I suggest Harry to implement a fine on Defoe so as to teach all players the importance of playing for the team and not let selfishness stand. He should not condone to such acts.

Playing at Fratton Park is not going to be easy for Harry, Krancjar, Crouch and Defoe, let alone a man down in the second half. We shown great character to weather the storm and pull together a victory with 10 men away.

This is the type of performance which will make a Spurs fans proud and sing "COMON YOU SPURS!!!"

[Spurslover]

The report below is from ESPNSoccernet:

REDKNAPP RAGES AT DEFOE DISMISSAL
Redknapp: Defoe sorry for Pompey red card

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe apologised for his red card against Portsmouth after getting a dressing down from Harry Redknapp in front of his team-mates in the changing room.

Redknapp was furious when the England striker stamped on Aaron Mokoena in the 2-1 win at Fratton Park after scoring the eventual winner in the Barclays Premier League clash, his 10th this season for club and country.

When asked if the England striker had apologised, Redknapp said: "Yes. He's sorry for what's done. For sure. I gave him a rollicking in front of all the lads, to be fair.''

Defoe watched his side cling to their lead but now misses league matches against Stoke and Arsenal as well as the Carling Cup clash against Everton. Redknapp had seen his player get wound up by Pompey's physical tactics in the first half of the victory where both manager and player faced their former club.

"He can be a bit like that,'' Redknapp said. "At times, he has to learn to curb that. I couldn't have told him more. I sat him down at half-time and said to him 'don't do anything silly.

"We can't afford to go down to ten men here. We have to have 11 on the pitch. Don't let us down'. He let himself down, he let us down as well. He could have cost us the game. The way he reacted, it was disappointing.''

Redknapp feels Defoe could be the top goalscorer in the Premier League, provided he remains out of disciplinary trouble. "He's been on fire, scoring goals, and this is his year maybe to be top goalscorer in the league, or get close to that,'' Redknapp said. "He could do that.''

Well Done Harry!!!

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

[Spurslover]

Next Game: At home to Stoke. For this game, I would suggest the following:

1) Select the goalkeeper whom can deal with long ball situation better.

2) Select the defence that can curb James Beattie and Ricardo Fuller as well as high ball.

3) Select the midfield with wide players and allow the midfield to come in to back up the strikers.

4) Strikers must be good in the air and fast.

Goalkeeper
- Cudicini (he is my choice for being braver)

Defence
- Alan Hutton (on the right as wing play will help us with Stoke playing big players)
- Michael Dawson (Relatively faster than King, put him on Beattie)
- Sebastien Bassong (Put him on Fuller)
- Benoit Assou-Ekotto

Midfield
- Tom Huddlestone (Defensive Midfield, with his ability to form a defensive partnership with Bassong)
- Niko Krancjar (Right wing)
- Aaron Lennon (Left wing interchanging with Krancjar at times)
- Jermaine Jenas(Attacking Midfield interchanging with Krancjar at times)

Forward
- Peter Crouch (Left side)
- Roman Pavlyuchenko (Right side)

Substitute
- Gomes
- Ledley King
- Wilson Palacios
- Robbie Keane
- David Bentley

Just my 2 cents worth.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

[Greyface]

Originally Posted by Spurslover

Bro,

I begged to defer. World class defender can be conditioned/trained, Spurs have done it with Sol and Ledley. Buying is not always the best option.

Looking at the present Spurs batch of defenders, Dawson looks promising. I do agree on the part the another defender is required to cover King.

COMON YOU SPURS!!!

The buying of a world class defender probably is the easy way to create a solid defence, though it may not work all the time.
Training a youth player to become a defender good enough to play in the 1st team takes time & effort.
The manager may not choose this option since success is expected immediately for the next season if we do finished in the top 4 this season.