Bankrupt's Blog

Reserve Report: Youngsters halt Villa's title charge

2009-03-31T21:58:00Z

Spurs Reserves 2-1 Aston Villa Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

-----------------------------Alnwick (22)--------------------------

Smith (17)-----Butcher (18)-----Rocha (30)-----Gilberto (32)

Mtandari (19)--Livermore (19)--Kasim (17)--Maghoma (21)

------------------Mason (17)-----Oyenuga (16*)---------------

Subs: Ranieri (17), Cox (18), Caulker (17), Byrne (16), Nicholson (16)

Scorers: Mason (pen), Maghoma (pen)

*Once again, this is a guess, since I cannot find a date of birth for him, please correct me if you happen to know.

The Game

With a number of players now out on loan, or on various youth and full international duties, tonight’s side was largely staffed by academy players, most of whom were involved in in the U18 game on Saturday. With a shortage of wide midfielders and forwards, Jacques Maghoma and Takura Mtandari were asked to occupy either flank, and U16 player Kudus Oyenuga started up front alongside Ryan Mason. Yaser Kasim joined captain Jake Livermore in central midfield and Calum Butcher partnered Ricardo Rocha in central defence.

Villa are a quality side at this level (a victory here would have seen them clinch the Reserve League South title), and boast a player who is almost certainly a future star in Nathan Delfouneso. In spite of this, Spurs started the stronger, and had the better of the opening exchanges. The quality on the ball of Mason and Kasim meant plenty of penetration centrally. As the half wore on, Delfouneso started to cause problems on the counter with his pace and skill, and Villa began to demonstrate their quality before taking a deserved lead. Rocha, in particular, was looking very uncomfortable, but Spurs struck back quickly after a clever turn and shot by Mason deflected to Mtandari, who was brought down inside the area. Mason converted the penalty with an unstoppable strike into the top left corner.

At half time, Steven Caulker replaced Rocha, who appeared to have picked up a slight knock. The second half was a scrappy, end-to-end affair, with neither team managing any sustained pressure. Villa still looked a threat on the counter, and Spurs looking dangerous down the right. It was from the left though, that the winning goal came, when Maghoma’s back heel put Gilberto into the box and he was brought down. Maghoma stepped up, and missed the penalty with a poor effort, but the referee ordered a retake due to encroachment, and this time Maghoma sent the keeper the wrong way to clinch a good Spurs victory over strong opposition.

All that was left was for coach Clive Allen to do his regular pantomime routine and get sent to the stands, this time for kicking over Villa’s water cooler in frustration at a particularly inept piece of refereeing.

The Players

Starting at the back, where things were generally quite shaky throughout, Alnwick was once again a liability. His kicking is bad, and his handling of crosses atrocious - electing to punch when he does decide to come out, and usually missing or misdirecting it badly. He made a few decent shot stopping saves, but nothing you wouldn’t expect any keeper worthy of the name to make.

Caulker made the difference defensively when he came on. He won headers, cleared decisively (aside from one mishit), matched both Villa’s forwards and their wingers, when pulled to wide areas, for pace. Butcher, who had struggled somewhat with Delfouneso in the first half, also looked more comfortable alongside him.

Livermore, ultimately had a good game, despite a somewhat sluggish first half. I still think he lacks quality in some key areas, but he made some excellent last ditch tackles in the second half that got his defenders out of trouble.

Two players that I have high hopes for from the academy, Mason and Kasim, put in positive performances. Both showed real quality on the ball at times, often in tandem - early in the first half Kasim, on the edge of the area, somehow managed to find a pass to put Mason through that I don’t think anyone else in the stadium could see, or probably execute (this was incorrectly credited as Livermore’s pass on the official site).

Kasim is a player who always tries to think several passes ahead, looks for the forward ball first, is on the move as soon as he has released a pass, looking for the return. He does try to complicate things on occasion with the ball at his feet, and tonight there were a couple of instances where he did so in dangerous areas. I think he will learn though, as he gets used to playing at this level, and adjusts to the reduced time players get on the ball.

Mason still has things to learn in terms of seeking to be involved more, and taking up the right positions as the link between midfield and attack, something I think Clive Allen, to his credit, was trying to get across to him. Most encouragingly though, despite his slender physique, he doesn’t seem to be struggling with the physical side of the game at this level. He is quickly developing the knack of positioning his body to either protect the ball or draw fouls, rather than rely on physical strength, which will be an important asset if he is to thrive at this level and beyond.

The Ratings

Alnwick - 44% - Poor distribution and comical attempts to deal with aerial balls.
Smith - 66% - More conservative going forward than usual due to the threat in his channel from Delfouneso.
Butcher - 63% - Had a few problems in the first half, but got better.
Rocha - 48% - Looked unsteady in virtually everything he did, and falling flat on his backside unchallenged at one point summed up his evening.
Gilberto - 64% - Decent enough, and actually managed to get forward effectively a couple of times.
Mtandari - 67% - Stuck to his task and did well to win the first penalty
Livermore - 78% - Limited offensively and technically, but worked hard defensively.
Kasim - 73% - Quality and vision on the ball going forward, though could have done more defensively.
Maghoma - 70% - Committed and hardworking, even when asked to play up front in the second half.
Mason - 77% - Showed his technical quality when he was able to find the space to operate in.
Oyenuga - 62% - Decent, hard working performance, but his opportunities were limited.

Caulker - 74% - A steady, calming influence in an otherwise quite nervy defence.
Byrne - 61% - Replaced Oyenuga and put in a disciplined shift at right midfield.

Reserve Report: First teamers do their claims no good

2009-03-11T02:46:00Z

Spurs Reserves 0-3 Fulham Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

---------------------------------Alnwick (22)----------------------------

Gunter (19)-------Caulker (17)--------Rocha (30)-------Bale(19)

Dos Santos (19)--Livermore (19)--O’Hara (22)--Townsend (17)

-------------------Campbell (21)--------Taarabt (19)------------------

Subs: L. Butcher (20), Berchiche (19), Rose (18), Mason (17), Obika (18)

The Match

For probably the first time since the first game following Harry Redknapp replacing Juande Ramos, the reserve side was heavily staffed with first teamers. Although, in terms of age and Premier League appearances, it should probably be noted that this wasn't quite as experienced a team it may have appeared to be at first glance. Spurs lined up with a flat 4-4-2. Giovani Dos Santos and FA Youth Cup hero Andros Townsend took the wide midfield positions, with Adel Taarabt up front alongside Manchester United’s Fraizer Campbell. Jake Livermore continued his rehabilitation from injury in central midfield, next to captain Jamie O’Hara. The other standout player from the FAYC game against Arsenal, Steven Caulker, started alongside Ricardo Rocha in defence.

From the early stages, it was apparent that Spurs weren’t going to dominate the game in the way that the nominally strong line up may have suggested they would. Fulham are no slouches at this level, and were organised, motivated, and had the game’s best player in Giles Barnes, who scored an excellent free kick to double the lead taken when Chris Gunter’s poor back pass found Alnwick typically slow to react, resulting in the concession of a penalty, duly converted.

Throughout, Spurs struggled to put any sustained pressure on the Fulham defence. There was little penetration on either flank, aside from some decent work by Townsend in the first half, and Taarabt’s tendency to overcomplicate, and Manchester United’s Fraizer Campbell’s appalling inability to control a ball, limited opportunities to progress through the middle. Fulham added a third in injury time to round things off.

All in all, a dire performance collectively, and in most individual cases as well.

The Players

Defensively, only Caulker emerged with any credit. He was, as usual, dominant in the air on straight balls from deep, and had few problems generally, given his lack of experience at this level. At times, understandably, you can see that he's still learning the game, particualrly in terms of where he needs to be positionally at any given time.

Alnwick provided further evidence of why he’s miles away from being Premier League standard - slow to react, poor kicking, suspect handling, and so on - and both Bale and Gunter were very poor at full back. Gunter’s poor passing cost two goals, and Bale looked lost going forward, and unable to execute the few bright ideas that he did have. Defensively, he looked shaky as well, as I think he tends to at left back generally. Rocha also struggled, despite Fulham not being particularly physically aggressive in attack.

Both Livermore and Danny Rose, who replaced him on the hour, are coming back from long term injuries, so can be excused some lack of sharpness. Rose, for his part, at least showed some desire to win the ball centrally. O’Hara, alongside them, was Spurs’ best player, but even he managed to go from the sublime to the ridiculous in his distribution. Unlike some of his first team colleagues, he at least had the right attitude, and recognised this as an opportunity to impress the watching first team coaching staff.

Dos Santos looked lost, for the most part, though did manage a couple of mazy, head-down runs. I’m still not entirely sure how great the level of talent he has is. He certainly doesn’t seem particularly aware of his team mates, and falls behind even someone relatively inexperienced like Townsend, in that regard, I would say. Townsend himself did well for periods of the game, particularly first half. Those who have seen more of him than last Thursday’s man of the match performance, will have recognised this as being more in line with a typical performance of his though - occasional bright spots, interspersed with long periods of being peripheral. Some of this is down to the type of player he is, being an old school winger who requires decent service, but I think he also has to learn that he needs to seek and demand the ball more as well, either by communicating with his team mates, or by the runs and positions he takes.

Taarabt had another of those games to forget, and his performance was very much in line with his performances at this level all season. Once again trying too hard, overcomplicating in situations that clearly don’t require it, and slowing play down generally. As usual though, he still managed a few moments of quality amongst the madness, including one excellent through ball over the top of the last man.

Obika and Mason both came off the bench and did no harm to their claims for further chances at this level. Obika struggled for service, with such a lack of ideas from midfield behind him, but did show a few signs of his ever improving confidence with the ball at his feet, be that picking a pull back pass to the edge of the area from out wide, or using a bit of skill to create space for a shot inside the box. Mason’s passing immediately caught the eye when he entered proceedings to play wide right in midfield. Two or three excellent switches of play to the left flank, and displaying obvious comfort with the ball at his feet.

Finally, a few words on Manchester United’s Fraizer Campbell. A player, let’s not forget, denying the likes of Mason and Obika the chance to gain more experience at this, and higher, levels. Actually no, I’m not going to put any more effort into describing his performance, than he himself put into it. I guess we can at least take comfort from the evidence before us that our own academy is now managing to produce players that are technically light years ahead of at least one example from United’s much vaunted set up.

The Ratings

Alnwick - 53% - Makes even routine saves look like hard work.
Gunter - 41% - Lapses in concentration, which were unfortunately punished.
Caulker - 67% - Looked pretty comfortable at this level.
Rocha - 51% - Struggled with his direct opponents both aerially and on the deck.
Bale - 44% - Poor passing and poor defensively.
Dos Santos - 57% - Couple of decent runs, but mainly a peripheral figure.
Livermore - 58% - Looked off the pace for the most part, understandably.
O’Hara - 72% - Hit and miss distribution, but application and attitude was right.
Townsend - 64% - Decent first half, but faded and needs to seek the ball more.
Taarabt - 54% - Same old story, overcomplicating and slowing play down.
Campbell - 34% - Awful player, playing awfully, with virtually zero commitment

Obika - 62% - Virtually no service, but did some decent things with what scraps he got.
Rose - 60% - Passing was sloppy, but added some bite centrally.
Mason - 65% - His accurate passing and awareness made him stand out like a sore thumb in this company.

Youth Team Report: Coventry Away

2009-03-11T02:15:00Z

Coventry U18s 1-2 Spurs U18s

Line up/formation

--------------------Jansson--------------------

Smith------Butcher------Caulker-----Byrne

Mpuku----Livermore-----Cox----Townsend

-------------Mason------Oyenuga-------------

Substitutions: Bostock for Mason (40 mins), Kasim for Livermore (H-T), Nicholson for Oyenuga (80mins)

Scorers: Butcher, Smith

The Game

Spurs lined up with a somewhat unfamiliar side, with several key players either seemingly rested ahead of the FAYC game against Arsenal, or not involved due to appearances in the UEFA Cup for the first team (Dean Parrett and Jonathan Obika, although Obika was with the group in Coventry doing some light training). In Obika’s absence, U-16 player Kudus Oyenuga started up front with Ryan Mason. In central midfield, Sam Cox was joined by Jake Livermore (as one of the three permitted overage U19 players, I believe), given some playing time after recovering from a long term injury.

The unfamiliarity contributed to a sluggish start by Spurs, and Coventry had several chances in the opening minutes, mostly from set pieces, one of which they took. With Livermore and Cox unable to assert themselves centrally, it was hard to see how Spurs could get a foothold in the match. Fortunately, that opportunity came from a set piece - the excellent Calum Butcher (captaining the side) heading in Andros Townsend’s corner at the near post. Shortly before half time, John Bostock replaced the injured Mason in a straight swap

At half time, Alex Inglethorpe made some key changes to both personnel and system. Livermore was replaced by Yaser Kasim in a central midfield three alongside Bostock and Cox, and Townsend and Paul-Jose Mpuku were pushed forward on the flanks to make a 4-3-3, with Oyenuga at point. Almost immediately, Spurs looked more comfortable. In Kasim, there was finally a player to both bring the ball forward and dictate play from central midfield, and with the added security of the three in the middle, Adam Smith at right back was able to get forward. These two key elements were in full effect for the winning goal - Kasim bringing the ball forward and slotting an excellent through ball in behind Coventry's left back for Smith to pick up, cut back onto his left, and put a cross-shot inside the far post, courtesy of a deflection.

The Players

In defence, Calum Butcher was particularly impressive. With his partner Caulker struggling at times, it was often left to Butcher to retrieve the situation with a last ditch tackle or interception, which is one of the strongest features of his game. It was also encouraging to hear him being a vocal captain, not afraid, for example, to send some stern words in Bostock’s direction after some sloppy play.

In goal, Oscar Jansson looked quite shaky, particularly on crosses, and the defence in general looked vulnerable in that regard. Nathan Byrne was quietly impressive at left back - quite solid in his defensive positioning and in one-on-one situations, as Coventry looked to attack mainly down his flank.

The player who probably most changed the game though, was Kasim. As I’ve said before, a very tactically and technically impressive player, who with Cox given the main defensive responsibilities, was able to showcase more of the attacking side of his game on this occasion. Comfortable with the ball at his feet, aware of movement and options around him and usually choosing the right one. It probably says it all that Kasim tends to be the first player the coaches look to when passing instructions and tactical changes to the team.

Further forward, it wasn’t really a good day for the attackers. Townsend and Mpuku didn’t get much joy out of a pretty resolute Coventry side, and Oyenuga, despite physically being the equal of the older players he is playing with and against, showed that he is still learning the game, particularly in terms of the movement and decision making required when playing as the most advanced forward. Bostock also struggled to get into the game, and his involvement was mainly limited to a few long range shots.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning Mason. Until Kasim came on, Mason looked the most likely to create something, playing in the hole behind Oyenuga. Much like Kasim, technically sound, and with what appears to be a good footballing brain, I’m pretty sure he’s the kind of player that Spurs fans will appreciate as they (hopefully) get to see more of over the coming years.

Youth Team Report: Kids continue to impress

2009-01-15T03:24:00Z

Charlton 0-3 Tottenham

--------------------------Jansson (18)------------------------

Smith (17)----Butcher (17)------Caulker (17)----Cox (18)

Mpuku (16)---Kasim (17)---Parrett (17)---Townsend (17)

---------------------------Bostock (17)------------------------

---------------------------Obika (18)--------------------------

Subs: Butler (16), Oyenuga (15/16*), Ekim (17), Byrne (16), Nicholson (16)

* It’s one or the other, since he’s in the U16 group, i.e. a year below the academy first years, but since his date of birth doesn’t appear to be listed anywhere, I’m not sure whether he’s hit 16 yet.

The Game

Spurs lined up with Jonathan Obika up front on his own, with Bostock playing ahead of a four man midfield to provide support to him. Yaser Kasim anchored midfield along side Dean Parrett, who captained the side. Andros Townsend and Paul-Jose Mpuku took up the wide midfield spots, and both held their starting positions as Spurs looked to expand the area of play to aid a quick tempo, possession game. Most attacks were focused down the left flank, with Townsend seeing a lot of the ball throughout.

In the opening stages, it looked like Charlton may be overwhelmed, much as Sheffield United had been in the previous round, but to their credit, by the midway point of the first half they had steadied themselves, reorganised, and were looking difficult to break down. Despite Spurs dominating possession, it looked like something special would be needed to break their resilience, and Bostock duly provided it with a stunning long range drive that flew into the top right corner of the goal, drawing applause from virtually everyone in attendance.

Bostock’s second was less spectacular, but still of impressive quality. His shot from the edge of the area nestling in the bottom corner pretty much ended the tie as a contest, and the game played out with Spurs looking an increasing threat on the counter when Charlton did manage to construct an attack. Obika sealed the victory with the third goal from Parrett’s through pass and the game played out with Kasim looking to exploit the pace of Townsend and Mpuku (then Kudus Oyengua who replaced him) on the break with, early balls into the channels.

Once again, I have to praise Alex Inglethorpe. For all the talent that this group of players may have individually, it’s no accident for them collectively to play the way they do. They are very well organised, with each player clearly well drilled in what is expected of him both with and without the ball. Inglethorpe’s team play football precisely how, I’m sure, every Spurs fan would hope to see a side play. There are no long, hopeful balls from back to front – this side play with the ball on the ground, alternating between quick, pass and move, football to penetrate, and slower possession play to grind the opposition down – the team is set up to be balanced, to attack and to dominate. Inglethorpe's team arguably play a better brand of football than any first team manager at Spurs has achieved since Glenn Hoddle's stint (and unlike the karmic one, it's proving successful), and you can't help but wonder what he'd achieve in a higher position.

The Players

Bostock, understandably, will grab the headlines. Both goals were well taken, the first a superb strike. Generally though, it was a fairly quiet performance from him. It’s quite hard to judge his potential in this context, because it’s quite clear that he’s beyond this level of football now – the combination of his physical and technical qualities mean it’s virtually impossible for opponents to contain him, and consequently they don’t provide a very useful barometer for his development. I do think he needs to impose himself more on games, but having said that, it’s pretty obvious that this boy is going to make it, somewhere and somehow, barring something extremely unfortunate.

Almost equally impressive was Kasim. Technically, I’d say he’s as good as any other player in the side – first touch passing off either foot, long range passing off either foot, ability on the ball (including one outrageous piece of showboating from a short corner near the end) – and is always calm and aware when he receives the ball. His head is invariably up, assessing what is around him, which always impresses me in a young player, and he tends to see things very early. He also gets stuck in and works hard to win the ball back, which is encouraging as the defensive side of his game is, along with maybe his mobility, one of the few things that would concern me about him.

On the whole though, I continue to be very impressed with him. He improved as the game went on, and really came into his own as Charlton made one final push in the closing period, pinging some exquisite long range angled through balls to the flanks, and one beautifully weighted pass inside the left back to put Oyenuga one on one with the keeper.

Alongside him, in central midfield, Parrett had a strong first half, and looked comfortable throughout in a central role. He was probably the liveliest Spurs player in the first half, breaking forward with the ball at his feet on several occasions. As the game went on, with Kasim collecting the ball in deep areas, and Bostock tending to dominate proceedings the final third, Parrett saw less of the ball, but still, it was a good, disciplined performance from the captain, culminating in a cute pass to set up Obika for the third goal.

On the left flank, Townsend reminds me of Aaron Lennon – you’re not always sure what you’re going to get in terms of the quality of his end product, yet he is a constant threat to the opposition. Townsend is quick, skilful and direct, and if he can refine his game, and avoid overcomplicating, he seems pretty well equiped to progress to the next level.

The youngest player in the starting eleven, Mpuku, had a relatively quiet game on the right of midfield. When he did see the ball though, he did look good – strong, quick and technically good (like a lot of players in this group to be honest, which is one of the things that makes them exciting). Very early days for him, but I would say he has something about him, even if it’s a bit too soon to say precisely what.

Of the rest, it almost goes without saying that Adam Smith was impressive at right back. Going forward, he’s excellent, most notably in the variation he shows in his attacking play. He can run with the ball on the outside or come inside and take it into central areas; will look to get to the byline and cross, but is equally likely to mix it up, pass and move and push up into the box. Defensively, he wasn’t really troubled, and that’s the side of his game I’m eager to see more of, because if it is anything like the attacking side, he’s a real prospect.

Jansson in goal looked good – always tries to catch, and is quick off his line. The problem for him is that playing in a team as good as this one, he doesn’t have a great deal to do. It will be interesting to see where they see him fitting in over the next twelve months, given that he’s already been involved with the first team.

The only real negative from the night was that the centre back pair, Butcher and Caulker, looked a little nervy at times, much more so than in the previous round, and Charlton nearly capitalised on a couple of occasions. Other than that, it was all very encouraging, and I'd say this team have a good chance of going far in this competition.

The Ratings

Jansson – 75% - Assured and proactive when called upon.

Smith – 78% - Always lively going forward, and had few troubles defensively.

Butcher – 63% - Suffered a few lapses, but was generally able to recover the situation.

Caulker – 60% - Struggled with the ball at his feet at times.

Cox – 64% - Hard working, but playing on the left restricts his attacking involvement to some extent.

Mpuku – 73% - A marginal figure, but looked good when he was involved.

Kasim – 81% - Class and composure on the ball and a decent defensive shift.

Parrett – 77% - Very good first half, driving forward from central midfield.

Townsend – 80% Always looked a threat, even if he over complicated things at times.

Bostock – 84% - Two excellent goals and opponents clearly struggle to handle him at this level.

Obika – 68% - Did OK in a role that required him to be quite selfless for the sake of the team.

Youth Team Report: Spurs' stars of tomorrow, today?

2008-12-03T04:46:00Z

Tottenham 3-0 Sheffield United

Line up/formation (ages in brackets)

------------------------Jansson (17)-------------------------

--Smith (17)---Butcher (17)---Caulker (16)---Cox (18)--

Parrett (17)--Bostock (16)--Kasim (17)--Townsend (17)

---------------Mason (17)---------Obika (18)--------------

Subs: Butler (16), Ekim (17), Mpuku (16), Byrne (16), Oyenuga (15)

Scorers: Obika x3

The Game

Spurs lined up in a standard 4-4-2 formation, with Jonathan Obika as main striker and Ryan Mason dropping deeper. In midfield, Yaser Kasim was the holding player, and Dean Parrett played wide right to accommodate John Bostock in the middle. Steven Caulker was captain until he was withdrawn with a thigh injury, and Calum Butcher took over the responsibility.

From the very first minute, it was pretty clear that Spurs were the vastly superior side. The only surprise was that it took them so long to kill the game off having taken the lead. Sheffield United managed few chances, and were mostly mere spectators, like the rest of us, to Spurs’ impressive, cultured display. Most of the attacking threat for Spurs came from the right flank, particularly in the first half, where the excellent Adam Smith was causing United all sorts of problems on the overlap. Attacking play on the opposite flank was less impressive, with Townsend struggling to get involved, and Sam Cox not really contributing much offensively. In the centre, for all Bostock’s impressive work, it was Kasim and Mason coming deep who provided the more telling creative passes. Ultimately, Spurs’ superiority paid off - five times Obika found himself through on goal, and three times he finished smartly, wrapping up a hat trick and the victory.

Another impressive result for Alex Inglethorpe’s side, and the coach must take some credit for the style and organisation he manages to achieve with these players. His team play a slick, short passing game, with the ball on the ground and a reliance on good combination play to open teams up. Much like reserve boss Clive Allen, Inglethorpe doesn’t seem to be a particularly vocal coach on the sidelines, but unlike Allen, he has his side playing a very well structured and organised system in which players know their roles and responsibilities, and is clear in his instructions to the players when he does intervene.

Inglethorpe first impressed me whilst he was managing Exeter City, and I was delighted (and quite surprised) when he joined Spurs to manage the youth team. He continues to impress me, and I suspect he is on the verge of delivering the best crop of academy players in recent memory to the reserves. As such, he should be rewarded, in my opinion, by graduating with his players and succeeding Clive Allen as reserve manager, thus allowing him to continue his role in the development of this group of players.

The Players

The two strikers, fresh from their first team debuts, will have been of interest to many. Obika obviously bagged a hat trick, but also missed another two clear chances. As I’ve said before, though strong and quick, he looks awkward at times, and his all round game probably needs major improvement before he can be considered a serious prospect. Having said that, his progression over the past six months seems to me to have been massive, and if he can continue to develop at that kind of rate, he may have a chance.

Mason looks a bright, intelligent player. His technique is pretty good, he’s quick with the ball at his feet, and has good vision and awareness. On this occasion he didn’t really provide a threat on goal, save one well worked shot from distance, due to his deeper role, but some of his approach work was impressive. He does need to bulk up considerably though – his thighs are probably the same size as Bostock’s biceps - before he can make an impact at a higher level.

The two most hyped players in this group are Bostock and Parrett. In Parrett’s case, it was a game to forget. He struggled to get involved playing wide right, and his pass selection and general decision making was clearly below the level of some of his team mates’. I have to say, I couldn’t really see any particular aspect of his game that would explain why he is so highly rated. His technique was decent enough, but I wouldn’t say it stands above the general level of the team, and neither his passing or work on the ball was impressive on this occasion.

Bostock put in a positive performance. His technique, ability and confidence on the ball are very impressive, although there is a danger of him over complicating at times. As encouraging as his game was, it has to be said that very little of his play lead to much by way of end product. He completely dominates opponents physically at this level, and to some extent that makes him harder to judge as a player, because once he steps up to the first team, that advantage will largely disappear. Still, he’s quite clearly a big prospect (in both senses), and barring some ‘off the rails’ deviance from his current path, will almost certainly become a Premier League level player in the future.

Both midfield ‘wonderkids’ were upstaged by Kasim, whose performance was hugely impressive. His passing was excellent, off either foot, short and long. On a couple of occasions, he took the ball smartly on to his left foot and lofted an inch perfect through ball for the forwards. Defensively, he looked quite good also – strong in the tackle, and aware of threats around him. I would like to see him properly tested against a stronger opposition first, but he certainly seems the kind of cultured, dictating holding midfielder that has been lacking in the reserve group (and arguably first team) for some time.

Spurs’ best performer on the night was another player who has had a taste of first team football – right back Adam Smith. He’s very impressive going forward - his runs are well timed, he has sufficient skill and pace to get past players in the final third, and his end product is generally good. He’s comfortable attacking his opponent on the outside, or bringing the ball inside and breaking directly toward goal. As I’ve said before, if he can improve defensively and become physically stronger, I can see a path to more first team involvement for him, even though there is depth in his position at the moment.

Of the rest of the back four, central defenders Caulker and Butcher looked an impressive partnership. They are pretty much the classic English centre back pairing, with Caulker the strong, quick, dominant presence, and Butcher the sweeping, anticipatory, reader of danger. Caulker, particularly is the perfect build for his position – tall, strong but not so big that his mobility is restricted.

In goal, Oscar Jansson had a relatively quiet game, but his handling, when required, was immaculate, and he was very quick to take responsibility by coming off his line, either on crossed balls/set pieces or to sweep up through balls. It’s easy to see why he has been fast tracked to first team duty.

Belgian summer signing from Standard Liege, Paul-Jose M'puku, also made an appearance from the bench, and looked bright - creating the third goal for Obika, and showing some decent technique on the ball.

The Ratings

Jansson – 74% - Performed all that was required of him with a degree of class.

Smith – 86% - Excellent going forward, which had his opponents resorting to dubious methods to try and stop him.

Butcher – 71% - A few impressive tackles and interventions.

Caulker – 73% - Dominant in the air and physically strong.

Cox – 62% - Struggled to provide any attacking contribution.

Parret – 54% - When he did see the ball, his play and decision making were not great.

Bostock – 76% - Showed plenty of skill and dominance of opponents without actually creating much.

Kasim – 82% - Superb passing at times and a decent defensive shift as well.

Townsend – 63% - Quick and direct, but wasn’t involved enough.

Mason – 72% - Some smart play, but really needed to be involved further forward.

Obika – 84% - Always looked a threat when on the last man and could, perhaps should, have scored more.

Reserve Report: A night of few positives

2008-11-25T20:08:00Z

Spurs Reserves 0-2 Stoke Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets)

-------------------------Alnwick (21)-------------------------

Mtandari (19)---Dervite (20)--Rocha (30)---Gilberto (32)

-------------------------McKenna (22)------------------------

-------------Ghaly (26)---------------Boateng (21)----------

Fraser-Allen (18)-------------------------------Daniels (22)

-------------------------Taarabt (19)-------------------------

Subs: Butcher (20), Berchiche (18), Maghoma (21), Hutton (18), Hutchins (19)

The Game

It was a bitterly cold evening, and a performance from the Spurs side that was similarly lacking in appeal. Once again, Clive Allen had an experienced squad at his disposal, and chose to configure the side much as he did last time out - Adel Taarabt, Charlie Daniels and Kyle Fraser-Allen interchanging as a front three, Hossam Ghaly and Kevin-Prince Boateng behind them in midfield either side of a holding player, in this case Kieran McKenna. Dorian Dervite captained as usual, although it was former Northern Ireland U-21 captain McKenna who was most vocal.

Stoke’s clear desire, much like their first team, to frustrate through good organisation and go direct in possession, along with Spurs’ disjointed attacking endeavours, made for a poor game, which was not aided by a poor refereeing performance. Clive Allen was eventually sent from the bench by the referee as his frustration at several poor decisions grew, but Allen himself must take some blame for his side’s performance in attempting to match Stoke at their own physical game, rather than using his own side’s superior passing ability to strike an advantage.

Although he did seek to switch emphasis at half time – Dervite and Gilberto were removed, the former presumably because of injury and the latter presumably because he was appalling, with Mtandari switching to centreback and Danny Hutchins coming in at right back, Daniels reverting to left back and Jacques Maghoma on to sit alongside McKenna in midfield - by that point Stoke had already gained a goal advantage following some poor defending at the far post by Mtandari from a crossed ball. As Stoke galvanised their soak-up-pressure/break-directly approach, Spurs could not achieve much meaningful penetration, despite having shifted to a more flank based attacking style, with both fullbacks Hutchins and Berchiche (who replaced McKenna near the hour mark) providing far better overlapping options than either of their first half counterparts.

Once a poor pass in his own defensive third from Boateng, followed by a sluggish reaction from Mtandari, had gifted Stoke their second, it was all over. The only kind of threat posed by Spurs for the remainder, as heads dropped, was set pieces, from which delivery had been poor all evening.

The Players

Last time out, Boateng had been the best Spurs player on show, and the early signs were that it would be a similar story this time. In the first half, he again posed some physical problems for the opposition defence and made several cute passes out wide in advanced areas to release the front three. However, his influence waned as the second half progressed, at times trying to over complicate things, but more worryingly getting increasingly involved in fracas with Stoke players. There we a couple of off the ball incidents, and on several occasions he left his foot in or followed through on challenges. Thankfully, the referee was incompetent enough to miss most of them, or Boateng would surely have seen a red, rather than the single yellow, card. At times it’s hard to tell with Boateng whether he really is that close to the edge of losing it, or whether it’s all about gamesmanship and calculated attempts to wind opponents up, disrupt their concentration and bait them into being carded. Either way, given the fine line he currently walks in terms of a future at the club, he’d probably be advised to alter his approach: a red card, even at this level, would almost certainly bring his career at the club to an end, one suspects.

Another player not unfamiliar with controversy, Ghaly, was one of the few positives to be taken from the evening. Again, a disciplined performance in a central role, but this time he displayed more of the creativity that had marked his return a couple of games ago. He linked well with his team mates in the final third, and most of his passing, including the more ambitious attempts, came off. Once again, I would say that there is no reason why Ghaly shouldn’t be in consideration for the first team on the merits of his ability alone, but whether that is actually an option, given the previous policy of excluding him, remains a doubt.

Another plus point would be Danny Hutchins, who again showed promise, this time when brought into the fray as right back at half time. Indeed, in his first action of the game, he managed to contribute more in attacking terms than Mtandari had for the entire first half - advancing and cutting inside from the flank to thread a smart through ball into the channel. He continued to provide a good overlapping outlet throughout the game, and also defended reasonably well. He appears comfortable with the ball at either foot, plays with his head up and shows a good understanding of the game for a 19 year old. I think his future probably lies in central midfield, rather than full back, but at this point it is important that he’s playing, and his versatility will aid in that.

The negative points have to begin with Gilberto, who is fast proving himself incapable at reserve level, never mind Premier League level. It bewilders me that, unless he has declined rapidly over the past year or so as age catches up with him, he has been anywhere near any national team in recent times, never mind one as prestigious as Brazil’s. In fact, he’s probably one of the least technically accomplished Brazilians I can remember coming across (and by that I mean Brazilians per se, not just Brazilian footballers). On this occasion, he was poor on the ball, and appeared to have no idea where and when he should be going forward and providing support. He shouldn’t be anywhere near the first team, despite our current lack of quality in that position. It’s a shame because he seems like a nice enough guy, who has boldly uprooted to a new country for one last challenge, and I particularly like the fact that he always looks like he is struggling with constipation in photographs, but unfortunately he also plays football as if troubled by a similar problem.

No reserve report these days would be complete without some mention of the Taarabt conundrum. On this occasion, he was slightly better than he has been for a while, for the most part solely because some of the tricks and manoeuvres he attempted actually came off (though still with virtually nothing by way of final product). His tendency to completely destroy any attack by hanging onto the ball regardless of the circumstances, location on the pitch or actions of his team mates around him was still evident though. Despite having a decent arsenal of tricks in his locker, he quickly becomes entirely predictable for opponents, and most these days are dealing with him comfortably. He has quite clearly gone backwards in terms of knowing when to release the ball, to the point where it now only happens when he's explored every available blind alley and has no remaining option. Having said all that, he’s probably not being helped by having a coach who clearly doesn’t know how, or indeed where, to use him.

Another player who will probably be of interest given recent events at first team level is goalkeeper Ben Alnwick, returning from loan to start here. Whilst it’s worth noting that he did all the 'keeping basics well enough, it also has to be said that he’s not much of a commanding presence, and his distribution was routinely awful – virtually all of his kicking failed to get anywhere near its intended target, and most of the time he was choosing the wrong target anyway. I doubt he will provide an answer at first team level, although in fairness, he doesn’t look any less likely to do so than Cesar Sanchez.

The final player worthy of a mention is McKenna, particularly since the official channels have given him a glowing report for his performance. He certainly put in a good shift, but although he reads the game quite well, he lacks a certain degree of quality on arriving into those defensive situations that he is trying to resolve, and that, I suspect, is ultimately why he is probably heading for no more than a departure to a lower league club. His defensive awareness is also cancelled out somewhat by his lack of understanding of options ahead of him, and most of his passing was unnecessarily negative, at a time when the team desperately needed to exert its authority in that regard over their opponents.

The Ratings

Alnwick – 64% - His handling was good, but he isn't really a great presence and his distribution is woeful.

Mtandari – 41% - Awful performance in both positions. At fault for both goals and offered nothing in attack from right back.

Dervite – 55% - Had few problems due to Stoke’s direct style and the fact that dealing with aerial balls/physical strikers is the strongest part of his game.

Rocha – 67% - Similarly, coped manfully with Stoke’s gameplan, despite not having the advantage of Dervite’s physical characteristics.

Gilberto – 44% - Poor on the ball, poor going forward. Looks like he doesn’t know what he, or his team mates are doing most of the time.

Ghaly – 74% - The closest Spurs had to someone dictating the game, most of his passing and decision making was good, particularly in the final third.

McKenna – 72% - Generally a good, disciplined game, though his passing is very negative and unimaginative.

Boateng – 61% - Started well, then got progressively worse, and was getting closer and closer to being sent off.

Fraser-Allen – 63% - Posed zero threat out wide, but once again put in a spirited performance when alone up front.

Daniels – 54% - His final delivery from wide areas was poor tonight, and that is really the only thing he potentially brings to the team.

Taarabt – 59% - Slight improvement on previous games, but he is still doing as much harm as good in terms of the team’s attacking play

Reserve Report: Boateng stars in Return Of The Damned

2008-11-04T21:01:00Z

Spurs Reserves 2-0 West Ham Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

---------------------Sanchez (37)---------------------

Stalteri (31)--Dervite (20)--Rocha (30)--Gilberto (32)

--------Ghaly (26)--Maghoma (21)--Boateng (21)----

Daniels (22)---------------------------------Taarabt (19)

--------------------Fraser-Allen (18)-------------------

Subs: Butcher (20), Mtandari (19), Hutchins (19), Berchiche (18), Hutton (18)

Scorers: Daniels x2

The Game

It was a good turn out for a cold, rainy Monday evening. Numbers no doubt buoyed by it being a derby with West Ham, and also by the promise of the return of some senior Spurs players that were frozen out under the previous regime. That prospect was also enough to attract the likes of new manager Harry Redknapp, new coach Tim Sherwood and fellow Spurs “legend” Justin Edinburgh to the game.

Spurs lined up with an incredibly experienced backline (youngest member Dervite retained the captaincy), with Jacques Maghoma anchoring midfield and Hossam Ghaly and Kevin Prince Boateng also central (disappointingly no place for two of this year's better reserve performers David Hutton and Danny Hutchins). Beyond them, three nominal attacking players, Adel Taarabt, Charlie Daniels and Kyle Fraser-Allen were given some free licence to switch positions. This lead to a disjointed first half, as the players struggled to come to terms with such flexibility in their roles, and the lack of a consistent focal point in attack meant the breakdown of most offensive moves as they reached the final third. Any goal threat was limited to speculative long range efforts (Daniels turned in a Gilberto strike but was ruled offside), set pieces and several crosses into a largely unpopulated penalty area.

Eventually, as the half wore on, reserve coach Clive Allen settled on using Fraser-Allen as a fixed striker, with Taarabt on the left flank and Daniels on the right. Still not happy with that, he brought on Hutton at half time (along with Takura Mtandari to replace the injured Rocha) and switched to 4-4-1-1, with Hutton and Daniels on either flank, Ghaly and Maghoma central and Boateng in a roaming role behind Fraser-Allen.

The greater balance and fixed structure paid dividends and Spurs' dominance over a very poor West Ham side was rewarded with two goals, both from Daniels. The first a tap in from a corner following Boateng’s header, and the second a superb solo goal from Daniels breaking from left midfield.

The Players

The most impressive player on display on the night turned out to be Boateng. I, like the vast majority, had completely written him off, as a player who has failed to look the part at first team level and has reportedly had some off the field problems alongside rumours of a poor attitude. His attitude in this game though was excellent. He worked extremely hard to make an impact, particularly in the second half, and I was particularly impressed with a hitherto unseen level of intelligence in his play.

Physically, he looked like a man against boys opposite the majority of West Ham’s back line, winning plenty of headers and flick ons from deep balls and closing and bullying defenders. I can’t really see where he would play should he return to first team consideration, but on this evidence, perhaps as an option as a support forward. I’d imagine Redknapp will be pretty impressed with his application, and of all the ‘misfits’ has probably done himself the most good from his night’s work.

Of the other senior players hoping to force their way back into the reckoning, Paul Stalteri was probably the most impressive. He looked rusty and lacking sharpness, particularly defensively in the first half (understandable since this was his first ‘competitive’ club game in months), but as ever provided some intelligent overlapping down the right flank as the game went on.

Gilberto, despite looking pretty bright early on, got worse as the game went on and was a passenger for the majority of the second half. Rocha did OK, but as ever does tend to commit himself rather early, and didn’t appear for the second half having picked up what looked like an ankle injury.

Ghaly, very impressive last time out, was much quieter in this game. The role he had occupied last time was taken this time by Boateng, and as such a more disciplined game was required from him, which he managed with minimum fuss. There were a few more misplaced passes this time around, but in general his understanding of what is around him in both defensive and attacking situations is still impressive, and may well surprise those who wrote him off at senior level.

Daniels deserves a mention on account of his brace on the night, in addition to his goal last time out. For me, he is providing further evidence that there is little point in judging a player by their reserve goalscoring record (see also Lee Barnard). Although his second goal was very well taken, he is nowhere near sufficient level to make it at a club like Spurs. Plenty of enthusiasm, but lacks mobility and any quality in his final ball. Could certainly carve a decent career for himself at lower league level, and that is precisely where he should be right now, for his own sake if nothing else.

As for Taarabt…. well, one could write a very long thesis on how and why it all went wrong for him at Spurs, but it’s quite clear that it HAS gone wrong. In the first half, virtually everything he tried was counter to the higher tempo, quick ball moving game that Allen wanted, and he was quite clearly doing more harm than good with his insistence on trying to beat a player every time he received the ball, regardless of where he was and what the situation required.

It’s a real shame because it’s pretty easy to see the talent he does have, and not just in the tricks and party pieces, but also in some of his passing and awareness of team mates’ movements. Were this a one off, it could probably be put down to over eagerness at the opportunity to impress the new manager, but it’s been happening all season, and at the tail end of last term aswell.

Personally, I can’t see any way back for him. Right now, he’s not playing well enough to be anywhere near first team consideration. Unless Redknapp or one of the other new coaches can take him under their wing, I’d say it’s unlikely that there’s going to be any improvement – it’s clear that Allen isn’t going to be the one to turn his fortunes around.

The Ratings

Sanchez – 59% - Had very little to do but, one poor rush from goal aside, did it competently

Stalteri – 70% - Clearly lacking sharpness, but was a decent attacking outlet

Dervite – 67% - Looked better than in recent games. A little shaky in one on ones though.

Rocha – 61% - Had no major problems before being withdrawn

Gilberto – 55% - Thankfully wasn’t really tested defensively, but failed to provide much of an attacking outlet

Maghoma – 58% - Coped physically, but some of his positional play and wayward passing caused a few problems

Ghaly – 66% - Steady and disciplined for the most part

Boateng – 75% - Plenty of enthusiasm, as you might expect, but also some glimpses of quality and maturity

Taarabt – 44% - Caused more problems for his team mates and coach than he did for the opposition

Daniels – 73% - Two well taken goals, and can’t fault his effort, but they were the only real moments of quality

Fraser-Allen – 61% - A big ask for him to play up top, but put in a decent shift

Mtandari – 60% - West Ham didn’t ask any real questions of him.

Hutton – 63% - Provided some much needed balance and pace on the flanks

Reserve Report: Ghaly Returns

2008-10-07T13:19:00Z

Spurs Reserves 2-3 Portsmouth Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

-------------------------------Sanchez (37)-----------------------------

Smith (17)-------Dervite (20)--------Rocha (29)-------Hughton (19)

----------------McKenna (22)-------Maghoma (20)-------------------

Hutton (18)--------------------Ghaly (26)-----------------Daniels (22)

-------------------------------Taarabt (19)-----------------------------

Subs: Butler (16), Berchiche (18), Mtandari (18), Olsen (18), Fraser-Allen (18)

Scorers: Daniels, Taarabt

The Game

Second home game of the season for the reserves, and I know first team coaches Gus Poyet and Hans Leitert were both in attendance, as I passed them on the stairs on the way in (Hans courteously held the door open for me as well, so brownie points for him). The much maligned Damien Comolli was also watching, but I didn’t see Ramos.

With a couple of older players who had been absent through season long loan and injury, in Daniels and McKenna respectively, returning and three ‘senior’ players in the starting line up, Spurs suddenly looked quite an old side for this kind of fixture. Portsmouth were the opposition and, some fringe first teamers such as Traore, Little and Jerome Thomas aside, looked disjointed and lacking in quality. Their team was presumably made up largely of younger players, and that disparity in experience and quality between the two sides certainly told, as Portsmouth were rarely in the game, despite the final score not reflecting Spurs' dominance.

Overall, this is the best I’ve seen the reserves play for some time. They looked organised, motivated, and played some decent stuff at times. It’s amazing what a few experienced heads can do to a side like this, and is precisely why I keep advocating senior players not getting first team minutes being part of this group. Someone like Adam Smith is going to benefit immensely from having a goalkeeper of Cesar Sanchez’ experience instructing him, for example.

Spurs lined up in what was essentially a 4-2-3-1, with Taarabt, somewhat nonsensically, as sole striker. Maghoma and McKenna anchored midfield (Danny Hutchins, impressive in that role so far this season, was there but not in the eleven or named as sub), with David Hutton and Charlie Daniels on either flank, and Hossam ‘back from the dead’ Ghaly given a relatively free role to drop into midfield or support Taarabt. Dervite was captain.

Spurs dominated the first half entirely, though the lack of a proper striker hampered them greatly. The first goal came from a good strike from Daniels, teed up by Taarabt from a freekick, and the second from some good interplay between Ghaly and Taarabt, resulting in a speculative shot (one of many) from Taarabt.

Daniels managed to undo his contribution of the opening goal by failing to track his man to allow Portsmouth to equalise, and in the second half, Portsmouth managed to nick the two goals that gave them the win through some poor defending, where first Sanchez and then Rocha were exposed as the only line of defence. This was despite the visitors failing to look a genuine threat throughout.

The Players

There’s only one place to start, and that is with the player I, and I’m sure everyone else, assumed would never be seen in a Spurs shirt ever again – Hossam Ghaly. To put it succinctly, Ghaly was a class above everyone else on the pitch. His work rate was superb. In the first half, he was everywhere, making himself an option for the pass virtually every time a Spurs player had the ball, threw himself into tackles and made intelligent contributions defensively, and looked by far the player most likely to create chances via an incisive through ball or interplay in advanced areas. For the closing stages of the first half, and the whole of the second, Clive Allen instructed him to play up alongside Taarabt, and he continued to make a good contribution from that position – linking well with Taarabt, for the most part, and playing some decent angled through balls to the right to put in Hutton and Smith on several occasions.

This of course is a player coming back from injury, who hasn’t played first team football for months, and playing in the stiffs for a club who has shunned him since a moment of petulance brought on by idiotic elements in the crowd. For him to come out and show the effort and enthusiasm he did (this also goes into things like trying to instruct and encourage Taarabt and his other team mates) deserves massive respect, in my opinion. His awareness of players around him, and of tactical requirements in any given situation, was far in advance of any other player on the park, as you’d hope from a Premier League player, and make no mistake, that is what Ghaly is. Anyone who suggests he’s “Championship at best”, “a donkey”, “liability” and so forth, is simply wrong.

He should be back in the first team squad. It’s as simple as that. He has several things that we really lack at the moment, not least some balls, aggression and ability to put in a tackle in central midfield, and the confidence and ability to create in the final third.

Anyway, sermon over…on to the rest.

So Taarabt….the guy is an enigma, and right now, I’d be willing to place a substantial amount of money on him not making it; at least, not at Spurs. His body language says he doesn’t want to be at this club, and Clive Allen seems to take some delight in giving him stick from the sidelines, some of it may be deserved, but it’s pretty clear that this isn’t the coach that is going to take what talent Taarabt does have and convert him into a footballer.

As a lone striker, particularly in the first half, he was hopeless. Failing to retain the ball as it was played into, not by over elaborating, but just by poor first touch and anticipation. He did look better when Alex Olsen came on up front and he dropped into a deeper role, and some of his linking with Ghaly did show promise, but he’s so far from having the tactical understanding to match the talent that it’s easy to see why he’s still so far from getting a first team game.

Adam Smith was the youngest player in the starting eleven, and despite a few lax moments defensively, had a good game. He linked well with Hutton on the right flank and, once he’s bulked up a bit, could possibly be regarded as prospect for good things.

Hutton, as per usual, was a good attacking outlet. His crossing (and general technical ability, as I keep saying) is very good. That didn’t really tell tonight because there was no real target in the box with Taarabt as point man, but Hutton remains one of the few players in this group that you can rely on to consistently beat his man and produce a decent final ball. As I said, he linked well with Smith and the right flank always looked an outlet, in contrast to Hughton and Daniels on the left who failed to show any understanding or consistent threat.

A final mention for Sanchez and Rocha, as the other senior players on show. Both sought to provide assistance and leadership to the younger players around them, and whilst neither may have much contribution to make at first team level this season, they could prove very important in the development of what talent we do have at reserve level.

The Ratings

Sanchez – 66% - Didn’t have a great deal to do, was unlucky with the second goal having made two good stops
Smith – 73% - Looks quite assured at this level
Dervite – 62% - Struggled at times and wasn’t commanding enough
Rocha – 66% - Commits himself too early at times, but looks to be having a positive effect in this group
Hughton – 57% - OK defensively, but no offensive contribution whatsoever
Hutton – 74% - Always looks a threat, but no takers for the service he provides in this kind of system
McKenna – 55% - Reasonably disciplined but lacks quality in the tackle and with the ball at his feet
Maghoma – 67% - I’m not a fan, but he did quite well and got through a decent amount of work box to box
Daniels – 61% - Nice goal, but has the physique of a rugby player and plays football like one
Ghaly – 78% - Impressive attitude, work rate and overall contribution
Taarabt – 68% - Still a work in progress, and sadly it seems like work that only has a chance of being completed at another club

Reserve Report: So, who are this year’s 'bright hopes?'

2008-09-03T01:52:00Z

Spurs Reserves 3-2 West Brom Reserves

Line up/formation (ages in brackets):

-------------------------------Alnwick (21)-----------------------------

Hughton (19)-----Dervite (20)-----Rocha (29)-----Berchiche (18)

Fraser-Allen (18)---Maghoma (20)---Hutchins (18)---Hutton (18)

---------------------------------Rose(18)--------------------------------

-------------------------------Barcham(21)-----------------------------

Subs: Button (19) Mtandari (18) Smith (17) Olsen (18) Townsend (17)

Scorers: Hutchins, Hutton, Barcham

The Game

The reserves kicked off their campaign against West Brom on Monday night with a side shorn of several key players from last season’s team. Last year’s reserve captain, and one of the its most impressive performers, defender Troy Archibald-Henville is on loan at Norwich, striker Tomas Pekhart is on loan at Southampton and midfielder Jake Livermore is preparing for a career in lower league football at Crewe. The enigmatically talented Adel Taarabt was absent, possibly on account of the game being played on the evening of transfer deadline day and the possibility of a last minute loan deal, which may explain why others, such as Paul Stalteri and Kevin Prince Boateng, were also missing. The other notable absentee was John Bostock, brought in from Cyrstal Palace this summer and earmarked as one of the brightest English prospects around, who is on international duty with the England U17s at the moment.

The first half performance from a somewhat youthful side was patchy, in what was shaping up to be a rather dull encounter. Most of the chances fell to West Brom, with Dervite and Rocha struggling to deal with Roman Bednar’s physical presence. Thankfully, Spurs picked up their game when play resumed after half time. It wasn’t classic stuff, but by reserve standards they passed the ball around quite nicely on the deck, in stark contrast to the hopeless channel punts that seemed to be the limit of Spurs’ creative invention in the first period.

All three goals were a result of the improved passing and movement (Hutton’s goal from the penalty spot was won following one of the best moves of the game), but the win did flatter Spurs somewhat and was aided in no small part by the dismissal of WBA’s Hancox for deliberate handball for the penalty. Still, Spurs did demonstrate a decent capability of seeing the game out through possession play following their third goal, which does beg the question as to why Clive Allen doesn't implement a much more cultured style of play generally, particularly given that it would surely be more in line with the first team's game.

The players

In keeping with last season’s trends, two of Spurs’ best performers came as no surprise - David Hutton and Danny Rose. Hutton, in many respects a classic winger, has always impressed me, as a player with very good technique – excellent first touch and adept at going on and crossing with either foot – good pace and decent ability to go past players. His physique is what makes me think that he will struggle to make the step up to the first team.

The much hyped Rose was crucial in Spurs turning the game around. This is probably the first time I’ve really been impressed by him for the reserves. Due in no small part, I’d wager, to him being played in what is surely a far more suitable position – in the hole as a second striker – rather than the central midfield role he occupied for much of last season. His passing was good, he was aggressive in winning the ball back in all areas of the pitch (he also seems to have bulked up a little since last season) willing to run with the ball and quite mature in his decision making when he did get the ball in and around the box. I don’t think he’s ready for the first team, but he did look a class above most of the other players on the field at times.

There was also a first glimpse of Yuri Berchiche. It had looked like he may be on his way back to Spain this summer, but the club have managed to retain him, and it was easy to see why they would be keen to do so. Whilst looking a little naïve defensively, he was virtually the only decent attacking outlet, other than Hutton, during the first half. He looked very willing to overlap, and confident and comfortable in possession in advanced areas. It doesn’t look like he will struggle to make the step up to reserve level, so should feature frequently this season.

The revelation of the game though, for me, was Danny Hutchins. A player I’d not seen before, he played in the holding role and, for a player who has apparently been used largely as a utility player at youth level, showed a very good understanding of the position and reading of the game in general. He scored an excellently taken goal, breaking forward and lobbing the keeper, but had already done enough up until that point to impress me. He was very composed on the ball, never rushed into rash passes and showed good pass selection when he did release it. Very much a ‘head up’ player, which seems to be something of a rarity in the reserve players, particularly in midfield. One to keep an eye on at this level over the course of the season.

The other player that, I suppose, most will be interested in is Dorian Dervite. Unfortunately, it’s hard to take many positives on this occasion. He struggled with Bednar and also with the pace of some of West Brom’s other attacking players. He looks quite cumbersome at times and was beaten to the ball far too easily on several occasions. I know there have been some doubts about his progress following his serious knee injury, and I have to say those doubts seem justified on this performance.

As far as most of the others go, it’s the same story as last season really – far too many sub-standard players who are never going to get anywhere near the first team at Spurs, and in many cases, I suspect, will struggle enough to make a pro career for themselves even at lower league level. There are some supposedly highly rated younger players not getting many chances at reserve level yet as a result, like Adam Smith (an uneventful cameo here) and the unused Andros Townsend, and personally, I’d rather see them being blooded at this level than more distinctly average performances from last year’s misfits. The club have wisely cleared a few out over the summer, either permanently or on loan deals, but haven’t really gone far enough, in my opinion.

The Ratings

Alnwick 57% – Didn’t do much wrong, but looks far from Premier League level

Hughton 52% – Struggled in either full back position

Berchiche 63% – Always a willing outlet but must improve defensively

Hutchins – 81% – Good contribution both offensively and defensively

Dervite – 56% – Struggled to contain West Brom forwards

Rocha – 53% – Wasn’t having a great game when he departed at half time

Fraser-Allen – 55% – Solitary moment of productivity created the winning goal

Maghoma – 51% – Lacking in any quality

Barcham – 61% – Willing and hard working but extremely limited

Rose – 80% – Recovered from a quiet first half to influence proceedings in the second

Hutton – 72% – Always looked a threat, but needed more of the ball