This season has been one of the weirdest I can remember. We are basically in the position we usually achieve, and have only ever bettered twice, and yet it feels like the end of the world. We are in this current position without a single champions league quality player in the squad. Yes, I believe there are some in the squad with potential - but none can seriously claim that grade at the moment.
So - Where did it all go wrong (well - apart from Drogba vs Bayern)....
Pre-Season transfer activity
So everyone knows we sold our crown jewel and gambled on 7 players in the hope that 3 or 4 would become first 11 starters and take us to the top 4. Well, as I see it - only one has made match winning contributions, and really look like he fits - and that looks like Christian Eriksen. But my moan comes with the scouting/targets. We had one of the most consistent right midfielders in the country in AL, and we had AT returning from a form spell at QRR. One favours a traditional wide right, the other plays right side as an inverted winger. Ample quality I would suggest....so who do we splash our transfer record on!? one look at youtube and you can see that Erik Lamela's favoured position is wide right cutting in, so we gamble 30m on a player where we have 2 very decent prem standard players already - I really cant get my head round this - someone needs to be held accountable - obv they hoped he would be better than both of those players, but can you really be that wrong? I took one look at his physique and can see he isnt a prem league player - not yet anyway.
Soldado. Where do I start? Why was he signed? Start of the season he played up top on his own. I actually dont mind this system but your players behind must be goal getters/attacking who want to get close to him. If I remember rightly our first few games we lined up with Chadli/Sigurdsson/Andros behind him. These are hard working average midfileders who I would expect to get about 4 goals each in a 38 game season. So what were they expecting from Soldado? Look at Chelsea, they play natural goal getters in those areas behind the target man. Look at Liverpool - the front 3 reads Suarez/Stirling/Sturridge. All natural goal getters. The system only works if you get forward thinkers to work back, not midfielders to work forward. I dont know what they were expecting Soldado to do but I felt for him right from the off.
Paulinho. Im absolutely devastated how this has turned out. Really thought he was gathering momentum and vs Stoke at home I thought I was seeing the new World Class player we were promised. What a let down things have been since the Charlie Adam incident. I can only assume that that injury gave him a world cup scare - and he has decided it is feet up from now on. I dont think ive seen him get in front of our forwards once in the last 3 games. Lazy, dis-interested. Gutted.
Chadli, Vlad and Capoue - not seen enough but dont strike me as the grade to take us on. Squad players, no better than Hudd/Jake etc.
So what was the strategy? What system did AVB want? We hear rumours that we signed players he didnt want. Complete disaster of a set up from the off. That system will never work. The only way a DOF works is if manger gives him a list of names and DOF goes for them. Not DOF hands him 7 players, most of which dont fit the strategy.
Tim Sherwood
So much of what goes on I just dont understand. When he first came in we were told he was 'going to have a go' - ala Redknapp. I didnt mind this. We went to Southampton and United with 2 up top and got the points at both venues. but slowly and surely - we have actually morphed back into an AVB style side - (ABV must laugh when he sees the team now). Its basically the same setup but with Ade in for Soldado. When u play 1 up front of course you are going to control games in midfield, its not rocket science. but we just do not have goal getters behind Ade.
His treatment of some players is a joke. We dont know what goes on behind closed doors but after the confidence boosting match winner vs Cardiff, Soldado is then axed for the next 3 games, one of which he was overlooked with Harry Kane. Now come on, this needs some explanation. Surely Levy must be thinking WTF. Tim strikes me as so stubborn, and so hell bent on bringing youth through - they just arent good enough - simple. Bentaleb has played 90% of games under Tim, and he looks ok - nothing more. he should be playing 20 mins here and there.
As for his tactics, on Thursday vs Benfica we had CE on the left - I like him there - its very Luka-like. But you must must must has a left footed LB. Other wise that side of the pitch is so easy to defend against. We started with Naughton LB, and Zeki and Danny on the bench. I really dont get it. I hear on TV Strachan suggested Andros on at HT for Naughton to play LB and get forward and link with CE. What a great idea - but not spotted by Tim.
Even today - he brought on Gylfi in front of Robby. Blimey - I know Siggy tries, but he is probably one of the slowest players ive ever seen, I dont just mean running, I mean turning, decision making, everything. If ever a player was signed courtesy of match of the day - he was it. And to think Liverpool turned to Coutinho.
So much needs explaining. We really had a chance, yes Gareth was going to leave, but we only had to introduce one or two players into the team slowly. We've massacred 100m and will be lucky to see half of it again.
So what next? I think Jan is already off, tapped up ive heard. Paulinho is thinking of World Cup. Hugo looks p!ssed off. Its falling apart right in front of us.
Who will magage spurs next? People are obsessed with continental managers. Personally every time I hear Glenn Hoddle speak on TV he speaks sense. He suggests the best teams/systems that i hear when we are on. Redknapp never complcated the job, I dont think Glenn would.
FWIW I just want 2 forwards on the pitch with 2 attacking wide men (lennon/Andros/CE). The rest I dont mind.
Ive missed loads but im knackered after another stressfull day of supporting Spurs. Can someone off me any light!?
Cheers
So - Where did it all go wrong (well - apart from Drogba vs Bayern)....
Pre-Season transfer activity
So everyone knows we sold our crown jewel and gambled on 7 players in the hope that 3 or 4 would become first 11 starters and take us to the top 4. Well, as I see it - only one has made match winning contributions, and really look like he fits - and that looks like Christian Eriksen. But my moan comes with the scouting/targets. We had one of the most consistent right midfielders in the country in AL, and we had AT returning from a form spell at QRR. One favours a traditional wide right, the other plays right side as an inverted winger. Ample quality I would suggest....so who do we splash our transfer record on!? one look at youtube and you can see that Erik Lamela's favoured position is wide right cutting in, so we gamble 30m on a player where we have 2 very decent prem standard players already - I really cant get my head round this - someone needs to be held accountable - obv they hoped he would be better than both of those players, but can you really be that wrong? I took one look at his physique and can see he isnt a prem league player - not yet anyway.
Soldado. Where do I start? Why was he signed? Start of the season he played up top on his own. I actually dont mind this system but your players behind must be goal getters/attacking who want to get close to him. If I remember rightly our first few games we lined up with Chadli/Sigurdsson/Andros behind him. These are hard working average midfileders who I would expect to get about 4 goals each in a 38 game season. So what were they expecting from Soldado? Look at Chelsea, they play natural goal getters in those areas behind the target man. Look at Liverpool - the front 3 reads Suarez/Stirling/Sturridge. All natural goal getters. The system only works if you get forward thinkers to work back, not midfielders to work forward. I dont know what they were expecting Soldado to do but I felt for him right from the off.
Paulinho. Im absolutely devastated how this has turned out. Really thought he was gathering momentum and vs Stoke at home I thought I was seeing the new World Class player we were promised. What a let down things have been since the Charlie Adam incident. I can only assume that that injury gave him a world cup scare - and he has decided it is feet up from now on. I dont think ive seen him get in front of our forwards once in the last 3 games. Lazy, dis-interested. Gutted.
Chadli, Vlad and Capoue - not seen enough but dont strike me as the grade to take us on. Squad players, no better than Hudd/Jake etc.
So what was the strategy? What system did AVB want? We hear rumours that we signed players he didnt want. Complete disaster of a set up from the off. That system will never work. The only way a DOF works is if manger gives him a list of names and DOF goes for them. Not DOF hands him 7 players, most of which dont fit the strategy.
Tim Sherwood
So much of what goes on I just dont understand. When he first came in we were told he was 'going to have a go' - ala Redknapp. I didnt mind this. We went to Southampton and United with 2 up top and got the points at both venues. but slowly and surely - we have actually morphed back into an AVB style side - (ABV must laugh when he sees the team now). Its basically the same setup but with Ade in for Soldado. When u play 1 up front of course you are going to control games in midfield, its not rocket science. but we just do not have goal getters behind Ade.
His treatment of some players is a joke. We dont know what goes on behind closed doors but after the confidence boosting match winner vs Cardiff, Soldado is then axed for the next 3 games, one of which he was overlooked with Harry Kane. Now come on, this needs some explanation. Surely Levy must be thinking WTF. Tim strikes me as so stubborn, and so hell bent on bringing youth through - they just arent good enough - simple. Bentaleb has played 90% of games under Tim, and he looks ok - nothing more. he should be playing 20 mins here and there.
As for his tactics, on Thursday vs Benfica we had CE on the left - I like him there - its very Luka-like. But you must must must has a left footed LB. Other wise that side of the pitch is so easy to defend against. We started with Naughton LB, and Zeki and Danny on the bench. I really dont get it. I hear on TV Strachan suggested Andros on at HT for Naughton to play LB and get forward and link with CE. What a great idea - but not spotted by Tim.
Even today - he brought on Gylfi in front of Robby. Blimey - I know Siggy tries, but he is probably one of the slowest players ive ever seen, I dont just mean running, I mean turning, decision making, everything. If ever a player was signed courtesy of match of the day - he was it. And to think Liverpool turned to Coutinho.
So much needs explaining. We really had a chance, yes Gareth was going to leave, but we only had to introduce one or two players into the team slowly. We've massacred 100m and will be lucky to see half of it again.
So what next? I think Jan is already off, tapped up ive heard. Paulinho is thinking of World Cup. Hugo looks p!ssed off. Its falling apart right in front of us.
Who will magage spurs next? People are obsessed with continental managers. Personally every time I hear Glenn Hoddle speak on TV he speaks sense. He suggests the best teams/systems that i hear when we are on. Redknapp never complcated the job, I dont think Glenn would.
FWIW I just want 2 forwards on the pitch with 2 attacking wide men (lennon/Andros/CE). The rest I dont mind.
Ive missed loads but im knackered after another stressfull day of supporting Spurs. Can someone off me any light!?
Cheers
